Advice on Choosing a Reiki Master or Teacher

When choosing a Reiki Master/Teacher you may want to consider a few things...

Which type of Reiki do you wish to learn?
 
There a number of different Reiki disciplines around today - some of them are not traditional and cannot be traced back to Dr Usui's techniques.  Are you looking for a modern take on Usui's traditional healing system?  Or are you looking to learn Reiki in its purest and simplest form (Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki)?

There are also a number of different energy healing systems around that are not Reiki but that may resonate very well with you – Ethereal Crystals, Ama Deus Shamanic Healing or Rainbow Light Healing for example. At the moment, courses that involve work with the Lemurian and Pleiadian Light Beings as we approach 2012 are increasingly popular. More information on these different course can be found here www.mayastar.net/courses.htm 
 
There are some ‘newer’ Reiki formats that work well in addition the basic Usui Reiki – in particular those that do not use symbols (such as Kundalini and New Usui Reiki).  Systems of Reiki that do not use symbols can enhance your Reiki practice and seem to be in-keeping with the advanced Reiki teachings of Dr. Usui (Reiju).  So you may wish to start with traditional Usui Reiki before moving on to other Reiki systems. However, this is not a requirement for the courses I have written detailed above; they are complete in themselves.

How do you know if the Reiki Master/Teacher is reputable?

This can be difficult and some of it comes down to intuition.  A reputable Reiki Master will be able to provide you with details of their lineage which you can then verify if you feel this is necessary.  You can find out if they are a member of an association/organisation that has its own code of ethics and again, if you feel it is necessary you can verify their membership.

I was taught that you are ready to begin teaching Reiki once you have completed the writing of your Reiki manuals – if they have written any of the course material they provide!

Not all of them do – some provide very scant information and others may teach numerous courses by circulating only the work of other people. This is not to say they are not qualified or experienced, but it is something you may want to ask about and consider before committing yourself to a particular teacher.

Sad to say, I have come across at least one person who put their name to another persons manual; that of course is illegal not to say immoral! Though it was obviously done because the person who had written the manual was obviously not English by birth and the teacher was. They were very embarrassed when confronted of course; and had to admit what they'd done. But lying/cheating is inexcusable behaviour. I would name, names so you could avoid this person but as she is (not surprisingly) no longer teaching, it's not necessary. But it does demonstrate the need to exercise caution.

Word of mouth is a good way to find a reputable teacher; many students come to me as recommendations from former students. However, because Reiki isn't a mainstream practice you may have trouble finding someone who knows – I hope that the testimonials at the end of the manual will give you some idea of whether you would like to proceed with Mayastar!
 
Be aware that there are people offering free Reiki attunements or attunements for very small donations around.  In these instances, be careful that you know what you are getting and if your Reiki Master received a 'free' attunement, you will need to consider the quality of their own training and experience too. 

And also, I recommend reading about Energy Exchange by following this link www.mayastar.net/energyexchange.htm

At the other end of the scale, there are Reiki Masters that charge hundreds - and occasionally thousands - of pounds for an attunement.  It may be worth asking them why their fees are so high if you are considering learning from someone like this.
 
I personally feel that there is a middle ground when it comes to fees.  Reiki is a precious gift and an 'exchange' is important (if someone gives you a free car, you don't really expect it will work!).  However, because Reiki is such a precious gift I feel it should be available to everyone, but that those you teach should understand its worth. 
 
Another consideration is the quality of the training and advice you will receive.  In the case of people offering mass attunements/free attunements, you are unlikely to receive the support and training you need to even work with the basics! Being given an attunement and a diagram and then being left to your own devices isn't the same as being taught Reiki!

When you are attuned through Mayastar, as well as your certificate, you will receive details of your lineage for that particular modality too; do ensure any prospective teacher is able to provide lineage details.