What Is Shoden?

Shoden means first or beggining teachings In Usui Reiki Ryōhō, it is the foundation level of Reiki training and the place where your practice begins. This level introduces you to the roots of Reiki, including Mikao Usui, the Reiki Precepts, Gasshō meditation, self-treatment, Reiju, and the importance of daily practice. It is not about rushing ahead or learning everything at once. Shoden gives you the ground beneath your feet.

In my teaching, Reiki Level 1 is held with depth and respect because the beginning matters. How you first meet Reiki shapes how you understand it later. If Reiki is introduced only as a treatment technique, something essential can be missed.

Reiki is also a practice of self-cultivation, awareness, compassion, presence and returning to yourself. This is why Shoden is such an important level. It teaches you that Reiki is not something outside of you that you need to chase. It is a practice that helps you come back to what is already within you.

Who Is Reiki Level 1 For?

Shoden is suitable for complete beginners. You do not need previous experience in Reiki, meditation, therapy or spiritual practice. You only need a sincere interest in learning and a willingness to practice.

This course may be right for you if you feel drawn to Reiki for your own wellbeing, personal development, emotional and mental wellbeing support, spiritual practice, or because you want to begin a deeper relationship with yourself.

It may also be right for you if you are already working with people in a caring, therapeutic, creative or supportive role and feel called to bring more steadiness and presence into your own life first.

You are also welcome if you have trained in Reiki elsewhere but feel you did not receive enough depth, history, structure or support. Many people come back to Shoden because they know, deep down, that the foundation needs to be stronger. There is no shame in that. Sometimes returning to the beginning is exactly what deepens the path.

What You Will Learn on Reiki Level 1 Shoden

During Shoden, you will be introduced to the foundations of Usui Reiki Ryōhō in a way that is clear, grounded and easy to understand.

You will learn:

• The history and origins of Usui Reiki Ryōhō

• You will be introduced to Mikao Usui, the roots of the system, and why Reiki needs to be understood as more than a modern treatment technique.

• The meaning of Reiki

• You will explore the word Reiki and why it points towards something much deeper than simply “energy healing”.

• The Reiki Precepts

• You will learn the Precepts and how they support daily life, self-awareness, emotional steadiness and self-cultivation.

• Gasshō meditation

• You will be guided in Gasshō as a foundational Reiki practice, helping you begin to settle your attention and return to yourself.

• Self-treatment

• You will learn how to offer Reiki to yourself and why self-practice sits at the heart of Usui Reiki Ryōhō.

• Offering Reiki to others safely

• You will learn how to offer Reiki to family, friends and loved ones in a respectful and appropriate way.

• Reiju (attunments)

• You will receive Reiju as part of your training and learn why it is an important part of the Reiki tradition.

• Ethics, boundaries and consent

• You will learn how to practise Reiki safely and responsibly, without diagnosing, promising outcomes or stepping outside your role.

• What Reiki is, and what Reiki is not

• You will be supported to understand Reiki in a grounded way, without fear-based language, inflated claims or unnecessary additions.

How to continue after the course

You will be guided on how to begin your own regular Reiki practice after training, so that Reiki becomes something you can return to in daily life.

Reiki as Self-Practice First

One of the most important things I teach at Shoden is that Reiki begins with you. This does not mean you must be perfectly healed before you can learn Reiki. None of us are finished human beings. It means that Reiki is not something we only turn outward towards other people. It is a practice that invites us to return inward, to become more aware of ourselves, and to meet life with more steadiness and compassion.

In traditional Usui Reiki Ryōhō, the practitioner matters. Your state matters. Your daily practice matters. Your ability to be present matters. Shoden helps you begin this process in a way that feels grounded, respectful and real.

This is why Reiki Level 1 is such a beautiful beginning. It gives you a way to sit with yourself, support yourself, and begin listening to the body, mind and heart without force. Over time, this can become a steady practice that supports you through ordinary life, not just during difficult moments.

In-Person and Online Reiki Training

Reiki Level 1 Shoden is available both in person at Holistic Care Durham and online.

In-person training takes place at my private therapy centre in County Durham, where the course is held in a calm, supportive and professional space. Training is usually taught over two days, allowing time for teaching, practice, questions, Reiju and integration.

Online Reiki training is also taught live, not as a pre-recorded course. This means you are still seen, supported and guided through the training properly. You can ask questions, take part in discussion, receive teaching in real time and feel part of the learning process even if you are not local to Durham.

I understand that not everyone can travel. Online training can make Reiki accessible to those who live further away, have caring responsibilities, health needs, limited transport, or simply feel more comfortable learning from home.

The standard of teaching, care and professional responsibility remains the same whether you train in person or online.

Professional, Ethical Reiki Training

Reiki is unregulated in the UK, which means the quality and depth of training can vary widely. For that reason, I believe Reiki teaching needs to be held with care, honesty and professional responsibility.

At Holistic Care Durham, Reiki training includes clear teaching around ethics, consent, boundaries, confidentiality, scope of practice and safe support. You will not be encouraged to diagnose, promise outcomes, frighten people, or step outside your role.

Reiki can be deeply supportive, but it must also be practiced with maturity. This is especially important if you later wish to offer Reiki to others. A strong foundation at Level 1 helps you understand Reiki in a grounded and responsible way from the beginning.

My background as an integrative therapist, Reiki Master Teacher and full member of the UK Reiki Federation informs the way I teach. Reiki is spiritual, but it should also be safe, ethical, well-held and professional.

What Is Included

Your Shoden Reiki Level 1 training includes:

• Live Reiki Level 1 Shoden teaching

• In-person or online training option

• 4 Reiju as part of your training

• Reiki Level 1 manual

• Guided practice and discussion

• Self-treatment guidance

• Teaching on Reiki history and traditional foundations

• Ethics, boundaries and safe practice

• Certificate on completion

• Support after the course

• Option to continue practice through The Reiki Dojo

Students are also invited to continue their development through The Reiki Dojo, my Reiki community for ongoing practice, Reiki shares, teachings and support.

After Your Shoden Training

After completing Shoden, you will be encouraged to continue with regular self-practice. This is where Reiki begins to settle into your life, not as something separate from you, but as something you return to.

You may choose to use Reiki only for yourself, or you may offer Reiki informally to family, friends and loved ones. Some students later continue to Okuden, Reiki Level 2, where the practice deepens further and the traditional symbols and mantras are introduced.

There is no pressure to rush. Shoden is a complete and valuable level in itself. For many people, Reiki Level 1 is a beautiful turning point because it gives them a practice they can return to again and again.

Is Reiki Level 1 Right for Me?

Reiki Level 1 may be right for you if you feel drawn to begin, even if you cannot fully explain why.

Many people come to Reiki at a time of change, exhaustion, grief, spiritual searching, stress, sensitivity or personal growth. Others come because they have received Reiki and want to understand it more deeply.

You do not need to be a certain kind of person to learn Reiki. You do not need to feel spiritual enough, calm enough, knowledgeable enough or ready enough. Shoden is the beginning and you are allowed to begin from exactly where you are.

Reiki Level 1 Shoden Course Details

Level: Reiki Level 1 / Reiki I / Shoden

Style: Usui Reiki Ryōhō

Teacher: Leanne Barker, Reiki Master Teacher

Location: Holistic Care Durham, County Durham, TS28 5DJ

Cost: £225

Online option: Yes, live online training available

Suitable for: Beginners and those returning to Reiki foundations

If you feel ready to begin your Reiki training, you are welcome to view the upcoming Shoden course dates and choose the option that feels right for you. Training is available in person in County Durham and online. Places are kept limited so that the training can be properly held, with time for questions, support and practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need experience to learn Reiki Level 1?

No. Shoden Reiki Level 1 is suitable for complete beginners. You do not need previous experience in Reiki, meditation or therapy.

Can I learn Reiki Level 1 online?

Yes. Reiki Level 1 Shoden is available online as live training. This is not a pre-recorded course. You are taught and supported in real time.

Is online Reiki training as valid as in-person training?

Online Reiki training can be taught with depth, care and integrity when it is held properly. My online Shoden training includes live teaching, discussion, practice, support and Reiju, so students are properly guided through the process.

What does Shoden mean?

Shoden means first teachings. It is the first level of Usui Reiki Ryōhō and forms the foundation of your Reiki practice.

What is the difference between Reiki Level 1 and Shoden?

They refer to the same level. Reiki Level 1 is the common English term, while Shoden is the traditional Japanese name for the first level of Reiki training.

Is Reiki Level 1 the same as Reiki I?

Yes. Reiki Level 1 and Reiki I usually refer to the same first level of Reiki training. On this page I use Reiki Level 1 because it is clearer for most people searching online.

Can I practice professionally after Reiki Level 1?

Reiki Level 1 is focused on self-practice and offering Reiki informally to family, friends and loved ones. If you wish to practise professionally, Reiki Level 2 Okuden is usually the next step.

Where is the Reiki Level 1 course held?

In-person Reiki Level 1 training is held at Holistic Care Durham in County Durham. Online training is also available for students who are not local.

Who teaches the Reiki Level 1 course?

The course is taught by Leanne Barker, Reiki Master Teacher at Holistic Care Durham and full member of the UK Reiki Federation.