What is Shoden
Shoden is the first level of Usui Reiki Ryoho - the system of Reiki founded in Japan in 1922 by Mikao Usui Sensei. The word itself translates as first teachings, though “first” here doesn’t mean beginner in a dismissive sense. It means foundation. The ground from which everything else grows.
What Shoden Covers
A Shoden class introduces the core elements of Reiki practice in their simplest and most essential form. This includes:
The history and origins of the system - honestly presented, with acknowledgment of what is known, what is uncertain, and why that uncertainty doesn’t weaken the practice.
The five Reiki precepts - short phrases for daily contemplation that form the ethical and philosophical heart of the system. These are not rules but invitations, chanted and reflected upon rather than merely memorised.
Centering and breath practices - simple techniques for gathering attention and settling the nervous system before practice.
Reiju - the attunement or blessing that initiates the student into the practice. Reiju is not something added from outside. It is more accurately described as a recognition - of what is already present and available.
Hands-on practice - the placement of hands on the body for self-treatment and, where appropriate, for offering Reiki to others. At Shoden level the emphasis is on grounding, presence, and trust in what is already unfolding rather than technique or outcome.
What Shoden is Not
Shoden is not a performance skill, a therapy qualification, or a fast track to becoming a healer. It is an introduction to a practice - one that deepens over months and years of daily application rather than being complete at the end of a single day.
It is also not a belief system. Nothing taught at Shoden level needs to be believed. It only needs to be practised.
Who Shoden is For
Shoden suits those who are completely new to Reiki and those returning to the foundations with fresh eyes and a more settled practice. It does not require prior experience with meditation, energy work, or any spiritual tradition.
The most useful thing to bring is genuine curiosity and a willingness to show up.
How I Teach Shoden
I offer Shoden as a small group in-person day in my garden studio in Coomba Park on the NSW Mid North Coast. Maximum four participants. The day runs from 10am to 4pm and includes a student manual, certificate, attunement, and time for practice, questions and integration.
My aim is not to give students a technique to apply. It is to help them recognise what is already available to them - and to leave with something simple and repeatable to take into daily life.
If you feel drawn to explore Reiki, I offer Shoden - the first level - several times a year in Coomba Park on the NSW Mid North Coast.
