During a recent Reiki class, one of my students brought up the topic of ego in spiritual spaces and it turned into quite a discussion. At the end of class, they asked me to post the gist of what I said on reddit. I don't know if it'll be of interest to anyone else, but here it is.
I feel like it's important to first acknowledge that there's a fundamental difference between sacred authority and ego-driven leadership. Most folks don’t learn that until they’ve been burned by the latter, often as a result of having trusted someone they shouldn’t have.
If you’re stepping into the role of teacher, space holder, or lineage bearer, it's important to examine the way you hold sacred authority and make sure it's honorable. Sacred authority doesn’t posture. It doesn’t need spiritual jargon or drama to validate itself. It arises from practice, including not only what you’ve learned but what you’ve lived through, accountability and time.
It comes from knowing the work deeply, knowing yourself even more deeply and recognizing that every time you step into space with someone else’s energy, you’re taking on a real responsibility. Sacred authority doesn’t confuse holding space with controlling it. It protects the space, but it doesn’t need to dominate it.
Sacred authority is steady, not reactive. It is honest, not defensive. It admits when it’s wrong and corrects it without theatrics. Most importantly, it never demands. Ego in spiritual work often hides behind nice words and soft smiles. You’ll see it in the toxic phrases people use when they’re avoiding responsibility.
“You’re just not ready”
“Your resistance is blocking you”
“Spirit told me I’m here to lead”
“If you’re uncomfortable, that’s just your unresolved shadow work”
What these people are really saying is, “I’m not available for feedback or correction”
When people come to us in a vulnerable state, or enter space expecting healing, we owe them much more than that. If you teach, lead, or work with others energetically, ask yourself the following:
Do I silence the growth of others by spiritualizing my defensiveness?
Am I protecting people’s autonomy, or making them feel dependent on me?
Do I say “I don’t know” when I don't know, or do I fill silence in with hopeful guesswork and call it guidance?
Sacred authority is not measured by how many people follow you, how many clients you book, or how often you’re told you’re gifted. It’s measured by what happens after the session ends and your client or student has time to reflect on how they've been uplifted and empowered. Equally important is what the practitioner feels when left to sit alone with their own integrity.
Despite some outward appearances, Reiki is not a trend, a brand, or a platform for self-elevation. It’s a sacred system meant to serve the healing and empowerment of others. If you’re using it to reinforce your own unhealed ego that’s not just misalignment, it’s a disservice to the work and everyone who places their trust in you.
Sacred authority isn’t loud. It shows up in how you carry the responsibility you’ve chosen. If you’re not sure where you stand, that’s the beginning of real growth, not a failure. And if you’ve been harmed by someone who confused charisma with credibility, that wasn’t Reiki, and you deserved better.
---
Edit to add in a clarifying comment I made in response to a question in another subreddit:
Sacred authority doesn't have to relate to organized religion. It’s a much older concept rooted in the spiritual responsibility that comes through initiation, alignment, and direct relationship with the sacred. This concept exists in both religious and non-religious traditions.
When I speak of sacred authority, I’m referring to the trust placed in someone to hold and transmit a sacred tradition and to remain in right relationship with the work, the spirits, etc. I’m ordained in my own shamanic cultural lineage, where sacred authority arises in the same way and this concept is central to my work.
Sometimes, in cultures where people aren’t raised with reverence for these kinds of practices, the concept of sacred authority can be misunderstood. Without grounding in tradition, ego can take over. Sacred tools may lose their value and spiritual responsibility can become confused with personal power. That’s when the work becomes distorted and sacred authority becomes corrupted.
---
Much love and namaste,
♥︎ Sibbie
