Tuesday, June 24, 2014

There Are No Reiki Masters

 By Erik Carlson, lmt, rmt, ietmt

I know the title of this article alone is going to ruffle some feathers for a few folks and a few other folks will be shaking their heads in agreement. I'm sure other points will continue to stir some debate as well.

I started working with hands on healing systems in 1996 and have enough certificates to wall paper a small room, but I believe as do many other hands-on-healers that Reiki like meditation or becoming mindful is an ongoing process of inner learning.1 Any remnants of ego, any lower vibrational emotions like fear, anger, sadness will wreak havoc to the healing work. And mindfulness and higher learning is a moving target, that is, inner work is constantly progressing and higher in vibration as others work towards the same goals. (A rising tide of ascension floats all boats)

Usui Reiki in Japan

In Japan there are no recognized masters within the Usui Reiki school.2 The Japanese are much more humble in their approach to this art as they do with all things in their culture. One Japanese saying is "The nail that stands up gets hammered down". In the Japanese Usui school,there are novices and students of the Usui method. Even the main teacher within the school continues to practice, meditate and teach.

Why are there no Reiki masters in Japan? The answer is quite simple. The process of mastery is through meditation, repeated attunements and working with clients. It is the inner work and refinement of mind and spirit that creates the mastery of a hands on healer. 
The Internal martial arts of China also follow a similar practice of continuous inner work. Becoming a master in any of these practices are usually attained after decades of work and refinement. One of my favorite lectures was given by Tai Chi Chuan Master Jou Tsng Hwa, who at age 91 and after forty years of tai chi practice and refinement admitted to the audience, "I think I'm finally starting to understand Tai Chi". 
Internal martial arts, meditation and hands-on-healing are all internal journeys. Where mastery is always just beyond our reach. Self realization is the same journey.

American Reiki following Takata

In America most people are looking for instant solutions, instant gratification. Initially, Teachers who followed Mrs Takata's method of teaching Reiki would put one to two years in between each attunement. I have to believe that Mrs. Takata divided the work into three levels for U.S. students; beginner, remote healing, and teacher.
My Reiki teacher told her students to keep a journal between each level. Level two wasn't taught to level one students for at least a year. Level two to Master level was another year of practice and journaling. After a few years at level II. I had moved to another location and I met another Usui master who taught me her master level and advanced Usui training. While this teacher did not follow the distancing of attunements; She was trained and offered classes in mindful meditation, yoga, and some shamanic work. 
A direction I also followed, enhancing my inner work and finding a curiosity in all things energetic; Tai chi, Qigong, and Qi healing. I also was curious about other forms or styles of hands-on-healing and took classes in Lightarian Reiki, Shambala, Integrated Energy Therapy and Shamanic hands on healing work.

Discount Store Reiki

In America there are too many weekend instant Reiki seminars that are stamping out so-called healing masters. I know too many teachers who put less than a month or two in between each level. Many other teachers in this fast paced discount store direction do not offer classes or guidance on building intuition, sensing energy patterns, or most importantly inner growth and cultivation.

I used to attend Reiki shares by some of these teachers and rarely found true healing masters at the share. I do know a few truly gifted healing masters. A couple of these gifted healers have never received an attunement. These gifted souls, these true healers are now on a life long journey. A journey on their inner work and a divorce of ego for a search of truth. They continue to follow a mindful life in search of higher truths and living in higher states of vibrational energy. They know their purpose, they follow their bliss and accept the twists and turns that are in their path. A journey of continually aligning with source, remaining mindful, not falling into judgment and recognizing and releasing fear, anger, and sadness.

The Disconnect from Ascension

I've noticed on facebook and at other holistic events a growing number of people who are unhappy, frustrated, and loosing interest in healing work. Some of them feel unfulfilled, unsure of their life's purpose and not sure what to do. Why is this happening? Some are oblivious of the need to do their inner work. Some are not trying to do any inner work.
Rather than discovering and removing the veils of false beliefs and programming, they are caught up in dead ends of inner growth. Some get caught up in ritual and superstition while others get caught up in the latest fad, gimmick, or self improvement technique. There is nothing difficult to finding your truth, it just takes persistence in what does work.

Carolyn Myss has an audio tape from one of her seminar talks in which she let's this group have it.3 Essentially what she said was, “no amount of prayer, psychic readings, saying mantras with your mala beads, writing spells, taking Tibetan bowl baths or playing with stones and crystals are going to find your inner truth, purpose or joy.4


Copyright ©2014 Erik Carlson
END NOTES
1 My first experiments with internal body energy began in 1993 with Sifu Huang Keo Wei teaching me my first Qigong practice. To date, that is 20 years of practice with various Qigong practices and internal martial arts
2 This was discovered by Frank Arjava Petter, his wife, and Lee Rand when they visited the Usui School in Japan. In either the video or subsequent book based on this investigation, it was shown that the process of meditation with Koans by students and practitioners and the repeated re-attunement of all Reiki students at the school was a long term practice.

3 This Carolyn Myss audio CD was around the same time her “Entering the Castle” book was published

4 I do not have the CD of this seminar anymore, so my words are from my memory of her talk and not an actual quotation.