The Reiki Cafe 

Reiki master training seems to vary all over the world.
I would appreciate your views on what makes a good Reiki Master and what Reiki Master training could consist of so I can ensure when I teach others its not a watered down version.

Hi Zanzibar
Interesting question.
I think that many Reiki Masters teach what they are taught, ot their inturpritation of it. Now if their RM was good and the person about to teach fully understood everything, then it may follow that they will teach as well as they were taught.
My own master at master level was and is considered to be good, but as I have not had master teaching from anyone else, what can I compare it with?

You ask what should be included in the training. Well that very much depends on the style you were taught.
For instance my master was trained by William Rand in Tibeten Reiki, so reiki grids, the anthakara symbol, physcic surgery was taught, along with the symbols and attunement process. Total length of the workshop was 4 days (24-26 hours) along with follow up evenings once a month for a few months. After the follow up training I then went my own way, worked out what worked for me and what didn't. What I felt was Reiki and what wasn't and in a way I developed my own style (Much simplified and perhaps more reiki without the add ons) Does that make me a good teacher?
Not on it's own no. You also have to know how to get your infomation across. Some can do it naturally, some have to work at it, others may find that they don't feel that they can do it at all (They are mistaken LOL)
Teaching and people skill are important as is being able to answear questions to anything that you teach.
An example. At reiki 1 the master who was taking the class kept mentioning that certain things had a different vibration than others and that the version he taught had a higher vibration that some others. He got challenged on how it was measured and what it meant. He had absolutly no idea at all.
So reseach and preperation are important.
I try and keep any personal beliefs out of my teaching. For instance, I am not christain, so if I was teaching a group of devout christains, any religous beliefs I put across would be alien to them.
So does that make me good Reiki Master? That is not for me to say. That would be the perception of others.

I think that you have to think long and hard about what you feel happy about teaching at any level of reiki. Personally I would say, keep any add ons out of itand keep it simple

Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

Zanzibar,

IMO, take your teaching seriously but not yourself too seriously. Speak in terms each student will understand. Be humble and appreciative that you are passing on this tradition of energy work. Be ethical and teach ethics and responsibility and reverence for this healing art. Give examples of how energy work has postiviely changed your life. Always allow time for questions after each section.

Clear the room ahead of time and be mindful and hold the energy for the student(s) and the room where classes/attunements are held.

Teach the Eastern history as well as the Western history, teach what you were taught and teach what you now know. I advise students to stay with the tradition and do their daily practices. Teach do yourself first always, then later others. Teach how the channel is cleared. Teach about grounding techniques. Teach for them to have an open mind and keep learning and searching as new things always come along. It is always up to us to then see if it resonates with us personally. Teach asking for permission issues as everyone has their own free will. Teach that you are available if any questions come up or help is needed. I follow up with my student by phone or visits if possible just to see how they are getting along. Teacher and student should realize there is a special bond that happens during the attunement process. Welcome them to the lifestle of energy work.

Do plenty of hands on placement practices and discuss the organs etc. If level two then do plenty of sending practices. After this then teach about add-ons if you wish.

I give handouts and the manual after the classes and attunement; along with their certificate, so no one is flipping through them during the verbal part of the class. We then go through them together and I highlight why I have included certain things. I include books to perhaps read and I loan mine if someone wishes to use them. I include links to sites I have found informative and helpful. Have your certificates out for them to see. Be sure to give out your lineage and contact information. The handouts you give should be thorough and I include pictures of the body, organs, hand placements and when applicable the symbols and pronunciation of each one. I give out pictures of the chakra's and their colors etc.

I feel giving more instruction is much better than not giving enough. I teach students I am still learning. Teach from the heart place. Teach about community service. Teach about the spiritual path. Teach how energy can be used for all things, give examples such as animals, plants, objects, etc. Talk slowly and clearly and at times ask if there are any questions.

Before the attunement as I was taught I give about 5 minutes of head and shoulder chair or standing up Reiki. This is very calming and seems to begin the channel opening.

"The best teacher is the one the student no longer needs." anonymous

"A good, mindful teacher realizes they are teaching the next teacher." by me

Hope this is helpful.

Donna

zanzibar,

Hi.

It is said that it is the students who 'make' the 'best Teachers' (or Reiki Masters)

:)

Cheers,

RC

Otoharo!

Zanzibar, I was taught by traditional reiki, by one of the second go round. That is he was taught by a direct student of Ms. Takata. He was very laid back throughout. There were a small group of us. We had assignments to audit about twelve area masters (these became friends also). I would not take for that special privalege. (that must a an old Texan expression). All this took a year. So, by the time of the initiation, we were well prepared. Each of us did this in our own pace. I can tell you, there were no add-ons! What could add to reiki? The most powerful of all power.

finality

Finality, namaste ...

I thought Donna gave a very thorough answer to the original question.
May I ask whether you explain to students about eastern as well as western traditions?

Love and light
philanty

Donna hi, namaste

I was very impressed by your thorough answers.

Personally I give out manuals right at the beginning, although I take your point about the possibility of students flipping through. But I find it quite helpful to say, for example, when explaining lineage, that if they look at page XX in their manual, they will see their lineage and then explain through from Dr. Usui down through that line, so they can see where they fit in.

Everything I teach is in the manual, and quite a bit more, not strictly Reiki, but research connected to it, for them to read in their own time.

Your students are lucky, you are obviously a very caring, ethical teacher, and hopefully if they go to Master level, they will follow in your footsteps.

Love and light
philanty

Hi Donna
Must admit I only make a passing mention of Mrs Takata's history, but do explain now that it was a teaching story (Since I came to understand that aspect).
I give manuals out at the start of the workshp, then go thru them with the students, discussing anything that comes up whilst we go along, This seems to prevent excessive note taking, that can happen (LOL).
In some ways, I suppose I teach as I was taught. Here is the infomation. Don't believe a word I tell you (on the premis that if you believe something that you don't know for sure that it is the truth, and that everyone finds there own truth) and explore whilst you are on your journey. I want my students to question everything and explore all of the posabilities that they come across, only then can they say that they know.
My main message is one of self empowerment thru Reiki, My role is that of helping them to find that within themself.
So much the same as you really (LOL)

At the start of a reiki class, I also take the students thru some basic Tai Chi warm up exercises, That wa they can expierieance Chi flowing (if they havn't before)

Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

Thank you Philanty for your kind words.

I am for all ways that any teacher gets the messages across as long as they are thorough. Having a student leave scratching their head and having no handheld resources is just not my way. The nuts and bolts first and then as they open their channels they go further into self-discovery and self-empowerment which the energy practices will help them with naturally.

I came from a strictly verbal teaching, no notes allowed. I was told Mrs. Takata taught this way. My teacher was taught by Paul Mitchell and he by Mrs. Takata. I found I could not remember each and every detail as time went on. So this is why my decision was to allow notes during the verbal portion and giving handouts and a manual. The rest of the classes I was taught were very on and complete with much practicing during the four days. We were given no handouts other than the Blue Book, our certificates and a magnet that had the precepts on it.

I think that is why so many students have so many questions if they are not given long enough classes or access to the materials you want them to practice from. Sure much is available in books and online but is it more or less exact to the lineage that you are teaching? I do not want anyone to feel confused. I want students to feel prepared and ready. In the beginning I would prefer they have these histories and traditions and then they can blossom out and go from there if they feel the need. I agree students should be taught to explore, to challenge beliefs and new ideas as there are many forks to take on any journey.
My first teacher is one of those who says do as I say and my way or the highway. I have posted about this before when she and I took different highways. I found a new teacher some time later for my level three, similar lineage although much longer but she introduced me to some newer thinking and ways to use energy work. I feel I have the best of both of these worlds now to do my energy work. I include all of these added teachers to my lineage and my students are told this story too.

This Cafe' is one of the url's I include in my handouts. I have learned many things coming in here and I feel it is a valuable resource for the new as well as more experienced practitioners. We learn about so many different energy possibilities, to live and teach from the heart, compassion, humor, self-expression, to live with a positive attitude but to know negatives come up and ways to deal with those.

I am sure Reiki has saved my life more than just once or twice. I have a deep love and reverence for the system and all other positive energy systems. And so it goes..I will pass it along to others.

Donna

Phylanti, I am not expert in eastern tradition. I teach only what I know.

finality

Hi Donna
I also give the cafe url as a good source of referance.
I have also learnt and continue to learn so much here as well(LOL) .
Ooo BTW did you ever find out what your oval chop meant?

Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

Yes I did Rob thanks to Rebecca as her's is the same.

It is the chop of The Reiki Alliance, the Usui Shiki Ryoho System.

Donna

Thanks everyone for sharing your views with me its made very interesting reading.
The length of training for Reiki Master seems to vary so much. Surely this must effect the content & quality of whats being taught?
When I did my Reiki 1 & 2 the experience of them especially 1 was amazing but I did feel the teaching was a bit weak. So decided that if I was going learn to be a R M
I would do 1& 2 again with someone else to gain more knowledge so I would be able to teach more thoroughly and doing it again really did help. I did R M straight after, it was only one day long a lovely experience, but I do feel a bit concerned that there may be a lot more than I was taught and now I'm wary of teaching a Reiki Master workshop incase it is missing important ingrediences.
What is a girl to do ?
The experience of Reiki has been life changing for me and my family, and it has taken me on a wonderful journey of self discovery and I'm very grateful for that, I would not change the experiences I have had because they have given me so much in other ways.
Hopefully I will find the answers I need and gain enough confidence to run a R M workshop one day.
Love & Light
Tina bubble

Hi Tina
Have you taught a Reiki 1 class yet?.
personaly I have only done one reiki master class. Expierance from teaching 1 and 2 does help when you get to teaching level 3,
There is a link to the reiki plain and simple website on the resources board. It may help you to look at the various manuals and articles there. They do give you so much infomation, in a very simple and understandable format. From that I personally learned so much and it did very much help me format my workshops.

Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

As mr. rob mentioned. I think having good people skills and an ability to get the information across is just as important as the content.

While it seems not quite as common as it evidently used to be, I think there are obvious benefits to some form of apprenticeship. I would not suggest you allow someone else to define your views of Reiki. But having a voice of experience is a very good thing. If apprenticeship is not available in your area i think you should make sure that it is the type of teacher that is available for questions after the training. I would tend to shy away from those that don't seem fond of questions or put up an air of not wanting to answer because you are no longer paying them( sad but it does seem to occurr).

Hi Rob,
Yes I have done two reiki one workshops and I was pleased with how they went considering I was new to it.
Because I felt under trained, when I did mine, I made a promise to myself to give people all the information they needed so hopefully they new what they were doing by the end of the weekend, and they would feel confident enough to start using it.
Many times I have heard people say they did'nt get much from their workshops and they still really did not know what they are doing so they don't use it now which is sad, It had also been one of the most expensive courses they had ever been on. And yet it can really be priceless for some people, and you can learn mases from the some teachers, which really gives you a good starting point, you can then go off and use it and learn through your experiences.
Thanks for the web site advice I will check it out.
Tina

Hi Tina
I had the same expieriance when i took reiki 1 , many years ago.
I found that in my preperation to do my first one, that I learnt so much from the posts here. You know the ones where anewbie asks the so called "silly question" that perhaps wasn't covered in the workshop they attended (Or perhaps was but not understood).
I think that RC said it all in his first answear to you in this thread.

Namaste

Rob
Truth is not a property of language because language has not been able to express abstract ideas as efficiently as concrete items

A master with a good bit of experience/practice in self Reiki as well as Reiki on others & in leading groups or circles, humility and patience, the ability to teach others, able to admit errors, knowledgeable of the Reiki history from both east & west perspective, honest & fair.
With that said, sometimes the best teacher is the one that does everything wrong!! :)

peace & joy,
holobon

Otoharo!

Holobon, I agree, but this sounds like a good story ahead. Will you tell us more?

finality

Dear Finality,
As a new reiki practitioner I discovered that the person I thought of as so spiritual, so kind, so experienced, etc. was not really so. I was taught things that werent even Reiki because the person simply did not know any better. There were aspects of control, jealousy, greed, pride, back biting that were displayed over time. Of course, no situation exists in a vacumn, I had a part in that dance as well. Isnt that always an eye opener?
:)

peace & joy,
holobon

RC,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- yes, there are those who will say that a Teacher is only as good as his\her students.

bagl

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

FK,

Hi.

I have always felt that it is up to students to learn. On the whole I feel that Teachers get too much blame for 'poor test scores'. Teachers even get saddled with behavioral issues that really are the purview of parents.

But, are there lousey Teachers in the world? Sure. Are there Teachers with inadequate training themselves? Sure. Is Teacher competency testing by states a good idea? On the whole I agreee with this.

Are these issues of competency and training also relevant to Reiki Teachers\Masters\whatevers? Yes. Is it up to students to want to be properly trained? Yes, that too. Would I want to be taught by someone with an internet degree? Not likely.

So, I will get off my soapbox for a while.

lol

Cheers (getting the splinters out of my feet),

RC

RC,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- good morning.

- that resonates pretty well with any number of folks I know of my generation (and probably a good number I don't know)

- no whining that the schools or someone else is falling down on the job when kids 'act badly'

- no complaining if one takes a short cut and then ends up 'coming up short'

>:-}}

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

FK,

Hi.

Amen! Halleluljah!!

I'm outta here. Have a great weekend.

Cheers, (olive dun on top)

RC

RC,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- Tight Lines, olde bean! (and barbless hooks)

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper