Level 1 (Shoden, First Degree)
Reiki Level 1 Training in Kathmandu, Nepal
Two days at our centre in Tarkeshwor, Kathmandu: your first Usui Reiki attunement, the hand positions for treating yourself and supervised practice. Then 21 days of daily practice at home. $250, taught by Maa Nisha Kabir.
- Duration
- 2 days, 10 hours of training
- Fee
- $250 per person
- Prerequisite
- None. No experience needed
- Format
- In person at the centre, small group or one to one
- Teacher
- Maa Nisha Kabir
- Language
- English, Hindi or Nepali
- Start dates
- Flexible, on request
- Certificate
- Reiki Level 1, Usui lineage
What is Reiki Level 1 (Shoden)?
Reiki Level 1 is the first of three levels in Usui Reiki. In Japanese it is called Shoden, and in English First Degree. You receive your first attunement, learn the hand positions and learn to treat yourself every day. By the end of the two days you can also give Reiki to family, friends and animals.
The training is two days at the centre, 5 hours a day with a vegetarian lunch break. You need no experience. Maa Nisha Kabir teaches every Level 1 course herself, to a small group or one to one. If you would like to try Reiki before you train, a 60-minute Reiki healing session costs $45 and is booked separately.
Reiki Level 1 syllabus
Five parts, covered over the two days.
Your first attunement
The attunement takes about 15 minutes on the first training day. You sit in a chair with your eyes closed and your hands at your heart. Maa Nisha works with breath and symbols around you. Nothing is done to your body and you do not have to do anything. Many people notice very little during it. Some notice changes in sleep, appetite or mood over the following days, and these pass.
Hand positions for treating yourself
Level 1 is contact work. You learn a sequence of positions on your own body, resting your hands on each area and letting it settle before you move to the next. You practise them with Maa Nisha watching and correcting.
Treating family, friends and animals
Once the positions feel familiar, you use them on someone else. Before the two days end you give Reiki to the other students and receive it from them. If you train one to one, you practise with Maa Nisha.
Where Reiki comes from
Reiki started in Japan in the 1920s with Mikao Usui. We teach in his system, Usui Reiki. The first day covers its history and the five principles he gave his students.
A daily routine
You leave with a routine you can repeat at home: the order of the positions, how long to stay on each one and how to fit the practice into your day.
The five Reiki principles (Gokai)
Usui asked his students to repeat these each morning and evening. They are taught on the first day of Level 1.
In English
Just for today:
- Do not be angry.
- Do not worry.
- Be grateful.
- Work honestly.
- Be kind to others.
In Japanese
- Kyō dake wa (just for today)
- Okoru na (do not be angry)
- Shinpai suna (do not worry)
- Kansha shite (be grateful)
- Gyō o hageme (work honestly)
- Hito ni shinsetsu ni (be kind to others)
A Reiki Level 1 training day
Both days follow the same plan. The centre is open Sunday to Friday, 6:00am to 8:00pm, and closed on Saturday. You stay where you like and come to the centre each day.
- Arrival
Welcome
On the first morning you fill in a short form over herbal tea and meet Maa Nisha.
- Morning
Attunement and hand positions
The attunement is given on the first morning. After it you learn the self-treatment positions.
- Lunch
Vegetarian lunch
Lunch is cooked in the centre kitchen and is part of the fee on both days.
- Afternoon
Supervised practice
You practise on yourself and on the other students, and they practise on you.
- Day two
Review and certificate
More practice, questions about the 21 days ahead, and your Level 1 certificate.
After Reiki Level 1: 21 days of self-practice
How the 21 days work
After the training you practise on yourself at home for 21 days in a row, two to three hours a day, going through the positions in order. Keep going every day whether or not you notice anything. If questions come up, write to us: email guidance is part of the fee.
What you can do with Level 1
Treat yourself every day, and give hands-on Reiki to family, friends and animals. Level 1 does not cover working with paying clients or distance practice. Both are part of Level 2.
When you can take Level 2
Reiki Level 2 ($300, 2 days) is taught after at least three months of daily Level 1 practice. There is no upper limit, so you can come back a year or more later. After Level 2 comes the Reiki Master training ($400, 4 days).
Reiki Level 1 fee in Nepal (2026)
Reiki Level 1 is $250 per person for 2 days and 10 hours of training. Prices are in US dollars.
Included
- Level 1 attunement with Maa Nisha Kabir
- Course manual and reference notes
- Supervised practice on both days
- Reiki Level 1 certificate, Usui lineage
- Herbal tea and refreshments
- Vegetarian lunch on both training days
- Guidance by email during your 21 days of practice
- Airport pickup and drop to your hotel
- Help arranging a hotel in Thamel, if you need one
Not included
- •Accommodation. The training is non-residential and most students stay in Thamel
- •Breakfast and dinner
- •International flights, visa and travel insurance
Booking and cancellation
- A 20% deposit by Wise transfer holds your place.
- The balance is paid on arrival, in US dollars cash, Nepali rupees or by bank transfer.
- Cancel 15 days or more before the start: 80% of the full fee is refunded (the deposit is not).
- Cancel less than 15 days before: the deposit is kept and any balance you paid is refunded.
- Once the training has started, fees are not refundable.
- Instead of cancelling, you can move your deposit once to a later date within 12 months, free.
Full terms: booking and refund policy.
Your teacher
Who teaches Reiki Level 1
Maa Nisha Kabir, Swamini & Lead Instructor
Maa Nisha Kabir founded Jivan Parivartan in 2021. She trained in Usui Reiki in 2017 and has taught it at the centre since 2021, to more than 70 students. She teaches every Reiki level herself, in English, Hindi or Nepali.
Her own practice goes back more than 20 years and includes Vipassana, pranayama and two years of silent meditation in a cave in Mustang. Read more on the teachers page.
Who Reiki Level 1 is for
Complete beginners
Level 1 is where everyone starts. You do not need any experience, and it is normal to feel very little at first.
A practice for yourself
Most of Level 1 is about you: a short daily practice you can do at home, then share with people close to you.
Any faith, or none
Reiki is not a religion and asks for no belief. You can keep whatever faith you have.
When to wait
Reiki is not medical treatment. If you are under a doctor’s care, keep to it. If you are in an acute mental or physical crisis, start when things are steadier.
Google reviews
What guests say about Reiki at Jivan Parivartan
“This was much more than a course for me. It was a journey of learning, healing, and self-discovery. I learned Reiki, meditation, and sound healing in a warm and supportive environment. I met wonderful people and gained valuable experiences that I will carry with me. Thank you for everything.”
“Best place for learning meditation, Reiki and sound healing with the best teachers in Nepal. Absolutely love my experience.”
“Had a wonderful sound healing and Reiki session, best place in Kathmandu for singing bowl sound healing. Thank you for a wonderful session.”
“Best place in Kathmandu for sound healing, Reiki and meditation. Had a wonderful singing bowl session.”
Reiki Level 1: frequently asked questions
Other Reiki levels and sessions
- Reiki Level 2 training
2 days, $300. Symbols, client work, distance practice.
- Reiki Master training
4 days, $400. The teaching level.
- Reiki training in Kathmandu
All three levels side by side.
- Reiki in Kathmandu
Sessions and training at the centre.
Ask about Reiki Level 1 dates
Tell us your travel dates and whether you prefer a small group or one to one. We reply within 6 hours.