Can I Learn All Reiki Levels Together?
No matter how much fertilizer you use, a seed cannot become a tree in a week.
I frequently receive phone calls that go along these lines.
Client: I want to learn Reiki II
Me: When did you learn Reiki I?
Client: It was about two years ago.
Me: So, are you practicing Reiki healing daily?
Client: No, I stopped long back.
I come across many Reiki channels who stop Reiki healing practice and suddenly one day when they want to get back to Reiki, they want to start at the next level. Usually, my advice in such a case, is to ask the person to practice Reiki everyday for the next three months and then get back to me for the next level. The response to such a suggestion is almost always the same. “Will my Reiki still be working?”. I am always surprised how people felt they would benefit from a level 2 when they weren’t even sure if Reiki was still flowing – and this is where I find the largest gap between common knowledge and reality.
Reiki practice is like growing a tree. You can get attuned, which is like planting a sapling, but that is not enough. The little sapling needs to be watered, with extra care the first few weeks, which is why the stress on the first 21 days of practice. Then, when the next round of leaves is about to sprout, a round of fertilizers – the level 2 attunement, is very helpful. One can add all the fertilizers when the seed is being planted, but that is hardly going to be of any use, if not increasing the risk of burning the seed up. When the tree is big enough, it needs a round of pruning, level 3. When it is ready to flower, another round of fertilizers, and when it is ready to bring fruits and create more trees, one is finally ready to take the leap to become a Reiki Master, or Grandmaster as many refer to it.
There are no shortcuts.
Just as the more diligently one waters the plant, the healthier and more lively it will be, a regular Reiki practice will ensure a smooth flow of energy in the body. Occasional weeding – i.e., meditation, will bring further health to the entire process. Stop the practice, and the plant dies. There’s no two ways about that.
Only once was I forced to give Reiki II attunement before the stipulated time we usually advice (three months) after Reiki I attunement. The person in question was very close to me and my arguments couldn’t dissuade her. Reiki I is more of physical healing in the early stages, which is a pleasant experience. Reiki II is emotional healing and many suppressed emotions came up to get healed and it was very overwhelming for her to handle as her energy stream was not strengthened. Similar to too much fertilizer burning the seed, isn’t it?
In the routine learning process, one takes about 16 years to become a graduate. When it comes to spiritual learning however, people want to reach the top in a jiffy. It doesn’t happen. Moreover, it can have a damaging effect. When we learn multiple levels at a go, Reiki I and II, or Reiki I, II and III, it is not of much use, except the monetary benefit for the Reiki master.
It takes time after each level, with daily healing practice, to dissolve energy blocks that we have accumulated over many years and many incarnations, and open up the channels to be ready to handle higher amount of energy during the next higher level attunement. You can’t force open a bud and expect it will have the beauty and fragrance of a naturally blooming (which takes more time) flower. We can’t rush through in Reiki levels; it will just defeat the purpose.
Dr. Beena Rani Goel learned Reiki in 1997 and it transformed her life. Her desire to share this power of transformation inspired her to build a Reiki community alongside her thriving Dental practice. She has taught thousands of people all over the world. You can buy her book on amazon at http://amazon.com/dp/B01442HDZE/
Bingo Ashwita!!
You made me go through a complete reiki 1again for 21 Days only one hen come for level 2.now a days so many are offering master also in single sitting.true we finish school at 16-17,not earlier since there is a time for everything,why rush for spiritual development which for some may never come at all.you truly are the best !!!!
I have the opinion that no-one should tell another when they should or should not be attuned to any level of Reiki…Reiki is an intelligence of its own so it will only allow each person to “consume” as much as their higher selves is ready for…I waited 2 years before my Master attunement but it has taken almost 6 years for me to sense the higher energies at a very subtle and gradual rate, as I made slow but sure progress at healing many blocks and past life experiences…..As Reiki Masters it is our calling to Teach Others and allow them to find their way with each level….We may be teachers but always the student….Namaste
Thank you for your comment, Tracy!
As for Reiki being an intelligent force, I believe we pass on a bit too much to that. Human beings have an intelligence of their own too, and are meant to use it. Many teachers I know of, mix things up, sometimes even black magic or similar energies, and end up hurting people – either deliberately or by mistake. A lot of teachers today teach level 1, 2 and 3, charging people way more money than they need to pay – because they can only receive so much anyway. (I have known teachers who have chosen to teach more than a level to a specific student because they felt the student is ready. Very different as opposed to people who teach everything together to everyone)
To say that all of this, including the difficulties a Reiki student has to go through due to a ‘bad’ teacher, one can pass off as Reiki’s ultimate intelligence, just as one would pass off mass murders as universal intelligence – yes, ultimately it is. But part of the ultimate intelligence is also to learn to use our own innate intelligence/ intuition, that that is what this post is aimed at.
Hi! I have a question related to this topic. I got my level one attunement in november 2014 and never practiced (during that time my mother fell ill and died in march 2015 and i gave birth to my daughter in december 2014 so i had a lot going on). The person that attuned me organised a level 2 a week ago and i attended, she said that it will be easier for me to find time once i have level 2 and know the symbols i can practice shorter time self treatments. I started practicing Reiki now, i have 7 days, it takes no longer than 30 minutes but after reading the article i am not sure that it is ok the way things happened. What should i do? And what do i have to do during the selftreatment, do i hve to focus on breathing after activating the symbols mentally – i have a hard time clearing my mind of thoughts – any tips on how to gain better focus? Thanks! Great blog, by the way, very useful.
Thank you Andreea 🙂
In my experience one doesn’t benefit much from level 2 if there has been no practice. However, atleast you got an attunement in this way, and I hope you are enjoying your daily self healing. About 30 minutes of healing everyday is ok for a normal life where you aren’t seeking some deep healing. If you want some issues resolved, then I would recommend an additional half hour of Reiki in the morning (assuming you are practicing just before sleep, which I believe is the most powerful time to practice it)
As for focusing, I have only one piece of advice here – don’t try to focus! The harder you try, the harder it gets. Try surrendering instead. Just practice not ‘running away’ with your thoughts. Thoughts come and go. With practice you will learn to just let your thoughts be, and you won’t be swayed by every thought that pops in to say hello. If you are focusing on your breathing, I would recommend that you focus on the movement of your belly as you breathe, and not in the nostrils as is commonly done.
Thank you so much for your inspiring answer! A follow up question, if I may 🙂
I am practicing daily, before going to sleep, as I learned in level 2 with activating the symbols. Sometimes i fall asleep halfway – is that a problem?
Also, the person who attuned me organises level 3 in May – would i benefit from it if i practice daily until then? Thank you again! All the best!
Falling asleep halfway is not a problem, unless it means that a few chakras remain unhealed. Like if you’re doing it at night, and fall asleep after 5 chakras, wake up in the morning and get on with your day, and that night, heal those same chakras again, fall asleep after 5 or 6, and so on – this will cause only a few chakras to get charged repeatedly and create an imbalance in your system.
If your teacher is organising level 3 anytime this year, if you were to ask me, I’d ask you not to learn it before getting a couple of years of regular practice in. To me, you are still a level 1 healer – it is like you have built a dam (level 2) but the water is still a little pond. Would you build a bigger dam when your pond is still small? What would the use be? I have taught on a few occasions, the levels prematurely when I have outstation clients. They experience far less benefits than those who learn when the time is right. But that’s my experience… follow your heart. Levels don’t matter so much, practice matters immensely. Irrespective of whether you do the next level or not, daily practice will change your life, one bit at a time. You won’t recognise yourself in a couple of years. At all 🙂
Very nicely explained really…thanks a lot and it really helped me…
Hi Namaste I did Reiki Attunenent on the 24 February the Teacher did 1 and 2 she said she don’t see no reason why u can’t do 1and 2 is this ok and can i do Reiki on anyone, she said we don’t need master level but she was telling me to come in 2 was from now to do Master level what is your advise on this and also I’m going through Kundalini awakening. Thank u for your help.
Yes a lot of teachers frequently teach levels 1 and 2 together, because few have taught enough people with a wide enough gap to see the difference it brings about when there is a sufficient gap. And also when Reiki is practiced with the attitude of ‘using’ it instead of practicing with surrender, as such people will experience a lot less benefit and teachers might not be able to tell the difference between keep a gap or not. I recommend keeping a 3 month gap because I’ve taught a few people quickly and seen them gaining a much lesser benefit. When learned at the right time, level 2 brings in deeper connection with the intuition and a deeper emotional healing. But for this to happen, a few things need to be followed – first, the person should be practicing intuitively – not moving from chakra to chakra using timers but through inner guidance, and as I mentioned, practicing with surrender and not trying to use Reiki for fulfilment of personal wishes.
I wouldn’t recommend level 3 anything before 2 years of daily practice of at least 40 minutes if you really want to experience the benefit. Some of my students have learned it even after 5-7 years and when they did learn it, it was immensely life transforming. This is not a race, and timing matters. If you learn it prematurely, you get like 10% benefits, and since most people get just this much, this is the new normal and people see nothing wrong with learning prematurely.
Thank you Ashwita this means a lot to me, i have one question can i work as a Reiki after 21 days? i am practicing on myself for 21 days and feeling a big difference with all the pain so i would like to know how soon can i do for others.
You can start healing others straight away after level 1 class. If you have been practicing to heal yourself from an ailment however, I in general advise that you heal yourself until you are somewhat stable before you start healing others on a regular basis.
Hello! I am a little shocked. I new very little about Reiki and wand to take the class, I found a Holistic School that is offering all 4 levels in 4 hours! Reading your posts really have me confused. I was going to pay for my two adult children and myself to take this class, now I’m afraid I made the wrong decision. Any feedback would be very much appreciated. Thanks
Yes please just learn the first level, there is no use leaning them all together. Mikao Usui was not stupid right? If he thought all levels could be taught together, he wouldn’t have taught 2000 people level 1 and only 12 people level 3.