Does it matter who teacher you Level 1 Reiki?

[Briiiiia!]

Hello all,
I'm a massage therapist. I want to take level 1 Reiki. There is one Master close to my house who can teach me level 1. However, I found her office to be very grubby and full of crystals. I'm not fond of dirty workspaces or crystals. However, this person's office is the closest to my house.

There are several other Reiki Masters about an hour away. I have heard great things about them and know people who have studied with them. They are both also more expensive then the woman closest to my house.

My question is this -- does it matter who teaches me Level 1? Are some teachers more in tune than others? Or is the Level 1 training the same regardless who of who and how it is performed?

I'd love to hear what you all have to say.

Thanks

 

[The Great & Powerful Oz]

I am a Reiki Master,and when I was looking at potential people to learn Reiki from. I went to all of them,asked alot of questions,and sat in on a class with several of them.The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to follow your intuition and study with the one you feel the strongest desire to learn from.Best of luck on your search--the joys of Reiki are awesome and wonderful,please feel free to keep us posted !

Namaste,
Johnny
[/b]

 

[?JD?]

I think the selection of any teacher matters, especially when it comes to energy work. I agree you should talk to the people you are considering, and try to see their workspace as well. Some may disagree, but I think how a person surrounds themselves is a reflection of how they see themselves. Grubby wouldn't work for me, that's for sure, although I love crystals!

Enjoy your attunement, and... welcome!

 

[Vannah R]

I definitely think it matters. I think it is a very big part of the experience.I am a Master Teacher and I have students that come to refresh because they feel they meet other Reiki people and realize they missed some important teachings. I had one student who took level 1 and !! come to find out how to do distance healings. She had no clue but she did take level II. I've had a few of that Master's students come to me with that same need. Choose your teachers with care, IMHO.

A good article I found on this:

(snipped for brevity)


So who has the real Reiki? I believe we all do. We all have the ability to pass on this sacred energy, to be a healing force for another. However, I and many others believe it is vital to follow some traditional standards, to become as clear as possible as channels for this universal life force, most especially at the Master training level. In the beginning, a comprehensive study, an apprenticeship, existed, but in many systems today the training has changed. In their book *A Complete Book of Reiki Healing, Brigitte Müller and Horst H. Günther warn us, “In the last years, a lot of people participated in Reiki crash courses, or just one or two weekends of training, without following the traditional way of learning Reiki. The practice of Reiki has been diluted and abused.”

A few years ago, a teacher came to town and taught Level One, Two and Master in a weekend for a bargain price. We called it blue light special, or five and dime Reiki. Many showed up at my door to retrain. You truly get what you pay for. What needs to occur for us to call ourselves a Master at what we do? Can a weekend do it, or – worse yet – a day? And even far worse than that, a distant initiation over cyberspace? How would the holy man on the mountain feel about that? The fact that we capitalize the words Reiki Master might give us a clue about the importance of the preparation.

For those seeking to train in Reiki, what do you look for in a Master teacher? Here are some questions that you can ask: What is the Master’s lineage? How long have they been working with Reiki and how long have they been teaching? Are they following the principles and fundamentals of the training they received? Do they respect other disciplines and teachers? What are their requirements, especially for the Master level? Can they offer a support group and opportunities for volunteering Reiki in the community? It is so important to choose your teachers wisely.

Reiki Masters, what do you want to create? What do you want to send out into the world? We have already made great strides, and this will expand even more in the years to come. Do you want to feel confident that the one you have trained is solid and completely prepared to carry on the sacred initiation and tradition that Dr. Usui created for us a long time ago? Crash courses and shortcuts are not the answer.

A quick fix, a quick move through the levels of Reiki without the necessary practice and preparation is a grave disservice to Reiki, the student, and the recipient. We as teachers have been given a great responsibility, and that is to know if and when a student is ready, and to guide them into and through Mastership. A comprehensive course of study, including the proper time, requirements, and supervision, will allow a solid foundation to occur as well as a deep process of soul, heart, and mind evolution. Great healing can happen for the student at the emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. Let us give that the honor and time it deserves.

 

[Eliundari]

I would say it absolutely matters! I received my first level nearly ten years ago and at that time I knew of only one teacher. When I was ready to move on to second level, it was important to me to have a teacher whose energy I felt in sync with. By then I knew nearly ten teachers but I chose the one who I felt was going to give me the most benefit in the long run. As I prepare to finish my Master level, I know I made the right choice.

I feel it is important to have the same teacher from beginning to end, although that is not always possible. Most importantly, find someone you would enjoy spending some non-Reiki time with, someone whose personality and energy match your own. With that, the learning process will be much more benificial.

Namaste'

 

[Seeyatiful]

I took Reiki I.II and Master all with the same teacher,and I feel that made the learning experience more memorable and benficial. I can always call my teacher anytime even for non-Reiki stuff,and she is always there for me. Her energies mesh so well with mine and her touch is awesome. Just have fun in your quest for learning!

Blessings....
Johnny

 

[Lisa]

While I also took Reiki I from a good friend (who later became a best friend) and I feel it adds to the experience, I don't think it is truly the most important thing. Reiki is an initiation of sorts, and if you are true in your heart and are open to the channel of energy coming through, then no teacher can taint that.

I think a lot of people who trained under someone who "meshed" with them, or was a friend or whatnot is biased (including me.) Because we don't know what it's like to train with someone else. I think it goes without saying that in any discipline if you connect with your teacher on some level, it's awesome. If you connect on more than one level, it's amazing. And if you connect on all levels, it's like a guru relationship.

But, if you don't have access to a teacher who is ideal...I don't think that your ability will be any worse for it. If it's truly meant to happen for you, this grubby person may be a doorway, with many lessons she/he doesn't even know they are teaching you, while giving you your Reiki I certification. And the teacher you truly need will come when they are needed.

Just another viewpoint.