The excerpt below is from Luvsouljah's
...My Reiki Rant....


and is a thought that shows up often
around the title, Reiki Master. It's my
understanding that the title of master
is a term of respect in eastern traditions.

What are your thoughts around
Reiki Master/Teacher, title

Before I get started though, I'd just like to mention..., or much more make a point of..... the fact....... that,.... I do not carry my Reiki Master/teacher title lightly!!..... And I have some conflicts with myself about whether this is infact an appropriate title. It sure does, in and of itself, have an emense effect on me.... While honoring this title, I will, first and foremost, always be a student.

I prefer the sound of Reiki Shishō. I don't know why I have a problem with using the title master really...except that it tends to blow up one's ego a bit... and implies that one has some kind of power or authority over Reiki....(Aladdin & his Genie spring to mind).

Then there are the awkward moments when someone introduces you as a "Reiki Master", in a social setting. And you get reactions like "OMG-OMG-OMG!!! ...I never met a real Reiki Master before !!!....

It's just how I feel about it...

Where there is a master teacher so too is there a master student.

LuvSoulJah wrote:I prefer the sound of Reiki Shishō. ....

shishō can have the meaning: "teacher" but it can also mean "master"

On one level, the "shi" part speaks of someone who is an expert in their field,
and on another, someone who is considered as a role model



BTW, if you do choose to use the term shishō, and decide to write it in kanji on your student's certificates, do be sure to write it as:

thought it meant craftsman too... gonna have to check out that kanji^^ was just tryin to come up with an alternative for master... and Sensei is usually asociated with Mikao Usui... and akin to "guru" in that context...

unlicensed prostitute, streetwalker.... maybe on April fools

It's a good topic. I couldn't give a monkeys bout the idea i shoudln't use it though. It's a word. It reminds me of my own dedication to Reiki. Or at least, what is meant to be in such an important step. This is my personal pa5th, btw, not what i say others 'should' be like.

And i took Reiki Master training so why not. I'd say it's as much to do with ego to omit it, as it may be to use it. Like i'm so super ego-less because i use 'teacher'. I'm soooo advanced. Oh whoppy-F***ing-do. Hehe!

Besides, there's nothing wrong with further achievement. If it means something to the person why not use it. If it means nothing to them, why not omit it.

Yeah, you're, of course 100% right Wayne. I guess my issue is just that...maybe I don't feel deserving of that title yet, maybe it's something I gotta grow into or maybe not. I just dont wanna be defined by a title. I'm still "only human" and I make mistakes and I have yet to master myself before I master anything else.

i look at it being Reiki is Master of my life. This way there's no pressure on me.

With Reiki meant to be, imo, a personal spiritual journey, none of us are perfect at this. How could we be? That's the great interesting ingredient in humanity - variety.

If we loose our hang-ups, form a deep relationship with Reiki personally, and try to share our experiences. What else is important to being a Reiki Master? These are my requirements for me. Thoughj i'm known to be a little 'lax'. haha.

LuvSoulJah wrote:Where there is a master teacher so too is there a master student.

I hold the title RMT
though you and many others on
this forum are givers of your
knowledge that can be used/not
used by the reader.

I talk about self talk and am
aware of its impact on the human
mind. Take the different versions
of the 5 Reiki principles. When
you mentioned your version I had
an ahha moment and put your version
on the front page of my w/s. Yes I
may hold the title Master but I'm a
life learner and not so full of myself
that I have stopped learning.

I must admit that I am one of those people who tends to refer to myself as a Reiki Teacher or even simply as a Reiki Practitioner, not because I see it as some form of ego-reducing exercise but because, to me, the title 'Master' used in the context of a Japanese practice conjures up an image of a Mr Miyagi type character who has years and years of experience and is a Master of their practice. How many of us can say that we have mastered Reiki or are ever likely to?

I practice what I have learned and teach what I know - therefore I am a practitioner and a teacher. When I was at Grammar School in the UK we had Masters, rather than teachers, who taught us e.g. English Master, History Master, Science Master, House Master etc. These people people, in common with non-teaching academics who have achieved a Master Degree in something have also undergone long periods of intensive training. Can my Reiki Master training be compared to that? If I had a Masters Degree I would be happy to call myself a Master and if I had a Doctorate I would happily call myself a Doctor because the title would reflect a certain amount of training and hard work had been carried out.

Most Reiki Master training occurs over a short period and gives the student the tools and information they need to carry on further study and gain experience on their way towards Mastery. Completing a Reiki 3 or Reiki Master seminar does not make one a Reiki Master in the true sense of the word. In think it is just another unfortunate example of poor translation on Hawayo Takata's Reiki certificate where a Japanese word that has a certain understanding and cultural context is translated into English using the process of best-fit but in the process loses the original context and cultural significance - rather like the title Dr Usui. As I may have mentioned elsewhere, it is interesting that the word 'doctor' in Latin can also be translated as 'teacher' in Englsh!

I don't have a huge problem with people calling themselves Reiki Masters as long as they remain humble and do not portray themselves as all-knowing people who are above the lesser degree practitioners in some way.

I like to say that as we progress along our path, the less there is to be taught but the more there is to learn!

The path to Reiki Mastery is never ending but is a rewarding one!

Colin, it is also a society/cultural stigma
that if I am a Reiki Master Teacher that I
am "better" than a Reiki 1/2 practitioner.
I am amazed at how skillful my students are
at the beginning level. Maybe down the Reiki
path of future generation the title Master
will be replaced with another title to reflect
a higer level without demeaning the previous
levels.

Just for fun

Webmaster
postmaster
headmaster
Master of Education
Master chef

Master parents/grandparents

what you say is right. Ya know Bridget, the way society views things should take a jump. We all know Krishnamurtis quote - it's amazing how sane we are deemed, by how well adjusted we are to an insane society.

A suggestion could be for the veggies to eat less soya. Give the whole species in rainforests a chance to live, and the fertile land in Africa back to it's people so they can grow food for themselves. Instead of using what little fertile land they have for us in the west.

What's one got to do with the other? nothing. Though one is worth much more attention. A classic sign imo, in society. that using the title of Master means anything derogatory. It's less derogatory than 'SOYA-EATER'. Hehe.

Stop the merry-go-round i'm getting off...

Hi Folks,

I have had the same thoughts as Ben regarding the master label. To me "Master" denotes "complete understanding"...that would be a stretch for me in the study of Reiki...

"Master Teacher"..."Master Practioner"..."Master Student"...

If Usui looked upon us, considering what was expected from students of his time...i believe he might consider alot of modern day masters to be a bit thin. From what I`ve read and been told...in Usui`s time a person could spend a decade in levels one and two...Alot of modern day Reiki people complete levels one and two in a weekend, and their masters a few weeeks later...So really the paper means nothing in my eyes...

The titles we inherit from attending a class or lecture mean little without a decade or more of intesive practice to back it up...

Just as it is in martial arts...The master creates himself through dedication and practice. He endevours to step beyond his personal limitations to find an understanding only attainable through giving himself to his chosen discipline...As he "masters" his discipline, he becomes the "master" of himself.


Thats my opinion for whats it`s worth...

Jim

Reikijim wrote:

Hi Folks,

I have had the same thoughts as Ben regarding the master label. To me "Master" denotes "complete understanding"...that would be a stretch for me in the study of Reiki...

"Master Teacher"..."Master Practioner"..."Master Student"...

If Usui looked upon us, considering what was expected from students of his time...i believe he might consider alot of modern day masters to be a bit thin. From what I`ve read and been told...in Usui`s time a person could spend a decade in levels one and two...Alot of modern day Reiki people complete levels one and two in a weekend, and their masters a few weeeks later...So really the paper means nothing in my eyes...

The titles we inherit from attending a class or lecture mean little without a decade or more of intesive practice to back it up...

Just as it is in martial arts...The master creates himself through dedication and practice. He endevours to step beyond his personal limitations to find an understanding only attainable through giving himself to his chosen discipline...As he "masters" his discipline, he becomes the "master" of himself.


Thats my opinion for whats it`s worth...

Jim

As always Jim your opinion is valuable