Usui Reiki Level 1 Certification — Shoden
Begin your Reiki journey with clarity, integrity, and embodied practice.
Level 1 — Shoden is the foundational stage of the Biofield Transformations Usui Reiki certification pathway. Designed for beginners, this training combines self-paced learning with live guidance, a live Level 1 attunement, personal practice, integration, and competency-based assessment.
No prior Reiki experience is required.
Open for Enrollment
$444 one-time payment
Begin by Establishing Reiki as a Practice
Shoden is often translated as “First Teachings.” It is where the practice begins.
Rather than rushing toward advanced techniques or credentials, Level 1 gives you time to establish the foundations of Reiki through personal practice, reflection, ethical awareness, and direct experience.
You will begin developing a regular relationship with self-Reiki while learning foundational Japanese practices such as Gassho, breath and Tanden awareness, introductory Reiji-Ho and Byosen, basic treatment of willing others, and the principles of consent, boundaries, and responsible practice.
Shoden is not about proving that you can feel something unusual. It is about building a safe, disciplined and sustainable foundation for Reiki practice.
Is Level 1 — Shoden Right for You?
You are completely new to Reiki
You do not need previous Reiki training or experience. Shoden is designed to introduce the practice from the beginning in a structured and well-paced way.
You want more than a quick certificate
You value practice, lineage, ethics, mentorship and demonstrated competency rather than simply completing lessons and receiving a credential.
You want to establish Reiki for yourself
Self-Reiki is central to Shoden. The course gives you the foundations for building Reiki into your own regular practice before asking you to take on more advanced responsibilities.
You want to learn how to share Reiki responsibly
You will learn foundational ways of offering Reiki informally to willing family members, friends or others while working within appropriate consent, boundaries and scope.
You may want to continue to advanced Reiki training
Shoden establishes the foundation for Okuden and the later stages of the Biofield Transformations Reiki pathway.
Level 1 culminates in foundational certification; it is not the Biofield Transformations professional-practitioner credential.
What You Will Learn and Practice
Reiki Foundations & Principles
Learn what Reiki is—and what it is not—along with its history, lineage context, core terminology, and the Gokai as a daily ethical and spiritual practice.
Japanese Practice Foundations
Develop familiarity with Gassho, breath practice, Tanden/hara awareness, Kenyoku-Ho, Hatsurei Hō and other Japanese-centered foundations used throughout the training.
Awareness Without Expectation
Explore sensation, subtle awareness, Byosen and Reiji-Ho while learning to observe without diagnosing, projecting, or assuming that a particular sensation means something specific.
Self-Reiki
Build a regular self-Reiki practice using foundational hand positions, full and flexible self-treatment approaches, and Reiki as meditative presence.
Reiki With Others
Learn how to prepare for a session, work with respectful touch and hands-off options, use foundational treatment positions, observe without diagnosing, remain present, and close a session appropriately.
Safe & Ethical Practice
Develop practical judgment around consent, touch, boundaries, medical and mental-health scope, confidentiality, referral, vulnerable populations, and responsible communication about Reiki.
Integration Into Daily Life
Explore sustainable ways to continue Reiki through self-practice, Gassho, Gokai, reflection, journaling, community and everyday practice.
A Training Experience Built Around Learning, Practice and Feedback
Learn at Your Own Pace
Work through written teaching, demonstrations, guided practices, reflection, quizzes and downloadable resources on a schedule that allows you to genuinely engage with the material.
Participate in Live Support
Weekly live online Q&A and practice sessions give you opportunities to ask questions, receive guidance, clarify your practice and continue learning in community.
Receive Your Live Level 1 Attunement
Level 1 includes one live Reiki attunement. The course provides instructions for scheduling your attunement through the Biofield Transformations scheduling system and prepares you for the experience before the live session.
Attunement is presented as a traditional Reiki training milestone. No particular sensation, vision, emotional response or energetic experience is required or promised.
Practice, Integrate and Demonstrate Readiness
Your training continues through self-practice, documented treatments, reflection and assessment so that certification reflects demonstrated foundational competency rather than lesson completion alone.
What Your Level 1 Training Includes
Core Training
- Complete Level 1 — Shoden online curriculum
- Written instruction and guided learning
- Demonstration-based and practice-focused teaching
- Guided meditations and foundational Japanese Reiki practices
- Reflection and integration activities
Live Experience & Support
- Weekly live online Q&A and practice sessions
- One live Level 1 Reiki attunement
- Guidance throughout the training
- Final practical assessment and mentor review
- Optional Reiki I community support
Shoden Resources
- Shoden Handbook & Workbook
- Japanese Terminology Glossary
- Lineage Chart & Historical Timeline
- Gokai Reference Card
- Self-Reiki and treating-others guides
- Observation and complete-session reference cards
- Gassho, Breath, Tanden and Byosen Practice Guides
- Self-Practice and Treatment Logs
- Optional Western Energy Anatomy Resource
- Level 1 FAQ & Quick Reference
- Community and support resources
Reiki Is Learned Through Practice, Not Just Study
Learning the concepts matters. Practicing them matters more.
As part of Level 1, you will complete a 21-day Reiki integration practice designed to help you establish a consistent personal rhythm rather than move immediately toward the next level.
You will also complete at least five documented Reiki treatments with willing others as part of your practice evidence.
Throughout this period, you are encouraged to continue self-Reiki, Gassho, Gokai, reflection and journaling while noticing how your understanding and confidence develop over time.
The 21-day period is a Biofield Transformations curriculum requirement. It is not presented as a scientifically established “detox,” chakra clearing or required physiological transformation.
There is no benefit in rushing Reiki levels. Competency and integration—not elapsed time alone—govern readiness to progress.
Certification Is Earned Through Demonstrated Competency
Completing the course material is an important part of your Level 1 training, but it does not automatically earn certification.
Course completion makes you eligible for assessment. Demonstrated competency earns certification.
To earn your Usui Reiki Level 1 Certification — Shoden, you will move through a structured assessment sequence.
- Final Knowledge Check. Demonstrate your understanding of foundational concepts, history, terminology, ethics and practices taught in Level 1.
- Practice Evidence Review. Submit your 21-day practice work and evidence of at least five documented treatments with willing others.
- Ethics & Consent Assessment. Work through practical scenarios involving consent, boundaries and responsible Reiki practice.
- Final Reflection & Self-Assessment. Reflect on your practice, learning, development and readiness.
- Final Practical Assessment & Mentor Review. Demonstrate foundational Reiki practice and discuss your readiness with your mentor.
- Certification Decision. When the Shoden standard has been demonstrated, certification is awarded. If an area still needs development, you will receive guidance on what needs additional practice or clarification before reassessment.
What Level 1 Certification Represents
Level 1 — Shoden is a foundational Reiki certification centered primarily on personal practice and informal practice with willing others.
It is not the Biofield Transformations professional-practitioner credential. Level 2 — Okuden is the stage at which the pathway develops professional-practitioner competencies.
Training Grounded in Lineage, Practice and Responsible Teaching
Biofield Transformations teaches Usui Reiki as the core of its certification pathway while recognizing that Reiki has developed across Japanese, Western and contemporary traditions.
The program is grounded in documented instructor lineage, historically responsible source treatment, respectful use of Japanese terminology, and clear distinctions between traditional Reiki teachings, lineage interpretation, personal experience and scientific evidence.
Live milestones, ethical practice, mentor feedback and competency-based assessment are built into the training because certification should represent more than attendance.
Reiki is taught here as a complementary wellness and spiritual practice—not as a replacement for licensed medical or mental-health care.
Shoden Is the Beginning of a Four-Level Path
Level 1 — Shoden is the first step in a progressive four-level Usui Reiki training pathway. Each level builds on the one before it, with advancement based on demonstrated readiness and competency rather than simply waiting for a set amount of time.
Shoden — Establish
Develop a disciplined personal Reiki foundation.
Okuden — Deepen
Deepen practice with others, including the professional-practitioner competencies of the Biofield Transformations pathway.
Shinpiden — Embody
Develop advanced practitioner skill, judgment and Reiki practice.
Master-Teacher — Transmit
Learn to responsibly teach, mentor, assess and transmit Reiki.
Begin Level 1 — Shoden
$444
One-time payment
- No prior Reiki experience required
- Ongoing course access
- Weekly live online Q&A and practice support
- One required live Level 1 Reiki attunement
- Shoden Handbook & Workbook and supporting resources
- 21-day Reiki integration practice
- Minimum five documented treatments with willing others
- Competency-based assessment and mentor review
- Usui Reiki Level 1 — Shoden certification when competency requirements are met
Certification is not automatic with purchase or lesson completion. Course completion makes you eligible for assessment. Demonstrated competency earns certification.
Refund Policy
Training payments are generally non-refundable once the program has begun. Please review the Terms of Service before enrolling.
Questions before enrolling? Contact Biofield Transformations →
If you are ready to begin Reiki with thoughtful instruction, live guidance, personal practice and a clear path toward demonstrated competency, you are warmly welcome to begin with Shoden.
Questions Before You Begin
Do I need prior Reiki experience?
No. Level 1 — Shoden is designed as the starting point for Reiki training, and no previous Reiki experience is required.
Is the training completely self-paced?
No. Much of the course content can be completed at your own pace, but the program also includes required live milestones, your live Level 1 attunement, practice requirements, assessment and mentor review.
How do I schedule my live attunement?
Once you are inside the course, you will receive specific instructions for preparing for and scheduling your live Level 1 attunement through the Biofield Transformations scheduling system.
Do I need to feel energy or have unusual experiences to pass?
No. Students are not evaluated on heat, tingling, visions, colors, emotional reactions or other unusual experiences. Practice, knowledge, ethical judgment, skill and readiness are what matter.
How long does Level 1 take?
There is no single required completion speed. The program includes a 21-day integration requirement, and a normal developmental window before progressing toward Okuden may be approximately one to three months. Some students may take longer, and that is completely acceptable. Readiness is based on practice and demonstrated competency, not simply elapsed time.
Does completing every lesson automatically earn certification?
No. Completing the course makes you eligible for assessment. Certification is awarded when the required Shoden competencies have been demonstrated.
Can I practice Reiki professionally after Level 1?
Level 1 is a foundational certification centered primarily on personal practice and informal Reiki with willing others. Within the Biofield Transformations pathway, Level 2 — Okuden is the professional-practitioner stage. Students considering paid or professional Reiki practice should also review the legal, insurance and business requirements that apply where they live.
How long will I have access to the course?
Your Level 1 course access is ongoing, so you can return to the training materials as you continue your Reiki practice.
Are the weekly Zoom sessions required?
The weekly Q&A and practice sessions are ongoing support opportunities. Your required live milestones—including your attunement and assessment-related requirements—remain part of the certification process.
What is the refund policy?
Training payments are generally non-refundable once the program has begun. Please see the Terms of Service for the current policy.