Chronological History of Reiki

History of Usui Sensei and Usui Reiki Ryoho

"Someone who studies hard and works assiduously to improve body and mind for the sake of becoming a better person is called 'a man of Great Spirit'. People who use that Great Spirit for a social purpose, that is, to teach the right way to many people and do collective good, are called 'teachers'. Dr. Usui was one such teacher. He taught the Reiki of the Universe. Countless people asked him to teach them the great way of Reiki and to heal them." (Taken from the memorial to Usui's virtue. Saihoji Temple, Tokyo)

1865 – On August 15, Mikao Usui (his pen name was Gyoho) was born in Taniai-mura (now Miyama-cho) Yamagata-gun Gifu-ken. His father was Uzaemon Tsunetane (a military commander) and his mother was from the Kawai family. His ancestor’s name was Tsunetane Chiba (a very famous Samurai from the 8th century). Note to the Reiki student: Usui was born in the mid-1800’s; Reiki was not re-discovered by him until much later.

1868 – Historic point: 'The Meiji Restoration' so-called by the Meiji Emperor, began. During this time (1868-1912) Japan opened it's doors to the outside world after many years of being a closed country. Many reforms were introduced including compulsory education, the revival of conservatism and nationalism (principles adopted from Confucianism and Shintoism) and worship of the emperor. Note to the Reiki student: For over two centuries (1600-1868) all Europeans except the Dutch had been expelled from Japan. Chinese and Dutch had been confined to special trading centers in Nagasaki only. Japanese civilians were not allowed to leave the country. Christianity was sublimated. All Japanese were forced to register at Buddhist temples. Those Japanese who refused to renounce Christianity were executed, as were a number of European missionaries who refused to leave the country.

1869 – At the age of 4, it is believed that Usui was sent to a Tendai monastery, where he remained for a period of years. During this time he studied Qi Gong (called Ki-Ko in Japan, closely related to Reiki) to a high level and was able to do projection healing. He meditated regularly at Kurama Yama. Historic point: Temple schools were quite common in that period of time, but disappeared rapidly as the country was modernized. Note to the Reiki Student: When studying original Usui Reiki teachings, some of the techniques described are Qi-Gong techniques such as: Tapping Hand, Pushing Hand, and Stroking Hand, taught in Okuden (Second Degree Reiki).

1873 - Historic Point: Ban on Christianity officially lifted.

Usui was extraordinarily gifted in academics, studying under adversity. His memorial states that “he traveled abroad to China, US and Europe, was a talented, hard working student who liked to read, and his knowledge of medicine, history, psychology, Shinsen Jutsu, and the religions of the world including the Kyoten (Buddhist Bible) were vast”. Before settling down, Usui-San worked as a missionary, government officer, a businessman who eventually went bankrupt, a journalist, and Secretary to the Mayor of Tokyo and was part of the entourage of Goto Shinpei who was acting governor for Kodama Gentaro, the Governor of Taiwan (1898-1906). He lived a free man, a monk who lived outside of the temple. Periodically, he would visit the prisons, (perhaps as part of missionary work). He married Sadako Suzuki and they had two children, a son Fuji (1908 - 1946), and a daughter (1913 - 1935). At some point in time there was a split in his family, possibly because of his interest in the Christian texts, differing sects of Buddhism and/or esoteric matters. Through his life experiences Usui-Sensei discovered the purpose of life was 'Anshin Ritsumei' or “The state of your mind being totally in peace, knowing what to do with your life, bothered by nothing”. He desired to attain this state of mind, so he began his search.

Historic Point: During 'The Meiji Restoration', society went from an agrarian economy to industrial one. To support this change, many Japanese scholars were sent abroad to study Western science and languages. Is this why Usui traveled and studied abroad? The government also directly supported the prospering of businesses and industries, especially the large and powerful family businesses. These huge expenditures led to a government financial crisis in the middle of the 1880's. Is this why Usui's business went bankrupt? Usui probably received much of his education from Kyoto’s extensive libraries and other higher-learning establishments.

1912-1926 - Emperor Mutsuhito (the Meiji Emperor) dies, in 1912, Taisho becomes Emperor, 1912-1926 - Taisho period.

Around 1914 - Usui Sensei began teaching what his students referred to as Teate' or hand healing. They called it this because it is what they saw him do, not what he was teaching. These teachings were spiritually based and the beginnings of Usui Reiki Ryoho.

1918/1919 - Usui began training as a Zen Buddhist (within Tendai), studying for 3 years.

1922 - He worked toward achieving Satori (the state of Spiritual Enlightenment) but wasn’t succeeding, so he asked his Zen Master what to do. The answer he received was “Die one time”. This motivated him to fast until he either died or became enlightened.

In March, distraught with his life, desperately seeking answers, he followed his Zen Masters advice, deciding to fast on Mt. Kurama until he became enlightened. It was not uncommon for Usui to fast as he made regular trips to the mountain to seek answers. This is a common practice called ‘shyu gyo’ a spiritual discipline, including fasts and meditation for 21 days, a strict spiritual training. On his memorial it says that the last morning of his fast 'he felt one great Reiki over his head'. Reiki being the wisdom and knowledge of all the Universe. The word 'Reiki' during Usui sensei's time and before meant (loosely translated) 'atmosphere of the Divine'. Usui Sensei became enlightened (or achieved Satori) and acquired a healing ability which he called 'Reiki Ryoho'('spiritual energy healing method'). It was also often referred to as 'Usui Teate' or 'Usui hands-on healing'. He took this gift home and worked on himself and his family. It is said that his wife was ill and Reiki cured her. Usui decided not to just keep Reiki for his family but to make Shoden level 'freely available to all of the people' a direct quote from the ‘Usui Reiki Hikkei’ (one of his teaching manuals). Note to the student of Reiki: It states quite clearly on Usui’s memorial that Kurama Yama was where the meditation took place. 1914 is the date given for Usui’s 21 day fast in two Japanese books about Reiki, but this does not correspond with the dates of his Zen training.

Historic point: About the sacred mountain - Kurama Yama: Yama means ‘mountain’ and Kurama means ‘horse saddle’. Mt. Kurama (570 Meters above sea level) is 12 kilometers due north of Kyoto Imperial Palace. The Kurama Temple, founded in 770 as ‘the guardian of the northern quarter of the capital city’ (Heiankyo), is located halfway up the mountain. The original buildings have been repeatedly destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt. The Main Hall was last rebuilt in 1971. The temple formerly belonged to the Tendai sect of Buddhism, but since 1949, it has been included in the newly founded Kurama-Kokyo sect as its headquarters. At the time of Usui's fast, Kurama Yama was also the location of a spiritualist group called 'Rei Jyutsu Ka’, which he may have also attended.

In April 1922, Usui-San founded Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Usui Reiki Healing Method Learning Society) and opened his first clinic in Aoyama, Tokyo where he practiced Reiki and gave workshops on the technique publicly. During his study of Shinto and Mahayana (Mikkyo) Buddhism he discovered Reiju (Empowerment method) and Hatsurei-ho (Cleansing process for body, mind and spirit). The first record of Usui giving Reiju was in Harajuku, Tokyo in 1922. Usui Sensei made the first level teaching ('Shoden') available to anyone who desired it. Initially it seems that he had no set hand positions, all of his work was done intuitively and over areas of imbalance (painful areas). But as he began teaching others to do Reiho, he found the need to create a set of instructions, which he called the Usui Reiki Hikkei.

1923 – Historic Point: On September 1st, shortly before noon, a great earthquake hit Tokyo and Yokohama, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale. Over 100,000 deaths were reported. The epicenter was about 50 miles from Tokyo. That is reported to be the greatest natural disaster in Japanese history.

During this emergency, Usui Sensei's way of giving relief was to 'reach out his hands of love to suffering people' and he helped many of the victims. Soon he became quite famous and his success and reputation with Reiki were known all over Japan. Note to the Reiki student: The earthquake could be the account Takata was referring to when she talked about Usui working in the beggar village.

1925 - He outgrew his center and moved it to larger quarters in Nakano, outside of Tokyo in February (today Nakano is part of Tokyo). His travels with Reiki had taken him all over Japan and many of the places he visited were naval bases.

1926 - On March 9, Usui-San died of a stroke (one of several), in a town called Fukuyama in Hiroshima-Ken. He had been on a tour bringing Reiki to the people of Kure, Hiroshima and Saga. He was 62. The night before he died it is said that he practiced Reiki.

1927 - In February, Usui Sensei’s students erected a memorial to his memory it is located in a graveyard of the Seihoji temple in Tokyo. Much of the information on this history was taken from it.

If our dates are correct Usui Sensei only practiced and taught Reiki for a total of 4 years. In that short time he became very well known and taught Reiki to more than 2,000 students (17 of those students were Shinpiden or Teacher level (4 navel officers, 5 Buddhist nuns, and 8 other associates). Following are the names of some of the students thought to be Shinpiden: Juzaburo Ushida (Gyuda) (did the calligraphy for the memorial), Kan'ichi Taketomi, Chujiro Hayashi (Naval Officers), Yoshiharu Watanabe, Toshihiro Eguchi, Masayuki Okada (author of the inscription on the memorial), Tetsutaro Imaizumi, Sono'o Tsuboi and Haru Nagao.

Note to Reiki students: All students of Usui, and Hayashi, were recorded with the Educational Departments in Japan and can be traced. Reiki did not disappear from Japan at any time, not even during the war. No one person was ever appointed to continue the Reiki lineage and there is no record of a Grand Master level in Japan.

Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Usui Reiki Healing Method Learning Society) is the society Usui san formed in April 1922. It is still in existence today. Chairpersons include: First - Mikao Usui (b. 1865 – d. 1926), Second - Jusaburo Ushida (Gyuda) (b. 1865 – d. 1935 - author of the memorial), Third - Kan'ichi Taketomi (b. 1878 – d. 1960), Fourth – Yoshiharu Watanabe, Fifth – Hoichi Wanami (b. 1883 – d. 1975), Sixth – Ms. Kimiko Koyama (b. 1906, retired 1998 - d. 12/1999, first woman), Seventh – Current Chairperson - Masayoshi Kondo.

The Society holds weekly ‘Shuyo kai’ at Tokyo headquarters and twice a year at the branches. During these meetings the students, sing Waka poetry, chant the Reiki Principles and do Hatsurei-ho. While doing Hatsurei-ho, a Shinpiden gives each student Reiju to purify, cleanse and further open the student’s Reiki channels. Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai is a closed society, following closely the original teaching of Usui Sensi. They have their own manual on Reiki called. "Reiki Ryoho No Shion” means "Reiki Healing Method from the Kindness of a Teacher" which is given only to members of the society. The society also has 2 manuals produced by Usui San; one explains Reiki Ryoho and the other shows various Reiho techniques. Anyone may take Shoden or First Level, but higher levels of Reiho are only given when the student is able to exhibit proficiency in various techniques and can demonstrate their healing ability. In Japan, once a student reaches a level, they are able to display the healing power corresponding to that level and get the expected results. Another way of looking at this, in Usui Reiho taught in Japan, being at a level means that you have mastered it thoroughly. Some students in Japan practice for 10 years before they move to the Okuden or Second Level; Shinpiden or Teacher Level is rarely given. There are only 6 Shinpiden currently in the society, which has 500 members. It is believed that members of the Gakkai still meet on Mt. Kurama to regularly receive Reiju and honor Usui Sensei.

History of Chujiro Hayashi

1879 – Chujiro Hayashi was born.

1925 – June, received his Shinpiden training with Usui Sensei. He was 47 years old at the time and an ex-naval commander in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He also had medical training, which included Eastern teachings (Chinese Medicine). It is believed that 2 other navel officers Jusaburo Ushida (Gyuda), and Kanichi Taketomi were the last Shinpiden students that Usui trained (receiving their training in September). It is believed that Hayashi-Sensei did not do Reiju the same way as the Gakkai does today; perhaps Usui Sensei gave his students several methods of empowerment. Hayashi called the method of empowerment he chose to utilize ‘transformations’ according to Dave King. Today we call it an attunement or initiation thanks to Mrs. Takata.

1926 – In April, after Usui Sensei made his transition, three of the naval officers he taught, took over his clinic at Nakano, near Tokyo. One account says that for about 8 years they operated what we refer to as a hospice for the terminally ill, giving treatments and continuing to teach the original Usui methods.

1928 – March, a Japanese Magazine (Sunday Mainichi) did an article on Reiki. It states that Hayashi Sensei had trained Mr. Matsui in Reiki. Mr. Matsui stated that the Reiki Clinic was open every morning for client treatments, and that Mr. Hayashi only taught classes several days a month, the rest of his time was spent doing healing work. He also said that Mr. Hayashi did not advertise and was a very strict man who was dedicated to Reiki. Matsui was persuaded by someone with influence to try Reiki, but not for any spiritual reason. So he and his wife attended a very expensive, five-day training course on Reiki, classes lasting 1-1 1/2 hours each session. Afterwards they both did healing on people. One of his accounts is working on a man who was close to death; after giving Reiki for 6.5 hours – the man recovered. Mr. Matsui stated he was not interested in the spiritual side of Reiki, he was more interested in the practical approach. When doing healing work, Mr. Matsui puts his hands on the body and feels for imbalances, then treats the area until cleared. He had not been convinced about Reiki until he actually tried it out and got results. “At that time in Japan, a lot of people were doing different forms of healing and most not affiliated to Reiki,” claims Matsui. In an earlier issue, the magazine had reviewed a book by Mr. Matsui. Many people wrote in asking for more information on Reiki; this article was the response.

1931 - It is believed that Hayashi Sensei left the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai over a disagreement with the chairperson of the society Taketomi Sensei. Ushida and Taketomi Sensei's continued Usui's teaching society, while Hayashi Sensei kept Usui Sensei's clinic originally called Usui Memorial Clinic. He renamed it 'Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai' or Hayashi Reiki Research Society. It is believed that Mr. Tatsumi and several others left Dr. Hayashi's school because of this and changes he made to the original teaching style. Hayashi Sensei's school offered a 5-day Shoden workshop available for a very high price or the students could work with him in his clinic in exchange for the fee (8 hours per week for 3 months for Shoden and 8 hours per week for 9 months for Okuden). Hayashi had his own manual called 'Ryoho Shishin' (Healing Method Guideline) which was the same name Usui Sensei used for the 'guideline section' of his Hikkei. The look and feel of both manuals are very similar they give recommended positions for treating various illnesses and diseases and were given to Shoden students. Written in old style Japanese kanji, Hayashi's manual is about 40 pages long. In the higher level training he also allowed his students to copy his personal notes and may have written several other documents on Reiki. At some point, Hayashi Sensei may have added or been experimenting with material based in Chinese Medicine. This is based on the knowledge that Tatsumi-San received information from Hayashi Sensei referencing Chinese Medicine, including a series of 7 hand positions that worked with the meridians. This information is different from what is contained in Hayashi’s Ryoho Shishin and it appears that Takata Sensei did not receive this information. Note to the Reiki Student: Both Usui and Hayashi gave manuals, and allowed their students to copy their personal notes. Reiki was not an oral tradition until Takata.

1935 – Jusaburo Ushida made his transition.

December 10, Hawayo Takata was attending Hayashi’s Shoden level Reiki (Leiki) class. Mrs. Takata and her 2 daughters stayed with the Hayashi family in Japan a little over 1 year.

1936 – May; an excerpt from Takata’s diary: “Mr. Hayashi has granted to bestow upon me the secret of Shinpi Den – Kokiyou-ho and Leiji-ho (Reiji) – the utmost secret in the energy science.

1937 – Before Takata left for Hawaii, she attended Hayashi’s Okuden level class. There is a poor copy of a photo of a class or a meeting with the title Reiki Ryho ho Kai 1937. At the bottom of the photo in Japanese Kanji are the words 'Reiki Ryoho Koushu Kai', which tranlates 'Reiki Ryoho Training Meeting 1937). (see photo in History of Hawayo Takata). The name Usui Shiki Ryoho means 'Usui Style Healing Method'; I believe Hayashi might have casually referred to the method he taught as Usui Shiki Ryoho. However he called the system 'Usui Reiki Ryoho' as Usui Sensei did. Note to the Reiki student: It is interesting to note that of all the people in the photo close to ½ of them are women. So the story about Mrs. Takata being the only woman or that women were not given the Reiki teaching in Japan is not true. In fact Hayashi Sensei also made his wife and Mrs. Yamaguchi Reiki Teachers and Usui Sensei initiated 5 Buddhist nuns into the Shinpiden level. We just heard that one of the nuns Usui Sensei taught may still be alive in Japan today.

In her book, 'Reiki - Hawayo Takata's Story' (ISBN. 0-944135-06-4), Helen Haberly writes:
"Before she left Tokyo she asked Dr. Hayashi one question which had been bothering her. In all those months at the clinic she had never encountered one poor person - no shabby patients, no laborers - so she asked if he refused to treat such people. He laughed replying, that since this was a very good question, he would answer it. He told her that all those who entered his door were upper class, even titled, people of wealth, education, and intelligence. When they were ill, they could afford the best doctors and the best hospitals, but they sought more than surgery and drugs. They had Reiki consciousness, so they came to him. The others did not have this understanding, and when illness occurred, they thought the need was for hospitals and doctors and nurses. If called, he would go, no matter how poor they were, but their beliefs were different, so they did not accept him and this drugless treatment. He also assured her when she became an experienced practitioner, she, too, would find this to be so."

A few weeks after Takata went back to Hawaii; Dr. Hayashi and his daughter arrived and stayed until February 1938.

1938 – February 21st, Hayashi officially conferred the title of Reiki Master to Takata. She became a Reiki Teacher or Shinpiden. On the certificate it states the name of the system several times including: 'Usui system of Reiki healing', 'Usui Reiki system of drugless healing' and 'Dr. Usui's Reiki system of healing'. The first one would be 'Usui Shiki Reiki Ryoho', second 'Usui Reiki Ryoho' and third 'Dr. Usui's Reiki Ryoho'; this coming from my limited understanding of Japanese. Here is a translation of words: 'Usui' = 'mortar + well', 'Reiki' = 'spiritual energy', 'Ryoho' = 'healing method or healing system, therapy, remedy, cure', and 'Shiki' = 'style, ceremony, rite, method, system, form'. It does not refer to Hayashi Shiki Ryoho (Hayashi style healing method) or only the words Usui Shiki Ryoho (Usui Style Healing Method); the word Reiki was used in all cases.

Ms. Chiyoko Yamaguchi a teacher and founder of 'Jikkiden Reiki', learned what she refers to as Hayashi-Shiki Reiki Ryoho (Hayashi style Reiki Healing Method) from Dr. Hayashi. She claims that she teaches exactly what she learned from Hayashi Sensei; - Shoden and Okuden are taught during a 5 day workshop and Teacher level one month later. She does not refer to the teacher level as Shinpiden because she does not think Hayashi Sensei called it by that name. The certificate Hayashi Sensei issued to her had the name Hayashi Reiki Ryoho Kenkyu-kai (Research Center) on it. In the book 'The Reiki Healing' by Fuminori Aoki (master of Reido Reiki) Ms. Yamaguchi is quoted as saying, "I am not sure but it can be possible that Hayashi's teaching method was different between teaching in his clinic in Tokyo and going out of Tokyo to teach". Ms. Yamaguchi's brother invited Hayashi to their town where about 20 students attended a 5 day Shoden and Okuden class. The cost was approximately $5,000 US per student in currrent dollars. It is believed that Ms. Yamaguchi's brother paid her tuition, she was 17 at the time. Hayashi returned to give advanced training and gave permission to teach Reiki, although he did not designate the title of "Shinpiden" to them. She also said that she was not taught any formal hand positions. Note to the Student of Reiki: The information in the 1928 article seems to coincide with the information above from Ms. Yamaguchi, however it appears that the information in the article is talking only about Shoden. 5 days at 1 1/2 hours per day is only 7 1/2 hours, long enough to learn Shoden (IMHO) but not long enough to learn Okuden also. Takata Sensei is known to have been attending a Shoden (Leiki) class December 10, 1935 according to her diary and attended an Okuden class in 1937 before she left for Hawaii. Perhaps Hayashi Sensei changed his methods by the time Yamaguchi Sensei took her training with him in 1938 or perhaps he would teach each student according to their ability to perceive subtle energy as it seems they do in the Gakkai. Also consider that in the 1936 diary entry, Mrs. Takata stated that she was going to receive Shinpi Den (Master level) from Hayashi Sensei, so he did call Master level by that name when Takata Sensei took her training. On Mrs. Takata's certificate, Hayashi Sensei called the system he taught in February 1938, the Usui Reiki system, he did not call it Hayashi Shiki (system) Reiki or Ryoho. Others who took training with Hayashi Sensei however, may have referred to the system as Hayashi Shiki Ryoho (Hayashi Style Healing Method).

1940 – May 10th, Chujiro Hayashi took his own life. Hayashi Sensei had attuned at least 14 Reiki Masters. Tatsumi-San (b. ? – d. 1996) one of Hayashi’s last Shinpiden students, never taught Reiki publicly. Mrs. Hayashi continued to teach Reiki in Japan following the passing of her husband, Mrs. Takata (13th Shinpiden student) spread Reiki in the West and Mrs. Yamaguchi continues to teach Reiki Ryoho in Japan today.

 

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