Tracing the Origin of Reiki

The origin of Reiki can be found in ancient Tibet. The knowledge of how to activate a high order of Universal Life Energy, written in ancient Sanskrit texts, can be traced from Tibet through to India. From India, this knowledge spread into Egypt, Ephesus, Greece and Rome, China and eventually into Japan. The techniques for activating and applying Universal Life Energy were rediscovered, by Mikao Usui Sense, in the mid-1800’s in Japan.

 

The Legend of Mikao Usui Sensei

The legend as retold by Reiki Master, Hawayo Takata, taped in August of 1979; transcribed by Mary Anne Michael and edited by Dr. Barbary Weber Ray. It should be noted that Hawayo Takata never met Usui personally. He died many years before her introduction to Reiki and trip to Japan. At best, the story is a third-hand account.

The Quest

Dr. Usui was a monk in Kyoto, Japan. One morning he was questioned very carefully by some graduating seniors, as to why they had not been taught how to heal as a part of their training. Having no answers for these questions, Dr. Usui made a decision to resign from his position and seek, study and search for a deeper knowledge about the mysteries of life and the use of healing energies. Through the years that followed, Dr. Usui mastered the art of Japanese and Chinese character writing as well as the ancient language of Sanskrit. It was in the Sutras of the early Sanskrit texts, one of the first written languages, that Dr. Usui discovered keys to activating and directing Universal Life Energy for healing. The keys were written down in the form of a formula – just as plain mathematics. Although Dr. Usui had found keys to activating a higher degree of Universal Life Energy, he also wanted to attain this level of contact experientially. He conferred with the head of the monastery in Kyoto where he was staying and they decided that Dr. Usui would go through a test to validate and attain this power.

21-Day Meditation

He left for Mount Kurayama, about seventeen miles from Kyoto. Up on this mountain he would meditate and fast for twenty-one days. In order to keep track of the days, he gathered up twenty-one stones. Each morning he tossed away one stone. During these days, Dr. Usui read the sutras, chanted and meditated. The last day arrived and before sunrise, in the darkest part of the night with neither moon nor stars, he finished his meditation. Opening his eyes and looking into the dark sky, he saw a flicker of light and said, “It is happening.” The light began to move very fast toward him. He realized that his test had come. He watched last he light grew larger and came nearer to him. He saw the light flicker in the centre of his forehead. He had the sense of dying; he had no feeling and he saw millions and millions of bubbles with all the colors of the rainbow. He remembered especially the brilliant shade of blue and lavender and the warmth of the rose color. Last of all, he saw a great white light and then, like a screen right in front of him, he saw the Sanskrit symbols he had studied in golden letters, radiating out in front of him and he said, “Yes, I remember.”

The Five Miracles

It is not known how long this entire process lasted, however sometime later, Dr. Usui gradually returned to normal consciousness and the day had fully dawned. Filled with inspiration and excitement, he jumped to his feet and prepared to go down the mountain. He realized that he was filled with strength and could walk the distance to Kyoto. This was the first miracle.

He dusted all the pine needles and dirt, picked up his cane and straw hat, and went down the mountain. In his rush, he stubbed his toe. Sitting down, he held the bleeding toe in his hands. He felt a pulsating energy. He kept holding on and the pain began to diminish and the bleeding stopped, leaving no trace of injury. This was the second miracle.

Later, beginning to feel his hunger, he looked for a place to eat. In those days, whenever a household was willing to serve food to the passer-by, a red blanket was placed on a bench, outside of the home. This was a sign, which meant, “Welcome. Please sit and food will be provided.” He soon found one. The old gentleman, who owned the place, judged from the length of Dr. Usui’s beard, that he had been fasting and warned Dr. Usui not to eat much. Dr. Usui insisted through, that he was fine and wanted a traditional Japanese meal. While the old man set off the heat and prepare some food, his grand daughter came out with some tea for Dr. Usui. Her face was swollen, and she had a big towel tied up over her head like rabbit ears. She told Dr. Usui that her tooth had been aching for days, but her grandfather could not take her to Kyoto to the dentist – it was too far, and he was too poor. Dr. Usui asked permission to put his hands on her and she agreed. Dr. Usui put his hands on the sides of her swollen face. The began to blink her eyes and the pain left. She removed the towel and ran to her grandfather saying, “He is no ordinary monk.” This was the third miracle.

Dr. Usui then enjoyed a full Japanese breakfast without suffering from any indigestion. This was the fourth miracle.

He returned to the monastery that evening and shared his discoveries, experiences and knowledge with the head of the monastery. His old friend was suffering from Arthritis, so Dr. Usui put his hands directly onto the afflicted areas while they were talking. After a few minutes, the old monk exclaimed that his pain had stopped, and he was filled with energy. This was the fifth miracle. He called this process of healing, Reiki, a Japanese word meaning Universal Life Force Energy.

Beggar City and Passing the Lineage

In the days that followed, after much discussion and meditation, it was decided that Dr. Usui would go into the Beggar City of Kyoto to help heal the beggars so that they could have new names and begin new lives.

Dressed as a beggar so that he could gain acceptance in Beggar City, Dr. Usui walked into a new cycle of his life, which lasted approximately seven years. One evening, finding himself at leisure, he walked around the compound. He began to notice that he was seeing some of the very same people that he had already healed. He was puzzled and asked why they had not gone out of the slums to start their new lives. They did not want to make changes in their lives. They placed the same value on his gift of healing that they had paid for it – nothing. This came as a great shock to Dr. Usui and he wept. He felt that he had failed in his work – he had forgotten to teach them gratitude.

The five principles of Reiki were devised at this time. He realized that if he had taught the spiritual side of it first, and then healed the body, his mission would have been successful. He chose to leave Beggar City. Returning to Kyoto, he went into a place where many people gathered to shop. He lit a large torch and began walking around. Many people passed by him, laughing at the strange sight. They stopped him and asked why he needed such a bright torch, on such a beautiful sunny day. Dr. Usui replied by saying, “It is easy to see today, I am searching for people who want to see real light.” He announced that he would give a lecture for those who wanted to hear about Reiki.

Thus began Dr. Usui’s life of traveling, lecturing and teaching Reiki. Before the end of his life, Dr. Usui had taught Reiki to many people and had shared his knowledge of Reiki with several close and advanced students. One of these men, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, he asked to take the leadership of Reiki up, and become the Master and teacher of the Usui Reiki System of Natural Healing. Dr. Mikao Usui entrusted Chujiro Hayashi to be the one to find the new masters and make sure that the Usui Shiki Ryoho (Universal Life Energy Art of Healing) continued intact as they had practiced it. Dr. Mikao Usui was decorated by the Emperor of Japan for his healing and teaching. He was buried in a Zen Temple in Tokyo. His tombstone is engraved with his work for mankind.

Reiki Master, Chujiro Hayashi

Very little is known about the man who continued the lineage, which Dr. Usui began. The following is all that is known about Usui’s successor:Chujiro Hayashi was a commander in the Imperial Navy. When Usui Sensei reached the time to make his transition, he asked Hayashi to take the leadership of Reiki.

Hayashi opened a clinic near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. It contained a reception room and eight couches where sixteen practitioners could treat eight people at the same time. Treatments began early in the morning and continued until noon. In the afternoon, practitioners went out and did house calls. With his organizational skill as a military man, Chujiro Hayashi, not changing the system of Reiki, organized the manner in which it was taught, beginning with the head positions and the front and back position, adding other positions according to the need.

Following these prescribed hand positions through experience was found to be most effective and efficient method to cover all of the major organs, systems and energy points in the body. Sensing the pending war and not wanting to have to serve again, seeing it as a conflict to everything that he believed in, Dr. Hayashi explained that he would make his transition on Tuesday, May 10, 1941. Just before his transition, he gathered all of the Reiki Masters together and announced that he had decided hat Hawayo Takata would be the one to continue on with the instruction of Masters in the Usui System of Natural Healing.

Reiki Master, Hawayo Takata

December 24, 1900 – December 12, 1980

As told by Hawayo Takata - taped August 1979 and edited by Reiki Master, Dr. Barbary Weber Ray.

Hawayo Takata was born in the Hawaiian Islands, one of several children of a plantation worker. She was named Hawayo in honour of the big island because as a tiny baby, her mother thought she would need a big name. Although born of Japanese parents, Hawayo was entitled to U.S. citizenship due to the place of her birth. She recalled having worked in the cane fields as a small child, and remembered going only to second or third grade in school.

At that time, she was asked to go and work in the main plantation house. Through the years, she was given increased duties and eventually place in charge of other household staff. She married the plantation family’s accountant, a young man of Japanese descent. In his late twenty’s, her husband died of a heart attack.

Hawayo was left with two young daughters. In the mid-1930’s, with failing health, she took her children and went to her parents home in Japan to prepare to die. Her physical health had been deteriorating through the years and her depression over the loss of her husband had been draining her energy. She was suffering from lung problems, heat problems, stomach disorders and a bad gall bladder. At her parent’s home, she was able to rest, and after a few months, prepared to undergo surgery.

However, just before the scheduled operation was about to begin, she heard her husband’s voice – saying emphatically, “No surgery, no surgery!”. She noted that only a few ties throughout her entire life, in very important matter, she had heard her husband’s voice. This was one of those crucial times. Immediately, she refused to have the surgery.

Her doctor then referred her to a Reiki Natural Healing Clinic in Tokyo. On a daily basis, Mrs. Takata received a complete Reiki treatment in this clinic. After approximately eight months, her health was completely restored.

In addition, this experience with the power of Reiki, transformed her life. She desired to learn Reiki in order to help others. At first, she was told that she could not learn Reiki because she was a woman and not a Japanese citizen. She continued going to the clinic and helping out with chores and errands. Soon she was taught First and Second Degree Reiki.

In about 1938, Takata returned with her daughters to her home in Hawaii. Before 1940, Takata was personally trained by Dr. Chujiro Hayashi as a Reiki Master. For many years, upon her return to Hawaii, she traveled throughout the Islands teaching Reiki and giving treatments. Not until she was in her seventies, did she train anyone as a Reiki Master. During that time, she trained twenty-two masters. She asked them to respect the leadership of her grand daughter, Phyllis Lei Furumoto and gave them permission to make masters after her transition.

On December 12, 1980, Hawayo Takata made her transition. She had made available, to the West, the lost knowledge and healing art and science name Reiki, by Mikao Usui. She asks us all to respect the sacred Reiki teachings and standards that she had spent her life upholding. For this we give thanks.

Hawayo Takata Speaks: I was born in Hanamaulu, Kauai on December 24, 1900. Born of immigrant parents; I attended the public schools. I am not a graduate, but a self-educated woman, still learning. My marriage to Saichi Takata was a happy, domesticated life until sickness and death in my home and family changed the patter of my life.

I witnessed seven funerals in seven years. It was sadness and insecurity whichever way I turned. I went into deep and serious meditation, and asking God to how me a way to find myself and to establish a good life for my children. I had faith to accept that there is a Supreme Being that governs the universe and all beings.

In 1935, I became very ill and entered into a hospital in Tokyo. It became a reality when I was introduced to “Reiki – the Great Universal Life Energy”. The great master, Chujiro Hayashi, was the healer and teacher of this art of healing in Tokyo. He called it the Great Life Force, or Reiki in Japanese. Since I mastered this art, I enjoy a full life, spiritually, mentally and physically.

This Life Energy serves when applied to yourself or to anything that has life, shall restore you to normal, in any devitalizing condition. It cannot harm any being. It can only do good, to restore and prevent from deterioration. It can stop pain and relax your nervous tension. It takes care of acute and chronic condition. It is at treatment of spiritual appreciation and physical relaxation, so it is a complete whole.

Now I am advancing into maturity (74), I wish to leave this noble art to all mankind who wish to have the desire to learn this art of healing – Reiki – it helps human beings, young or old, plants, fowls, animals, fish, and everything that has life. When I go into transition, it shall be left with you, for you to carry on, on this Earth plane. I am a single, humble servant, serving you and God.

Thank You!
Hawayo Takata