Usui Reiki

Usui Reiki Kanji

Reiki is Spirit Energy and the practice of working with Spirit Energy. The intent of this practice is for self-evolution. When we raise our vibration we melt away past aspects of ourselves that we no longer need, including blockages in our mental, emotional, and physical bodies. A healing will occur because we are empowering ourselves to evolve. The more we work with Spirit Energy (Energy from the Universe) the more we raise our vibration, become able to tune in to our True Selves, and connect with Spirit.

Below is a longer version of the Art of Reiki and what is known or theorized today about the history of Reiki; it’s founding; and the change in its teachings over the years. None of this is important but is simply here for educational purposes. The only thing that is important is working with Reiki. Reiki is your only Teacher. You are its Student. Learn from Reiki by working with Reiki directly.

Reiki is a Japanese word that can be translated a few different ways. Rei means Universe energy or Spirit and ki means personal energy. It is commonly translated as “Universal Life Force Energy” but can also be translated as “Enlightenment” because when you join Rei (the Universe’s energy) with Ki (our personal energy) you would evolve towards becoming enlightened. This was the original purpose of working with Reiki – to evolve.

We have always had access to Spiritual Energy (Rei) and combining it with our own personal energy (Ki). When this first started is like asking the question as when the first humans were born on this planet or when Shamanism came into being. However, it is agreed upon that a Japanese man named Mikao Usui re-discovered the ability to connect with what we have come to call Reiki and the Reiki system. The exact date is a mystery as reports differ between the late 1800’s and the early 1920’s but nonetheless Usui-sensei (‘sensei’ meaning ‘teacher’ or ‘the one who comes before’ in Japanese) is the founder of the Spiritual Art that has become Reiki in today’s society.

The term Reiki today describes both an energy and a system for working with that energy. It has been reported that Usui-sensei named his practice Usui do which means “Way of Usui” but what he practiced on others was called Usui teate meaning “Usui hand application”.

It has become clear to me from both working with Reiki directly for a number of years, learning about Reiju Empowerments, and talking with Reiki Masters who have learned from Reiki Masters who both live and travel to Japan and have researched the history more than most Reiki practitioners are aware of in the West that originally, Usui-sensei worked with Reiki as a Spiritual Art to help people evolve. It was through regular Reiju Empowerments, Reiki treatments, energy exercises** (that were reportedly taught in levels I and II of Reiki originally), kotodama (sacred sounds), and the Reiki precepts, that students would raise their energy.

The healing aspect of working with Reiki was secondary and not the focus. Which makes sense because if you are on a Spiritual Path working with Spiritual Energy from the Universe (Rei), combining it with your own personal energy (Ki), and performing other Spiritual exercises then you will raise your own vibration. As our vibration raises our energy becomes lighter and patterns of beliefs, habits, and blockages in our mental, emotional, and physical layers that no longer serve us will dissolve automatically.

Reiki has a very colorful past. Usui-sensei, being a wise and evolved Spiritual Teacher, seemed to change his teaching style depending on his students and how they best learned. One of Usui-sensei’s last students was a Japanese Naval officer and medical doctor named Dr. Chujiro Hayashi. It is unclear if Dr. Hayashi received his Mastership (level III, also called Shinpiden in Japanese, meaning “The Mystery”) from Usui-sensei or from one of Usui-sensei’s Master students. But it appears that prior to Dr. Hayashi, Usui-sensei did not use any symbols when working with Reiki. Three of Usui-sensei’s last students were Japanese Naval officers, one including Dr. Hayashi, and it seems that the wise Usui-sensei deemed that having symbols for these naval officers to focus on helped them learn to work with Reiki.

I speak of the symbols like this… two people are standing under the stars at night. Person A looks up to the sky and says, ‘do you see that star?’. Person B points up at the star to focus on it. They both see the star but one needs to point – they need a tool – they need a way to focus – they need a symbol… that is just how they learn and there is nothing wrong with that.

It appears that Dr. Hayashi saw the healing possibilities of Reiki and worked with Usui-sensei to create a training manual that incorporated hand positions. As the Indian chakra system had not reached Japan at this time the hand positions, like other forms of energy work in Japan at that time, was based on the Chinese system of meridians. It also appears that Dr. Hayashi had created the “attunement” process which is standard in Westernized Reiki today that initiates a student into Reiki at each of the training levels. Dr. Hayashi also seemed to create the term “Usui Reiki Ryoho” (meaning “Usui Reiki Healing Method”) instead of using either “Usui do” or “Usui teate“.

Around the time of Usui-sensei’s death a Reiki secret society was created called the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (translation: “Usui Reiki Healing Method Society“). It is unsure if Usui-sensei himself created this society, which doesn’t sound like something he would do; or if some of his last students, including Dr. Hayashi, created this society to continue the study and teachings of Usui-sensei and Reiki. Either way the society is reported to still exist to this day and the members are not allowed to share anything with the outside world.

Dr. Hayashi trained a woman from Hawaii of Japanese ancestery named Mrs. Hawayo Takata in the 1930’s. It would make sense that Dr. Hayashi, a medical doctor interested in the healing aspect of Reiki who also ran Usui-sensei’s old Reiki “learning school” and turned it into a “healing clinic” would pass along to Takata the healing aspect of Reiki. Mrs. Takata initially went to Dr. Hayashi’s healing clinic to be healed from illness. When the power of Reiki healed her she then learned Dr. Hayashi’s system of Reiki and later became a Reiki Master under Dr. Hayashi.

Mrs. Takata returned to Hawaii and began using Reiki for healing work and teaching Reiki workshops. She called her style of Reiki, Usui Shiki Ryoho (meaning “Usui Style Healing Method“). Mrs. Takata initiated students into Reiki using the “attunement” method she had learned from Dr. Hayashi and incorporated the symbols that Dr. Hayashi had learned. She made the symbols extremely important and sacred. She also charged huge amounts of money for Reiki training.

Mrs. Takata was teaching a Japanese “healing art” during the time of World War II and had created a story that would allow the Art to be passed along to the American public easily. This included that Usui-sensei was a Christian; he had received an honorary Ph.D; he received the Reiki symbols in great balls of light; and it was for healing the mental, emotional, and physical bodies.

It appears that the only aspect of this story that is true is the healing aspect, but that is secondary from the continued work with Reiki, receiving Reiju Empowerments, and doing energy exercises and other Spiritual practices for self-evolution.

Usui-sensei may have had a number of influences in his life when working with Spirit Energy (Reiki). This includes studying Zen and Zen Meditation; being a Shinto Priest; being a Tendai Buddhist; studying Shingon Buddhism; being a Master Martial Artist; being a Master swordsman; being a Kiko (Qì Gōng/Chi Kung) Master; and practicing other healing methods, Spiritual Arts, and meditation practices.

If Usui-sensei was working with Spirit Energy (what we call Reiki) then it’s not the ”hand positions” or the “symbols” that matter but the understanding and awareness of the Spirit Energy that is important. Although Reiki is generally sent to oneself or another via hand application, both in person or at a distance, we can send Reiki through our chakras, eyes, or just by calling in the energy. Hand application, like symbols, are not necessary.

Mikao Usui was born August 15, 1865 and died on March 9, 1926

To receive Reiki, Reiju, or other energy work from me or to connect, please contact me directly.