History of Reiki

How did Reiki come to be?

First, let’s be clear of what we’re talking about.  The word Reiki is actually a conflation of two Japanese words: “rei” sometimes translated as universal (though I think "spirit" is probably a closer fit) and “ki” meaning energy.  Reiki the energy has been, and always will be, around and permeates our Universe. The practice of using Reiki energy as a healing modality was created by the Japanese long ago.  No one is really sure when or who may have started the practice of using energy to heal in Japan.  But the Usui method was created by Mikao Usui (1865-1926) who studied medicine, psychology, religion, and divination as a young man. It is said that in early 1922 Usui was intent on finding his purpose in life and believed that he needed to isolate himself and fast for a long period of time in order to be enlightened of his true purpose.  So he spent 3 weeks high on a mountain fasting and meditating.  On the 21st day he was laid unconscious by a sudden burst of energy entering his head.  When he awoke, he had found his enlightened state and felt more energized than ever before even though he’d been weak from fasting. Overjoyed and wanting to share his story, he headed toward home but on his way down the mountain he stubbed his toe.  When he cradled his injured foot in his hands, a healing energy began to flow from his palms into his toe and in a short while it felt better.  He was elated that he’d been given such a gift!  Soon after he began using his new gift of healing to help family and friends ... the beginnings of a system of healing he eventually called the “Usui Reiki Ryoho” (Usui Reiki Healing Method). He found that he could use this healing energy to “attune” others and eventually taught the tradition and methods he developed to a number of students who became grandmasters of Usui Reiki Ryoho.  After World War II the practice of Reiki was Westernized a bit (presumably to make it more palatable to Americans) and around 1980 began to be more widespread in the US.  Today there are a number of different Reiki methods being taught.  Some have their roots in Usui’s methods but many do not and very few are true to Usui Reiki Ryoho.  This is one of the reasons why I refer to my methods as a “Western Usui Tradition”.