The History of Reiki

Reiki is a healing practice that began in Japan in the early 1900s. It was started by a man named Mikao Usui. He was born on August 15, 1865, in a small village called Taniai in Gifu Prefecture. From a young age, he was drawn to spiritual life and spent many years studying and practicing different teachings.

In 1922, Usui went to Mount Kurama near Kyoto to fast and pray. He stayed there for 21 days. During this time, he had a deep spiritual experience that changed his life. After that moment, he began to practice what we now call Reiki. He saw it as a way to help people heal in body, mind, and spirit.

Usui opened a clinic in Tokyo where he gave Reiki sessions and began teaching others. He started a group called the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai to keep the practice going. He taught many students, including a man named Chujiro Hayashi. Hayashi had served in the Japanese navy and was also trained as a medical doctor. He took what he learned from Usui and made the practice more structured so others could learn it more easily.

One of Hayashi’s students was Hawayo Takata. She was a Japanese-American woman from Hawaii. She traveled to Japan for healing and was treated with Reiki. It helped her so much that she wanted to learn it herself. She trained under Hayashi and brought Reiki back to Hawaii. In 1938, she became a Reiki Master. Takata taught Reiki all over the United States and helped it spread across the Western world. She trained 22 Reiki Masters before she passed away.

Since then, Reiki has continued to grow and evolve. There are now many different styles, but the heart of Reiki remains the same. It is about using gentle touch to channel healing energy to support balance and well-being.

Reiki is not tied to any religion. It is a simple, natural way to support healing. Many people find comfort and peace through Reiki whether they are dealing with stress, grief, illness, or just trying to reconnect with themselves.

For more information or to set up a Reiki session or schedule a Reiki class, please go to:

www.travelinglightmin.org/reiki

References:

• “Usui Mikao.” International House of Reiki. https://ihreiki.com/reiki_info/reiki_history/usui_mikao

• “An Evidence Based History of Reiki.” Reiki.org. https://www.reiki.org/articles/evidence-based-history-reiki

• “Mrs. Takata Talks About Reiki.” Reiki.org. https://www.reiki.org/mrs-takata-talks-about-reiki