Suggested Guidelines for Teaching Reiki to Children

It is important that children are old enough to make choices for themselves before being attuned to Reiki, so it is good to wait until after the seventh birthday.

Children under 18 years must be accompanied by a parent/carer unless married. Ideally one of the parents would already have Reiki, and essential that a parent is present during the children’s class in order to facilitate the process and to help teach their children both to self-treat as well as learning the hand positions for treating their siblings, friends or other family members.

It is a good idea for both parents to sign a consent form specifically stating that they are happy for their child to learn Reiki with a named teacher.

The Reiki story should be adapted so that it is not too long but covers the key events after Dr. Usui’s satori or Reiki experience on Mount Kurama.
• Waking and seeing the symbols, and realizing that he now understood all the ancient texts he had been studying.
• Stubbing his toe and when placing his hand on his foot the pain stopped (ability to self-treat)
• Being able to eat a plate of food after his 21 day fast, showing how strong his vital force had become.
• Being able to heal the girl’s toothache (healing others)

Also significant to explain how he spontaneously used the hand positions, to give the monk suffering from an arthritic/rheumatoid fever Reiki, and that he almost immediately felt relief. I finish the story by talking about the beggars and how they didn’t understand what Reiki was, and it is special gift that we hold in our hands.

It is nice to be able to get children to draw pictures with coloured crayons, from the story and perhaps give them 21 small stones or seashells so that they can take one away each day when they have completed their self-treatment just like Dr. Usui.
Good to organise a special share group for the children after 21 days so that they can tell their own Reiki stories.

Sometimes it is a good idea to tell stories about Mrs. Takata when they come back and explain again who the ascended masters are and what ‘lineage’ means.

By the end of a Reiki one class children should have experienced their attunement to Reiki, heard the story (oral tradition & history) learnt to self-treat, understand that they can use Reiki on plants and their pets in different ways. They should also be able to offer Reiki to a friend or family member if they are hurt or have a headache.