After many years of teaching not only Reiki, but also lots of other kinds of classes, both online and in-person, here are a few things I’ve learned along the way to encourage your Reiki teaching journey:
1. Your students believe in you
When we think about teaching Reiki, we can be worried about doing a bad job, messing up, or wondering if we’re ready to teach Reiki. We worry about what our students will think and if we’ll do a good job.
But here’s the truth…your students believe in you. The students who signed up for your course to learn Reiki from you believe in you. They would not have signed up to take Reiki with you if they did not believe that you have something to teach them. They would not have signed up for the course if they did not believe that you could do a good job, and they would not have signed up for the course—and especially given their hard-earned money—if they did not believe that you could do a good job.
Even while you might not believe in yourself as a Reiki teacher, please know that when students sign up for your classes, they’re expressing their belief in you. It’s very important for us to remember that anyone who signs up for a class with us is essentially saying, “I believe in you.”
As we’re teaching our Reiki classes, our students are silently cheering us on. They believed in us when they registered, and they believe in us as we’re teaching. Students are often so much more forgiving than we might realize. Teaching is a vulnerable act, and when we stumble over our words, don’t know an answer, have technology challenges, or don’t print enough copies of the handout, we’re just being human. Your students are human, too, and they usually aren’t nearly as upset or disappointed as we might envision. They believe in you, they’re cheering you on, they want you to do a good job, and they know you can.
Over the years, I’ve had so many challenges while teaching, including crashing computers (literally and figuratively), being late to class, forgetting to discuss an important topic, and not being clear with directions. Through it all, most students have been very understanding and forgiving.
I encourage giving gratitude for and being honored by each student’s belief in us. What students are really saying when they register for our courses is that they believe in us. It’s an absolutely incredible, beautiful thing. So even if you’re unsure and don’t believe in yourself, know that your students do.
2. Teach in the best way for you
When considering the class schedule and structure, I encourage teaching the class in a way that resonates with you and feels right to you. When we set up a course that is set up in a positive way for us, that means we are going to be able to show up as teachers in a better way.
For instance, I go to bed early, and I turn my computer screens off at 8:00 PM because I need plenty of screen-free time before I go to bed. It would not be a good idea for me to schedule a course in the late evening. It’s important to make sure that I’m not teaching at a time that doesn’t align with me and doesn’t allow me to show up as my best. I wouldn’t be bringing my best energy, and our students deserve our best energy.
Not only is when we teach important, but so is how we teach. We also need to have a teaching structure that resonates with us and feels aligned for us. For example, many teachers teach the very common “weekend warrior” kind of structure for a Reiki class with Reiki 1 on a Saturday and Reiki 2 the next day. This way of teaching Levels 1 and 2 might work well for some teachers, but to me, it’s intense, and I’ve never taught Reiki in that way. I like to schedule shorter class sessions and space them out rather than holding one big class all at once. But if that works for you, then go for it. It has never resonated with me as a class structure for teaching Reiki, but it may very well resonate with you. If that feels right to you and aligns with you, then go with that.
It’s important for us to trust that if we set a schedule that works for us, feels right to us, and resonates with us, not only are we going to be showing up in the best way possible, but the people who come to us will align with that kind of schedule as well.
When I teach live online courses for people all over the world, it can be challenging to find a time that works for everyone. For these kinds of classes, I like to teach on the weekends in the afternoons Eastern Time. This way, it’s morning-ish for Pacific Time and evening for European time zones. I’m right in the middle of those time zones, so I’ll pick a 1:00 or 2:00 Eastern Time on weekends for my live classes to catch the most time zones possible. It also happens to be a good time for me, since it’s not too early and not too late.
When we schedule in a way that aligns with us, we allow space for students who align with that schedule to join as well. Whatever the schedule might be, don’t be afraid to make it work for you. As the teacher, your schedule is what really matters. Having a schedule that allows you to show up as your best is essential.
3. Don’t worry about your manual
One thing practitioners are often worried about with teaching Reiki is creating a manual. They worry about figuring out how to create one, the amount of work involved, and what to include.
The truth is, that creating a manual can be as much or as little work as you want it to be. Creating a manual can be very laborious and be hundreds of pages long, full of graphics, colors, and pictures. You can print your manuals, spiral-bind them, or have them printed by a professional printer.
On the other hand, you can also keep it really simple. It is absolutely possible to learn Reiki without a manual, and you could even argue that a manual isn’t necessary when teaching Reiki.
I personally do provide a manual to my students. I think it’s helpful for them to refer to both during and after the course. Plus, many students expect one, and I think it’s nice to offer it. At the same time, no matter what level we’re teaching, I don’t believe that we have to create a massive manual that includes anything and everything about that level.
But no matter how much work you put into creating your manual, not all of your students will read it. Yes, honestly, you might have students who never read the manual during or after the class. I’ve had students admit they haven’t read the class manual or materials. There’s an even greater chance that students will never look at the manual again after the class ends. They may lose it, forget that they have it, or choose to refresh their knowledge in other ways.
When I took my Reiki trainings, my teachers didn’t provide in-depth manuals. They gave handouts and supplemental readings, but I didn’t have a “big manual.” I still received a great training. So don’t stress too much about your manuals. Besides, your Reiki journey will evolve, and your manual will evolve with it. My short Reiki 1 manual has changed over the years, and if it were really long, making updates would be a massive task.
Consider your manual a living, breathing document—something you can update as you learn more. Some people believe they should use the manual their teachers used, but not everyone receives a manual, they might not like it, or they may want to make changes. Plus, as we grow as Reiki practitioners and teachers, we gain new knowledge to share. My current Reiki 1 manual includes information about the Japanese roots of Reiki, which I didn’t learn in my initial Reiki training. As we learn, grow, and change on our Reiki journey, so, too, should our manuals. Don’t let the seemingly daunting task of creating a manual stop you from teaching because, if you’re continuing to learn about Reiki, your manual will change, too.
4. Continuing to learn and practice is essential
As teachers, it’s important to be committed to Reiki and our own Reiki journey. This includes continuing to learn about and study Reiki as well as participating in our own Reiki practice, particularly self-Reiki.
Of course, we’re human, and our practices might wax and wane. I aim for daily self-Reiki but occasionally miss a day. Today, for example, I didn’t meditate, do self-Reiki, or practice Tai Chi. These are practices I do almost every day, but I missed them today—that’s part of being human.
But if we are teaching Reiki and encouraging others to practice, it makes sense to practice it ourselves. As teachers, practicing what we preach is essential. If we’re encouraging our students to practice, then we, too, should be devoted to our own Reiki practice.
Good teachers are good learners, and so we should also seek out learning opportunities beyond our initial Reiki training. This could include reading books, taking additional courses, attending Reiki shares and conferences, or engaging with other practitioners. The more we deepen our own understanding, the more we have to offer our students. Reiki is a lifelong journey, and being open to new insights and perspectives strengthens our ability to teach effectively.
As part of the learning and growing, staying connected with a Reiki community can not only be incredibly enriching for our personal Reiki journey, but also beneficial to our teaching as we learn new perspectives and techniques. Reiki community is also very helpful to our Reiki business for support, encouragement, referrals, and resources. Whether it’s through local groups, online forums, or professional organizations, engaging with other Reiki practitioners keeps us inspired and motivated. It also provides a support network where we can exchange ideas, ask questions, and continue growing as both teachers and practitioners.
Teaching Reiki is an honor and privilege. It’s also a beautiful, transformative journey. By recognizing that our students believe in us, creating a schedule and structure that aligns with our energy, not stressing over the manual, and committing to lifelong learning and practice, we set ourselves up for success with our Reiki classes. Each teacher has their own personal way of sharing Reiki, and there is no single “right” way to teach. Honor and celebrate the uniqueness you bring and stay true to yourself and your Reiki path. When you teach from a place of authenticity, your students will feel it, and the learning experience will be deeply fulfilling for both you and them. Blessings to your classes!
Article by Christian Stone
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Christian Stone is a Reiki Teacher, card reader, and coach with the mission to help build 10,000 Reiki businesses for a better world. He is the founder of the Reiki Business Collective, host of the Build Your Reiki Business podcast, and creator of the Reiki Business Summit and Reiki Business Roundtable. He owns and operates Standing Stones Healing offering online and in-person Reiki, card reading, coaching, and courses, including Build Your Reiki Business, the Reiki Business Blueprint, the Distance Reiki Business Builder, and Unlock Your Card Magic. He is also the author of several books, including Reiki Business Ready: 6 Ways to Know You’re Ready for a Reiki Business, Throwing Stones: a Rune Reading Guide, and Standing Like the Stones: How to Weather, Withstand, Survive, and Thrive During Life Changes and Transitions. He hikes, gardens, and plays the Native American style flute in central Pennsylvania.
Links:
https://standingstoneshealing.com
https://www.facebook.com/standingstoneshealing/
https://www.youtube.com/@StandingStonesHealing
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