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what do you all think of the connotations to the word Master??

sakti-rising said on

>what do you all think of the connotations to the word Master??

In the East, it's someone who trains apprentices. In the West, it carries too much baggage, IMHO.

Bruce

Hi there,
Reiki is the master. How does that sound?
peace,
Prosperity

prosperity said on
... Reiki is the master. How does that sound?

very familiar :-)

reiki ni rei

James

hmmm Reiki is the master how does that sound?....

well to be honest, not that great, because it implies that reiki is much better than other healing modalities......

bruce said on

>sakti-rising said on
>
>>what do you all think of the connotations to the word Master??
>
>
>In the East, it's someone who trains apprentices. In the West, it carries too much baggage, IMHO.
>
>Bruce

But in the East it is far more than someone who just trains apprentices.....it is someone who has trained for many many years( some say many lifetimes) in a particular discipline to achieve the status of 'Master'.

If the word carries too much baggage in the West, its only because of what we have come to associate with the meaning of the word Master, from the East.

I personally have really struggled with the word Master for a long time.....My reiki teacher said to me after we had a discussion, that the Word Master in Reiki is just the name for a level of training... which of course is exactly what it is... but the word Master itself,... implies much much more.

sakti-rising said on

>But in the East it is far more than someone who just trains apprentices.....it is someone who has trained for many many years( some say many lifetimes) in a particular discipline to achieve the status of 'Master'.
ies much much more.

Nonsense. Consider the Chinese "shifu"
or Japanese "sensei." They mean master or
teacher, without any implication of many
lifetimes. Acquiring any real skill probably
does require many years of practice, so of
course any informed student would choose a
master who has an adequate background of
training. But considering the Japanese
culture in which reiki practice arose -- no,
the word sensei doesn't mean more than a
teacher of apprentices. The same word
describes a schoolteacher.

Bruce

...how did Usui refer to himself...

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The West adopted "master" or "master/teacher" to mean completion of Reiki III. Yes?

Peace Be.

resplen

bruce said on

>the word sensei....
>describes a schoolteacher.

well, it can do, but kyoushi is perhaps more common...

reiki ni rei

James

Prosperity,

Hi,

I am not sure what you mean when you say "Reiki is Master".

Cheers,

RC

Dear James,
Yes I read the Yoda RM saying on your website. I loved that!
thanks,
Peace,
Prosperity

Personnally I don't use the word "master" as it has conotations of many years experience in my opinion only, when people ask I say I trained to level 3 :)

To me, being a Reiki Master means that I have made a lifetime commitment to the practice and sharing of Reiki. In my case, that means teaching, working to build my healing practice as a livelihood (one among many!), and always being attentive to ways in which Reiki can be helpful to fellow beings who invite me or give permission.

Beyond all that, with a nod to Vinny's impeccable philosophy, Reiki has become the core of a practice for self-awakening. Next to that, all other accoutrements or trappings of Master-hood are simply support. The inner fire burns away the junk so that the window may be clear.

When one takes the Master attunement, this is the commitment one assumes. To teach by example, requires such humility that this is a popular topic -- Reiki Masters feeling unequal to the title they bear. This feeling is evidence that one is taking the commitment seriously, and hearing the call to always hone and improve one's practice. Learning the paradox of being content and at peace, but not complacent. Walking and talking in the grip of that apparent contradiction, and in so doing revealing an honest humanity -- that is the teaching that Reiki Masters are called to.

We teach by always learning, always being willing to start again at the beginning. That is why I tell those who ask, that "Master" means "beginner".

Blessings,
Aronaya

Aronaya,

Hi,

So, just to expose the PC card, I suppose there are also Reiki Mistresses?

:)

Cheers,

RC

aronaya,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- true humility is absolutely natural

- false humility sticks out like a sore thumb

- and, there is a small voice, somewhere in my consciousness that says: "who wants to be taught by a beginner???"

bagl

- have a happy and healthy 2007

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

Oh my, am I being didactic again?

It would have been sufficient to say that a Master is a beginner.

And, yes, my preference has always been to learn from those who are free enough in themselves to recognize and celebrate their beginner nature. I equate being mindful with being open to be instructed in every moment. So, for each new student or client, each new class or session, I am a beginner. If I carry the feeling that the more I learn, the less I know for sure, then that leaves more and more room for the student or client's true nature to flourish. The technique, the knowledge, gained from years of practice, serves its purpose to bring me to that openness. If I stop and think, wow, I know so much, what a great Reiki Master I am, well then, I have many sobering experiences to assure me that, indeed, I am truly a beginner.

You see? I can't stop it, the pleasure of reading my own words and imagining how wise they seem! Time to go begin again...sigh....

Blessings,
Aronaya

As I understood the term as towards reiki, It being the term used to indicate attaining level three, but not as such to indicate mastership of said subject. The being becoming into reiki mastership undertakes the commitment to master oneself. It also being said that reiki has a 'consiousness' does not to me intail that this consiousness have mastership over reiki and being 'master'. This implies to me that we who say that reiki is master gives our control of ourselves over to reiki but also that implication having a kind of cultish overtone, takes away free will. This I don't agree with.
Okay, some of the above is a bit tongue in ... but I feel that reiki is a partner, and so work along me, while I work along it in equality, unconditionaly, and in repose.
their is no master. Unless its a mister master bater.:op
Having that put aside, though not relevant to discussion,
I wish everone a Happy New Year.
(the above aside, meaning to me that of a person who strokes and preens under the 'name' of master, someone who needs the recognition. ego stroking):I therefore don't describe meself as a 'master' , just someone who has attained level3, As someone above so succiently put it.

I rather have a sore thumb seen and someone point it out to me, than have a sore thumb not seen and make a folly of myself

Thanks fk, as usual, (Sigh) you put things in perspective. :op

Blessed 2007 to all.

Aronaya,

/*\ Namsate :-}}

- yes, there are those who say that only humans are capable of (and often pretty good at) self-indulgance and self-delusion

- other sentients such as animals having no such baggage to deal with

>:-}}

- of course, they don't have plasma TVs and a BlackBerry - but then, few lives are perfect

bagl, bagl, bagl

- Have a great 2007

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

Otoharo!

Aranaya, Once when I heard MS. Furumoto speak, she said just what you are saying. That reiki keeps her right at the edge of her known world. Each new moment is new and brings a new way of being, etc.

finaltiy

Thank you, finality, that makes me smile -- a good sign for the New Year!

Blessings,
Aronaya

My teacher doesn't use the word "master", as she feels it has been misinterpreted and given guru-status and new-age connotations that to her, are not respectful of the origins, simplicity and beauty of reiki. The word sensei when translated does mean "teacher", but it is usually offered as a form of address to a "respected" teacher - one who has had many years training and practice, one who truly reaches students.

She feels the real "masters" in reiki are those who work with it daily, who heal and heal and heal, themselves and others, and by doing so, develop real discernment of the energy flow in all its subtle (and sometimes not so subtle), variations. They become masters of the art of reiki, rather than "school masters".

I studied Japanese for several years, and the definition of sensei I've put here is probably as close as I can get in terms of an English translation...

I shun using the word, "master' and suspect I always will.
I wonder if the Masters in history alluded to themselves as "masters". I don't think Usui did.
In the world of Reiki, he is my example--my role model.

I think of "mastership" as ongoing, really never ending: an ever-continuing process.
I don't think one on the path to mastery is intent or focused on ever actually "arriving"...that it truly is the journey -- living in the moment, not focused on "arrival" or outcome.

I embrace the words "sensei" and "teacher".
I think of teaching Reiki as more than just sharing information, but as sharing one’s direct experience. Support, guidance and being fully present to the student are some of the essential components of teaching. And, of course, being passionate about it.

All very personally speaking, of course. :~)

Peace Be,

resplen

I like your comments, Resplen.

Teachers in Japan do not refer to themselves as sensei - it is offered by their students as a sign of respect. There is a word that simply means teacher without the "respect" attached, and that term is what a teacher in Japan might use when asked what profession he/she undertakes. Usui sensei would not have used the term sensei for himself.

So if we were following the Japanese model in reln to respect, teachers of reiki should call themselves just that - "teachers", and if some of their students choose to call them "master", and they understand what using that title implies, that's a nice message to the reiki teacher...