Learning something new is always a little scary
Many “What ifs” come to mind
I congratulate you if you have decided to take a chance and learn something new!
When you are learning Reiki as a beginner, expect to experience something a little different than everyone else. Our bodies are made of unique energy, so we interact with energy uniquely. There are common feelings, but entire your learning with an open mind and you’ll go far
I have been working on my perfectionist habits for a few years now, but there has been a struggle with the idea that there is no “right” way to feel something
Beginners can start Reiki and feel warmth and tingles on the first try
Or they can do the exercises and feel nothing
Both are ok!
You may start feeling things more as you practice
But just because you don’t feel the energy yet doesn’t mean that it isn’t working
Stop wondering if it is working and just enjoy the process
Where do you start?
The most obvious place to start is deciding that you are going to take a leap of faith
Once you have decided that you are going to learn Reiki, you need to look for a teacher
Reiki is not something that you can teach yourself because you need a Reiki master to attune you
That means they are changing the way that your energy works with the energy around you so you can fully experience Reiki
You can take classes online or in person, but in-person is usually most recommended
I took my classes online because that was the best choice for me
Once you have found your class, then you just need to show up and plan to practice
A lot
Reiki is a skill and all skills require practice to master them
Is there more after Usui Reiki?
Usui Reiki is the most common Reiki in the Western world
And it branches into many other kinds of Reiki
To read about different types of Reiki, check out my article on 24 different types
There are many paths you can take after mastering Usui Reiki, but I would start with mastering Usui Reiki
You will feel more guided in the right direction after going through Reiki 1, 2, and 3
And you will usually be able to jump straight to mastering another type of Reiki once you have mastered Usui Reiki
That is because Reiki 1 and 2 are almost identical in most types of Reiki
If you decide to keep learning after mastering Usui Reiki, look into the different options and see what called out to you
Then find a master of that Reiki type to teach you
How do I find a teacher?
Finding a teacher isn’t that hard
If you want to take in-person classes, look at the class options in your area
Look at reviews and trust your gut
If you want to take online classes, the process is similar
Just look for a master that has done distance attunements for at least 3 years
This will give you confidence that your attunement will work at the end of your classes
The cost for Reiki classes varies a lot
Pre-recorded classes are the cheapest, but are the least preferrable
You don’t get the chance to ask a lot of questions or get a lot of help when classes are pre-recorded
Live online classes are usually a little more expensive, but you have a master there live to teach, guide, and answer questions
In-person classes are the most expensive but are usually the most effective way to learn
How much time will it take?
Time really depends on how you are learning
If you are taking in-person classes, expect to spend about 12 hours in class
Then you have to practice for a while
It is recommended to practice every day for at least 21 days before moving on to a new Reiki level
If you are taking pre-recorded online classes, it will be at your own pace
You can sit down and go through all the classes in one day if you want and then practice
Or you can go very slowly and only spend a few minutes here and there to learn
Since I am a mom of twin toddlers, I had to go slow
But it gave me a chance to really practice between each step
There is no set timeline for learning Reiki
Everyone starts somewhere and needs their own amount of time
Don’t worry too much and just enjoy the process
Should I expect any other changes?
Most Reiki practitioners will agree that Reiki is life-changing
In Reiki 1, we learn the 5 Reiki principles that we need to try to live by
And we learn about things in our diet that either helps or hinders our Reiki ability
Learning Reiki is also very healing
Practitioners practice on themselves once or twice a day for a while before ever healing someone else
That means that the act of practicing Reiki is healing
It is also proven that meditation reduces stress
And there is a lot of mindful meditation in Reiki
It is beautiful and peaceful
You feel more connected to everyone around you than you ever have been
You are able to help the people that you love more by giving them healing energy
The ways that you can use Reiki are endless
One of my favorite things to do when I finish a craft is to do Reiki
For example, I finished a crochet hat for my husband
When I was crafting it, I was giving it an energy of courage, peace, and love
Then I added those energies to my Reiki and infused it into the hat before giving it to him
You can do this with food, things, people, and animals
When my dog is stressed, I give him peaceful Reiki
When my head hurts, I do Reiki on myself
Everything is made of energy and all energy is connected
Reiki gives you the ability to work with that energy to make your life and other people’s life better