• Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • Home
  • Freebies
    • Free eBooks
    • Reiki Resources Hub
    • Reiki Workbooks
    • Reiki Infographics
    • Reiki Calendars
    • Reiki Oracle Cards
    • Reiki Hand Positions
  • Topics
    • Practice
    • Protection
    • Healthcare
    • Chakras
    • Abundance
    • Crystals
    • Guidance
  • Authors
  • Books
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Latest Articles
  • Podcasts

Reiki Rays

A Brief History of Usui Reiki

Articles

11 Jun 2019

Article by Tracie (Eaves) Talbott

Much of the true history of Usui Reiki is still unknown in the West. It was passed down without written documentation in an effort of preserve the sacredness of the practice. There are many versions of the history of Reiki available online and in books. First, I’m going to tell you a little bit about the verified history of Usui Reiki as I have learned it. Then I’ll give you a brief summary of the history of Reiki as related by Master Takata. I would love for you to read the detailed account of the history of Reiki by William Lee Rand. He gives the best researched history of Reiki I have been able to find. In contrast to many other accounts, examples of Reiki practices that predated Usui are given mention.

Mikao Usui was the founder of the Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki system. Usui was a Buddhist scholar born in 1865 that seemed to have dedicated his life to helping others. He was a spiritual man and in 1922, when facing some personal and financial difficulties, he decided to go on a 21-day retreat on Mt. Kurama seeking spiritual awakening. While meditating on the retreat he had a miraculous spiritual experience that gave him his ability to heal others and to pass this gift on to others through attunement and led him to create his style of Reiki. He used this knowledge to establish the Usui Reiki Healing Society. Mikao Usui believed an important part of living a good and healthy life was following certain ethical principles. Inspired by Emperor Meiji, Usui established the five principles, which I will discuss more later. Usui is believed to have had thousands of students before his death in 1926, but only 16 of these reached the Master level.

After Usui’s death, one of his Master students, Chujiro Hayashi, became Usui’s successor and began his own Reiki society. He simplified the Reiki healing process and created many detailed hand positions for treating various ailments. He also simplified the attunement process. In 1940 he committed suicide to keep from being forced to give intelligence and fight in WWII. Before his death he asked Madam Takata, who he had trained and attuned, to be his successor.

A Brief History of Usui Reiki

Image by Couleur

Hawayo Takata, a Japanese Hawaiian born in 1900, had become very ill and went to Japan for healing. She was preparing to receive surgery when she believed she heard a voice telling her not to have the surgery and to find another way. She asked the doctor about an alternative healthcare option and he sent her to Hayashi’s clinic where she was treated and became well. She convinced him to teach her Reiki, though it was never meant to leave Japan. She was eventually attuned to the Master Level. Takata brought Reiki to the West and trained many people, attuning 22 Westerners to the Master Level. From those 22 Masters, Reiki spread throughout the Western world.

The story that has been passed down as Hawayo Takata’s teaching by the Masters who came after her has been found to be mostly fabrication. As the story was told, it succeeded in gaining acceptance in the Western world and facilitating the growth of the healing system here. Had a more accurate account of the origin of Reiki been spread, it may never have expanded throughout the world the way it has.

The story that was passed down from Takata, and that was widely accepted until fairly recently, was that Usui was a Christian professor challenged by a student to find a way to heal as Jesus did. In his efforts for find a healing system comparable to that of Jesus, Usui went on the 21-day fast on Mt. Kurama. On the 21st day he received a spiritual awakening and had visions of many symbols. Afterward, he stubbed his toe on his way down the mountain. Upon grabbing his toe with his hand, he discovered his healing abilities.

Usui went to the poor and offered them healing, but they kept coming back needing more healing because they didn’t change the way of life that was making them sick. He then decided that for Reiki to be lastingly effective there must be some sort of exchange. At that point, he began charging money for healing sessions and attunements and opened his clinic.

This is only a very brief summary of Madam Takata’s story as I have learned it. More detailed versions can easily be found with an online search engine and in numerous books about Reiki. It’s interesting to learn about the history of this healing modality that has done so much to change my life. I hope you will continue to educate yourself as more information is made available to us.

Free eBook download: We’ve created an eBook with our best articles on this topic, and offer it for free to all our newsletter subscribers.


Tracie Eaves

Tracie (Eaves) Talbott is certified as both an Usui and Crystal Reiki Master. She specializes in Reiki and Crystal Energy Work, but also has experience with other holistic modalities as well certification in spiritual and life coaching. She offers guidance in life and spiritual matters using a variety of methods and natural intuition. Her goal is to generate as much light and love and positive vibrations as possible to add to the quality of the interconnected web of existence. You can find more information on her website, www.crystalreikiwellness.com or on her Facebook page at facebook.com/reikitracie1111/.

Related Articles

  • Usui Tibetan Reiki Master Teacher
  • Reiki Usui – The Original Reiki
  • Foundation of Healing: Usui Reiki

Leave a Comment

Previous Post: « Working with Archangel Jophiel
Next Post: Introduction to Shamanic Reiki »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Reiki Workbooks

  • Reiki Symbols carusel
  • One whit Reiki Workbook
  • Create you year Workbook
  • Reiki booklet
  • Reiki summit workbook
  • Reiki Christmas Activities Booklet
  • Reiki Journal Carusel

Free Reiki eBooks

  • Reiki Tips You Haven’t Thought Of
  • Reiki Your Crystals
  • Combine Reiki with Other Healing Tools
  • Reiki and Healthcare
  • Traditional Usui Reiki Symbols
  • Reiki Attunements Demystified
  • Angels in Reiki Practice and Life
  • Meditate with Me
  • How to Keep Reiki By Your Side All Day Long
  • Praise Be to the Light
  • Be a Lightworker... All the Time
  • Heal and Balance Your Chakras with Reiki
  • Archangels Glory
  • Reiki Case Studies
  • Karuna Reiki® Symbols
  • Children of Light
  • Healer, Cleanse Thyself of Negative Energies
  • Show Me the Money The Reiki Way
  • Healing Past and Future with Reiki
  • Cut the Cord with Reiki
  • Sleep Tight with Reiki
  • Lose Weight with Reiki
  • My Precious Crystals and Reiki
  • Far Away, A Must Read for All Distant Healers
  • Beautiful Gifts of Reiki
  • Reiki, an Integral Part of My Life
  • Reiki Wings
  • In Search of Our Objective Truth
  • Do Reiki and Be Reiki
  • Under the Moonlight
  • Being a Reiki Angel on Earth
  • The Gifts of Reiki

Reiki Projects

Reiki Projects

Reiki Rays Calendar

  • Path of Mastery – Reiki Calendar May 2025
  • Coming Home To Yourself Reiki Calendar April 2025
  • Planting New Seeds - Reiki Calendar March 2025
  • Healing through Love - Reiki Calendar February 2025 copy
  • Energy Flows, Abundance Grows - Reiki Calendar January 2025
  • ‘Tis the Season to Heal and Glow - Reiki Calendar December 2024
  • Rise Anew with Your Inner Phoenix - Reiki Calendar November 2024
  • Harvesting Inner Peace - Reiki Calendar October 2024
  • Upgrade Your Healing Toolbox - Reiki Calendar September 2024
  • Enjoy Your Life - Every Day! - Reiki Calendar August 2024
  • Integrating All Parts of The Self - Reiki Calendar July 2024
  • The Power of Setting Boundaries - Reiki Calendar June 2024

Reiki Guidance of the Week

Reiki Guidance

Here’s our archive with 3000+ articles on various themes:

Most Popular

Reiki Symbols
Reiki Attunements
Animal Reiki
Karuna Reiki® Symbols
Angels in Reiki Practice
Distant Healing
Combine Reiki with Other Healing Tools
Chakras

Resources

Reiki Wisdom Library – The App
Reiki Calendars
Reiki Rays Infographics
Reiki Rays Interviews
Ask Reiki Rays – Podcasts
Reiki Rays Authors
Reiki Practitioners and Teachers

Contact Us

contact@reikirays.com

Disclaimer

This site is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice. The content on Reiki Rays is designed to support, not replace, medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional care if you believe you may have a condition.

Policies

Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Legal Notice

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNo