Reiki originates from Japan and is an energy healing method. It works with the use of the life-force energy or “ki” (Universal Energy) which surrounds us all and passes through our bodies constantly.
Whilst energy healing methods have existed for thousands of years, they remained solely within the individual who enjoyed the gift from birth. Usui Sensei had the great merit of developing the technique to pass Reiki or this ability to heal on to others. Reiki is not faith or religion dependant. You do not have to "believe" in it. It is available to any of us.
The real goal is about making people aware of the existence of Universal Energy and re-activating the channels that we all have, but which tend either to reduce or close because we do not know they exist and we do not use them. Once they are re-activated, the healing process enables us to focus energy on the areas which need it most.
History of Reiki:
Mikao Usui
The founder of Reiki, Mr Mikao Usui, who was searching for enlightenment, discovered Reiki whilst fasting on Mt Kurama in Kyoto, Japan, after receiving an enormous amount of energy, which made him lose consciousness.He created his re-activation technique called Shinshin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryōhō (心身改善臼井靈氣療法) = Usui Reiki Treatment for Improvement of Body and Mind. He then established the first Reiki organization – The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. His original wish was to spread it throughout the world.
Founder: Mikao Usui
Dr Chujiro Hayashi
Usui Sensei trained only 20 teachers during his whole life. Some belonged to the above organisation, and others created their own branch. However, Dr Chujiro Hayashi, with Usui Sensei’s blessing, continued to teach Reiki in Japan in its authentic form.Dr Hayashi was a Captain and Doctor in the Japanese navy, and because of the limited space available on warships, the Japanese Navy was looking at alternatives to medicine that required many pills and tablets. Because Reiki was so effective in healing minor ailements and could contribute greatly in curing major sicknesses like Tuberculosis, and accelerating injury recovery, the Japanese Navy adopted the technique with great success. This is reflected in the Lineage board showing that many of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai presidents where involved in the Navy as Captain, Admirals or Vice Admirals.
Mrs Hawayo Takata
In the late 1930's, a Mrs Hawayo Takata, a second generation Japanese-born American living in Hawaii, was declared by local Doctors terminally ill from a number of different conditions. As a last resort, she came to Japan for surgery. However, shortly before the surgery, some very strong internal voices convinced her to seek a cure by a different method. The surgeon informed her that there was an alternative solution, which would however take longer. Thus she met Dr Chujiro Hayashi and received intensive Reiki treatments from him and his team. She was totally cured within a year.
This exceptional result pushed her to learn Reiki herself. She then returned to Hawaii and established her own clinic there.
After the Second World War, and because the Allies imposed Western medicine on Japan, alternative techniques were forbidden. Reiki in particular, due to its prevalence within the Japanese Navy, was not allowed.
But Reiki spread to the West through various interpretations between teachers, including further modifications and expansions of the technique. Mrs Takata was practicing Usui Shiki Ryoho. Traces of the original Reiki were lost and it was thought that it had disappeared from Japan.
Paradoxically at this stage, any Japanese people who wanted to learn Reiki had to go to the USA!
Fortunately, Reiki had never disappeared from Japan, but was simply practiced discreetly. This is when Jikiden Reiki arrived ...