What is Reiki?

Reiki means "Universal Life Force Energy."

Through the placement of hands either on or just above the body the soothing energy of Reiki helps accelerate the healing process. It brings balance to the body, mind and spirit. Reiki uses specific types of energy based upon the recipients need.

Reiki History

Reiki was developed by Mikao Usui in 1922 whilst performing Isyu Guo, a twenty-one day Buddhist training course held on Mount Kurama. It is not known for certain what Usui was required to do during this training, though it most likely involved meditation, fasting, chanting and prayer. It is claimed that by mystical revelation, Usui had gained the knowledge and spiritual power to apply and attune others to what he called Reiki, which entered his body through his crown chakra. In April 1922, Usui moved to Tokyo and founded the Usui Reiki Ryōhō Gakkai, in Traditional Mandarin, meaning Usui's Spiritual Energy Therapy Method Society in order to continue treating people on a large scale with Reiki. According to the inscription on his memorial stone, Usui taught Reiki to over 2000 people during his lifetime, and sixteen of these students continued their training to reach the Shinpiden level, a level equivalent to the Western third, or Master/Teacher degree. While teaching Reiki in Fukuyama, Usui suffered a stroke and died on 9 of March 1926. After Usui's death, Mr. J. Ushida, a student of Usui, took over as president of the Gakkai. He was also responsible for creating and erecting Usui's memorial stone and ensuring that the grave site would be maintained. Mr. Ushida was followed by Mr. Lichi Taketomi, Mr. Yoshiharu Watanabe, Mr. Kimiko Koyama and the current successor to Usui, Mr. Kondo, who became president in 1998. The sixteen Masters initiated by Usui include Toshihiro Eguchi, Jusaburo Guida, Ilichi Taketomi, Toyoichi Wanami, Yoshihiru Watanabe, Keizo Ogawa, J. Ushida, and Chujiro Hayshi. Chujiro Hayashi left the Usui Reiki Ryōhō Gakkai and formed his own clinic where he gave Reiki treatments, taught, and attuned people to Reiki, and it was to this clinic that Hawayo Takata was directed. Hayashi simplified the Reiki teachings, stressing physical healing and using a more codified and simpler set of Reiki techniques. After multiple Reiki sessions from Hayashi's trainees at his clinic for illnesses including abdominal pain and asthma, Hayashi initiated and trained Takata to use Reiki, and was made a Reiki Master on the 21st of February 1938. Takata established several Reiki clinics throughout Hawaii, one of which was located in Hilo, and then went on to travel throughout the United States, practicing Reiki and teaching the first two levels to others, and it was not until 1970 that Takata began initiating Reiki Masters. At this stage, Takata also introduced the term Reiki Master for the Shinpiden level. She stressed the importance of charging money for Reiki treatments and teachings, and fixed a price of $10,000 for the Master training. Takata died on 11 December 1980, by which time she had trained 22 Reiki masters, and almost all Reiki taught outside Japan can be attributed to her work.

Usui was an admirer of the literary works of the Emperor Meiji. While in the process of developing his Reiki system, Usui summarized some of the emperor's works into a set of ethical principles, which later became known as the Five Reiki Precepts (Gokai, meaning "The Five Commandments," from the Buddhist teachings of being prohibited against killing, thievery, sexual misconduct, lying, and for intemperance). It is common for many Reiki teachers and practitioners to abide by these five precepts, or principles.

The secret art of inviting happiness,

The miraculous medicine for all diseases.

At least for today:

Do not be angry,

Do not worry,

Be grateful,

Work with diligence,

Be kind to people.

Every morning and evening, join your hands in meditation and pray with your heart. State in your mind and chant with your mouth. For improvement of mind and body. Usui Reiki Ryōhō.

The Founder,

Mikao Usui