I‘ve received a few questions about something called ART or Advanced Reiki Training and if these are the Advanced Reiki Techniques I teach and refer to in the recent poll. The short answer is no, the more detailed answer is…

What are Advanced Reiki Techniques?

In the realm of Advanced Reiki, there are many different opinions as to what exactly counts as Advanced Reiki. In Traditional Japanese Reiki there were only three levels…. and Level Two was basically considered Advanced Reiki. Other Reiki styles have four levels where Level Three is considered Advanced Reiki. Still other styles have a completely separate course called Advanced Reiki. My own opinion is that anything that does not deal with basic hands on healing constitutes Advanced Reiki and it is important to break this down into two distinct areas… Advanced Reiki Techniques and Advanced Reiki Practices.

Non-Reiki Techniques and Practices

Before diving into a discussion on Advanced Reiki, I’d like to take a quick pit stop to talk about Non-Reiki Techniques and Practices. There have been a lot of non-Reiki elements being brought into Reiki, some of which make excellent additions… however, I do feel it needs to be pointed out that there is a very clear distinction between what is Reiki and what is not Reiki.

Additions to the Reiki system such as crystals, stones, essential oils (aromatherapy), Tibetan symbols/energies, drums, dancing, psychic protection, judo-based degrees, yogic siddhis, etc. all have interesting and sometimes wondrous applications… but they are not Reiki. Many new Reiki styles have been created by applying something foreign to Reiki into the Reiki system… which again is all good and fine, and some wonderful and helpful techniques have been introduced… but Reiki did not come from India, Egypt, Atlantis, Tibet or even the Pleiades… it is a simple system developed in Japan. The word Reiki is an original Japanese word, not a translation or transliteration of anything from another country (or world). Not to ruffle anyone’s feathers, but Dr. Usui alone developed the Reiki system… and anything he did not include in his system is simply not Reiki.

Advanced Reiki Techniques vs. Advanced Reiki Practices

Keeping the above in mind, Advanced Reiki Techniques are generally such Reiki techniques as Hatsurei Ho, Zenshin Ketsueki Kokan Ho, and Reiji Ho and such Non-Reiki Techniques (hey, if they work, far be it from me to disclude them) as crystal healing, aura cleansing, chakra balancing and even Shouboshi Ho 😉 Any techniques that help you to increase your abilities on any of the Three Pillars of Reiki (Reiki Healing, Reiki Energetics & Reiki Spirituality) qualify and as we all have different styles, one technique may work better for one person than another.

Advanced Reiki Practice refers to a decided path on which to follow Reiki. Those Reiki Practitioners who merely wish to use Reiki for its healing benefits (on themselves and others) are of course free to do so, however, those that wish to take a few more steps up the ladder are also quite welcome to do so if they feel that is their calling. Once they do, they have begun an Advanced Reiki Practice. As discussed in my post on Reiki for Beginners “A Reiki Practice is a regular routine”preferably daily, but one with a clear goal of where you are going and what you hope to accomplish.

So the bottom line is, you don’t need to be involved in Advanced Reiki Practice to make use of Advanced Reiki Techniques. Those techniques are there for anyone to use (and create). On the flip side you don’t really need to make use of Advanced Reiki Techniques in order to be involved in an Advanced Reiki Practice… however, it would sure make it a lot easier to reach your destination. 🙂

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!