 THE HISTORY OF THE USUI SYSTEM OF NATURAL HEALING
Reiki is a part of every one of us. It is Universal and is never meant to be lost. The story of Reiki until recently was an oral history, so the interpretations about this history vary.
Here is the story as others and I have heard it:
Dr. Mikao Usui
(15th August 1865 - 9th March 1926)
The founder of Reiki as natural healing is Dr. Mikao Usui, born on 15th Aug. 1865. At the turn of the century in late 1800 Dr. Usui was the president of Doshishua University, a small Christian University in Kyoto, Japan. He was also a Christian Minister. An interaction with a student at the beginning of Sunday service changed the focus of Dr. Usui's life. As Dr. Usui was beginning one of the last Sunday services of the school year, a senior student about to graduate raised his hand and asked Dr. Usui, "Do you accept the contents of the Bible literally". Dr. Usui answered that indeed he did. The student went on, "In the Bible it says that Jesus cured the sick, that he healed and that he walked on the water. Do you accept this as written? Have you ever seen this to be happening?" The student went on to say, "For you, Dr. Usui, that kind of blind faith is enough, for you have lived your life and are secure. For us who are just beginning our adult lives and who have many questions and concerns, it is not enough. We need to see with our own eyes".
A seed had been sown. The next day Dr.Usui resigned his position as president of Doshishua University and came to the United States to the University of Chicago where he received a doctorate degree in scripture, trying to uncover the secret of how Jesus and his disciples healed the sick. He had not found what he sought. Realizing that, that is held in the Buddhist tradition as Buddha had the power to heal, he decided to return to Japan and see what he could learn from Buddhism.
Upon his return to Japan, Dr. Usui began to visit the Buddhist monasteries searching for someone who had an interest and some knowledge of physical healing. He always received the same answer to his enquiries; “We are too busy with healing the spirit to worry about healing the body.” At long last he found someone who was at least interested in the problem of physical healing, an elderly abbot of Zen monastery. Dr Usui requested that he may be admitted to the monastery so that he could study the Buddhist scriptures, the sutras, in search of key of healing. He was admitted and so began his study.
He studied the Japanese translations of Buddhist scriptures but did not find the explanation he sought. He learnt Chinese so that wider range of Buddhist writings were available to him, still without success. He then decided to learn Sanskrit, the ancient language, so that he could read the original Buddhist writings and have access to those writings that had never been translated into another language. Finally he found what he had been looking for, in the teaching of Buddha that had been written down by some unknown disciple as Buddha spoke. Dr. Usui found the formula, the symbols, the description of how Buddha healed. And so at the end of seven-year search, Dr. Usui had found what he sought, but not quite. Although he had uncovered the Knowledge, he did not have the power to heal. Discussing this with his old friend the abbot, he decided to go to a mountain and meditate, to seek the power to heal. The Abbott told him that it could be dangerous, that he could loose his life. Dr. Usui answered that he had come this far and would not turn back.
Dr.Usui climbed one of the sacred mountains Mt. Kurama of Japan and meditated for twenty-one days. On the first day he placed twenty-one small stones in front of him, and as each day passed he threw one away. On the twenty-first day Dr. Usui became aware of a beam of light from the heaven that came shooting towards him. Although he was afraid, he did not move but was struck by the light and the light knocked over. Then in rapid succession he saw before him like bubbles of light, the symbols that he had discovered in his study, the key to healing of Buddha and Jesus. The symbols buried themselves into his memory.
When the trance was over Dr. Usui no longer felt exhausted, stiff, or hungry as he had moments before on the last day of his meditation. Mikao Usui left Mt. Kurama knowing how Buddha and Jesus had healed. Walking down the mountain he experienced what is traditionally known as four miracles.
On his way first he stubbed his big toe, tearing back the toe-nail. He jumped with pain and grabbed his toe with his hand. In minutes the pain left, the bleeding stopped and his toe was well on the way to healing.
Next, when he got off the mountain he stopped at an outside vendor's stall and ordered for full meal, not wise after twenty one days fasting. But he ate the full meal without any discomfort.
Third, when the daughter of the man came with his meal. Dr. Usui saw that she had been crying and that her face was swollen and red on one side. He asked her what was wrong and she replied that she had a toothache for three days. He asked if he could touch her face, and with her permission he cupped her cheeks in his hands. In a few minutes the pain left her and the swelling began to recede.
Fourth, returning to the monastery in the evening, Dr Usui was told that his friend, the abbot, was in bed suffering from painful attack of arthritis. Dr.Usui went to see his friend and with his healing hand relieved his pain.
Dr. Usui named the healing energy Reiki, which means Universal Life Force and took the method into slums of Kyoto in the beggar colony. For the next seven years Dr. Usui worked in a beggar camp in Japan healing the sick. Those, that were young and able he sent them off to find work. After seven years he began to see that those he had helped returning to beggar camp in the same condition that he found them. He asked the people why they had returned to the camp and they answered they preferred their old ways of life. Dr.Usui realized that he had healed the physical body of symptoms but had not taught the appreciation for life or new way of living. He left the beggar camp and began to teach others who wished to know more. He taught them how to heal themselves and gave them the Principles of Reiki to help their thoughts.
Dr. Mikao Usui
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Dr. Chujiro Hayashi
(1878 - 1941)
During the travel he met Chujiro Hayashi, a retired naval officer who was seeking a way to serve others.
Dr. Hayashi was initiated as a Master in 1925 at the age of 47 by Dr. Usui and became deeply involved in practice of Reiki. When Dr. Usui's life was drawing to a close in 1930, he recognized Dr. Hayashi as the Master of Reiki and gave him charge of keeping the essence of his teachings intact. Dr. Hayashi, realizing the importance of a system and record keeping, founded a clinic in Tokyo where people could come for treatment and to learn Reiki. From the clinic there were practitioners who would go out and treat those who could not come to the clinic. He left records demonstrating that Reiki finds the source of the physical symptoms, fills the vibration of energy need and restores the body to wholeness. Dr. Hayashi initiated 13 masters (including his wife).
Dr. Chujiro Hayashi
Mrs. Hiromi Hawayo Takata
(24th December 1900 - 11th December 1980)
One day in 1935 an employee of a surgicalhospital in Tokyo brought a young woman
from Hawaii, to the clinic. This woman Hawayo Takata had come to Japan to have an operation for a tumor.
In the hospital as she prepared herself for surgery she sensed that the operation was not necessary and that there was another way. She had been led to Reiki. During Mrs. Takata's experiences and treatment at the clinic, her illness lessened and her desire to learn Reiki grew. When her treatment was almost finished, she asked to be admitted to a beginners class. She was refused. She realized she must demonstrate a deep commitment to Reiki. She went to Dr. Hayashi and told him her feelings and her willingness to stay in Japan as long as was necessary. He consented to begin her training.
Mrs. Takata with her two daughters, stayed in Japan with the Hayashi family for a year, learning by practicing Reiki every day and being with Hayashi. When both felt the training was completed, Mrs. Takata returned to Hawaii with her gift of healing.
In Hawaii her practice flourished and soon Hayashi and his daughter came to visit her. They stayed several months, teaching, training and being with Mrs. Takata. In February 1938, Hawayo Takata was initiated as a Master of the Usui System of Natural Healing. Soon after the initiation, Hayashi and his daughter returned to Japan. Dr. Hayashi had a sense that war was coming between United States and Japan. He could not reconcile being a Reiki Master and serving again in the Navy. He began to set the affairs of his household in order. During this time, Mrs. Takata in Hawaii had a vivid dream that caused her concern. She knew she must go to Japan and be with Dr. Hayashi. When she arrived, Dr. Hayashi told her many things that the war was coming, who would win, what she must do and where she must go to avoid trouble herself, as she was Japanese-American living in Hawaii. All these things he foresaw and passed on to her for her protection and for the protection of Reiki. When all of his business was taken care of, he called his family together along with the Reiki Masters. Giving them his final words and recognizing Mrs. Takata as his successor in Reiki. Sitting in the formal Japanese manner and dressed in his formal Japanese clothing he closed his eyes and left his body.
Following his guidance, Takata finished her work in Japan and sailed to Hawaii. She returned as the Master of Reiki. She demonstrated her commitment throughout her life, teaching and practicing Reik
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