The word Reiki is a Japanese name consisting of two words “Rei” (Universal or Spiritual) and “Ki” (Life Force or Energy). So Reiki means Universal Life Force or Spiritual energy. Everything, including plants, animals and people contain this Life Force Energy. It is the very foundation of life itself.
The origins of Reiki are difficult to validate, although it is thought that the history of Usui Reiki begins with its founder, Dr Mikao Usui who was born into a wealthy Buddhist family in 1865. Dr Usui’s family was able to give their son a well-rounded education for the time. As a child, Dr. Usui studied in a Buddhist monastery where he was taught martial arts, swordsmanship, and the Japanese form of Chi Kung, known as Kiko.
Throughout his education, Dr. Usui had an interest in medicine, psychology and theology. It was this interest that prompted him to seek a way to heal himself and others using the laying on of hands. It was his desire to find a method of healing that was unattached to any specific religion and religious belief, so that his system would be accessible to everyone.
Dr. Usui travelled a great deal during his lifetime. He studied healing systems of all types and held different professions including reporter, secretary, missionary, public servant and guard. Finally, he became a Buddhist priest/monk and lived in a monastery.
Sometime during his years of training in the monastery, Dr Usui attended his own training rediscovery course in a cave on Mount Kurama. For 21 days, Dr Usui fasted, meditated and prayed. On the morning of the twenty-first day, Dr Usui experienced an event that would change his life forever. He saw ancient Sanskrit symbols that helped him develop the system of healing he had been struggling to invent. Usui Reiki was born.
After his spiritual awakening on Mount Kurama, Dr Usui established a clinic for healing and teaching in Kyoto. As the practice of Usui Reiki was spreading, Dr Usui became known for his healing practice. Mikao Usui founded his first Reiki clinic and school in Tokyo in 1922. In 1923 Tokyo was struck with a large earthquake, over 140,000 deaths were reported. It was the greatest natural disaster in Japanese history. The demand for Reiki healing was enormous during this time and his work became quite famous and well recognises. In 1925 he opened up a larger school/clinic. While travelling for work, his students coped with the demand.
Before he died in 1926 Dr Usui taught his system of healing to over 2000 people and initiated 17 to a higher level (known as Masters in the West). This ensured his his system would not be forgotten. Among them was Dr Chujiro Hayashi, a former naval officer who set up a Reiki clinic in Tokyo.
Dr Hayashi is credited with further developing the Usui system of Reiki by adding hand positions to more thoroughly cover the body. Dr Hayashi also changed and refined the attunement process. Using his improved system, Dr Hayashi trained several more Reiki Masters, including a woman named Hawayo Takata.
Reiki spreads to the West
Mrs Hawayo Takata was a Japanese-American, she was in Tokyo in 1935 as she was very ill and in need of surgery, but she strongly felt through her instinct that she didn’t need surgery to be healed. After asking her doctor about alternative treatments for her condition, she was told about the Reiki practitioner in town. Mrs Takata made an appointment, although she was slightly sceptical as she had never heard of Reiki. Following her initial meeting with Dr. Hayashi, Mrs. Takata saw Dr. Hayashi on a daily basis. She found the sessions to be relaxing and pleasant and, ultimately, healing.
As time passed, Mrs. Takata learned Reiki I and Reiki II. She made changes to her Reiki practice, then used Reiki to help heal others when she returned to her home in the United States. Much of this happened near the beginning of World War II.
When she died, she had attuned 22 Reiki masters. Modern Reiki is becoming more popular around the world as time goes on, and the lineage of Reiki masters is growing every day. With the return to Usui Reiki, many people are using this traditional hands on therapy to heal themselves and others.
