Master Usui

Master Usui Mikao Usui is the founder and father of modern Reiki, or the re-discoverer of this ancient Tibetan System of Natural Healing. We call him Master, since he was not only highly developed, but also passed his teachings to many followers.

The importance of Tibetan teachings

Some people question themselves, why Tibet holds such an importance for modern Reiki and spirituality in general.
This remote, mysterious and isolated land surrounded by the Himalaya (also called the "roof of the world"), was for thousands of years the cradle of invaluable spiritual books, teachings and art.
Isolation lead people to dedicate time to the study of human spirituality, allowing the Tibetans to keep a certain state of neutrality towards other powerful countries and colonial powers.
Their single purpose in life was to achieve self-development, helping humans to heal and to live in peace and harmony with each others.
The Tibetan spiritual leaders or " Dalai Lamas", are still viewed by many as the reincarnation of Bodhisattva, or the being of light and compassion. They are truly spiritual leaders, spreading the teachings of Buddha worldwide.

The Chinese occupation of Tibet

The Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet, lead to the destruction of many temples and ancient knowledge preserved by the monks and Lamas. The country was ruthlessly looted, their heritage massively destroyed and their culture gradually asphyxiated.
Since the Chinese annexation of Tibet, an estimate of 6.000 religious temples and sites were destroyed, along with ancient books and their highest representatives.
Since 1959 thousands of people were killed, and others are daily brutalised and imprisoned.

The land of compassion, wisdom and harmony is presently occupied and their culture and identity under constant pressure.
We believe that the survival of Tibet is vital for the world and for human spirituality.

Reiki vs. Tibet

Reiki was born in Tibet and is rooted in their ancient culture and system of belief. Although Dr. Usui lived before the occupation and annexation of Tibet by the Chinese, he's teachings tell us, that they are a mere fraction of what the Tibetans created and preserved for millennia.
Although he managed to retrieve and save some of their ancient knowledge (making sure people could understand the intricate meaning and working of some holy texts), a great deal of these documents were destroyed by the Chinese and will forever remain unknown and unravelled to us.

The only way to retrieve some of this ancient knowledge is through meditation and via enlightened people. As long as Tibet and their exiled Lamas live, the world still has a chance to learn some of their precious teachings.

The Usui System of Natural Healing or Usui Shiki Ryoho

In this context, Dr. Usui's method of teaching Reiki, is often called "The Tibetan Usui System of Natural Healing or Usui Shiki Ryoho". This method was mainly passed verbally to this students and teached through practical lessons. This was the ancient way of teaching and passed on by Tibetan masters.
So, neither Dr. Usui or Dr. Hayashi (his predecessor), left any written information or instructions about this healing system.
This may sound contradictory for many people, but the only source of information left about Reiki (the Usui System of Reiki), was brought to us by Mrs. Takata and her legacy (Dr. Hayashi's predecessor and the 3rd Master in the original line of Reiki Masters).

Therefore, the Usui System has evolved over time, having many new teachers, followers and schools worldwide.
It's present revival is due to the many followers in America and Europe, very much keen in re-discovering the secret Tibetan healing symbols long forgotten and Dr. Usui's teachings.

Next we will briefly summarise the history of Reiki and how it reached us.

Brief History

Dr. Mikao Usui's brief biography

Dr. Mikao Usui was the Principal of a Christian seminar in the city of Kyoto in Japan. His strong religious background and beliefs, lead Dr. Usui to teach religion in his home land for several years.
But the need to gather additional spiritual knowledge lead him away from Japan. He decided to leave to America where he attended the University of Chicago, becoming knowledgeable in the subject of Theology.

Despite having a degree in Theology, Dr. Usui felt that religion and Christianity in general, could not answer certain questions related to our existence and to God.
This also made him realise, that perhaps the answer to these questions were outside conventional religion.

Back in Japan, Dr. Usui turned his attention both to the Chinese and Indian ancient Sanskrit's. He travelled to India, in order to study the lost scripts and ancient Tibetan writings.
Upon his return to Japan, Dr. Usui rediscovered ancient Sanskrit's with references to mysterious old Buddhist symbols. This revelation was the engine propelling his search for true "enlightenment".

Fascinated by the ancient Sanskrit's, Dr. Usui decided to seek further knowledge in the mount Koriyama (17 miles away from Kyoto), where he meditated on the "new" teachings and symbols found in India and in Tibet.
He then initiated a 21 day fast and meditation journey, hoping to achieve a higher state of consciousness and of unity with God. This journey was difficult, but very important both for Dr. Usui and for the rediscovery of Reiki.

After 21 days, Dr. Mikao Usui left the mount Koriyama, feeling enlightened, invigorated and possessing strong healing abilities.
Four miracles took place after this spiritual journey, being often mentioned in many books as the " Four Usui Miracles".

Back in Kyoto, Dr. Usui wanted to live a new life, develop a new line of work with the local population (with the poor, homeless and with the sick), helping humanity to heal from suffering and pain.
This need to " heal" lead Dr. Usui to work for several years in the poor neighbourhoods of Kyoto, healing both beggars, the sick, people with addictions and those seeking for spiritual enlightenment.

During this period, Dr. Usui learned great lessons about human beings, their will, strengths, weaknesses, health problems and karmas.
He also understood, that some people do not seek for pain removal or healing in this life time, but rather feel the need to live certain painful experiences, constraints and scarcity for a higher purpose. The " true" soul reasons need to be respected and these serve as teachings to ones self-development.

Besides learning the importance of human will in healing, Dr. Usui also learned that healing should be valued (and even remunerated), in order to be credible and respected in society.
In this context, practitioners should not feel constrained to ask money for Reiki treatments, for the time and energy put into treatments.
Those people seeking for help should not consider the effort and commitment of the "healer" as a mere duty.
This last idea was one of the most important lessons left to us by the master and before passing away.

Dr. Usui worked for many years as a "healer", teacher and master. And before his death in 1930, he managed to give approximately 18 master degrees in Japan. He will always serve as a reference to any student wanting to learn this healing method.

Chujiro Hayashi

Dr. Hayashi brief biography

After working with the poor in Kyoto, Dr. Usui started teaching Reiki in Japan, training new students and masters. He meet at a certain stage of his life Chujiro Hayashi (a retired naval officer), better known as Dr. Hayashi.

Dr. Hayashi was very much keen in learning Reiki, having asked Master Usui to teach him personally. The Master agreed, having trained Dr. Hayashi until 1925 (date when he received his Master's certificate).

A few years later and after Dr. Usui's' death, Dr. Hayashi became his successor in Japan.
Likewise, Dr. Hayashi also trained many new masters, following Dr. Usui's original teachings.
And it was thanks to Dr. Hayashi, that in 1935 the next most famous person and women in this healing system was initiated - Dr. Takata.

Dr. Takata

Dr. Takata's brief biography

Dr. Takata was residing in Hawaii, and at certain stage of her life she went back to Japan to visit some family. While visiting family she also seeked Dr. Hayashi's help for a particular health problem.

After being healed from her health problem with the aid of Reiki, she asked Dr. Hayashi to be initiated into this fascinating healing system. Initially she was refused by Dr. Hayashi, but after a few attempts he agreed and gave her training.
The reason for his initial refusal, was related to the fact that she was not a Japanese resident, and the Reiki knowledge would be taken abroad to Hawaii.

In 1936 she received training, and in 1937 she went back home to Hawaii. Soon after, Dr. Hayashi visited Dr. Takata in Hawaii going together on a tour, lecturing Reiki and giving trainings to other people.

Dr. Takata became a Reiki master in 1938.

The survival of Reiki

One day in 1941, Dr. Takata had a vision of Dr. Hayashi in her bedroom and knew that it was time to return to Japan. Something very important and serious was bound to happen to Dr. Hayashi and to Japan.
This vision was indeed related to the beginning of the II World War, the destruction of Japan and consequently of Dr. Usui's Reiki Clinic.
Dr. Hayashi nominated then Dr. Takata to be his successor, making sure that Reiki would survive even after the war, the clinic's destruction and his death.

Realizing that he could be called back to the war as a naval officer, Dr. Hayashi decided in in May 10th 1940 and in front of his pupils, to stop his life and heart beating.
He died and Dr. Takata was now in charge of keeping Reiki alive for the future generations.

Reiki in America and Europe

After this sad episode, Dr. Takata returned to Hawaii bringing Reiki both to the United States, Canada and to Europe. She made sure that the system would survive the war (or any war), and would be known to more people worldwide.

Dr. Takata died on December 11, 1980. But before her death she trained many thousands of followers and made sure that the system would never die with her. This was her legacy to Reiki and future generations.

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