The Reiki healing method is known as Usui Shiki Ryoho, meaning Usui System of Natural Healing. It is a method discovered by a Japanese scholar, Mikao Usui, around 1890. Today we believe it may have come from Tibet thousands of years ago and was rediscovered through Usui’s intense studies. He spent years searching through ancient texts and studying the great religions to find a formula to activate and harness the Universal Life Force. He called it Reiki. z

The Oral Tradition and “Traditional Usui Reiki”

 

One of his most dedicated disciples was Chujiro Hayashi, a forty seven year old retired naval officer. Upon Usui’s death, Hayashi was one of several appointed to carry on the work. In the Hayashi lineage, the mantle was passed to Hawayo Takata, a woman of Japanese descent trained by Hayashi. Takata at that time was living in Hawaii.

 

She began giving treatments and teaching on the West Coast as well as Hawaii and as she aged she realized she must prepare others to carry on the Reiki tradition. Before her death in 1980 she trained 22 Reiki Masters qualifying them to teach so Reiki never would be lost. One of the first three to be made a Master was John Harvey Gray. Florence C. Whipple and Kristin Webb, Reiki Masters, were certified by John Harvey Gray. Since that time Reiki has spread the world over.
 

When Reiki came to the West from Japan through Hawayo Takata, Mikao Usui was described as being a Christian minister. However it has come to light that he is buried in a Buddhist memorial site. Recently, thoughtful people have been searching for the roots of Reiki and new information has been surfacing, much of it beginning to flush out the details of his life.

 

We have come to understand that there may have been distortions (intentional or not) in the recounting of Usui’s life as it came to the United States. In our Reiki classes we discuss the various views of Usui’s spiritual beliefs and practices. Various accountings of events in Usui’s life are treated as teaching stories. We look forward to further serious research into the life of Usui and all of his students and into the nature of Reiki healing.