Mikao Usui (called Sensei in the East and Dr. in the West) lived a dynamic spiritual life.  Upon Mt. Kurama Dr. Usui meditated for twenty-one days, and Reiki is the result.

It has been stated that on the first day of this 21 day mediation period,  he piled 21 stones and at dawn tossed one aside to mark his time. However, on the twenty first day, after tossing the last stone, he saw a beam of light coming towards him. It spoke to him and asked if he was willing to receive the healing information that the light had to offer. When he agreed, he was struck in the forehead by the wonderous beam, and he was knocked unconscious or in some sort of deep sleep.  During this time  he was shown colored bubbles with light and symbols inside.  As he focused upon them, he was enlightened of their knowledge and how to use these symbols in healing.  It was in this way that Mikao Usui was initiated into the system that he later called Reiki.    Soon, he discovered that this energy not only heals physically and emotionally, but spiritually as well.

In April, 1922, he gave his first  treatments and classes in Toyko.  He taught Reiki in three degrees: Shoden (First Teaching), Okuden (Inner Teaching) and Shinpiden (Mystery Teaching). He also created the Reiki Attunement ritual, which a Master uses to initiate a student into the Reiki energy. And from here we have the roots of modern Reiki teaching.

However, there are two main accounts of Usui’s life that should be addressed here, and depending where you have been instructed depends on which version you may have been taught.

The first account tells us he was the principal of a Christian school  and one day one of his students asked him why they hadn't heard anything of the healing methods used by Jesus Christ in their studies. The student also asked if Dr. Usui could heal like  Jesus. Being unable to answer his student Dr. Usui made a decision to give up his position at the seminary and thus began his quest.

The other account I have read suggests Dr. Usui entered a Tendai Buddhist school at the age of four.  He studied "kiko", the Japanese version of the healing discipline known as "qigong". Qigong is based on the development and use of ones own personal energy, and Usui wondered if it was possible to do healing work without depleting one's own energy. He then when in meditation for 21 days to find the answer.

Both accounts of his life are very interesting. It’s likely that when Reiki made it to the West the Buddhist roots were replaced with Christian ones. If you desire to seek more on this, you are encouraged to do so.  The fact that he discovered or rediscovered Reiki is what is important.

After coming to the West/America, Reiki has underwent some changes other than Dr Usui’s history.  Teachers, such as Mrs. Takata, began making changes in the way they taught Reiki. While some added beneficial information on other healing systems, some changes were restrictive, such as imposing high fees for training and treatments.   Some took the Third Degree and divided it into several small parts, calling each new part a new Degree and charging additional money. What’s worse is the fact that they had modified the Usui system and  not mentioned this to their  students, whom thought they were initiated into pure Usui Reiki. As such, there are now variations in Reiki, such as having more than one version of the Master symbol, and many are arguing over who has THE  authentic version of Reiki.

Dr.Usui never imposed a set of fees for Reiki instruction or healing, and often gave them free of charge. His philosophy, often called the Reiki Principles are based on  1) Don't get angry  2) Don't worry 3) Be grateful 4) Work hard and honestly 5) Be kind to others. Mostly he taught that Reiki lies within the self and can be accessed by all.

Dr. Usui gave the Master Teacher Attunement to sixteen persons, many of whom taught and thereby created Dr. Usui's lineages. But remember, no matter how many names lie in between, you are a descendant of Master Usui.

How does Reiki work?

 Reiki works with the intent of the practitioner to send healing energy and the recipient willing to receive it. Once you are attuned to Reiki, it will flow naturally once you express this intent. This is why one is able to heal and attune distantly.

Reiki flows through the affected parts of the energy field and body and infuses them with positive energy. It has the ability to neutralize and remove negativity and negative thought forms around the physical body. As such, Reiki clears, strengthens, and heals the energy pathways.

Because Reiki is guided by Universal Consciousness, it always knows what a person needs and will adjust itself without the practitioner needing to think about this. In addition, because the practitioner does not control the healing the practitioner will not absorb the illness or “bad karma” around the client. In fact, the practitioner is not actually responsible for the healing at all---rather he or she is merely a current for this energy and can not claim responsibility for the results of a session.

All energy healers use life force, otherwise known as Ki, but not everyone uses Reiki. Reiki is unique because only those attuned to it by another practitioner who has received an attunement by a Master are actually doing Reiki.  Because it is a “channeled” healing, the Reiki practitioner's energies are never depleted. In fact, the Reiki consciousness considers both practitioner and client to be in need of healing, so both receive treatment.

REIKI MYTHS ~ by Dawn Rothwell

Myth: Reiki will cure anyone of anything.

 If this were true, none of us would get sick or ever die! In reality, no one, not even a medical doctor, can make such a guarantee. We can’t abuse ourselves and think that a session or two will fix anything.  Reiki is not a substitute for good self-care, but is in fact one element of maintaining self-care. However in my personal practice I have seen where one session has reversed a condition or made radical changes.   It all depends on the underlying causes and state of mind of the client.

Myth: Reiki Masters are miracle workers.

 A Reiki practitioner acts only as a channel to bring this universal energy to a person. It is the client and the Universal energy that are ultimately responsible for the healing. A humble Reiki master knows that he or she is merely a pure conduit for this energy, but is not the energy nor responsible for the outcome.

Myth: If you haven’t been healed, the healer must be a fraud or not attuned appropriately.
Reiki can only work if the recipient is ready to receive healing. That means that the spiritual lessons associated with the illness have been learned. Also, Reiki can be a rather subtle energy, working slowly to remove layers of built up mental conditionings, neglect, and self-imposed restrictions.  To believe this is to say that doctors must be frauds because sometimes vaccines don’t work, sometimes the antibiotic doesn’t work, or because we all die.

Myth: Reiki is a religion.

Reiki is not a religion, but to many it is a way of life.   Only one component of Reiki is the healing aspect—the other aspect is the spiritual growth it offers its students. In the US, the healing aspect has been emphasized, whereas in the East it is a more spiritual system.   You can retain any religion you have, or have none at all.  It has been stated that Jesus and Buddha performed Reiki, so you are in good company.

Myth: Reiki is only for an elite few.
 Reiki is for everyone. You don't have to be the most spiritually evolved or the most intelligent person. I know of children who have been attuned, and I know of many who have attuned their pets.  Its energies are life giving to all life.

Myth: Masters who charge $10,000 for training are unethical.

While there is evidence that Mrs. Takata and other Reiki pioneers have charged this much and many Masters continue to do so, this does not mean that any instructor who does is automatically unethical or greedy..   What determines a good Reiki Master is not in the fees, but rather in the attention given to each student and client. You will have to ask a Master what the fee entails and decide with your heart who your instructor should be.

Myth: Reiki symbols are to be kept secret, not displayed or shared with laypeople.

Many healers have symbols on walls in their healing rooms, websites, published in manuals and books that all can see……and reiki is still flowing.  Since the belief is that only an attuned practitioner can use the power of these symbols, then there is no harm.  And what harm is there if non-Reiki practitioners use healing symbols?
 

Myth: Distant healings work-- but distant attunements do not.
Reiki is energy and it follows our intent. While you may prefer to receive an attunement in person for a number of reasons, if this is not possible or if you prefer to meditate and receive this gift privately, it is your choice.

Myth: It is wrong to make money with Reiki.
No, but that depends on how much money and how you are really earning it.  If lets say you are not truly a Reiki Master and you pass attunements, if you charge for a distant healing and never do it but lead the client to think so, if you advertise it as a cure all, if you sell Reiki courses or enter into barters with others but don’t hold up to your end of the deal, etc… then it is wrong ethically.  But then again, you aren’t really doing Reiki, now are you?  We must stop ourselves from passing judgment on fellow practitioners because they do things that we may not consider.  Remember, this is based on spiritual energy, and how someone does Reiki is not another’s business, as long as they are really doing Reiki.