What to Expect from a Level 1 Reiki Training and Attunement
Reiki, an ancient Japanese energy healing modality, has gained immense popularity for its ability to promote parasympathetic nervous system relaxation, reduce stress, and restore a sense of calm. If you’re considering embarking on a reiki journey, this blog post will guide you through what to expect from Reiki Level 1 training and attunement.
How to Become a Reiki Master
- Reiki Level 1
- The first level is designed for self-healing. This training will provide you with the tools to perform reiki healing on yourself. It will also allow you to provide reiki healing for others.
- Reiki Level 2
- This second level of reiki training will allow to perform reiki healing on others from a distance. You’ll gain advanced techniques and symbols for healing yourself and others. This will unlock a deeper level of healing related to the mental and emotional body.
- Reiki Level 3
- In the third level, you will gain the tools to work with challenging energetic disturbances. This is an advanced level of reiki training, sometimes called the master level.
- Reiki Level 4
- This step will allow for the final attunement process that allows you to become a reiki master. You will also learn how to provide attunements to others, becoming part of the ancient reiki lineage.
Each step in the process includes a reiki attunement and the transmission of new reiki symbols. You will learn how to draw new symbols and each symbol will also be imparted onto you energetically.
My Introduction to Reiki Healing
Reiki is a mysterious form of healing, and it came to me in the most unexpected way. In 2016, a friend of mine approached me and said, “Olivia, I had a dream I did a reiki healing on you. I was wondering if I could offer you a session?”
What followed was an unexplainable and profoundly healing shift in the course of my life. I experienced visions that increased my insight into my thinking patterns and ways of life. The reiki healing also allowed me to shed relationships and cognitions that were no longer serving me.
This experience culminated in my decision to become a reiki master.
Why Your Reiki Master Matters in Your Reiki Level 1 Training and Attunement
My first experience in a reiki training was jarring. I left the training feeling even more confused about the mysteries of reiki. And after my attunement, I felt intense activation in my third eye chakra. I left completely out of balance. I felt “too open” to tolerate the noise, chaos, and danger of the real world.
The month after my reiki level 1 attunement, I entered a healing crisis. The attunement sent my life spiraling out of control, with too many changes happening all at once. When I reached out to the reiki master for guidance, I only felt more confused.
Years later, I had all but given up on reiki. However, I found a local reiki healer and yoga teacher whom I trusted. This prompted me to give reiki one last chance.
I reached out to the reiki master and asked if she would be available for a consultation. I shared my experiences (and my fears) about reiki with her. She answered my questions and clarified what to expect from a reiki training.
I then decided to start over, embarking on my second level 1 reiki training with a person whom I trusted. I learned the reiki power symbol (I tool that I have used countless times in my life since), and received an attunement in a peaceful natural setting. My life changed, but slowly, and in a way that allowed me to maintain control and balance.
Over the course of several years, I continued working with this woman. Then, in 2023, I completed my reiki master training.
This is why your teacher matters. And why I think it’s important to understand what you’re getting into when you embark on your first step to becoming a reiki master by completing a Reiki Level 1 training.
Understanding Reiki: What to Expect from a Reiki Level 1 Training and Attunement
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
Reiki, meaning “universal life energy,” is a spiritual practice that involves the transfer of healing energy through the hands of the reiki practitioner. This profound technique can bring about physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being by clearing energetic blockages and enhancing the body’s natural healing process.
What is Reiki Level 1 Training and Attunement?
Reiki Level 1 training and attunement serves as the foundational step for individuals interested in becoming reiki practitioners. The training introduces the principles, history, and fundamentals of reiki energy healing.
Additionally, you’ll receive a powerful attunement from a reiki master, aligning your energy channels and connecting you to the universal reiki energy (more on this in a moment).
Here is what you can expect from your reiki level 1 training:
- Learning the Background and Principles of Reiki: During the training, you’ll delve into the history and origins of reiki, discovering its roots in ancient healing practices. You’ll also explore the principles of reiki, which provide guidelines for leading a balanced and compassionate life. These principles include mindfulness, gratitude, and authenticity.
- Exploring the Human Energy System: To effectively work with reiki energy, understanding the human energy system is crucial. You training will likely cover the chakra system, which are the body’s energy centers that are connected to various aspects of physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. This knowledge may enable you to identify imbalances and address them using reiki energy.
- Receiving Attunements: A significant highlight of reiki level 1 training is the attunements. These sacred ceremonies, conducted by the reiki master, open and align your chakras to the reiki energy. Through this process, your ability to channel and transmit healing energy to yourself and others is enhanced, creating a profound transformation within you.
- Learning Self-Healing Techniques: Level 1 reiki training focuses on developing the ability to practice reiki on yourself. You’ll learn various hand positions to place on your body, facilitating the flow of energy and promoting healing. Self-healing with reiki serves as a powerful tool for relaxation, stress reduction, and overall well-being.
- Practicing Reiki on Others: While self-healing is the primary focus of level 1, you’ll also have the opportunity to practice reiki on others. This hands-on experience helps you develop sensitivity to energy and understand the giving and receiving of reiki healing. Techniques for offering reiki treatments to friends, family, and pets will be taught, broadening your ability to share the healing energy.
Preparing for a Reiki Attunement
Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash
A reiki attunement is a set of exercises that can only be performed by a trained reiki master. It is a form of energy exchange that allows a student to become attuned to healing reiki energy. Reiki attunement is a ceremony that allows a practitioner to impart reiki healing symbols onto their student.
Due to the nature of an attunement, the student may enter an altered state of consciousness or experience a shift in experience or awareness including but not limited to:
- a healing crisis (although this can ideally be avoided with the right teacher)
- energetic re-balance
- chakra alignment
- heightened energy or sensation in one or more of the chakra centers
- visions or vivid dreams during or following the attunement
- intuitive messages that seemingly stem from an outside source or higher self
- sensations of calm, relaxation, or focus
- feelings of dizziness, spinning, or shifting sensation
- warmth, tingling, or numbness in the extremities
A reiki attunement can be unsettling if you are unprepared. However, by remaining open to experience (or lack thereof) it can be an incredibly healing and relaxing experience.
Tips to Help you Prepare for and Integrate a Level 1 Reiki Training and Attunement
Photo by Vero Manrique on Unsplash
The reiki attunement process is not something that happens in one day. Although your training will likely occur over the course of a day or weekend, your attunement will have lasting effects. In fact, I was told to expect shifts for 21 days following attunement.
Here is how it was described to me: Reiki is a container. Attunement allows your body to contain (and to become) part of the reiki container. The 21 days following reiki attunement, your body is recalibrating. It needs to shed any unhealthy or unnecessarily energy in order for healing to occur. You are also downloading and syncing up to healing reiki energy.
The month prior to your level 1 reiki training and attunement:
- If possible, abstain from using substances (like drugs and alcohol).
- Avoid excess stimulation such as disturbing movies, books, or news sources.
- Try to limit social media use.
- Journal to set intentions for your reiki journey.
- It may be helpful to receive a reiki healing.
- Drink plenty of water and get plenty of rest.
- It might be helpful to develop a daily mindfulness practice.
- Practice developing awareness around the chakra centers.
- Read about and become familiar with the chakras, if you are not already.
- You may want to invest in a pendulum.
The day of your reiki level 1 attunement:
- Be sure you’re well-rested.
- Wear comfortable clothing.
- You may want to wear or bring a crystal to infuse with reiki energy.
- Drink plenty of water before and after your attunement.
- Write down your insights or experiences.
- Remain open to any experiences (including the possibility you may not have an unusual experience).
- Stay present and grounded.
The month after your reiki level 1 training and attunement:
- Keep a journal beside your bed for the month following your reiki attunement to write down your dreams.
- Pay attention to unusual animal activity (signs of animal guides).
- Practice grounding and meditation.
- It may be helpful to seek therapy if a healing crisis occurs.
- Practice rituals to assist in the letting go process.
- Return to the intentions you set before your reiki training.
- Review the reiki precepts daily.
- Practice reiki self-healing daily.
- Meditate on your reiki symbols (you can also practice drawing them).
- Remain open to new experiences and insights.
- Practice mindful non-attachment (this too shall pass).
Conclusion
Embarking on reiki level 1 training and attunement is a transformative journey that introduces you to the profound nature of energy healing. Through learning the history, principles, and techniques of reiki, and experiencing attunements and hands-on practice, you’ll become a container for healing energy. This transformational journey will allow you to facilitate positive changes in yourself and others.
About the Author
Olivia Lynn Schnur is a Reiki Master, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, EMDR Certified Therapist, and Certified Yoga Teacher. She writes about healing, health, and happiness to uplift, inspire, and educate readers. Click here to book a yoga or reiki session (or to complete a reiki training and attunement).
Disclaimer:
This blog post and additional information posted on oliviaschnur.com represent Olivia Schnur’s personal views and should not be treated as professional guidance. The views in this blog post do not represent clinical treatment guidelines or recommendations and should not be treated as medical or mental health guidance. Furthermore, the views expressed on this blog and website do not reflect the views of any professional companies by which Olivia Schnur is employed.
Note to current and former mental health clients: Any contact made via oliviaschnur.com is not considered a confidential means of communication. Furthermore, as a result of ethical and legal requirements, Olivia is unable to respond to current and former clients who attempt to make contact via social media, personal email, or website. Posting comments on blog posts or other web pages can compromise your confidentiality. It is recommended that former or current mental health clients avoid interacting with, commenting on, or making contact via this blog or website.
References:
- This blog post was written with the assistance of ChatGPT from Open AI.
- Horan, K. (2019). The Book on Karuna Reiki: Advanced Healing Energy for Our Evolving World. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
- Rand, W. L. (2010). The Reiki Manual: A Training Guide for Reiki Students, Practitioners, and Masters. Vision Publications.
- Stein, D. (2018). Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art. Crossing Press.
- Chambers, J. (2019). The Power of Reiki: An Ancient Hands-On Healing Technique. Llewellyn Worldwide.