THE JOURNEY TO BECOMING A REIKI TEACHER
What is it like to live a life teaching energy healing, and helping people feel empowered with life force energy? If you've been wondering what the road is like on that journey, and how long it takes, here are some practical answers.
Before we dive in, Reiki Teaching is not just about the classes you take and their requirements, but it's also about your inner drive and passion. Because of this, the length of time can vary, but technically it doesn't have to take too long.
There are many schools that teach Reiki, and each school or tradition has its own length of time for becoming a Reiki teacher. I remember when I was setting up my Healing Heart Reiki (my school), I noticed that some schools taught all of the basics in one day, while others required several years before they would allow their students to carry the title of "Teacher."
Reiki Master teachers who've been in practice a lot longer, often begin to notice that students will blossom if given the right teachings in the right time frame. What I mean by that is that if you pressure or try to speed up the training process for students who aren't ready, then they have a hard time lifting off. There's an art to teaching. and it's grounded in truly listening to your students.
If you want to know how long it takes to become a Reiki teacher, you'll have to find your ideal teacher, and then ask their policy. Now add to that, considerations for your own pace of learning and practice.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BE REIKI CERTIFIED
In the traditional system of Reiki (which we teach here at Healing Heart Reiki), it typically takes a minimum of 3 to 6 months to progress from Reiki I to Reiki II. It takes another 9 to 12 months to progress from Reiki II to Reiki III/Master-- which is the final level, in which you also get a basic structure for learning to teach. These time frames are based on the idea that you need time to practice your craft and integrate the experiences you have at each level before moving on to the next.
Sometimes I've had students who want to rush because they want the Reiki Master title, but that rarely works out well. You need time to practice and integrate what you're learning. You don't truly know something until you do it, again and again.
One to two years is not a long time to learn the basics and develop confidence in what you're doing, so I always recommend that students take the classes in their suggested timing, and then they can also plan to go back and deepen their understanding as they practice.
I usually teach Reiki Master to students who have had a minimum of 1 year of study, which includes their Reiki 1 & 2 Trainings. However, most students feel ready to learn Reiki Master and/or the basics of teaching, about 3-5 years after their first Reiki class.
Once a student has learned Reiki Master, they are qualified to teach, but they will still need to learn how to teach. At Healing Heart Reiki we have a required reading list that helps students develop a sense of the teaching path, and I also offer recorded master classes in addition to live training.
IS IT HARD TO BECOME A REIKI MASTER?
It's not hard to become a Reiki Master but it takes dedication. You have to love energy healing. You also have to be willing to practice opening to the flow of healing energy.
As you flow Reiki, your life will begin to transform and come into clear focus.
The process of learning Reiki is an integrated experience that is SUPER DIFFERENT for everyone. Sometimes students have to face their inner demons (with love and support). I've also seen students realize that the outwardly perfect life they've crafted needs to change if they want to truly be happy. Reiki classes are an incredibly beautiful, sensitive space to look at your life and make masterful decisions about your path of happiness.
You may not want to teach, so your focus will be in self care only. But if you're interested in teaching Reiki, then make it a goal to lay hands on at least 6-10 people before taking Reiki Master Training. That will make the process smooth and easy, because you'll have a stronger sense of the energy.
Laying on hands will help you develop your skills and confidence as a Reiki practitioner, and although that isn't required for Reiki Master Training, it is an important part of the journey towards becoming a Reiki teacher. Your practice clients can be friends or strangers, it doesn't matter, the main thing is to practice your craft. I even offer a worksheet to my students (check your Reiki manual), to help get a sense of how those practice sessions are going.
If you're interested in teaching Reiki, then make it a goal to lay hands on at least 6-10 people before taking Reiki Master Training.
Becoming a Reiki teacher takes dedication, and commitment. One the one hand you're mastering the craft of Reiki itself, and on the other you need to learn how to actually share this craft in a simple and clear way. Your Reiki Master Training is the beginning of your teaching journey. You'll receive basics to make it as easy as possible. After that, you get to decide how to approach your life as a teacher. It's not something that should be rushed or achieved overnight. Anyways, it's fun. Why rush fun?
Now, most Reiki Master students who are interested in teaching, begin by developing a professional practice first. This allows you to develop confidence. Then, as your practice is beginning to flow, you can teach your first class. I recommend you teach the most basic level: Reiki 1 Training.
You might choose to teach that beginning level two or even 3 times before teaching Reiki 2 Training. That way you can cultivate a stronger sense of the teaching material. That also gives your students time to become more practiced before the next level.
When you're first teaching, it will take time for you to organize your space, but once you have a lesson plan, a simple class schedule, and a way of inviting students to take your class, then that's when you can really have fun deepening into the art of teaching.
CAN YOU REALLY BUILD A LIFE OR CAREER TEACHING REIKI?
Yes, absolutely. Like any other career, you'll have to show up or the work. But it's FUN work. 😊 The key to long term success is creating a set of regular systems and practices for your classes.
For example, I've noticed that my best years financially and emotionally, are when I have regularly scheduled classes on my roster. It doesn't even matter if those are monthly, quarterly, or annual classes, there's just something about the consistency of showing up that sends a signal energetically to your future students. So set some intentions that feel really good around your teaching, and then build into your craft and offering so that you feel really excited and in integrity about your class offerings.
RESOURCES FOR REIKI MASTER TEACHERS
Here at Healing Heart Reiki I have a special reading list just for Reiki Master students, to help them develop the mindset required for professional practice. Even if you don't think of teaching a class as professional practice, you ARE putting yourself into a space of authority; you are teaching a class and the energetic wellbeing of your Reiki students are entrusted to you during that time. Take that trust seriously, and put aside regular time to check in with your mentors about your teaching process.
If you'd like a copy of our Reiki Master Reading List, or you have other questions about the Reiki training process, feel free to reach out to me. I've been teaching Reiki for 15 years, and one of my goals is to make the learning process so nourishing, that everyone feels inspired to take Reiki into their own lives. Healing the world begins with each of us, one heart at a time.
DAILEY LITTLE is a Reiki Master teacher, transformational life coach, ordained Priestess, and teacher who founded Healing Heart Reiki to help others navigate life with joy. She offers private sessions, and teaches classes in healing and mindset from a magical peaceful corner of the world in Northern California. For more info see: www.SantaRosaReiki.com