Reiki History Vol 2

8/14/2019 Reiki History Vol 2

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http://www.aetw.org

History of Reiki, Vol. 2- miscellaneous research

by

James Deacon

[Version 1.00]Copyright 2002-7 James Deacon

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_________________________________James Deacons REIKI PAGES - w w w . a e t w . o r g

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MEIJI, USUI & SHUGENDO:The Meiji Restoration, State Shintoism, Buddhism, Mikao Usui, the 'Kantoku' traditions of

Shugendo... oh, and last but not necessarily least, Hase Yoshio!Copyright 2002-4 James Deacon

In 1868, Prince Mutsuhito (1852-1912) became the 122nd Emperor of Japan, taking thename Meiji (meaning: "enlightened government"). The accession of this Emperor to thethrone marked the beginning of a national modernising process referred to as 'The MeijiRestoration'.

Meiji was the first emperor to live in Tokyo - as opposed to the old, traditional imperialcapital - Kyoto. And, while he would eventually come to exert considerable influence inthe governing of Japan, Meiji's primary role was as a symbol of national unity - as a'figure head'. It was actually his ministers who dealt with the business of governing thecountry. However, it has been said that his 'figure head' presence was essential - that itgave the new government an aura of legitimacy - something it desperately needed inorder to undertake its planned modernising transformation of Japan - which, amongst

other things, included the implementation of a new authoritarian form of state religion tobe known as State Shinto - a state religion which had Meiji, as Emperor, at its centre.

Historically, the indigenous religion of Shinto, also known as 'Kami No Michi' (The Wayof the 'Kami' or Numinous Beings), had been of central importance in Japanese culturesince the earliest times, its pervasiveness being due in part to its ability to coexisthappily with other faiths, Buddhism in particular. In fact, from the 8th century onwards,the Japanese people had reconciled Shinto and Buddhism to such a degree thatBuddhist temples were built within Shinto shrine precincts and Buddhist priests wereentrusted with the running of Shinto shrines. This conciliation had been made possiblethanks to the emergence of a syncretic doctrine known as: 'Ryobu Shinto' [or:'HonjiSuijaku'], which - essentially by initially equating the Kami Spirit-Beings with Buddhist

Deities (i.e. Buddhas & Boddhisatvas, etc), enabled the followers of one faith tolegitimately venerate the other faith's Divine Beings as alternative manifestations of theirown. This popular synthesis prospered, and was typified by wandering 'Yamabushi'(mountain priests), itinerant practitioners of 'Shugendo', who ministered to the peoplewith a mixture of Buddhist and Shinto rites.

The new cult of State Shinto, however, was of a more regimented variety. Under itsauspices, priests became state employees, and detailed instructions concerning therituals and doctrine of State Shinto were set out by the Ministry of Religion.

To say that Buddhism did not fare well in the early years of the Meiji Era, is perhaps anunderstatement.

Amongst other things, Shinto and Buddhism were officially separated by decree.Buddhism was, severely 'downgraded' with Buddhist statuary ordered to be removedfrom Shinto shrines, Buddhist rituals which had previously been performed by theimperial household were abolished - infact, all traces of Buddhism were purged from theimperial household.Curbs on Buddhism gave rise to iconoclastic outbreaks; the government revoked allranks and privileges enjoyed by the Buddhist hierarchy, the state confiscated all landsbelonging to Buddhist temple; and across japan, a great many temples were simplydestroyed. The Buddhist priesthood was regarded as a deterrent to the National


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modernising process, and while many priests were forced out, some voluntarilyconverted to become state employed officials at Shinto Shrines. The doctrine of Suijakuwas annulled, and the Shugendo tradition of the Yamabushi was proscribed by the newregime as being an unacceptable hybrid.

Shugendo has two main branches: Honzan-ha and Tozan-ha, these being affiliated with

the Tendai and the Shingon schools of Mikkyo Buddhism, respectively. Translating as'the way of cultivating psychic and spiritual powers', Shugendo is a tradition involving thepractice of strict ascetic mystical disciplines including fasting, isolation, meditation (oftenunder waterfalls), and the use of incantation and mudra-like techniques to achieve'Kantoku'(- illuminating visionary mystical states) and to gain spiritual empowerment.These severe austerities, coupled with various rites of initiation, imbue the Yamabushiwith shamanic-like powers of healing, exorcism, clairsentience, and mastery over bothintense heat and extreme cold (fire and ice).Pilgrimage round various holy mountains & their temple shrines is also an importantfeature of Shugendo, with the Yamabushi priests commonly having links with a specificmountain and its deity. Such mountains are held to be places of great supernatural

power - 'power spots' - described by many Japanese shamanic practitioners as being'usui' -places where the veil between this world and the world of the spirit is thin (usui=thin)

It has been remarked on several occasions that the account of Reiki's founder MikaoUsui - a follower of Tendai (- though some suggest he was Shingon) - journeying aroundJapan from temple to temple in his quest to find healing knowledge, and undertaking a21 day fast on Mount Kurama (itself an ancient Yamabushi stronghold), culminating in avisionary experience or Kantoku, may in fact be an account of a man undergoing aShugendo discipline. [It is also quite possible that whilst undertaking various Shugendodisciplines, Mikao Usui had received empowerments / attunements (- possibly not thatdissimilar to Reiki Reiju) in the form of blessings from Mikkyo Buddhist Priests]

Mikao Usui's story is certainly not unique - even amongst the founders of other modern-day healing traditions and 'new religions' in Japan, similar themes can be found. Forexample, the experience of Hase Yoshio, founder of the healing sect 'Reiha no HikariKykai':Having been sickly since childhood, Hase Yoshio was suffering from tuberculosis,pleurisy, and after surgery for an intestinal condition, his doctor had told him he wasunlikely to survive more than a month.In the time he had left, he decided go on a religious quest.Hase said goodbye to his family, and, dressed in white (signifying that he had becomean ascetic), left the city of Takamatsu and climbed to the summit of Gokenzan Yama,where, he sequestered himself in a small hut. Lining up twenty-one stones to count the

days, he sat in perpetual meditation, discarding one of the stones each day.The day came when there was only a single stone remaining, and on this day, Haseexperienced a spiritual phenomenon. He became aware of the voice of god, and thevoice said, "Be the messenger of god and walk the path of god." As the voice spoke tohim, Hase was transfixed - unable to move - as if he were tied down; and suddenly, allthe terrible pain that had crippled him for so long mysteriously dissipated. And in time hishealth recovered fully.

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Reijutsu, Hand-Healing, 'New Religions' & Reiki in early 20thC JapanCopyright 2002 James Deacon

A number of people seem to be under the misapprehension that Usui Sensei wassomehow responsible for what has been referred to as a 'revival' of Healing-hand

practices in early 20th century Japan.

However, such healing practices had been quite common in Japan for many centuriesand there is no reason to believe they had fallen into decline during the Meiji era.

In fact, it is known that many and varied forms of hand-healing practices existed duringUsui Sensei's lifetime.

'Teate' (hand/palm healing) systems had long existed (and continue to exist today) within the martial disciplines, for example: the various schools of Ninpo (Ninjitsu) andtraditional Bujutsu schools such as Katori Shinto Ryu, and I believe, Yagyu Ryu - theJujutsu/Kenjutsu discipline believed to have been studied by Usui Sensei himself.

And, outside of martial arts circles, there also existed several teate practices utilising aform of vital life-force energy referred to as:'seiki'.

seiki

Various forms of seikihealing practice [not to be confused with the modern 'Seiki Soho'healing] had been around since at least the Edo period and some practitioners werecertainly active around the time Usui Sensei was teaching Reiki.

For example, we know of one Seiki therapy group: the seiki ryoho kenkyu jo(SeikiTreatment Institute / Research Establishment) which was definitely active in the late1920's.

Also, Traditional Japanese Medicine (essentially Traditional Chinese Medicine with aname-change) included 'Ki-jutsu' techniques (which would later also be referred to as 'ki-ko' techniques) - originally believed to have been derived from Qi Gung Hand Healing.

It has been said that Usui-sensei was a member of a 'group' called Reijutsu Kai, whichwere met near Mount Kurama.However, during the early part of the 20th century, Reijutsu wasn't just a 'group' - rather,it was quite a large, flourishing 'movement'. It would seem that what Usui-sensei

belonged to was a local Association (Kai) of which there were apparently a great manyin the Reijutsu movement. A Shinto-related phenomenon, amongst Reijutsu's aims wasthe improvement of health of the nation. Reijutsu made use of a variety of healingmethods including Reiki-like 'laying-on-of-hands' and healing through religious rituals.The Reijutsu movement became quite prominent, and practitioners even travelled toMongolia and gave lectures on their techniques to Chinese. (As a result, it is said,elements of Reijutsu found their way into Chinese Qi Gung practices.)


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Then, there were (even in Usui's day) countless 'folk practitioners' - including membersof the supposedly suppressed Shugendo cults, who utilised hand-healing (admittedly inconjunction with exorcism, prayer and other esoteric practices).

And a great many of the spiritual groups, often referred to as: 'new religions' (shinkoshukyo) or 'new religious groups', which existed in Usui's time, were essentially 'healing

sects', several of which had materialised around a charismatic 'founder' who haddeveloped or 'received' healing powers.

This last fact brings us to an interesting point:

Hawayo Takata taught the system known as Usui Shiki Ryoho - or as it is morecommonly called: 'Reiki'.

Until relatively recently, it was understood that Usui Shiki Ryoho was identical to thesystem conceived, developed, practiced and taught by Usui Sensei in the 1920's.

However, if we are to accept the validity of the newly emerging information concerning

the origins of Reiki, it seems that many of us will have to revise our understanding as towhat exactly Usui Sensei's system was.

It is currently being implied that (- rather than being a purely therapeutic modality,) whatUsui Sensei originally founded and developed was essentially a spiritual-philosophicalsystem involving elements of Buddhist and Shintoist belief - a system 'for theimprovement of body and soul' - that is, a system primarily focussing on self-development, but one which also incorporated a self-healing element.

If this is in fact the case, then in effect, what Usui Sensei created was a spiritual orphilosophical 'way' - which to a certain extent - could be said to fall within the above-mentioned category of 'Spiritual Groups/New Religious Groups'.

According to some, Usui Sensei did not actually give his system a name; yet others sayit was known as Usui-do (the 'do' part of the name implying a philosophical/spiritualpath), or as 'Usui-teate' (Usui Hand/Palm Healing' - from which we can assume that,albeit primarily a spiritual system, it did indeed include a 'therapeutic modality'component).

[ The Reiki Precepts / Principles, however, speak of the system as: 'Usui Reiki Ryoho'.]

It is of course possible that the names 'Usui-do' and 'Usui-teate' were given to thesystem by Usui Sensei's students, who, it seems, did not know or use the name 'Reiki'.(One source seemed to have a vague recollection about how the term Reiki had been

used by Usui Sensei in the context of some form of respect for his ancestors) **

After Usui Sensei's death in 1926, 'Usui-do' / 'Usui-teate' - i.e. Usui Sensei's originalspiritual system - seems to have gradually been ousted from the newly evolving andexpanding 'Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai' - who moved the emphasis more towards personalhealingthrough Reiki.However, a number of his most senior students saw to it that Usui-do / 'Usui-teate'continued.


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And, alongside Usui-do / -teate' and the 'Gakkai system, other new expressions of thesystem also evolved, the primary ones being - so we are told:- a hand/palm healing modality: 'Eguchi te-no-hira Ryoji' (developed by Toshihiro Eguchi- a friend and student of Usui Sensei, and incorporating elements of Usui-do )and the version developed by Hayashi Sensei in 1931 as: Hayashi Reiki Ryoho

It is from Hayashi Reiki Ryoho that Takata Sensei's ' Usui Shiki Ryoho' evolved.

________

NOTES

**

[Many of the 'new religious'/spiritual groups' (- which generally tended to incorporate elementsfrom Shinto and Buddhist teachings -) came into being as a result of their founders undergoingeither mystical visionary experiences of, or indeed actual possession by, Kami (numinousbeings), or sometimes, by Ancestral Spirits.Now, while many people may view Usui Sensei's 'Reiki Experience' on Mount Kurama in terms ofmystical connection with an abstract 'Spiritual Universal Energy' , it may be of interest to note thatthe term 'Reiki' is sometimes translated as: Ancestral Spirit.]

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USUI SENSEI'S TRAINING CENTRE & STATE SCRUTINYCopyright 2007 James Deacon

The Meiji-era had been a time of unprecedented change, upheaval (and instability) inJapan - a time of rapid growth and modernization.

"For the good of the nation" the Meiji Government had recognized a need to monitor andregulate the activities of all group and organizations (political, social, & spiritual), lestthey disseminate 'dangerous thoughts' - ideas in any way conflicting with, or critical of,the official views and doctrines of the State.

Though, this 'big brother' style approach was not really anything new; rather - particularlyin relation to spiritual/religious groups - it was in many ways simply a continuation ofpolicies implemented during the pre-restoration eras. (For example the Genroku periodhas seen the forceful prohibition of "new doctrines & deviant sects")

Laws passed during the Meiji era required that the tenets and principles of allspiritual/religious groups must in no way contradict (or even appear to contradict) thedoctrines of the Imperial Cult ('State Shinto') central to which was a belief in the divinityof the Emperor, and the veneration of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu.

Conformity to the State ethos was seen as paramount, and this focus on the preventionof 'Thought Crime' was a trend that continued into and throughout the reign of Meiji'ssuccessor: the Emperor Taisho.

For example, in 1925, the Taisho Government passed the Chian Iji Ho(PeacePreservation Law/ Public Security Act), primarily with the intent of stemming the spreadof Socialist thought. However this Law was also implemented to control the growth andactivities of religious and spiritual groups - both large and small.

All such groups had to be legally approved by the Bureau of Religion - a department ofthe Ministry of Education.

Groups that did not achieve legal sanction -i.e. did not achieve the status of officiallyrecognized organizations - were viewed with high levels of suspicion and held in greatcontempt by the authorities.

In many cases, deemed ruiji shky('quasi/pseudo-religious organizations') theseunsanctioned groups fell under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry and were subjectedto persistent police monitoring and frequent, rigorous, inspection and scrutiny.

It is quite likely that a spiritually-orientated group such as Usui-sensei's would have beenclassified as ruiji shky...

We are told that in Apr 1922 Usui-Sensei opened his first training centre in Harajuku,Aoyama, Tokyo.


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Over the next two years, the number of people studying with Usui-sensei grew to theextent that in Feb 1924 Usui-Sensei moved his Centre to larger premises in Nakano.

The fact that this group was increasing in number was presumably carefully noted by theauthorities.

As the group continued to grow this would have led to greater interest from officials atthe Home Ministry.

We know from the Memorial Stone in the Saihoji Temple graveyard that Usui-sensei'sfame had spread far and wide, and this would no doubt have been a cause ofconsiderable concern for the authorities, who would need to be reassured that therewere no elements of Usui-sensei's teachings which might be deemed to be in any waycritical of, or contrary to, official State doctrine.

We are also told that in 1925, about twenty Officers of the Imperial Navy (including 2Admirals) joined Usui-sensei's Centre - that it was under theirinfluence that the chantingof gyoseipoetry - penned by the Meiji Emperor - first began to be used at the start of the

meetings; and that within days of their arrival, there was a sudden shift in the nature andstructure of the training being provided at the Centre.

This sounds as if the Centre was actually being taken overby the Naval Officers?

Had they perhaps been assigned the task of 're-aligning' the activities, aims andobjectives of the Centre?

And perhaps also, been tasked with discovering ways in which Usui-sensei's skills,teachings and training (like that of many others) could be 'appropriated' for the greatergood of the State?

[to be continued]

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USUI-SENSEI: A SAMURAI CONNECTIONWas Mikao Usui reallydescended from the fabled Chiba clan?

[Copyright 2006 James Deacon]

Usui-sensei's family tomb stands in a graveyard at the Jodo shu (Pure Land sect) Saihoji

Temple, Tokyo.

On a plinth in front of the tomb there is a stone displaying a monor family crest: acrescent moon (its 'horns' almost extending to form a complete circle) with a 'star'[actually a small circle] between it points.

A 'moon-star' monis familiar throughout Japan as being the emblem of the famoussamurai clan: the Chiba.*

So does this mean Usui-sensei was of Chiba samurai ancestry? Well, so we are led tobelieve.

Afterall, on the memorial stone standing to the side of the family tomb, it states that oneof Usui-sensei's ancestors was Tsunetane, who was indeed a member of the Chiba clan[though, some who claim 'insider knowledge' tell us that Usui-sensei's ancestor was not

TsunetaneChiba, but rather one Tsuneyasu, a son of TsunekaneChiba** - but a Chibanone-the-less]

Yet to date, neither I nor anyone else (unless someone is holding out on us) hasmanaged to uncover any documentary evidence [by this, I mean externalsubstantiation/verification - official records, etc - or for that matter, any form ofdocumentary evidence notdirectly originating within the 'Reiki community'] to support theclaim of Usui-sensei's Chiba lineage - via either Tsunetane orTsuneyasu.

And further, to the best of my knowledge, to date no one else researching the History ofReiki / Life of Usui-sensei has managed to discover any official records even connectinghimwith either the Chiba clan, or with the Usui family which was partof Chiba.

Yes, there was a Usui family who were important members of the Chiba clan - some saythey were named after either Usui Castle or Usui City, some say the castle/city werenamed after the family - but either way that does not necessarily 'prove' that Usui-senseiwas actually of that particularUsui family.

For that matter, we cannot even be certain that Usui-sensei was actually borna Usui

You see, under the Tokugawa Shogunate (pre 1868 and the Meiji restoration), only theruling/warrior classes (i.e. Nobles and Samurai) classes had the right to use a surname,and for that matter, the right to wear a sword.Though it was not unknown for the Shogunate to permit certain gono- 'wealthypeasants' the right to both use a surname and wear a sword (- for a hefty financialconsideration, of course).But generally, common people were only allowed a personalname.Where necessary, to distinguish one from another, commoners would be identified interms of their place of origin, e.g: "Kenji from Taniai village"; or alternatively, as 'son of


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so-and-so', e.g. "Fuji, son of Toshihiro", whose offspring would in turn be "X, son of Fuji",and so on, thus preventing the commoners from gaining a clearly defined familiallineage.

However, after the Meiji restoration, it was decreed that (as part of themodernisation./Westernisation process) allJapanese citizens should assume a

surname.As a result, a greater part of the population who had, prior to Meiji era, no familial name,suddenly gained one.Some people took the name of their place of birth or residence as their surname, somesimply made up names, or chose names with pleasant associations.Others - hoping to gain varying degrees of prestige and advantage for themselves andfuture generations, assumed the surnames of famous figures from history.

Many simply took the name of the samurai clan that had previously ruled over them andtheir ancestors

Without documentary evidence, we cannot be certain if the founder of the Reiki systemwas of noble or samurai lineage, was of gonoancestry, or if, just like millions of otherordinary Japanese folk, his surname had simply been assumed by his father in responseto Imperial decree

Part of the problem is that, in order to uncover documentary evidence concerning Usui-sensei's ancestry, we need some official documentation concerning Usui-sensei himself.And, as of the time of writing, we have not discovered any reliable sources - no officialrecord of his birth or death, his marriage, the birth or death of his children, etc. (we onlyhave what we can learn from the inscriptions at the family tomb)

As a result of the Meiji Government's "Proclamation of the Great Doctrine in 1870, everyJapanese citizen was required to register at their local Shinto Shrine; and again, I amunaware if even any record of the registration of the Usui family itself (i.e this specificUsui family) has been discovered.

(The closest we get is a rumour of some or other inscription at the shrine in the village ofTaniai - where, we are told, Usui-sensei was born - apparently stating that a familynamed Usui funded the construction of the shrine's Torii Gate)

Obviously, research efforts aren't helped by the fact that a lot of official records were nodoubt destroyed in the devastating fire-bombing of Tokyo during WWII, but as Kyoto didnot suffer the same horrific level of destruction, one would hope there is still the

possibility of some documentary evidence relating to Usui-sensei's birth/early life beinguncovered in the future.


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________NOTES*Where the mondisplayed at the Usui grave-site has the crescent 'leaning' as it were slightly tothe left (as one looks at it), the Chiba emblem commonly sits 'upright' - the 'star' is centre top. [Ihave also seen this 'upright' version attributed to the Itosamurai clan] .

**Tsuneyasu was apparently the thirda son of Tsunekane, so his own offspring would constitute aside-branch of the family. This in itself could perhaps explain why the monat Usui-sensei's graveis not the regular Chiba crest; the slightly rotated version signifying a lineal offshoot. (At present,this is simply a theory. I have not as yet had the opportunity to research this fully)

It is also quite possible is that there is actually no connection at allbetween the Chiba crest andthe mon displayed at the Usui grave. [edit 27/11/06: Just recently I have been informed that thelatter emblem may be associated with yet another samurai clan: the Obu - but this has yet to beconfirmed or denied]

Chiba mon monat Usui grave-site

The 'moon-star' crest and Myoken Bosatsu, some notes:

The 'moon-star' crest (as used by the Chiba) was originally (and still is) the emblem of MyokenBosatsu, that is, the Bodhisattva Myoken.

During the Heian period, Myoken was adopted as tutelary deity of the Chiba clan, and along withthe bosatsu, they also adopted the 'moon-star' crest as their mon. (It seems this adoption was inrecognition that Myoken had afforded protection in battle to one of the Chiba-clan ancestors). It isinteresting to note that the crest, as it appears in the roof-edge decorations on Chiba Castle, hasan additional element - a diamond-cross in the centre (but this is a decorative feature, not part ofthe monitself).

Whilst commonly referred to as a Bosatsu, Myoken (originally an Indian deity: Sudrsti) is moreproperly a ten- a deity of non-Buddhist origin.

Myoken is the deity associated with the Polaris (aka the Pole Star, or North Star) and the 'BigDipper'/'Great Bear' constellation, both of which (star and constellation) have been essential forships navigators. For this reason, Myoken has been worshipped - by sailors, merchants andothers who rely on the sea for their livelihood - as the Bosatsu of safe voyage.

This deity is also considered to generally bring luck and prosperity, and to afford protection fromfires,


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As well as being an apotropaic deity (one capable of averting or combating evil), Myoken - the"keen-sighted" or "wondrous seeing"- is also considered a healing deity, and is specificallyassociated with the prevention/healing of diseases of the eyes.

Myoken (some times depicted as male, sometimes female) is also said to have the power toincrease ones lifespan

Myoken is strongly associated with the Nichiren sect. One legend states the reason for this beingthat that Myoken once appeared to the founder Nichiren; however another view is that Myoken-worship only became significant in Nichiren afterthe Chiba clan became followers of the sect.

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REIKI IN JAPAN BEFORE 1985- a New Perspective

Copyright 2007 James Deacon

In 1985, New York journalist and Reiki teacher, Mieko Mitsui travelled to Japan with the

intent of doing some research into Reiki's origins.

While there she began teaching classes in a particular style of Reiki (a modified andaugmented version of Usui Shiki Ryoho, as taught by one of Takata-sensei's students:Barbara Ray), and as a result, could be said to have been single-handedly responsiblefor sparking a 'Reiki Revival' in Japan

Yet beyond introducing the Japanese to this particular style of Reiki, Mitsui also reportedthat she had made contact with other, pre-existing Reiki Practitioners in Japan, andapparently had herself received some training from at least one of them.

The presence of these Reiki practitioners was naturally taken as proof by Mitsui that

Reiki had not died out in Japan, as had previously been believed.

Mitsui is commonly hailed as being the first person to re-introduce Reiki from the West toJapan - however there is one fact that she and many others are clearly unaware of

What follows is an extract from a recording of a talk given by Takata-sensei at the TrinityMetaphysical Center, in Redwood, California in 1976:

"I took Reiki outof Japan.Last year I went back and I gave them the first degree, and they are just crying forthe second degree this year, so I am going back again.

Next year, I shall go back to Japan and create ten Teachers.And this is the way I'm going to returnReiki, back to Japan.There will be Reiki Centres in Japan, and Masters there, and they will take care ofall the necessity and they will have many, many Reiki students; and so, I do nothave to go again.And so next year to Japan will be my last trip.So, I will spend many months there"

That Takata-sensei had re-introduced level one Reiki to Japan in 1975 may come as agreat surprise to many.

However, it seems Takata-sensei never got the opportunity to return again to Japan, asshe had intended, to teach levels twoand three[1]

The reasons behind this are not clear, but possibly can be put down to health.

While, at the time, the information had not been revealed to her students, it lateremerged that, sometime in 1975, Takata-sensei had had a heart attack, so after this shewas probably less inclined to travel overseas...


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Yet, levels two and three aside, the simple fact that Takata-sensei hadinitiated anumber (how many exactly is unknown) of level one Reiki practitioners in Japan - tenyears before Mitsui's visit, is in itself a revelation which, I feel could, impact significantlyupon the so-called 'new' history of Reiki:

Surviving Original Students of Usui-sensei's teachings?

Back in the late '90's that we began to hear rumours about a small group of very elderlyJapanese men and women.

It was claimed they were some of the originalstudents...

- that what they had been taught was something different from the Reiki as introduced toJapan by Mieko Mitsui

- that what they had been taught had not even been calledReiki

- that the methods and practices they had been taught did not include the use of theReiki Symbols

- that they had not even been shownthe Reiki Symbols

- in many cases, didn't even know of the Symbols' existence...

Well of course it ispossible that these people were some of the originalstudents

- not students taught by Usui-sensei, but rather originalLevel 1 students, taught byTakata-sensei in 1975

- the system taught by Takata-sensei wassomething different from the Reiki asintroduced to Japan by Mieko Mitsui[as mentioned above, the form of Reiki introduced by Mitsui had been modifiedandaugmentedby Barbara Ray]

- and of course the system taught by Takata-sensei was notcalled "Reiki"[but rather: "Usui Shiki Ryoho"]

- and as for the Reiki Symbols:

well of coursethe methods and practices they had been taught did not include the use ofthe Reiki Symbols

- in those days, Level 1 students did not get to seethe Reiki Symbols

- in most cases, Level 1 students probably wouldn't even know that there wereany ReikiSymbols

- the Reiki Symbols were a secret, not to be revealed to students until Level 2 [2]


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Just imagine the scenario, if you will:

Takata-sensei reintroduces Reiki to Japan in 1975.

The small handful of Japanese students are full of gratitude - having been honoured toreceive the 'spiritual gift' that is the Reiki Initiation, and the accompanying 'first level' oftraining in this sacred art...

Diligently, they practice what they have been taught - mindfully developing their skillsand sensitivities - whilst eagerly awaiting the day when Takata-sensei will return toassess their progress, and decide if they are ready to receive the next stage in theirtraining - the second level.

But that longed-for day does not arrive.

For reasons un-beknown to the small group of Japanese students, Takata-sensei doesnotreturn.

And so they gradually come to the realisation that they are alone...

Over time, in their isolation, perhaps it is that several of these Japanese studentsbecame disheartened, perhaps even move away altogether from practice of Usui-sensei's art.

Others, of a more determined spirit, perhaps attempted to develop beyond what theyhad been taught - to move beyond the entry level teachings (referred to as the

"introductory course" by Takata-sensei).

Yet, being unaware as to what the next stage of training (the "intermediate course")actually entailed - they found themselves somewhat at a loss...

What were they to do?

It is quit feasible that [- as would happen in the West, not that many years later] some ofthese Japanese students would have sought to augment and advance their practice,understanding and perceptions by adopting/integrating elements from otherdisciplines [3], and also perhaps would have sought inspiration by drawing on meditativepractices and other elements from their own particular spiritual faiths.

These things, combined with a little 'informed guesswork' and intuition, and soon a'reconstructed' version of Usui-sensei's teachings gradually began to evolve...

But how were they to pass on the spiritual blessing - the 'Reiki gift' itself - to others?

These level 1 students were of course unaware of the true nature of the initiationprocess.It was Takata-sensei's practice to confer initiation in a darkened room; and during theproceedure the students eyes were closed. Though, even had some of these Japanese


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students (as many others in the West had done before them) given in to temptation andtried to watch from under slightly raised eyelids, what would they have seen as they satin gassho, but fleeting glimpses of Takata-sensei, moving to and fro, gesturingobscurely, at times breathing strangely - there in the electrifying, silent darkness...

Perhaps it was that in their quest for a process by which to confer the 'gift', someone

happened upon a concept found within several of the modernday spiritual groups oftencategorised as 'new religions' - a means of giving and receiving a spiritual blessing - aprocess referred to as reiju...

And so, as a result of these Japanese students, integrating what little they were aware ofconcerning the process of the originalinitiation they themselves had received, with whatthey had discovered about this other reijublessing process, a 'Reiki reiju' was born (-though something more visually akin to the seated Reiki treatmentmethod than to theoriginal, formal, initiation process Takata-sensei had used)

Also, as on eachof the four occasions they had met with Takata-sensei [the fourconsecutive evenings over which the introductory level course was held], they had

received the blessing/initiation from her, (and they had probably also been informed byher that the second level would bring with it a deepening of the connectionwith/awareness of Reiki [4],) it was not really that much of a leap for these enthusiasticJapanese students to conclude that - had their training continued as originally planned -then on everyoccasion that they met with Takata-sensei they would have alsoreceivedthis 'blessing'. [5]

And so was born the idea of the regular, ongoing, receipt of this 'Reiki gift' this spiritualgift - this reiju...

Within a very short few years after Takata-sensei's passing, Reiki in the West, had inmany cases evolved far form the specific understandings and practices as taught byTakata-sensei herself.

Imagine just how much 'Japanese Reiki' could have evolved in the ten years betweenTakata-sensei returning Reiki to Japan in 1975 and Mitsui 'rediscovering' Reiki therewhen she visited in 1985?

[To be continued...?]

_______

NOTES[1]Phyllis Furumoto has confirmed that no masters were created by her grandmother in Japan in the70's [on a related note, we know that Takata-sensei went to Japan to visit Hayashi-sensei'swidow, Chie, in the early 1950's - so it is not beyond the realm of possiblity that she may havetaught some Reiki classes there at that time.]


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[2]And even Level 2 students would probably be unaware that there was a furtherReiki Symboltaught at Level 3.The majority would be under the impression that the Reiki system only had threesymbols intotal...

[3]For example, Johrei (- which, while externallyperceived as a form of hand-healing, is moreproperly considered to be a form of spiritual purification. A means of spiritual development firstand foremost- healing being simply a side effectof the Spiritual practice)

[4][And also further methods to help facilitate changing bad habits for good, thus improving mindand body]

[5]Obviously they would have no way of knowing that it was only as part of the 'introductory' trainingthat the fourinitiations (with their connection to the 'four soul aspects') were given, and that theywould have only received onefurther initiation at each of the other two levels of training.

* * * * * * *


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REIKI-WEST MEETS REIKI-EAST:Genuine 'Japanese-lineage Reiki' or simply a

Western, 'New Age' import, redressed in Japanese clothing?Copyright 2005/6 James Deacon

The late 1970's saw the beginning of what could be described as Japan's 'New Age'boom, with a growing interest in everything from UFO's to channeling to Chinese ChiGung to magical protection to crystals to Tarot cards to dolphin-communication andTibetan chanting.

Through the 1980's and 1990's, New Age magazines such as 'My Birthday', and 'M',rapidly grew in popularity, with monthly sales reaching over a third of a million copies.The number of shops selling New Age and omajinai(magic) goods also mushroomed,as did the number and variety of New Age-related training seminars being offered acrossJapan.

Many alternative forms of healing (often imported from the West) also began to grow in

popularity...

Reiki, it seems, was one of them.

In the mid 1980's Mieko Mitsui had introduced Barbara Ray's version of Reiki to Japan -training a number of students to level 2. (And it is known that at least one of Mitsui'sstudents later travelled to the USA to undergo Alliance-style Master level training.)

Through the late 1980's and into the early 1990's, several other western Reiki teachershad temporarily visited Japan, providing training for small numbers of students.

Though it seems it was not until April 1993 that the first western Reiki teacher (Frank

Petter) set up a permanent Reiki teaching presence in Japan - offering training in allthree levels. [Petter had apparently only received his own attunement to all three levels -in Berlin - towards the end of 1992].

Yet, while there had been a growing interest in Reiki amongst the Japanese, thereseems to have been very little interest in delving into the native originsof the art.

It could be said that with all things 'New Age' related, it is - in part at least - the allure ofthe exotic, the unknown, the culturally 'other', that fuels interest in the subject - and thegrowing interest in Reiki amongst the Japanese was essentially a part of their 'New Age'scene.

It turned out that on the whole, the Japanese who were drawn to the art of Reiki - eitheras clients or as students - weren't interested in homegrownReiki - they wanted 'proper'Reiki - from America!

Of course, for those western Reiki practitioners who had had the opportunity to visitJapan, it was a very different matter. They were in, the main, eager to attempt todiscover whatever they could about native Japanese Reiki.


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And soon, several of the Japanese practitioners, who had been trained in western-styleReiki by Mieko Mitsui and others, began to find they were being contacted by growingnumbers of gaijin(foreigners) wanting to know if they alsopracticed 'Japanese-style'Reiki, or if not, if they could at least tell them something about it and how it differed fromtheir own 'western-style' Takata-lineage Reiki.

It seems that a couple of these Japanese practitioners (who had neither any actualknowledge of, nor any real interest in, native Japanese Reiki) told the gaijinwhocontacted them that the Reiki they practiced was actually a hybrid: partwestern-style,partJapanese-style.

Were they being intentionally deceitful? Well, no, not really.

In fact technically, their claims were only partlya lie - and, to the mindset of theseparticular Japanese practitioners, a 'white lie' at that.

To their way of thinking, partof what they were practicing was indeed Japanese Reiki -had not the essential coreof Reiki as introduced from the west actually originatedin

Japan? And from what was understood, the system as taught in America by Takata wasalmost exactlywhat shein turn had learnt from Hayashi in Japan.

And afterall, these gaijinhad obviously come a long distance in search of native Reiki.To be seen to be unable to help them - to have to dishearten them and turn them awayempty-handed - would have been impolite.It would have also meant a 'loss of face'.

Then, one of the English-speaking Japanese practitioners, in a genuine attempt toprovide his western 'Reiki-cousins' with some factual information, made a fortuitousdiscovery.

After a little research he had managed to uncover what he considered a really helpfulsource of Reiki-related information.

Over a period of several weeks, in several discussions with some of the gaijin, thisJapanese Reiki practitioner freely shared several - as the gaijinsaw it - 'preciousnuggets' of information concerning Chujiro Hayashi.

He told them how Hayashi and Usui had first met in a place called Shizuoka. ThatHayashi had been 45 years old at the time. He mentioned that Hayashi had previouslybeen a Commander in the Imperial Navy, but although technically retired when he metUsui, he was still part of the Naval Reserves.The Japanese practitioner also told the gaijinthat Hayashi had a wife named Chie, and

one son and one daughter. He said that Hayashi had his own clinic in Tokyo, that healso had a home there, as well as having a summer villa in Atami, near Mt. Fuji. Hefurther explained how it was at the villa, surrounded by his senior students, that Hayashihad committed suicide.The Japanese practitioner also provided them with the exact date that Hayashi endedhis life: May 10, 1940.He said that, after her husband's suicide, Chie Hayashi continued to live in their Tokyohome, and took over running his Reiki Clinic. And that apparently, Chie Hayashi was stillactually running the clinic some 14 years after Hayashi's death.


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Needless to say, the foreigners were fascinated to learn this wonderful informationconcerning Chujiro Hayashi, so graciously provided by their new-found Japanese Reikicontact.

He, in turn, was pleased that theywere pleased.

However, one wonders if they were perhaps lessappreciative when they realized theactual source of this information?

That their contact had gained allof this valuable Hayashi-related information - not as thegaijinmight possibly have imagined - from some Reiki Master in a surviving nativeJapanese lineage, but instead, from tape recordings of talks given in the 1970's inAmerica - by Takata sensei...

And there were other Japanese practitioners of imported 'Western' Reiki who foundthemselves in the awkward position of having gaijinpressing them for all sorts of otherReiki-related information.

For example, wanting to know about the particular training methods used in early'Japanese-style' Reiki, or the precise origins of the symbols, the exact meanings of theirnames; information about the initiations; Usui sensei's background, his spiritual andreligious beliefs, etc. etc.

No doubt there were those amongst them who, though not actually having the requestedinformation to share, yet at the same time not wishing to appear impolite, simply toldtheir gaijin'Reiki-cousins' what they thought they wanted to hear - albeit in somewhatvague and noncommittal terms - agreeing with assumptions, and taking cues from themany 'leading questions' that, in their overeagerness, the foreigners would certainlyhave asked. Afterall, what harm would it do?

For example, one or two 'influential' gaijinReiki Masters had begun incorporating ChiGung derived exercises into their Reiki training classes.

The primary reason for this, it seems, was in an attempt to strengthen the flow of Reikienergy, which (possibly due to various modifications made - by themseves and others -to the system as it had originally been taught by Takata-Sensei) had, in the opinion ofmany practitioners, become noticably less potent.

Was it, one wonders, sheer coincidence that in discussion with their new-foundJapanese contacts, these same gaijinwere to learn that Usui-sensei had apparently alsotaught hisstudents a set of energy-development exercises - from something called 'ki-

ko'? (Ki-ko is the Japanese pronunciation of the term 'Chi Gung')[1]

And when the gaijinbegan asking about Usui's religion - well, the foreigners themselveshad already decided that, contrary to what Mrs. Takata had claimed, Usui was not aChristian.(Now, to a great many Japanese, Shinto is not actually spoken of in terms of being a'religion,' per se)So when the gaijinasked what religionUsui practiced, well, unless he belonged to oneof the so-called 'new religions' then in all likelihood he must have been a Buddhist of


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some sort. So that is what they let the foreigners believe. Afterall, it was probablytrue -just not definitelytrue.

During the 90's, several western Reiki Masters (having completely missed the innersignificance of the use of symbols in relation to Japanese spiritual-transmissiontraditions) had decided that the symbols might not be all that necessary to the Reiki

system of healing. They had, it seems, begun to view the symbols as little more than'training wheels' - something for the novice level 2 student to work with, then discard astheir abilities developed.

How pleased they must have felt when - on sharing these opinions with their Japanesecounterparts - they were told that in Usui-sensei's original Reiki Society (which stillexisted, but perhaps conveniently wanted nothing to do with gaijinReiki practitioners),the Reiki symbols were alsono longer used [2]. Moreover, that they had not even beenpart of the original form of Usui-sensei's Reiki, but had been added at a later date -simply as a training aid for students!

And we know that in at least one instance, when someone asked a leading question

along the lines of: "Did Hayashi teach Reiki in 2 and 3-day classes like we do today?"the answer received was (predictably) in the affirmative.

And again: "Is it known if he also taught levels 1 & 2 back-to-back like we do today?" Ofcourse, in yet another attempt to please, the answer was again a 'yes'. (At the time ofanswering, this particular Japanese practitioner was obviously unaware that, as we knowfrom Takata-sensei, initialtuition for the firstlevel consisted of fourdays of training -second level tuition not being given until the student had showed progress in developingtheir skills at level one.

Also, that the concept of teaching Reiki levels back-to-back was actuallysomethingdevised by 'Independent' western Reiki Masters - but not until several years afterTakata

sensei's passing.)

And so it was that what had started out as a series of simple attempts to be polite (andfind 'face-saving' ways to respond to the requests made by honoured guests), would -further down the line - lead to much misunderstanding (as to the individuals' motivation)and also confusion (as to the 'hard facts' concerning native Japanese Reiki).

It was part of the culture - to attempt to fulfil your guests' requests - but it was alsoproper for a guest not to be too demanding.

It was impolite to have to say no - it was also impolite to (however unintentionally) force

a host into the position where they were unableto fulfil your requests - it was even worsenot to recognizethat this was what you were doing.

And many of these gaijinwere so 'blunt' - didn't seem to grasp Japanese sensibilities -always 'in your face' and (albeit unintentionally) aggressive - and, in their enthusiasm,ever pushing for more, more.

In time, many Japanese practitioners became frustrated with the seemingly endlessdemands for information they did not have. Several eventually realized they would have


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to adopt a western-like mindset response - and, at the risk of 'loss of face' - admit theywere unable to be of help their 'Reiki-cousins' from the west.

However, sad though it may be, in Reiki (both 'Western' and'Japanese'), just as in anyother area of life, there are always unscrupulous, dishonourable people willing to takeadvantage.

Several such people it seems, were quick to latch on to some of the more wide-eyed andover-trusting gaijinReiki practitioners who have ventured forth in search of the 'secrets'concerning native Japanese Reiki...

________NOTES:

[1] While ki-ko, as a New Age import, became popular in Japan from the late 1970's onward, it isunlikely that Usui-sensei would have been familiar with the name. Though it is indeed theJapanese pronunciation of the Chinese term 'Chi Gung', it seems the Chinese had only begunusing the term 'Chi Gung' to describe these particular practices some time around the 1950's.

[2] While initially it was said that the symbols were no longer used in the Usui Reiki RyohoGakkai, now it seems they are still used. It was also said they did not have names, but weresimply referred to as : Symbol 1, symbol 2, etc. Now it seems, the Gakkai does use names forthem afterall!

* * * * * * *


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Reiki History Vol 2

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