This page explains the difference between Traditional Japanese Reiki and Western Reiki.

 

Reiki's true translation is 'Spiritual Energy', it is all around us and within us. Reiki is a method of channelling this energy through the hands to benefit a person on an emotional and physical level. It is not a belief system, it is not a religion and does not contradict any religious faith- it works with them. 

 

In Japan in the nineteenth century, a man called Mikao Usui discovered through research, the ancient concept of healing, using intent and intuition. Through many years of meditation and discovery he found the answers. Listening and reading ancient scripts in a Buddhist Monastery and learning the sutras and mantras he discovered in the Scriptures, a passage containing a formula written in symbolic form. The monks in the monastery explained that their focus was on the spiritual aspect of healing, through Buddhism, and as a result they no longer understood the symbols. Usui knew these symbols were the key.

He drew on his experience with martial arts and energy cultivation techniques and studied connection rituals from Tendai Buddhism, a mystical form practiced in Japan and the art of controlling the energy. After spending time on Mount Kurama in deep meditation (The Lotus Repentance),  he had a moment of enlightenment and finally understood how the energy worked on the Chi.

Generally his teachings were called 'Usui Do' meaning 'the way of Usui',  Reiki the name developed later. It wasn't new, it has always been here on earth, the universe and in all things, he simply identified and revitalised it. He gave his students a Reiju attunement (spiritual offering) to enable them to reconnect to their true- self and to clear their meridians allowing them to conduct more energy through the body. When he was satisfied with the students spiritual development he allowed them to treat other people with Reiji Ho an intuitive treatment, sometimes using the hands on the body or just above.

 

The system of Reiki is changing due to information  seeping through to the West, this is the result of researchers contacting surviving Usui students. His carved memorial stone of his life  at his graveside at the 'Pure Land Buddhist Saihoji Temple' in Tokyo puts a question mark  to the Western way of teaching Reiki. Chris Marsh provided the English translation of the Kanji on the stone and the notes and teachings of Mikao Usui are in the possession of Suzuki san who is a cousin of Mikao Usui. 

 

Western Reiki

 

Mrs Takata's Version

 

Hawayo Takata 1900-1980 was born in Hawaii and brought Reiki to the West.

 

She discovered her life's purpose when she went to Japan for an operation, and apparently heard a voice telling her not to have the operation.She met Chujiro Hayashi through his wife who was a receptionist at the clinic, Hayashi was a retired Naval surgeon and was a student of Mikao Usui, (as many were). Mrs Takata studied with Hayashi and he apparently asked her to take Reiki to America and 'protect' it  and 'take care of it' this was, we believe, written in her diaries. She also stated  that there was no Reiki in Japan and that she was the only Reiki Master left in the world! This statement was not correct as The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai still existed and  still exists today.

 

Hawayo Takata also declared herself 'Grandmaster' and 'Lineage bearer' although in Japan there has never been such titles, Mikao Usui  didn't call himself 'grandmaster'  he was called Usui Sensei (teacher),  so why Mrs Takata pronounced this title on herself only she can answer.  In fact in many Japanese circles very few people have ever heard of her. Phyllis Lei Furumoto, Hawayo Takata's grandaughter, carried on the title of Grandmaster and Lineage bearer, after her death in 1980.

 

Mrs Takata also changed  the way Reiki was originally taught, introducing hand positions, which were set in stone and not to be changed, instead of using intuition and intent as Mikao Usui taught, and the inclusion of symbols  when attuning a student instead of a simple Reiju empowerment. The symbols in original Japanese Reiki, at  2nd degree (Okuden) are used only to understand the different energies they produce. As the student progresses the use of symbols discontinue and the Kotodama (sounds) take their place.  

 

However the  system of Reiki is used it is ALL REIKI: ALL ENERGY:  we are all connected  and  at one with the universe. There is no-one more powerful than anyone else: No-one better than anyone else: No Grandmaster titles: A Teacher needs to instruct the student and set them on their way to enlightenment, this is of course, very necessary, being a teacher doesn't make them any better. One of The Usui Precepts says "Just for today be HUMBLE".

 

 It it is up to the individual to decide which method is best for them, and which teacher is chosen, after all it is a personal journey and remember Reiki is never wrong! 

 

We must all in this restless world, unite, live harmoniously and expand our consciousness to the rest of humanity. We can do this in a collective way by pursuing our spiritual growth, self-realisation and by embracing and respecting this wonderful energy.  

Mikao Usui gave blessings to his students to use everyday:

Just for Today do not Anger
Just for Today do not Worry
Just for Today be Humble
Show Gratitude to all Living things.
Be Compassionate towards yourself and others.
 

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