What it means to be a master: your responses

Last week, we asked, "What does it mean to be a master?" This week, our readers answer that question:

Hello Janet....

When I began my walk with Reiki, The Usui Method of Natural Healing, I was told that there were levels and the final level was Master Level. It was also stated that master was teacher and not to be confused with Mastery.

As the years have passed and my studies have deepened, and my understanding of The Usui Method or System of Natural Healing have gone beyond the teachings I have received....and I begin to find it easier and easier to get to "that place," that oneness, and begin to understand this incredible gift.

I dont really care if anyone calls me master, teacher, preacher, sensei or fool. I know where I am with Reiki and what Reiki has done for me, mentally, spiritually and physically. And I have seen the power of the Ki not only in my personal life but in the healings of my clients. I will never say, or think, that I have mastered Reiki.

I have my Masters in Plant and Soil Sciences. I have not mastered that either, but it means that I have studied and gained understanding and knowledge of said science.

I have gained understanding and knowledge of The Usui Method of Natural Healing: Reiki. Thanks to that knowledge and understanding, some taught and a lot learned from working with the Ki, I am still alive today. (I had to Reiki myself before I could call 911)

To Be Master or not to Be Master: that is the question -- 
or marketing?

In my heart and mind, I know when I say "Reiki Master" I understand that it mearly means "Reiki Teacher" and I have had reikimaster.michael as an email address for a long time and I don't plan to change it.

I guess it all boils down to what you are comfortable with, and your degree of understanding and knowledge. The biggest thing when it comes right down to it: Just do it. Just do it. Just do Reiki.

Remember the Precepts. Speak them daily: morning and night. 

Be Well,

Respectfully,
michael

Rose De Dan wrote:

When I first became a Reiki Master in 1997 the title was one that was respected by many in the community as well as outside, and there were not many of us.

Not long after I completed my Master training, I was in Chi Gung class where I was among 50 other students, and our very respected instructor singled me out and introduced me as the sole Reiki Master present. He spoke briefly about the practice of Reiki, and BOWED to me! As a relatively new Reiki Master I was stunned to be accorded such respect.

One year later Reiki had gained in popularity, and with popularity there was a definite downgrade in the quality of instruction offered by some teachers.

Two years later the term "Reki Master" had begun to be a term of derision, denoting someone who was "New Age" and foo-foo, and not well trained or grounded in energy healing.

Myself, I prefer the term "Reiki Master Teacher" as more aptly describing my role. I tell my students that no one masters Reiki, rather one is mastered by it.

Rose De Dan
Wild Reiki and Shamanic Healing LLC

Kimberly Fleischer wrote:

I have to say I agree with most Reiki Master's who are uncomfortable with the title, because of the possible implication that we have mastered the art of reiki.
From what I understand even Usui never claimed to be a Master of Reiki.

At the same time, I have often speculated on how the term came to be.... and what was the intention behind it's selection? I wonder if perhaps Takata chose the title of Master in an attempt to give reiki teachers and practitioners a degree of credit that otherwise may not have been implied. Most of us have heard that Takata did other things to make reiki more embraceable (who hasn't heard the many stories of Usui and Reiki's founding?) In Takata's time the term master could have been used in two ways - from the eastern perspective that we've all heard so much about, AND from the western perspective, to the graduate of a an advanced collegiate degree. I.e, I have a Masters in Education , Business, etc... In both ways the term does imply a degree of achievement.
From the western perspective I believe that although the term Master does imply an achievement, it does not necessarily imply mastery. How many friends or family members do you have who have Master's degrees who would not consider themselves masters of their craft or profession?
Yet no one is arguing that we throw away that title.

I am not saying that the term Master is fitting. I am saying that I have made a certain peace with it. I use it because it is what we have. Many people (including potential employers) understand that Master means that a person has achieved a certain degree of learning, and/or the ability to teach. So even though I may not like the title, I use it because it enables people to classify me. Maybe it is best for us to throw it out and find a whole new term, I'm not really sure. For now I think of my own Reiki Mastery as the commitment towards revealing the inner master in me, the commitment of walking the reiki path, and all that path entails. : )

- Kim Fleisher, RMT, M.Ed, Director of The Reiki School and Clinic in Philadelphia

And Scotto-san wrote:

My opinion on being a (Reiki) Master

If you think you are infallible, you are fallible.
If you think have mastered something, you have not mastered it.
If you think you are a Reiki Master, you.......................

Scotto-san

Thanks to all our contributors this week. Let's keep the discussion going: What does the term "Reiki Master" mean to you? Contribute your thoughts by adding a comment to this post on our web site (you can do so anonymously if you want), or by emailing editor@thereikidigest.com.