There are currently a number of Reiki schools in the West, many of which claim their
superiority over others. Anyone looking to enroll in a Reiki course may find this to be
confusing. So, one must ask oneself the following questions: Is the difference between Reiki
schools really that significant? Or is it only a matter of how well the Reiki Master teaching
the course is qualified?
In order to comprehend the issue, it is important to realize that there are only two genuine
schools of Reiki: those that practice traditional Japanese Reiki (such as Usui Reiki Ryoho) and
those that follow Mrs. Takata’s teachings in the West (i.e. Western Reiki).
Western Schools of Reiki
Anyone who looks closely at the numerous Western Reiki schools (systems) will learn an
interesting fact: despite the obvious variances in what they all teach, their fundamental
ideas are almost always very similar.
Of course, that’s not to imply there aren’t better and worse schools than others, and that
the term “Reiki” is never misused. It is. People with inadequate education and experience;
people whose primary fields of competence have little or, nothing to do with Reiki; lot of
them have started their own branches, some of which may even have their own trademarks.
However, there are more similarities than differences when one talks about serious
practitioners and schools of Reiki. Even though outspoken teachers and outward
appearances would like to lead you to believe differently, reiki energy is still just that—reiki
energy.
Japan’s Traditional Reiki
When one examines the traditional Japanese form of Reiki, which the West has discovered
very lately (i.e., during the last ten years or so), the situation changes a little. The primary
difference is that teaching no longer places healing at the forefront. Reiki is instead viewed
as a path to enlightenment, where healing is merely one of many essential elements.
Therefore, in Japanese Reiki, the focus is on personal evolution, with healing serving as a
byproduct in many ways.
Which System of Reiki Is Best for Me?
You must first choose what is more essential to you: learning to heal or discovering a
spiritual path. Only then can you determine which Reiki method to learn. Finding a Western school of Reiki would be preferable if your main goal is hands-on healing alone (there is little
use in wasting time on things you don’t find interesting); however, traditional Japanese Reiki
would be preferable if your main goal is personal evolution.
This is not to mean that Western Reiki does not have a “spiritual” aspect. But generally
speaking you will find a much more strong spiritual path with the Japanese variant.
Second, after deciding on the style you want to learn (for example, Japanese or Western),
you should choose reiki schools based on the quality of the teacher, rather than the type of
system being taught (for example, Karuna Reiki or Shamballa Reiki).
The Conclusion
It doesn’t really matter which ‘system’ you end up learning, because Reiki healing energy is
fundamentally the same whether you call it Shamballa Reiki, Rainbow Reiki, or something
similar.