History
There are many different versions of the Reiki History. this is a compilation from different sources :
Dr. Mikao Usui rediscovered Reiki in Japan in the late 1800's or 1900's. From what is known he was a well-traveled man..Seeking the truth about healing through spirituality. He wanted to learn how to heal, but most of his teachers did not know, or would'nt tell him the healing methods they used in ancient times. So, he decided to learn on his own, from the Universe.. He went on a 21 day fasting near the mountain of Mt. Kurama. On the end of his final day of fasting, he saw Reiki energy coming towards his third eye. His first reaction was to run, but he did not. So the energy struck him, which left him unconcious. While he was unconcious, he was attuned to, or initiated into the Reiki energy and was shown the symbols and how to use them. Dr. Usui Sensei, went to the poor and deformed and healed many of them physically, but he found that many did not want to be healed of their deformities because they had become lazy and begging was easy for them to do for a living. This was a hard time for Dr. Usui, and is supposedly where the "energy-exchange' idea came from. He had people bring him a gift, no matter how small, in exchange for his time and to teach them his method of healing. He traveled all over Japan and China, healing and teaching his people. Dr. Usui, spread this system of healing to many people. It is said that he was a very warm, generuos, and cariing man. Dr. Usui died of a stroke in 1926, after having taught approximately 16 Masters. One of them was a retired military man, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi.. Dr. Hayashi opened a clinic where he focused on the hand positions. He eventually knew that World War II was coming and because of his peaceful nature and desire only to heal others, and never harm another, he is said to have simply left his body during his final workshop. Before he died, he taught Mrs. Hawayo Takata to the Master Level of Reiki. Mrs. Takata was born in 1900 in Hawaii. She traveled to Japan because her sister was dying and there she became sick herself. She was hospitalized and while she was there, they told her about Dr. Hayashi's Reiki clinic.There she was healed of her condition and taught the first two levels of Reiki. Later, Mrs. Takata was taught the third and final "Master" level when Dr. Hayashi traveled to Hawaii. She later established clinics and became well known as a powerful healer and teacher, initiating her students up to level 2. In 1970, Mrs. Takata started initiating Reiki Masters.She charged $10,000 for one weekend of teaching. Her students could not take notes, not even of the symbols. You can see why there are so many variations of the symbols. It is really not known why she did'nt let her students take notes, but I believe she must have had her reasons. |
