Attunements
If you study Reiki with a Western trained Reiki Master you will go through a series of ‘attunements’ as part of your training programme. There are an enormous number of different variations within each tradition.
Attunements are the procedures which Western Reiki masters use to connect their students to Reiki Energy at Level 1, to three Reiki Symbols at Level 2, and to the Master Symbols and various other symbols at Level 3. Each level has a prescribed number of attunements attached to it depending on the tradition being taught.
Attunements are for life. Once you have received the attunements at a given level there is no need for them to ever be repeated. However some students like to have them repeated and there is no problem with this.
Empowerments
If you study Reiki with an Eastern or Japanese trained Reiki Master you will experience a series of ’empowerments’ as part of your training programme. You will also be encouraged to receive empowerments as a regular and ongoing part of your daily life subsequent to your connection to the Reiki energy.
Empowerments, or Reiju Empowerments as they are correctly named, consist of Tendai Buddhist Blessings given to the students with the intention that they will receive whatever they need. There are many different variations of the details of the ritual which depend on the lineage and traditions of the Reiki Master performing the Reiju Empowerment. This is the tradition of the course I am following:
First degree focuses on connecting you to the Reiki energy
Second degree focuses on connecting you to the three Reiki symbols – Cho Ku Rei, Sei He Ki and Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen
Third degree (Masters) focuses on connecting you to the two Master symbols
Following the First degree course, students are advised to ‘tune in’ to weekly empowerments. This works on the same principle as distant healing. In addition, teachers are encouraged to hold ‘shares’ where students can get together to share experiences, practice on each other and receive empowerments from their teacher.