Reiki Master / Teacher (Shihan)

A Reiki Master — in Japanese Shihan (師範), "teacher" or "master instructor" — is a practitioner qualified not only to give Reiki but to attune and teach others. Reaching this stage marks a shift from receiving the practice to passing it on.

What the title means. "Master" here speaks to mastery of the practice and the responsibility of teaching, rather than spiritual perfection. A Reiki Master holds the master symbol and the ability to perform attunements (reiju), guiding students through the levels of training.

Two roles. Some traditions distinguish the Master Practitioner (who has received the master-level attunement and symbol for their own deepening) from the Master Teacher (who also teaches and attunes others). Not every master chooses to teach.

A path of service. With the title comes a duty of care — to teach faithfully, to honour one's lineage, and to model the precepts in daily life. Many describe becoming a teacher as the beginning of a deeper apprenticeship, not its end.

Becoming a Reiki Master is traditionally understood as stepping into service: keeping the practice alive and passing it, intact, to those who come next.