The origins of Reiki Therapy

Reiki-pronounced -‘ray-key’-is a Japanese word not easy to translate. The first part means spirit or soul, the second cosmic energy, (‘chi’ or ‘prana’ in yoga). Together the word means ‘God-directed life-force energy’ (with God defined as a way relevant to you). The Japanese symbol is illustrated on the right.

Reiki originated in ancient Tibet. The Reiki calligraphy, in Sanskrit, was used in meditation in Tibetan monasteries. Reiki symbols were painted upon large wall hangings in monasteries to act as a focus in the practice of seeking enlightenment.

What is now called Reiki was re-discovered in the 1870’s by Dr. Mikao Usui. As the story goes, Dr. Usui, the president of a small Christian University in Japan, was asked by his students, “How did Christ heal?” This question led Dr. Usui to resign from his university position and begin a ten-year search for the answer. His quest led him to many parts of the world to study in many different languages, and finally to original Sanskrit Buddhist sutras where he found ancient symbols that he believed to be the formula for healing.

At this point Dr. Usui felt that he had the keys for healing, but did not know how to awaken his healing powers. He decided to follow in the footsteps of others that had sought enlightenment in the past, and went to meditate for twenty-one days in the mountains. On the final day, Dr. Usui saw a beam of light rushing towards him. The light struck him in the middle of the forehead and at that moment he saw the Reiki symbols and felt them enter his mind and his memory.

Dr Usui spent the rest of his life teaching others, his system of Usui System of Natural Healing, Usui Shiki Ryoho-and attuning them by the use of the symbols, to the application of Reiki.

Before his death Dr. Usui passed the trusteeship of the teaching of Reiki over to his closest associate, Dr. Chijiro Hayashi, who ran a Reiki clinic in the early 1900’s in Japan.

Reiki was taken to Hawaii in 1934 by Mrs. Hawayo Takata, who was born on the island of Hawaii in 1900 and lived there until 1970. In her mid-thirties, Mrs. Takata became widowed and very ill, and travelled to Japan to seek treatment. While there she was guided to Dr. Hayashi’s clinic and healed with Reiki.

She studied Reiki for a year in Japan and later was made a Reiki Master (one who can fine-tune or empower others to find their innate Reiki energy, something we all possess).

Mrs. Takata spent the rest of her life sharing Reiki, and in 1970 she moved to California and began to train other Masters.

Until recently, Reiki training followed an oral tradition. Very little was written about Reiki and Mrs. Takata’s teachings have come from her diaries and taped interviews.

These teachings are now being passed onto others.

Partners in Practice: Roy Wilson Cert. ECBS. and Anita Wilson SRN. SCM.,
Time to Heal, 2 Malvern View, Chaddesley Corbett, Kidderminster, Worcs. DY10 4SJ.
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