The Reiki Path

Reiki training is an art form. As a style of practice and application, it presents a radically different cosmic view from that of western thought and method. The concept that one can be free of all disease is not widely accepted in the western mind. Reiki trains the mind and heart to know otherwise. The training is a process of opening into the skills, ethics, view, and power that Reiki (“Universal Life Force”) uncovers. Ki is known as the force of life, and goes by many names - Ki, Chi, Qi, Lung, and Prana, to name a few. It is the force that animates our body and mind. In Reiki, we are joining “Rei” - the “Universal Awareness” - to our personal Ki. Rei also goes by many names - the Divine Mother, Grace, Holy Spirit, the Great Spirit, the Clear Light, and others. Joining the Universal to our person is an epic journey into a state of wholeness that transcends the physical, and moves us into an altogether different way of life. One where wisdom, compassion, joy and freedom are prioritized, and allowed to nurture our soul. We understand that the foundational structure of our reality can be expanded beyond the structures of power that deny our beingness, and ineffable right to be of service in alignment with our true nature.

These practices have been handed from teacher to student in an unbroken lineage since 1922.  Reiki is both a healing modality and a spiritual tradition. It is used at most top hospitals, including The Cleveland Clinic, the Mayo Clinic, Boston Children’s Hospital, Mayo Clinic, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center among many others.  Kim-la Reiki courses have been approved by the American Nurses Association.

If you have previously studied Reiki, the way it is trained within the Art of Reiki community is likely different. The training in this Reiki comes out of Japan and Tendai Buddhism, and the esoteric practices within that tradition, known as the “Diamond Vehicle.” This Diamond Vehicle opens the practitioner to greater power, realizations and wisdom. With that, also comes a grounding in ethics and responsibility in the use of power. We are not Buddhist but our practices and concepts are born from lineages that are directly linked through lineage to Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle through the practice of Reiju (empowerment).

The "Art of Reiki" is used to improve health and the subtle energy system. Through these practices, you learn how to heal yourself, and others' energy bodies, and as a result, the physical is also healed. Reiki works on the same principles as acupuncture, tai chi, qi gong and Tibetan Medicine.  

In Kim-la’s system, she uses a Wang (དབང) or "empowerment" from the Diamond Vehicle to open the subtle energy system of the trainee. In Vajrayana Buddhism, Reiki is conveyed by the Reiki Master to the student, allowing for the channeling of the Reiki energy at an amplified rate.  This is also called an Abhishek (Sanskrit: अभिषेक) and it has been practiced in many traditions that work with subtle energy for thousands of years.

Most of Kim-la’s students complete each level (Shoden Reiki I, Okuden Reiki II, and Shipiden Reiki III) within 3 to 4 one hour Warrior-Healer one-on-one sessions with Kim-la.

Because each person enters into this path with different levels of subtle energy awarenesses, daily practices vary and are selected for the student based upon their needs. Kim-la has worked with hundreds of Diamond Vehicle students, and will advise you on the amount of time she feels is a good fit for your daily practice to make aligned and forward moving progress to mastery.

REIKI TRAINING LEVELS

Shoden (Reiki I)

In Shoden, the levels of energy awareness are introduced: Physical/Course, Subtle (Reiki, Spirit, Holy Spirit), and Super Subtle (Clear Light). The practitioner is shown the Subtle Energy system and its architecture with channel and vortex maps that have been used for more than a thousand years. At this level, a Biofield Imaging set of the Reiki practitioner is collected, so that the practitioner can visually see the details of their own personal Ki, and the state of their lower, middle, and upper vortexes/chakras/energy centers. At this level, the student makes great leaps in understanding the impact of thoughts and feelings on their personal Ki. The concepts of Energy Protection, and Energy Clearing are reviewed and the methods, techniques, and best practices for optimal outcomes are shared.

At this level, personal Ki is the focus. One is trained in the specifics of how Ki increases, decreases, and amplifies, and how this is different than energy in the physical level, but is correlated to such. One learns here about balance in the body, mind, and spirit of the individual, and uses their own body as the map - an internal map is studied and practiced that reveals truths about Ki.

Byosen Reikan-ho is taught, using the map revealed by the understanding of the subtle energy body, allowing the information on imbalances to be detected by the practitioner. Teate (hands-on healing) is introduced here, with a focus on self, and then other. Group work and the circulation of Ki within the group is also introduced as a conceptual framework, along with insights that begin to arise in objectively understanding the nature of group energy, and how it moves.

Upon successful completion of this level, the student is recognized by the teacher to hold certain skills (traditionally rated as 6, 5 and 4) given a “Reiki Name” that is channeled from Dr. Usui. This name contains the seeds of the student’s realizations that will arise from their Reiki practice. This name is the realized aspect of the practitioner, typically the one the practitioner is training to fully embody.

Okuden (Reiki II)

In Okuden, the model for the movement and transformation of subtle energy is taught. At Okuden level and above, instructions on the skillful and ethical use of mantra (Jumon), symbols (Shirushi), and mudras (Insō) is conveyed. As the energy practitioner begins to understand their power, and the power of Reiki, at this level, it becomes important to receive individual instruction on the use of power tools such as Kotodama. These details are necessarily held in a sacred container, as the practitioner begins to appreciate why energy containment and control at the group Ki level is a method of skillful means to increase power and the focus of one’s path into greater capacities of directing Ki and Reiki for the benefit of all sentient beings. At Okuden, one is now feeling and applying their channeling abilities of Reiki. As a result, new methods of clearing and protection are needed and taught at this level.

Individual energies in the form of Shirushi, Kotodama, and Insō are taught, and the transfer of the grounded form of these energies is accomplished in this level, through a Reiju (empowerment, abisheka (Sanskrit), or wang (Tibetan)).

The Okuden practitioner is learning to channel and move Reiki and its sub-categorical forms in this level. The concept of using the dimensions of time (as change) and space (as form) for healing and creating are introduced here. Various lineage forms are conveyed as wisdom practices with effective objective outcomes born from thousands of years of lineage. Practices of stabilizing the energy are emphasized, such a meditational practices that use the subtle energy mind and body aligned and balanced to Ki and Reiki.

Upon successful completion of this level, the student will have been recognized by the teacher as achieving a rating of 3 and then 2, and can then advance to Master level training, called Shinpiden.

Shinpiden (Master - Reiki III)

In Shinpiden training, one’s Ki and model for the movement and transformation of subtle energy is now graspable at areas of subtle energy beyond concept (Super Subtle or Clear Light mind). At Shinpiden level and above, the bridges between Kotodama and Busshō are pointed out. As the Master trainee applies all they have learned, the direct experience of non-duality is revealed through various stages of realizations, such as satori, funi, mushin, mu, zanshin, and others. While these states are directly experienced, the Master in training is receiving pointing out pith instructions for seeing through the dualistic mind, ultimately grasping Busshō, or Ultimate Nature, the Primordial Awareness. This is accomplished through practices of experiencing directly the Reiju. The Master training is the expansion of the individual nature into the interconnected nature and then the primordial nature. At this level, one directly experiences who and what they are, and is compelled to continue the journey by a quality of gnosis, and direct knowing brought about through the experience of Reiki.

Upon completion of this level, the student is recognized by the teacher to hold certain knowledge, skills and direct experiences of non-dual awareness. They receive a new Reiki name that represents who they have become. As a Master, with this level of awareness, they are often drawn to teach others in these practices, because of their deep compassion and wisdom and that of the lineage of masters from which they have emerged and into that which they are.

Shihan (Master Teacher)

In Shihan training, one is an apprentice to a Shihan. That apprentice is known as a Shihan-kaku. The apprentice is given opportunities to observe the Shihan at the levels of Shoden, Okuden, and Shinpiden training. The apprentice is expected to continue their understanding and deepening of relative and ultimate reality, and the grounded application of the pith instructions that the lineage maintains.

In this training, the apprentice is instructed through pith, and gleans information from the observation of student-teacher interactions, along with follow-up questions on method and skillful means. As much of this training is specific to the apprentice and the teacher, who have trained together from the Shoden level, the language, understanding, profound love, and respect are present for the work as its foundation. The apprentice is learning in the levels of subtle and super subtle, having greater facility at the movement and increase of Ki and its relationship to Reiki as applied.

The apprentice assists with the community of practitioners, and supports them in terms of questions and practices offered. The direction of the apprentice is to teach their own students, and the Shihan is working with the apprentice to guide them in all they need to know for that process. As much of this work is one-on-one, the details of the apprenticeship are between the Shihan and the Shihan-kaku.

Shihan’s that have apprenticed with Kim-la have their own students around the world, founding their own Reiki practices and organizations such as Exploring Consciousness and The Light Way Home.

The Art of Reiki Community

The Art of Reiki Community is a group of Reiki practitioners who have trained with Kim-la. The community is founded to preserve and carry forward the teachings in a living example of Reiki. The community gathers frequently to retreat for practice, sharing poetry, dance, music, food, and gifts with one another, and for living as inspired through our shared principles born from balance, love and wisdom. New practices are introduced through the community, inspired by the spirit of Wabi Sabi. When not in person, the community meets virtually, and over the WhatsApp group.