Are Online Reiki Courses A Good Idea?
In this article, I want to answer a question many have when looking for Reiki training courses. It’s a reasonable question to ask when looking for Reiki training courses online and you see online Reiki courses appear at the top of a Google search for Reiki courses. This article aims to help you in finding the right Reiki training courses for you, I will answer this question quickly to ensure you understand my view and then explain why as concisely as I can. So, to answer the question
‘Are Online Reiki Courses a Good Idea?’
my answer is: No! I would not suggest anyone learns Reiki online.
I will explain why below. This article should also cover similar questions: Can you take Reiki courses online? Are online Reiki courses legit?
Online Reiki courses have been out there for quite a few years now. For us as Reiki teachers, they make no sense. In the past, I have left this topic alone, yet recently they are more common than they used to be, we have seen a general increase in popularity of online training courses post-Covid and lockdowns, where course providers looked at alternative ways to deliver training courses. In addition to companies and some individual Reiki teachers looking for a more passive business model for training courses, online Reiki courses are seen as an attractive and profitable idea to some, so, the reasoning for doing it at all is commercial. The benefit being course providers can sell many (if a live training version) or sell many and not have to be there to deliver the training in person (the common pre-recorded/ or pre-formatted version). Note: when I talk about online courses, I include any training where the teacher is not present with students in person. There are also big mass-production online training companies, that simply look to offer all kinds of training online and have naturally looked to find someone in Reiki who would develop an online course.
As the delivery of these courses is online, their marketing is solely online, and as they are commonly an automated operation, with their marketing efforts focused online they tend to be present at the top of search engines when looking for Reiki courses as they can dominate the space at the top of online searches with paid for sponsored advertisements and commonly there are a few of them always up there on Google searches for Reiki courses in general. Because of their high online visibility, I get this question more often, so I have decided to discuss this topic and help those looking for Reiki training understand why they are a bad idea.
Putting what is taught aside, the main problem that jumps out at me as a Reiki teacher is that is serious an issue enough to instantly rule them out is The act of performing Reiju - the clearing process a teacher performs with each student to facilitate them to be able to channel Reiki energy through their hands is only performed in person. It was created that way and always has been and would be performed the way it was created, there is no remote method for it. In traditional Japanese Reiki (Jikiden Reiki) which is what I teach, we perform Reiju 5 times in person during the 3 days of Shoden and Okuden level training This maximizes a student’s ability to best channel Reiki from the training courses (levels comparable to level 1 and 2 if you come across those terms for training levels).
You might have come across the term attunement as a name for this process in the Western approaches to Reiki. For this discussion, think of them both as the process to clear, to allow the student to channel Reiki.
As a point to note, as well as being a Jikiden Reiki teacher, I was previously what was termed a Reiki Master in a few approaches to Reiki, all had differing processes to achieve this clearing, so I have been trained in a variety of attunement approaches. What I have consistently found is that the best clearing came from the original Japanese Usui Reiki Reiki Reiju (that we do with Jikiden Reiki training) the further away from the original Reiju things get the less the clearing effect tends to get, but at least it's done in person and that’s my point. I would not hold up great expectations for a Reiki clearing method that was nothing to do with Reiki, so any done remotely.
So, if the effectiveness of the clearing process is not great (Reiju, or indeed attunement- the process that facilitates the flow of energy through to your hands) that will undoubtedly negatively impact the effectiveness of your Reiki treatments, so lessen the results you get with Reiki, and thus your confidence in it as well. Some would conclude Reiki doesn’t work, where the problem is likely to be in the training course rather than Reiki itself. This above point is enough on its own in my opinion to render online courses a bad idea. Reiki is an in-person training course.
I would also have questions of the teacher of an online course, as to their understanding of Reiki, as well as their Reiki training, let alone to think remote Reiju/attunement was a good idea. With these questions, I wouldn’t be confident in the quality of the training you would receive.
I get the convenience of online training and the idea of innovation and exploring developing delivery methods, along with the time and financial challenge for teachers of small group course delivery. I have created online courses for other things, I just wouldn’t do it for Reiki, it's an in-person training course for good reason.
There has been pretty much across-the-board at this time non-acceptance of online Reiki courses with the main industry organizations and member organizations (in-person Reiju/attunement being a basic requirement). Don’t be swayed by any accreditation, diploma, or other title. There is a fundamental floor in the Reiki training. There has been pressure from some to try and get acceptance of such online Reiki training. Maybe some organizations will accept such courses for lack of understanding, or commercial reasons, in the future, who knows? These courses by their business model are going to be very cheap, which helps their popularity, but Reiki courses among other healing therapies are not the most expensive courses. I would want to invest in authentic accurate training, whatever that was Reiki included.
For my part, as a Reiki teacher, on my soapbox, and as a consumer champion for those looking for Reiki courses, I have done my bit to help you by highlighting a fundamental floor in online Reiki courses and would suggest looking at Reiki training courses delivered in person. If you are interested in authentic Japanese Reiki training courses in the UK, you are welcome to take a look at my Jikiden Reiki training courses in the Birmingham area. Other articles to help you in your search for Reiki training courses that you might be interested in include.
Finding the right Reiki course and teacher for you.
Is there such a thing as styles of Reiki?
I hope this awareness has helped you. Click here for information on Jikdien Reiki training courses in the UK.
I am mainly known nowadays for my work with Reiki, as a specialist in authentic Japanese Reiki. I am an experienced, Reiki teacher and practitioner with a proven track record of results. I offer Jikiden Reiki training courses, promoting authentic Japanese Reiki teachings. I am based in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, in the UK. I have a background in coaching and training in the areas of exercise coaching, holistic lifestyle, fitness, and performance coaching. I also have a BSc.(Hons) degree in Sport and Exercise Science, for more information visit: www.shaunmckeown.com
The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article. Shaun Mckeown, disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article.