Reiki

How Do You Become a Reiki Practitioner? The Levels Explained

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You become a Reiki practitioner by taking a series of classes from a teacher, each including an “attunement.” Cancer Research UK describes three levels, from treating yourself and those close to you up to teaching; the International Center for Reiki Training teaches four. There is no government licensing for Reiki in the United States, so what a certificate means depends on who issued it.

How many levels are there?

It depends on the system:

What changes at each level?

  • Level 1: according to Cancer Research UK, you can use Reiki on yourself, family and friends, but not to treat other people or charge for treatment. Practitioners at this level work with hands on or near the body.
  • Level 2: described as the practitioner level, where you have studied enough to treat other people. According to the ICRT, students at this level receive three Reiki symbols, one of which practitioners use for distance sessions.
  • Master or teacher: a practitioner who teaches Reiki is known as a Reiki master, according to the Wikipedia article on Reiki.

How long does it take?

The ICRT says a beginning class is taught over a weekend, in one or two days, and recommends at least six to seven hours so that students can receive the attunement and practice giving treatments. The Wikipedia article notes that it is “not uncommon” for a course to offer the master level within two weekends.

Is Reiki training regulated?

Not in the United States. The ICRT says there are no governmental licensing programs, though it runs its own licensing program for teachers. The Wikipedia article reports that there is no central authority controlling the use of the words “Reiki” or “Reiki master,” that certificates can be bought online for under $100, and that there is no regulation of practitioners or masters in the United States.

In the UK, Cancer Research UK says there is no law requiring specific qualifications, and advises that anyone treating you should hold at least a Level 2 qualification and be registered with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council.

Match the level to your goal

If you want Reiki for yourself and your family, a Level 1 class is the starting point. If you want to offer sessions to other people, Level 2 is the level Cancer Research UK treats as the minimum. If you want to teach, you are looking at master training. Before paying for any level, find out what the certificate will and will not mean where you live.

This article is general information, not medical or psychological advice; talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation.

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