Payment for Reiki: Teacher & Student Perspectives

Article by Haripriya Suraj, Reiki Master

How much should a Reiki teacher charge for a training course?

There is no standard answer to this question.

The amounts charged are as varied as the number of courses and teachers out there. A lot of people are put off by the amounts charged by Reiki teachers and feel courses are overly priced. Many teachers also struggle with fixing a payment for their services. With students constantly asking for discounts and backing out when it’s time to pay the course fee, teachers experience a lot of turmoil and wonder if they are doing something wrong.

While it could be true that there are courses that are genuinely over priced and offer little value in return, it is certainly not the norm.

Let us try to understand why this tussle normally happens and how students and teachers can learn to give and receive without guilt, resentment and struggle.

For Students

Please know that most Reiki teachers charge for their services. An energy exchange must happen and there is no way you can avoid paying a fee. What you can do however is find a course and teacher that suits your liking and fits your budget.

Concepts such as the basics of Reiki healing, the history of Reiki, self healing techniques etc are taught in all first degree courses. The respective symbols and their usage are taught in all second and third degree courses. The Reiki attunement is done in all courses and for all degrees. Basics apart, everything else that is taught depends on the teacher. He or she may choose to stop with the minimum that a student needs to know or teach them more than just the basics. There is no right or wrong here. Teachers are different and students are different too.

Not all students are satisfied doing courses that offer just the basics. And there are others who just want their attunement and care little about theory. What kind of a student are you?
And how much are you ready to spend on learning Reiki? Once you have these two answers, looking for a course becomes much easier.

When you find a course that you can afford to pay for and you like the teacher, you don’t have to feel bad about spending on the course. The benefits of Reiki will last you a lifetime and even longer. When we can spend on holidays, cars and other temporary luxuries, why can’t we spend some money on our growth and development?

If you don’t feel comfortable paying even when you can afford to, ask yourself why you feel so. Do you believe in scarcity and a lack of abundance? If yes, it’s time to change that belief.

If you really cannot afford it, you can begin saving some money and find a course that fits your budget when you have saved enough.

Finally, put yourself in the position of a Reiki teacher. If you were a Reiki teacher and you put your heart and soul into teaching Reiki, it is only fair that you are paid for your time and services. Would you like it if people kept bargaining with you or making a fuss to pay? Think about it.

For Teachers

If you’ve been struggling to fix a price for your services, it’s time to stop the struggle. You don’t have to feel guilty about charging for a good service.

The best way to fix a price for your service is to listen to your intuition. First decide how much value you wish to create for your students. If you wish to give them just the basics of Reiki and the attunement and nothing more, it makes sense to charge proportionately. If you wish to teach more than the basics, offer individual attention and add a personal touch, it means you put in more time and effort. So, charge accordingly.

It is important to reinforce that there is no right or wrong here. Teaching styles are influenced by human personalities. So, just teach in a style that comes naturally to you and charge an amount that “feels” right for your course. When you think of the amount, you should not feel that you are getting paid less for offering more or charging more for offering less. You deserve to get paid suitably for your services.

Once you settle for an amount that feels right, do not feel discouraged when people find your course pricey. And there will always be people that do. Never cut down your charges only because you want more people to come in. Stick with your decision and the right people will find you. If you worry that people are not turning up because of your fee, you vibrate on a frequency of lack, and unworthiness. The Universe responds by sending you more people who do not like to spend. Be confident about your services and your charges. Know and believe that you deserve to be paid well. And the Universe will respond by sending you the clients and students who will pay you happily.

Exceptions to the Rule

What if there is someone who truly cannot afford to pay your fees? One option is to have them pay as much as they can and to compensate for the remaining amount by offering an appropriate service. Or you can have them offer you a complete service and not charge any money. For instance, if the person has an artistic talent, you can have them make you a painting or compose a piece of music! As long as there is some form of energy exchange, it is OK to not charge money from people who really cannot afford it.

Give and Receive Graciously

Dear Friends, it’s time to stop struggling with money issues. Giving and receiving are interwoven phenomena. It is divine to give and it is divine to receive. Let us learn to give with love and receive with grace.

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Haripriya Suraj is a Reiki Master, Angel Healer and Starseed Lightworker. Reiki is her constant companion from which she derives peace and contentment. She is deeply connected with the Stars and Angels and they form an integral part of her Reiki practice. Her core mission is to help bridge the worlds of Spirit and Science and to help people connect with their unique soul missions. Haripriya offers Reiki healing sessions and training programs in Bangalore, India. Reach Haripriya at lightworkersonearth.com, whenspiritmeetsscience.com on email at [email protected] and on Facebook at Angel Light.