How to avoid a McReiki Encounter

This entry is a break from my Seven Great Spiritual Questions and turns to finding a Reiki Master Teacher who is suitable and legitimate.

I call it a “McReiki” encounter because so many people are under the impression that things need to be done quickly and in great volume. This is not the case for Reiki. Even though an attunement (something only a Master Teacher can do for his or her students) only takes a few moments, learning and working with Reiki can be a long endeavor requiring study and practice. But don't let that deter you – Reiki is infinitely rewarding!

There are several considerations when determining whether or not a school of Reiki is going to be helpful to you or not.

1. A Reiki attunement takes under an hour – but attaining level mastery takes much longer.

My Reiki Master-Teacher, Karina Carr, gave me my first and second level lessons one year apart. The attunements took a short time. The first level and second level took time to work on and gain experience. In either February or March, I should be ready to take the final attunement to become a Reiki Master. From that point forward, I will be able to fully teach and guide others into the healing world of Usui Shiki Ryoho – but I will also require a great deal of practice and patience. Karina will guide me throughout that first year of mastery, available to answer my questions and share her own experiences. Therefore, be wary of RMT's that promise you will be a complete master in just three weekends. While they are technically correct (insofar as giving attunements), the reality is that no one becomes a master of anything in a matter of days.

2. Beware of pricing – not too cheap and not too expensive.

Reiki sometimes gets an unfortunate bad rap because there are those who choose to charge tens of thousands of dollars to teach and give attunements. There are pros and cons to this, and the reasons why vary from RMT to RMT. Don't be afraid to do a little comparison shopping among Reiki workshops...but always give it due consideration along with the other factors when choosing. Is it affordable? Do you get individual attention? Is the class overly large?

3. Class size – how many is too many?

The size of a class will affect the quality of learning in any class, but this is especially true of a Reiki class. If you can get a teacher to take you in for individual lessons, take it! It will be a bit more expensive, but the personal attention is well worth the cost. However, a more affordable alternative is a Reiki workshop – but be sure the class size doesn't go over 10 per RMT. If there are two RMTs teaching together, then a class can get to about 20 – 25 without taking away from the learning experience.

4. Appropriate and professional behavior!

Look for an RMT who behaves in a professional manner – if you are uncomfortable at any time, you should be able to say so and have the RMT react in a gentle and kind manner. You should never feel threatened, condescended, or embarrassed around a true Reiki professional.


While Reiki is not regulated by the government, it is a self-monitored and certified profession. Before jumping in, you may want to check out the International Association of Reiki Professionals (iarp.org) when searching for someone in your area to teach you the system. Always follow your instincts and your best judgment, and you too can enjoy the benefits of all that Reiki has to offer.

Namasté,
The Transpersonal Psychologist