Level 1 to see how it feels, or committing to the whole path: which fits you?
By Vanessa Chugani · Updated November 2026
Level 1 on its own, at EUR 488, is enough to learn the hand positions, the symbols and the attunement, then practise on yourself and the people close to you. Committing to the whole path upfront suits someone who already knows she wants to go further, including into teaching, and would rather not re-decide at every stage.
Level 1 is a complete step on its own. You learn the hand positions, the symbols Vanessa teaches from the first level onward, and you get the attunement and the manual, then you go home and use it on yourself and the people close to you. There is no obligation to continue, and plenty of people stop there and are glad they did. Committing to the whole path upfront is a different kind of decision. It suits someone who has already decided this is a craft she wants, right through to teaching it herself, and would rather plan for that from the start than stop and re-decide after every level. Neither path has a deadline, there is no fixed calendar for either one.
| trying just Level 1 to see how it feels | committing to the full path to Master Teacher upfront | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | One level, with the manual, attunement and symbols included in a single sitting, then time to practise before deciding anything else. | All the levels booked in sequence from the start, each one building toward teaching Reiki yourself one day. |
| Who it suits | Someone who isn't sure yet and wants to find out what this actually feels like before going further. | Someone who already knows she wants to go all the way, including into teaching others one day. |
| The symbols | Included from Level 1, exactly as they are for everyone. Nothing is held back for a later level. | Same starting point at Level 1, then the training keeps building, adding distance work and more as you go. |
| Pace | Often arranged within weeks of asking, since it is a single level with no fixed calendar to plan around. | Spread across as long as it takes, since each level is arranged around the student, never rushed. |
| The decision | One choice at a time: see how Level 1 feels, then decide about Level 2 later, or not at all. | One choice made early: plan for the whole path now rather than stopping to re-decide after each level. |
| What you walk away with | A complete technique to use on yourself and people close to you, with the door open to go further. | The same technique, carried further, with a continuing relationship with one teacher through to Master Teacher. |
Which one suits you
Level 1 suits someone who hasn't done this before and wants to know what it actually feels like, not just read about it: the attunement, the hands, the quiet after. It is a real teacher's answer to a reasonable instinct, and stopping there is not a lesser choice. Committing to the whole path upfront suits a different situation: a woman who is already retraining after a career, a divorce or raising children, who has done the hard thinking and now wants a craft she can practise on others, not just herself. For her, planning for Master Teacher from day one is the honest version of what she is actually doing, and pausing after every level just delays a decision she has already made. Either way, what she is signing up for is the same thing: a steady practice to come back to when life has been running hot, taught by one teacher, in person or live online.
Related questions
Do you learn the symbols even if you only do Level 1?
Yes. Vanessa teaches the Reiki symbols starting at Level 1, not held back for later, so a single level still includes them along with the hand positions and the attunement. Level 2 builds on what Level 1 already gave you and adds distance work.
Can I do Level 1 now and decide about the rest later?
Yes. There's no fixed calendar for any level, so Level 2 can wait as long as you need, whether that's a few months or a few years, with no pressure to book it straight away. Training is arranged around each student rather than a set course calendar.
What if I start with Level 1 and then decide not to continue?
That's fine. Level 1 stands on its own: you keep the manual, the attunement and the symbols either way, and you can use what you learned on yourself and the people close to you, whether or not you ever come back for Level 2.