The true origin of Reiki is not generally known. However, what we do know is that Reiki is an ancient method of Japanese healing that is thousands of years old. There is some information available as to how it was re-discovered in the late 1800s, yet, the story of its re-discovery (although now can be found in present-day books) remains part of an oral tradition handed down from Reiki Masters to their students similar, I would imagine, to that practiced by tribes of any other culture.
Dr. Mikao Usui - Dr. Usui lived in Japan, in the late 19th century. Although most likely a follower of Shintoism and Buddhism, he decided to embrace the teachings of the Christian missionaries and became a minister and teacher at a Christian college for boys. At some point, apparently, Dr. Usui's students asked him how the miracle healings performed by Jesus could be explained and why Jesus was able to pass this ability on to the apostles to heal the sick and raise the dead. The students reasoned that, if what the Bible said was true that this was indeed possible then the world should be full of healers. Dr. Usui had no answer for this. Yet, he felt a responsibility to provide an explanation, so he resigned and set forth to try and discover these secrets.
As Christianity was considered to be a Western religion, Dr. Usui began in the USA, where he enrolled at a theological college in Chicago to study comparative religion. It was there that he learned to read Sanskit. But, after seven years and his questions still not answered, he returned to Japan. He visited many Buddhist monasteries to research the Buddha's method of physical healing. However, the practice of Buddhism had since moved its focus to healing the spirit and so he could not find the answers to physical healing there either.
Finally, he concluded that he might discover more if he studied the Tibetan Buddhist sutras (a precept summarizing Vedic teaching) in Tibet. There is no evidence to support that Dr. Usui had access to and actually was able to read at that time, some newly-discovered scrolls that documented the Himalayan travels of a St. Isa (thought by many to be Jesus). However, after Dr. Usui felt he had received all the intellectual answers he could find, he continued to feel the need to experience something physically and decided to climb Mount Kuri Yama, a sacred mountain not far from Kyoto, to fast and meditate for 21 days.
Having chosen a spot facing east in which to meditate, he collected 21 stones in a pile to serve as his calendar. Just before dawn on the 21st day, Dr. Usui saw a light hurtling towards him across the sky. At first, he wanted to run away, but decided to accept whatever it would bring him, even if it meant his death. As this light struck him in the center of his forehead, millions of rainbow-colored bubbles appeared before his eyes and in them he saw what is now known today as the sacred Reiki symbols.
Four Miracles in One Day When Dr. Usui came around, it had become daylight. He ran down the mountain to share his discovery and, in his haste, tripped on a stone and stubbed his toe. He automatically bent down to hold it and, to his amazement, the bleeding stopped after a few minutes and the toe seemed completely healed.
Starving, he found a roadside eatery and ordered a huge breakfast. Realizing that Dr. Usui was coming out of a fast, the proprietor tried to dissuade him from eating a large amount of food, but to no avail. Yet, despite all medical indications to the contrary, Dr. Usui had no ill effects.
The proprietor's granddaughter had been suffering for days with a toothache and swollen jaw. They were too poor to seek professional help, so Dr. Usui offered to help. As he placed his hands on both sides of her face, the pain began disappearing.
When Dr. Usui returned to the monastery, he found one of the revered monks in great arthritic pain. While he told him about his experiences, Dr. Usui laid his hands on the arthritic areas and, once again, the pain disappeared.
Dr. Usui then chose to work in the Beggars' Quarter of Kyoto so that he may put his new-found healing power to good use. But, many of the people he healed returned to begging, despite his encouragement to start a new life. Discouraged by this, he left his work there after seven years and traveled throughout Japan teaching Reiki. He used the symbols he had received on the mountain to attune others. Once attuned, he found that they, too, had inherited the energy to heal.
Two Masters
There came about two significant masters from the teachings of Dr. Usui. Chujiro Hayashi, who would become his successor and was responsible for carrying on the traditions of Reiki and Mrs. Hawayo Takata who lived on the island of Kauai.
Hayashi was a retired naval officer who, following Dr. Usui's teachings, founded a Reiki clinic in Tokyo and trained many in the use of Reiki.
Takata developed an illness and was told that she required an operation to save her life. While on a visit to Japan to see her parents, she decided to have the surgery there. However, before it could be accomplished, she heard a voice telling her that the operation was not necessary. Her doctor, whose sister had been healed by Dr. Hayashi, recommended his clinic. Eventually, Mrs. Takata was healed and after staying at the clinic for some months, asked Dr. Hayashi if he would teach her Reiki. At first, he was reluctant because she was not from Japan, but she persevered and was initiated in the first two degrees before returning to Hawaii where she opened her own practice. A year later Dr. Hayashi visited her, initiated her as a Reiki Master and appointed her as his successor. It is Mrs.Takata who brought Reiki to mainland U.S. and it is she who initiated 22 Reiki Masters who would spread Reiki throughout America, Europe and the rest of the world. Her granddaughter, Phyllis Lei Furumoto, is her successor and is currently recognized by many Reiki Masters as the Grand Master.
Source: Healing Reiki by Eleanor McKenzie, Hamlyn, 2001.
