Shoden, meaning Beginning Teachings, is the first level of Traditional Japanese Usui Reiki Ryōhō and is a two-day immersive training centred on developing a personal Reiki practice.

During the course you will receive four traditional Reiki attunements (Reiju), supporting your connection with the practice. Through hands-on experience, meditation, breathing techniques and self-treatment, you will begin to develop a daily Reiki practice for your own wellbeing while also learning how to offer Reiki safely to family and friends.

This course provides a strong foundation in both the traditional teachings of Reiki and their practical application, with comprehensive course notes and ongoing support included.

This course is open to anyone who feels called to learn Reiki. No previous experience is necessary, and Reiki is suitable for people of all backgrounds, faiths and belief systems.

• The history and origins of Traditional Japanese Usui Reiki Ryōhō 
• The meaning of Reiki and the five elements of the system 
• Four traditional Reiki attunements (Reiju) 
• The Reiki Precepts and their application in everyday life 
• The 21-day self-practice following attunement 
• Traditional Japanese meditation and breathing practices 
• Gasshō, Kenyoku Hō, Joshin Kokyū Hō and Seishin Tōitsu 
• The Hara and the Three Diamonds 
• Energy awareness and sensing exercises 
• Self-treatment techniques and daily Reiki practice 
• Hand positions for offering Reiki to family and friends 
• Creating a safe and supportive Reiki treatment space 
• Reiki lineage and professional standards 
• A comprehensive Shoden training manual 
• Reiki Level One (Shoden) Certificate 

At the end of this course, you will feel and understand how energy works, be able to give yourself a treatment and be able to give treatments to family and friends.

Okuden, meaning Inner Teachings, is the second level of Traditional Japanese Usui Reiki Ryōhō. This two-day training deepens your personal Reiki practice while introducing the traditional mantras and symbols, advanced Japanese techniques and the foundations of professional Reiki practice.

During the course you will receive three traditional Reiki attunements (Reiju), strengthening your connection to the practice and supporting your continued development. Through meditation, hands-on practice and deeper study, you will expand your understanding of Reiki and begin to work with greater confidence, sensitivity and awareness.

Okuden forms the next stage of the Heartwood Healing Professional Practitioner pathway, providing the knowledge and practical skills required to begin working professionally while continuing to deepen your own personal practice.

Comprehensive course notes, ongoing support and your Reiki Level Two certificate are included.

This course is open to students who have completed Reiki Level One (Shoden).

A minimum of three months between Shoden and Okuden is recommended, allowing time to establish a regular self-practice before progressing to the next level. 

• The deeper philosophy and purpose of Okuden (Inner Teachings) 
• Three traditional Reiki attunements (Reiju) 
• The role of the Reiki Precepts in personal and professional practice 
• The three traditional Reiki mantras and symbols 
• Meditation with the Reiki symbols 
• Traditional Japanese Reiki techniques, including Hatsurei Hō, Byōsen Reikan Hō and Reiji Hō 
• Enkaku Chiryo Hō (distance practice) 
• Deepening your understanding of the Hara, and the Three Diamonds 
• Developing greater sensitivity to energy and intuitive awareness 
• Professional Reiki treatment structure and client care 
• Client consultations and reflective practice 
• Case studies and professional development 
• Creating a safe and ethical Reiki practice 
• Professional standards, energetic hygiene and codes of practice 
• Guidance on establishing your Reiki practice 
• A comprehensive Okuden training manual 
• Reiki Level Two (Okuden) Certificate 

Following completion of Okuden, you will be encouraged to continue your personal Reiki practice while gaining experience through treatments, case studies and reflective practice. For those wishing to work professionally, Okuden provides the foundation to begin developing a confident and ethical Reiki practice as part of the Heartwood Healing Professional Practitioner pathway. 

Shinpiden begins as a path of self-development. Only when these teachings have been lived and embodied may they naturally evolve into the responsibility of teaching others.

Shinpiden, meaning Mystery Teachings, is the third level of Traditional Japanese Usui Reiki Ryōhō and represents a profound stage of personal and spiritual development.

Rather than focusing immediately on teaching others, Shinpiden invites you to deepen your relationship with Reiki through daily practice, meditation and embodied understanding. It is an opportunity to return more fully to your true nature while continuing to cultivate the qualities expressed through the Reiki Precepts.

For this reason, the Heartwood Healing Shinpiden programme is divided into two distinct modules.

Module One is dedicated entirely to your own development as a Reiki Master Practitioner.

For those who later feel genuinely called to teach, Module Two offers a separate Reiki Master Teacher pathway. This recognises that teaching Reiki is not simply another qualification, but a responsibility that develops through practice, experience and embodiment. 

Module One is a three-day immersive training designed for students who wish to deepen their personal Reiki practice and continue their journey within the traditional teachings of Usui Reiki Ryōhō.

Throughout the training you will receive your Shinpiden Reiju (Master Attunement) while exploring the Master teachings through meditation, Japanese philosophy, practical application and energetic experience.

The emphasis throughout Module One is not on becoming a teacher, but on becoming a more embodied practitioner whose life increasingly reflects the principles and practice of Reiki.

• The meaning of Shinpiden (Mystery Teachings) 
• Primordial lineage and Reiki lineage 
• The Five Elements of the system of Reiki at Master level 
• The Reiki Precepts as the foundation of Master practice 
• The Master Symbol (Dai Kō Myō) and its traditional origins 
• A deeper understanding of the symbols and mantras within the system of Reiki 
• Ku (Void) Meditation 
• Becoming Dai Meditation 
• Japanese esoteric teachings and their relationship to Reiki 
• Traditional Reiju and the philosophy of attunement 
• Advanced Japanese Reiki techniques and meditations 
• Kotodama – the spirit of sound 
• Master level hands-on practice 
• Developing greater energetic awareness, presence and embodiment 
• The philosophy of transmission 
• Shinpiden Reiju (Master Attunement) 
• Comprehensive training manual 
• Reiki Master (Shinpiden) Certificate 

This training is open to students who have successfully completed Okuden (Level Two) and who have established a committed Reiki practice.

Shinpiden is suitable for practitioners who wish to deepen their understanding of Reiki as a lifelong spiritual practice.

Many students undertake Shinpiden solely for their own personal development and never choose to teach. This path is equally honoured within the traditional system of Reiki.

Teaching Reiki is a natural continuation of practice—it is not an automatic progression.

Following completion of Module One, students are encouraged to spend time integrating the teachings into daily life before progressing to the Reiki Master Teacher pathway.

Students wishing to continue to Module Two are invited to demonstrate that they have embodied the foundations of the practice through their own ongoing commitment.

• A consistent and committed personal Reiki practice. 
• Regular self-treatment, meditation and continued study. 
• An embodied understanding of the Reiki Precepts. 
• Commitment to ongoing personal growth and self-reflection. 
• Humility, integrity and professional responsibility. 
• Respect for the traditional teachings and lineage of Usui Reiki Ryōhō. 
• Confidence in working as a professional Reiki Practitioner. 
• Completion of professional case studies and reflective practice. 
• A genuine calling to support the learning and development of others. 

This period between Modules One and Two allows space for the teachings to mature through lived experience.

Rather than simply learning how to teach Reiki, students are encouraged to become the practice itself—allowing the teachings to naturally shape the way they live, relate to others and hold space.

Teaching Reiki is not simply about passing on techniques or information. It is about embodying the practice, holding space with presence, compassion and integrity, and supporting students through their own unfolding journey.

As your teacher, I want to know that these teachings have become part of your life before you begin sharing them with others. This honours the traditional understanding that the deepest teaching comes not from what we know, but from how we live the practice. 

Students who feel called to teach, and who have demonstrated their commitment to personal practice, may continue to Module Two.

This advanced training is designed to support the transition from experienced Reiki Practitioner to confident Reiki Master Teacher, while maintaining the integrity of the traditional teachings.

• Teaching methodology and course facilitation. 
• Structuring and delivering Reiki workshops. 
• Supporting and mentoring Reiki students. 
• Traditional Reiju. 
• Hayashi/Tatsumi attunement methods. 
• Case studies and reflective practice. 
• Holding safe, ethical and professional learning spaces. 
• Professional standards, lineage and responsibility. 
• Ongoing mentoring, assessment and feedback. 

Successful completion of Module Two prepares students to teach Traditional Japanese Usui Reiki Ryōhō within the Heartwood Healing lineage. 

In the traditional Japanese system, the title of Reiki Master is not a destination but the beginning of a deeper commitment to practice.

Whether your path is one of personal development or teaching, the invitation remains the same: to continue returning to the Reiki Precepts, your daily practice and your own true nature.

Reiki is not something we achieve. It is a way of living.

As practice deepens, the distinction between Reiki and everyday life gradually disappears. The teachings become less about what we do and more about who we are.

Ultimately, life itself becomes our Reiki practice.