About this course
Year 1 · CWW curriculum · Course ID CWW-01
Fundamentals of Touch is a transformative course designed to introduce students to the principles, practices, and philosophies of touch-based healing through Traditional Reiki. This course offers a comprehensive exploration of Reiki’s historical roots, theoretical foundations, and practical applications in modern care settings. Students will delve into the science of Biofield Energy, understand its role in intercellular communication, and learn how to harness this energy for healing.
The course emphasizes the development of a Community of Practice, fostering collaboration and support among healthcare professionals and wellness practitioners. Participants will receive Level One Reiki initiation, equipping them with the skills and certification needed for professional practice. Ethical considerations, compassionate care, and cultural sensitivity are woven throughout the curriculum, ensuring a holistic approach to healing. Through interactive lectures, hands-on practice, and integration with other therapeutic modalities, students will emerge with a deep understanding of touch-based care and its potential to transform lives.
In this course you will offer a respectful introduction to touch-based comfort and the Tau Reiki tradition.
CWW curriculum overview · My Progress
Before you begin
Complete the entry orientation and supervisor agreement, and study the units in order. Your Year 1 demonstration must be approved before you advance to Year 2. If you have equivalent prior learning, your Shihan will document the decision. Completing this course does not establish external professional registration; external credentials and legal authority are verified separately.
What you’ll learn
1. Tradition, observation and evidence
This unit introduces Reiki history, Gokai, lineage and initiation. Learn these as the tradition taught at Tau. Keep three kinds of statement separate: what a tradition teaches, what you personally notice, and what research establishes. A warm sensation in your hands is an observation, not a diagnosis or proof of toxin removal. Explain the practice without promising a cure.
Practice activity: Write one example of each kind of statement, then replace an unsupported healing promise with a modest description of the practice.
2. Consent and comfortable positioning
Ask what the participant wants from the encounter and explain the available touch and no-touch options. Agree areas to avoid, clothing, positioning, a stop signal and how you will check comfort. Consent can change during a session. A participant who declines touch has made a valid choice; offer another activity without persuasion.
Practice activity: In a role-play, receive a request to change from touch to no touch. Practice stopping immediately and confirming the new agreement.
3. Supervised practice and reflection
Observe the Shihan demonstrate the approved hand positions and session opening/closing. Practice only the sequence authorized for your current level, with an adult peer who freely agrees. Record duration, the activity and the participant’s own feedback separately from your interpretation. Initiation or Reiju, when part of the tradition, is recorded by the Shihan and is not replaced by an online task.
Practice activity: Complete a supervised comfort-practice observation and identify one change you will make next time.
Study resources
The unit notes above and the lessons below are your study guide. Your Shihan can arrange access to the original Intro to Touch syllabus and any separately licensed readings. Paid external books or courses are not included automatically, and practical demonstrations are arranged with your Shihan.
Next step: work through the lessons below in order, then complete the assignment at the end of the curriculum.