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History of Reiki |
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The Reiki Legend: A great deal of mystery surrounds the origins of Reiki. There is a legend about the school of Reiki which has come down to us in the west. It is said that Dr. Mikao Usui was born in Japan in the mid-1800’s. He heard stories about the Buddha’s ability to heal physical illness and how his disciples had learned this from him. He began a quest looking for this lost form of healing, and he traveled widely throughout Japan, studying at Buddhist temples and reading the sacred writings. He studied at a Zen monastery, learning to read Chinese and Sanskrit in order to decipher the ancient texts. It was in an ancient Sanskrit sutra that he learned a formula for contacting a higher power for healing. He followed the practices described in the formula and traveled to the holy mountain of Kori-yama where he fasted and meditated for twenty-one days. At the end of this time he experienced a mystical experience and a vision, and received a number of symbols. In this way, he was initiated into the use of Reiki for healing.The legend goes on to state how one of his students, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi further developed the system and the method for teaching it to others. He vowed to preserve this precious learning. As the first world war was brewing, he began training women in this healing art, as he knew that many men would be lost in the war. He trained Hawayo Takata who had come to Japan from Hawaii. By 1937 she was back in Hawaii and that is how this method of healing was brought to the west. It should be noted that many people believe that Reiki has origins reaching far back into antiquity. Jesus was also known for his ability to heal by laying on of hands, and many miraculous hands-on healings survive in oral traditions from native cultures around the world. What the true origins of this method of healing are may never be fully revealed. It is also interesting to note that many new schools of Reiki and other hands-on healing modalities are being developed and expanded upon now.
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