If you’ve looked at Reiki practitioners, you’ve probably seen “Level 1,” “Level 2,” “Reiki Master,” or “Master Teacher” after their names. It’s not always clear what those mean.
Here’s a plain guide to the levels in Usui Reiki, the kind I practice, and what a level can and can’t tell you about someone.
How many levels of Reiki are there?
Traditional Usui Reiki has three levels. They have Japanese names, and in the West they’re usually numbered.
| Level | Japanese name | What it’s often called |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Shoden | First degree |
| Level 2 | Okuden | Second degree |
| Level 3 | Shinpiden | Master level |
Different teachers and schools divide things a little differently. Some split the Master level in two, or add an “advanced” level in between. But most Usui Reiki training follows this basic shape.
What is Reiki Level 1?
Level 1 is where everyone starts. It’s about giving Reiki to yourself, and to people (and animals) in the same room as you.
In a Level 1 class, students usually learn:
- the history of Reiki;
- hand positions for themselves and others;
- a simple daily self-practice;
- the Reiki principles, often shared as “Just for today, do not be angry, do not worry, be grateful, do your work honestly, be kind to others.”
Many people take Level 1 just for themselves, with no plan to practice on anyone else. That’s a lovely reason to learn.
What is Reiki Level 2?
Level 2, or Okuden, adds two big things.
Distance Reiki. Level 2 teaches ways to send Reiki across distance: to someone in another place, to a moment in the past, to a relationship, or to a situation. This is the training I use in every session.
Symbols. Level 2 introduces a few traditional symbols that practitioners use to focus their practice, including one used for distance work. Traditionally, they’re kept private. I don’t share them, out of respect for the teachings and for my teacher.
Level 2 is also where many teachers begin to talk about practicing with clients: how to talk about Reiki, how to keep good boundaries, and how to avoid harm. My teacher spends a lot of time on that last one. She teaches that the harm in Reiki usually comes from what a practitioner says, not from the Reiki itself. That’s one reason I share only what I noticed in a session, never what I think it means.
What is a Reiki Master?
The third level, Shinpiden, is usually called the Master level in the West.
At this level, students deepen their own practice and, in most schools, learn how to teach Reiki and pass it on to others. Some schools separate this into “Master Practitioner” and “Master Teacher.” A Master Teacher can teach classes and give attunements.
The word “Master” can sound like it means “expert” or “more powerful.” It doesn’t, really. It’s the name of a training level. Many teachers see becoming a Master Teacher as taking on a responsibility to students, more than a rank.
Historically, Master training was hard to get. Hawayo Takata, who brought Reiki to the West, charged $10,000 to train a Master, and she trained only 22 before she died in 1980. Today, it’s much more widely available.
What is a Reiki attunement?
At each level, students receive an attunement from their teacher. It’s a short, quiet ceremony that’s described as opening a student to Reiki. Students often feel warmth, tingling, calm, or emotion during one. Some feel nothing in particular.
Attunements are part of training. Clients don’t receive attunements in a regular session.
What level do I need to be to practice professionally?
There’s no single rule. In the US, Reiki isn’t licensed the way massage or counseling is. Some practitioners see clients after Level 1, many after Level 2, and some only after Master training.
What matters more than the number, I think, is whether a practitioner is clear and honest about their training. Anyone you work with should be glad to tell you who taught them and what level they’ve reached.
What level are you?
I’m a Level 2 Usui Reiki practitioner. I trained through Okuden with Deborah Dixon of Subtle Wellness, in a course through Duke Health.
I’m not a Reiki Master, and I haven’t trained to be one. That means I don’t teach Reiki or give attunements. What I offer is distance Reiki sessions, which is what Level 2 trains you to do.
What can a Reiki level tell you, and what can’t it?
A level tells you what someone has been trained to do. It can’t tell you whether they’re kind, careful, and a good fit for you.
A Master isn’t automatically a better practitioner than someone at Level 2. And a Level 2 practitioner with good ethics may be a better fit for you than a Master who makes big promises.
Some things to look for, whatever someone’s level:
- they tell you plainly who taught them and what level they are;
- they ask before sending Reiki;
- they don’t diagnose, or tell you what your experience means;
- they don’t make health claims or promise results;
- they don’t tell you that you need more sessions.
Common questions
Is a Reiki Master more powerful than a Level 2 practitioner? That’s not how I’d put it. Levels describe training, not power. Many teachers would say Reiki flows the same way through anyone who’s been attuned.
Can a Level 2 practitioner do distance Reiki? Yes. Distance Reiki is one of the main things Level 2 teaches.
Do I need to learn Reiki to receive it? No. You don’t need any training, belief, or experience to receive a session.
Do you plan to become a Reiki Master? To be honest, I’m not sure. Part of offering this work is to help me figure that out. Every step of my Reiki journey so far has felt natural and obvious. I guess I’m waiting to see if and when the next training feels that way.
Does Level 2 cover animals? You don’t need a separate certification to give animals Reiki. My teacher includes an introduction to animal Reiki in her classes. Read about distance Reiki for animals.