The Traditional Reiki Story
Evidence indicates this story is a myth used primarily to justify a profit-motive in Western (Takata) Reiki.
- Mikao Usui was principle of the Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan in the mid 1800's.
- He was also a christian minister.
- His students wanted to be shown the method by which Jesus healed.
- Unable to answer them, Usui began a ten year quest to find and learn the skill.
- Christian authorities in Japan told him this healing was not talked about, and definately not known.
- Buddhist monks told him that the techniques had been lost, and that the only way to approach them was by entering the Buddhist teachings, the Path to Enlightenment.
- Usui then travelled to the United States, where he lived for seven years.
- Recieving no further answers from christians here, he entered the University of Chicago Divinity School, and recieved a Doctor of Theology degree studying comparative religions and philosophies. He also learned to read sanskrit.
- Still finding no answers, he returned to Japan and lived in a Zen Buddhist monastery.
- Here he found texts describing the healing formula, written in Sanskrit.
- The material did not include information on how to activate the energy and make it work.
- He then went to Mount Koriyama in Japan to meditate, fast, and pray.
- On the 21st day he was struck by a projectile of light, and was shown the Reiki symbols and attuned to the energy.
- Walking down the mountain, he experienced what is traditionally known as the four miracles. He stubbed his toe and healed it, ate a full meal after a 21 day fast and suffered no ill effects, healed a woman's toothache, and healed a severe arthritis attack that the director of his monastary had.
- He named the healing energy Reiki, which means Universal Life Force Energy.
- Usui then took the method to the slums of Kyoto and lived there for several years, doing healing in the beggars quarters and asking the healed only to start a new life for themselves.
- Finding the same faces returning again and again, he grew angry and left the slums, vowing never again to teach Reiki for free, as healing is often unappreciated by those who are not willing to pay for it.