Gendai Reiki: A Buddhist Prospect of Reiki

When Reiki was first introduced in West from few Japanese and Buddhist Reiki masters, the concept and treatment method failed to make inroads in the minds of western people. As a result, a Buddhist Reiki master who initially started Reiki healing clinics in Hawaii before the Second World War, tried to amend traditional Buddhist Reiki healing techniques to make them more acceptable in West. The name of the Reiki master was “Hawayo Takata” who was trained by a Buddhist Reiki master “Hayashi”.

With the efforts of Takata, Reiki become more credible form of natural treatment in front of West and started to spread in North America. The amendments done by Takata in Buddhist Reiki techniques later evolved into a different form of Reiki known as “Western Reiki”. One of the most popular Western Reiki treatments is known as Gendai Reiki Ho.

Gendai Reiki Ho

The literal meaning of the word Gendai Reiki Ho is “Modern Spiritual Energy Method”. In this form of Reiki, elements from both Buddhist and Western Reiki are combined. This method is invented by Reiki master “Hirsohi Doi” who was later granted membership by Usui Reiki Ryohu Gakkai in 1993. The technique is based on radiance technique taught to him by Mieko Mitsui. Later, Doi added number of different techniques to this method to evolve a completely unique technique known as Gendai Reiki. Some of the techniques used in Gendai technique are claimed to be the original Usui Reiki Rhoyo techniques from ancient Buddhist culture.

As Hiroshi Doi claimed that the Gendai Reiki, even though based on Western Reiki, use different techniques that belong to the original Buddhist Reiki techniques, the method quickly become popular within Reiki community. This is the reason why most Reiki masters in West believe that the traditional and original Usui Reiki Ryoho is Gendai Reiki. As it is considered close to traditional Buddhist Reiki, it is gaining popularity in Japan as an established Reiki method even though the method literally means modern. With acceptance of Hiroshi Doi as a member in Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, i.e. the original Reiki society, the technique is overwhelmingly considered as close to the original Buddhist Reiki techniques. Many still believe that Doi only claimed to use Original Buddhist Reiki techniques but there is no solid evidence that the techniques he used in Gendai Reiki Ho are original Reiki techniques. Some claimed that the hype was created just to make the method popular quickly.

Gendai Reiki is not only a combination of techniques used in original Reiki society and Western Reiki, but Doi also included a set of techniques that he learned from non Reiki healing treatments and few techniques from some other Japanese Reiki methods.

Learning Gendai Reiki Ho

The Gendai Reiki is taught in 4 steps

1. Shoden
2. Okuden
3. Shinpiden
4. Gokuikaiden ( Master level)

It is believed that during this course of learning, students can learn few techniques that were used by mythical Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, the original Buddhist Reiki Masters.

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