01/05/2026
Let’s kick off the first full week in 2026 with our latest rooted in truth post!
Reiki Practices and Timelines… Rooted in Truth… Small Town American Gatekeeping
I’ve been fortunate enough in my short life to have traveled extensively throughout Europe. I’ve been to Asia and I even lived in Europe for three years (Portugal to be exact) . I have family that still lives in Europe and many friends so I enjoy having a world view on a lot of subjects. As many of you know this past year I did complete my Reiki master certification and here soon I will also be completing Holy Fire Reiki.
And through this process, I’ve been sitting with something that I’ve actually never heard before outside the local community that I live in now, but I’ve been thinking a lot about the conversations around Reiki lately… especially the comments about how “fast” someone should or shouldn’t move through attunements. And the more I hear the gatekeeping, the more I realize most of it comes from American misconceptions, not from Reiki’s roots or from how Reiki is practiced around the world today or in the past.
So here’s a clear look at what Reiki training actually looks like in Japan, Europe, and the U.S., because the differences matter.
JAPAN…. WHERE REIKI BEGAN
Reiki was created by Usui Mikao, and in the original system:
• There were no mandatory waiting periods between levels.
• Students often received multiple attunements on a regular basis.
• Training could be intensive, sometimes completed in short periods.
• Progression was based on readiness, not a calendar.
• “Master” simply meant you were trained to teach, not spiritually superior.
• Ongoing practice was encouraged, but time was never the measure of legitimacy.
Traditional Japanese Reiki is simple, humble, and focused on experience, not time restrictions.
EUROPE…. CLOSER TO JAPAN THAN THE U.S.
Europe doesn’t follow the strict American structure, and honestly, it’s refreshing.
Across places like the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia:
• Level I and II are often completed within days or weeks, not months or years.
• Weekend or one-day trainings are completely normal.
• Master/Teacher training is usually 1–3 days, with optional mentorship.
• Many teachers use Japanese informed lineages (like Jikiden).
• The focus is on skill, ethics, and real practice, not on waiting periods.
• Gatekeeping timelines are uncommon.
Europe treats Reiki like what it truly is: a healing art you get better at through practice, not through waiting.
As with any region, practices vary by teacher, but strict calendar based gatekeeping is far less common than in the U.S.
UNITED STATES…. WHERE THE GATEKEEPING STARTED
The long waits between levels didn’t come from Japan. They started when Reiki arrived in the U.S.
Here’s why America added time restrictions:
• Western culture likes structure, hierarchy, and titles.
• Some teachers stretched training out to justify higher prices.
• Myths were passed down so often they eventually sounded like “tradition.”
• Ego crept in: “I had to wait years, so you should too.”
• Legitimacy became tied to time, instead of readiness or capability.
This is how we ended up with rules like:
• “Wait 6 months between Level I and II.”
• “Wait 1–3 years before Master.”
• “Speed means you’re not ready.”
These rules did not originate in Japan and are not part of traditional Reiki systems. They aren’t universal.
They aren’t historical. They aren’t required for genuine Reiki. They are Western additions.
And it’s also important to name where a lot of modern Reiki gatekeeping tends to show up most strongly, in small or tightly knit communities, where fear around competition, visibility, or overlap can quietly take hold. Ego creeps in. Timelines and hierarchy become a way to protect territory. But this is the truth: there is no competition in Reiki. That mindset goes directly against what Reiki stands for.
At its core, Reiki is not about rank, speed, titles, or comparison. It is about presence, integrity, and service. If you are truly practicing Reiki in its truest form, what someone else is or isn’t doing is not your concern. The people who feel safe with you, resonate with you, and trust you will find you, regardless of who else is practicing nearby. Reiki does not require policing. It requires embodiment.
WHEN YOU COMPARE THEM SIDE BY SIDE
Region, Timeline Requirements, Approach, Focus
Japan No mandatory gaps, Fluid + traditional, Readiness + practice
Europe Minimal gaps, Practical + grounded, Skill + ethics
United States Long gaps common, Structured + hierarchical, Time + titles
Only the United States treats the calendar as a measure of worthiness.
Neither Japan nor Europe do.
THE CORE TRUTH
Reiki was meant to flow, not be controlled. Reiki was meant to be shared, not restricted. Reiki evaluates readiness, not months since your last class.
So if anyone tells you:
“You finished your Master too fast.”
Remember what’s actually true:
They’re repeating an American teaching model, not Reiki tradition, not Japanese practice, and not a global standard.
Speed does not equal lack of depth. Practice, integrity, intention, and embodiment do.
And Reiki has never needed a calendar to be real.
💙 Alchemy Apothecary
Knowledge Is Power… Stay Rooted In Truth..
