Trampetunia, the idea of levels of Reiki is derived from the original Usui Reiki Ryoho developed by Mikao Usui in early 20th century Japan. When Usui began teaching Reiki in 1922, he developed six levels or degrees for his students to work through. He numbered his levels in reverse from what we do in the west: the first level was six and the highest level was one. The first four levels were called Shoden or "Beginning level". When Hawayo Takata began teaching in the west in the 1940’s, she combined these four levels into one degree, traditionally known as Reiki I. In some schools of Reiki, four attunements are given for this level, and in other schools, only one.
In Usui’s time, people learned a lot slower than they do now, working at one level for many months or even years before moving on to the next. Most teachers in the west teach Reiki I over 1 or 2 days, and the teaching includes the first degree attunement, the basics of treatment for both the self and others, an introduction to the human energy system, and meditation techniques designed to strengthen the Reiki connection and adjust the individual’s energy system in a manner which can better accommodate the current.
Level 5 in Usui’s day was called Oduken or “Inner teaching”. This degree was divided into two parts, and comprises what is generally taught in Reiki II classes these days. The level two attunement strengthens the intensity of the energy one is able to channel, and the teaching involves the use of symbols and distance healing.
Usui’s “master” level (although the word “master” was never used in Japan) was known as Shinpiden or “Mystery Teaching”. What was taught at this level was very similar to what is currently taught in the west as Reiki III, or Master level training. The core of the practice at this level involves working with additional symbols, and learning how to effectively pass attunements to other people. |
