Reiki's Origin
Mikao Usui
Reiki is a healing modality first founded and utilized by Mikao Usui (1865-1926). Not much is known of Mikao’s personal life before his discovery of Reiki. Mikao was of Japanese descent and came from a traditional family. He is said to have had two brothers and one sister and was an enthusiastic learner of many things. During his life, he worked a variety of jobs before going on to teach his healing modality.
Mikao had a philosophical bent and would spend much of his time alone. During one of those times, while fasting, he is said to have experienced “…a shock in the center of his head.” (Pamela Miles, 2012)
Mikao Usui believed that working together is what caused happiness in humanity and would, therefore, refuse to allow Reiki to be kept for himself (as was customary in the Japanese tradition) or anyone else who would not share the knowledge. He believed that each of us is given a gift from the divine that unifies us making us whole and his gift was Reiki.
In the town where he lived, there were often longs lines of people outside of his home all waiting to receive his healing gifts.
Usui’s fame spread when, in September of 1923, an earthquake struck causing fires to destroy the area, leaving many homeless and injured. Mikao and his students used their abilities to provide treatment to the villagers. His popularity grew as a result, and he was soon teaching his craft to members of the Imperial Navy. His teachings began to grow as even more requests were received.
Soon Mikao was teaching Reiki all across Japan. During the few years Mikao taught, he was said to have instructed over 2000 students and trained 20 teachers.
Due to the isolation and the commencement of World War II, as well as the death of Mikao Usui, the practice of Reiki was said to either have fallen off or was used mostly in secret due to its military connection. It was a surprise to most Japanese when it was discovered that Reiki was being practiced in North America by an instructor (a former pupil of Mikao’s) named Hawayo Takata. Teachings in the Caribbean and Canada followed soon afterward.
Reiki energy is energy channeled by a certified practitioner to help open energetic channels in people with blocked channels that are thought to cause injury, illness, emotional and mental distress, and spiritual separation.
Reiki energy is the same substance that results from prayer or wishing but in a more powerful and focused way.
The universe is full of this energy in all the empty spaces and our world is full of both the positive and negative intent of this energy.
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As Reiki practitioners, our intent is to fill the void (all the empty spaces) with a positive, healing energy which is so much more powerful than the negative
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Reiki practitioners are not healers-we are channels for a Universal Source of energy. Religious faith is not associated with the practice of Reiki, however, practitioners and clients alike will often refer to this source as originating from a God familiar to them. The truth is that nobody really knows how or why Reiki works, but results are often positive.
Through the use of symbols that are used only for the focus of specific energy, practitioners direct the flow of this energy to the recipient who, through free will, allows the energy to flow through them in a way that is for their own highest good.
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If you are seriously ill or injured, you are urged to seek proper medical attention.
Reiki is NOT a replacement for proper medical attention and should not be thought of as such. It is, however, useful in conjunction with more traditional forms of medicine and can help patients and clients who, ordinarily, should not or cannot be touched (i.e. burn victims).
Reiki energy is safe and should be compared to prayer in any denomination and is as safe as wishing. When you pray, wish, or hope for something to happen, you are using the same energy. This energy is everywhere.
When people ask me what Reiki energy feels like, I tell them it feels like the energy that surrounds you on a Sunday during church or the feeling you get when you stand in front of a monument where thousands or millions of people have gathered and prayed or bowed reverently (think of the monument in the place where the twin towers stood). Feeling this energy IS different for everyone, though. Just feel certain that if you accept the energy, it will, in fact, find you and help you to heal yourself.
Namaste--meaning the light and love in me honors the light and love in you.
Susan,
Reiki Master, Practitioner, LMT.
Pamela Miles, C. P. (2012, August 11). Mikai Usui by Colin Powell. Retrieved March 26, 2016, from Reiki, Medicine and Self-Care: http://reikiinmedicine.org/popular/mikao-usui-reiki-healing/
