Reiki is a Japanese technique designed for stress reduction and deep relaxation that promotes healing by channeling “universal life force energy.” This practice is based on the belief that an unseen life force energy flows through all living things and that a low flow is associated with illness or stress. Practitioners use a gentle, hands-on or hands-hovering approach to help balance this energy in a recipient. Training involves a structured sequence of progressive levels, each building upon the last in knowledge and energetic capacity.
The Progressive Levels of Reiki Practice
The journey in Reiki traditionally follows a tiered structure, beginning with Level 1, often called Shoden, or the beginner’s teachings. The focus at this foundational stage is primarily on self-healing, where students learn the history, basic principles, and hand positions for self-treatment and healing for others. Students receive an initiation, or attunement, which is intended to open the energy channels, allowing them to connect with the universal life force energy.
The next stage is Level 2, or Okuden (inner teachings). At this level, students receive specific sacred symbols used to amplify the healing energy and focus it for purposes such as mental or emotional balance. Practitioners also gain the ability to perform distance healing, sending Reiki energy to a recipient who is not physically present. Level 3, often designated as the Master Practitioner level, prepares the individual for the highest designation.
Defining the Reiki Master Teacher
The Reiki Master Teacher level represents the pinnacle of training and is often referred to as the third or fourth degree, sometimes called Shinpiden, meaning mystery teachings. This stage is a profound commitment that encompasses all the knowledge and techniques of the previous levels, along with the receipt of the Master symbol. This final symbol is understood to significantly increase the practitioner’s channel capacity and spiritual connection to the energy. The Master Teacher designation differs from a Master Practitioner by the inclusion of the authority and ability to teach and initiate new students.
While a Master Practitioner focuses on delivering the highest level of healing to clients, the Master Teacher takes on the additional responsibility of upholding the system and its integrity. The process involves a deeper spiritual and personal commitment, requiring the individual to embody the principles of Reiki in their daily life. This expanded role involves not just healing but also serving as a mentor and guide for those new to the practice. The Master Teacher is expected to cultivate qualities such as love, compassion, and humility.
The Authority to Teach and Initiate
The ability to perform an “attunement” is the unique function that separates a Master Teacher from a Master Practitioner. An attunement is an energetic process where the Master Teacher acts as a channel to align and activate the student’s ability to connect with and transmit the universal life force energy. The teacher uses specific hand positions, symbols, and intention to open the student’s energy pathways. The ritual is not about granting a new power but rather awakening the student’s innate capacity to be a clear conduit for the energy.
This process establishes the concept of lineage in Reiki, as the energetic connection is passed down directly from teacher to student, tracing the practice back to its founder, Mikao Usui. The Master Teacher teaches the student the detailed ritual and the sacred symbols required for performing these initiations themselves. The teaching authority is about transferring the energetic capability to use and pass on the system. A Master Teacher must master the attunement process to ensure the integrity of the energy transfer.
The Path to Certification
The path to becoming a certified Reiki Master Teacher is a significant commitment requiring a substantial time investment, often involving a period of mentorship or apprenticeship under an existing Master Teacher. Students must first complete the foundational Level 1 and Level 2 training. Many lineages recommend a significant period of time, sometimes up to a year, between degrees to integrate the energetic shifts and practice the techniques.
The training for the Master Teacher level focuses on mastering teaching methods and the precise mechanics of the attunement process itself. Aspiring teachers are encouraged to practice the attunement ceremony repeatedly on friends or “attunement models” to gain confidence and refine the ritual. Ultimately, the certification recognizes not just the knowledge of the techniques but also the personal readiness and ethical commitment required to take on the responsibility of guiding others on their own healing paths.