WHAT IS
A 'REIKI MASTER'?
Copyright © 2003 James Deacon
The term Reiki Master is possibly the source of greatest confusion
for new or would-be Reiki students.
Ask
a number of different Reiki practitioners the question: "What
is a Reiki Master?" and probably the most common answer you
will get will be something along the lines of: "someone who
has received the master level Reiki attunement."
However,
Takata-Sensei said that in order for a person to be considered
a 'Reiki Master' it was not enough to have received Master Level
attunement and to know how to pass attunements for all three levels:
You
have to have taught at least one class and thus have actually
attuned at least one student...
In
relation to Reiki, the Japanese term: sensei which is translated
- very loosely - as: master, does not imply 'one who has mastered
the art of Reiki', (nor for that matter, one who has achieved
some form of exalted status - though many would have you think
so!)
The
word: sensei is actually a term of respect, which first
and foremost means: 'teacher' and refers to someone who is part
of a Teacher - Student (Mentor - Student) relationship
Translating:
sensei as 'master' is simply akin to the way in which a 'school-teacher'
is sometimes referred to as a 'school-master'.
And,
as is the case with a school-master, ideally a Reiki-master is
someone who (as well as having received the relevant attunements)
possesses a good understanding of their subject, has a strong
desire to help their students develop their own potentials, has
respect for their students, (as well as eliciting the respect
of their students) and also has the ability to inspire
their students and to draw the best from them.