Where does Reiki originate from?
The Usui system of Reiki was founded by Usui Mikao in Japan in the
early 1900's and was likely to have been inspired by a national search
for inner
connectedness and meaningful spirituality at a time when Japan was
experiencing a change in it’s social foundations.
Usui Mikao was born a Tendai Buddhist in 1865 in the village of
Taniai (now called Miyama cho) in the Yamagata county of the Gifu
Prefecture in Japan. Usui's family was hatamoto samurai - a high level within the ranks
of samurai. He become a lay Tendai priest called a zaike and began
his teachings as a spiritual practise for himself, eventually passing
this information on to others for their own self practise.
Usui’s method appears not to have been to teach new things, but rather
to help practitioners to break down their accumulated old patterns and
‘bad habits’. In this way practitioners would gradually discover their
true nature and realise that inherently each human is the keeper of all
the knowledge that he or she requires.
The basic premise of this method is that healing exists within each
person, not outside and therefore the essence of the teachings is self
practise. The ultimate healing tool is the practitioner’s own dedication
to healing the self: another can never give this depth of healing. It
is believed that the aim of these teachings was to provide a
method for students to achieve enlightenment.
At the time of his death in 1926 at age 62 a little more than
2,000 people had became students of Usui’s teachings. There are said to
have been 21 teachers according to Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai member, Doi
Hiroshi, one of whom was Hayashi Chujiro.
Hawayo Takata was one of 13 students of Hayashi Chujiro. She was
a first generation American born to Japanese immigrant parents who
lived in Hawaii.
On a trip to Japan, Hawayo Takata studied with Hayashi Chujiro from
1936 to 1938 and was the first to bring Hayashi Chujiro's teachings to
the West. Before she died in 1980 she had 22 Reiki Masters to carry on
her teachings.
It was only when the system arrived in the West that the term Reiki
was given to the system. In the West the word Reiki is understood to mean both the energy used
in the system of Reiki as well as representing the energy itself.
Over the last century the name Reiki has grown as the system has
spread around the globe. The pleasure that millions across the planet
have derived from Reiki itself is inspiring.
Source: The International House of Reiki
To read more about the life and times of Usui Mikao and the history
of the Usui system of Reiki please visit The International House of
Reiki click here
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The Five Reiki Precepts
The Five Reiki Precepts were developed by Usui to
add spiritual balance to Usui Reiki. Their purpose is to help people
realise that healing the spirit by consciously deciding to improve
oneself is a necessary part of the Reiki healing experience. In order
for the Reiki healing energies to have lasting results, the client must
accept responsibility for his or her healing and take an active part in
it. Therefore, the Usui system of Reiki is more than the use of the
Reiki energy. It must also include an active commitment to improve
oneself in order for it to be a complete system. The ideals are both
guidelines for living a gracious life and virtues worthy of practice
for their inherent value.
They are the very core of Usui Reiki - the Precepts themselves are
"The secret method to invite happiness and miraculous medicine to cure
all
diseases"
The Five Reiki Precepts
Just for today,
Do not anger
Do not worry
Be humble
Be honest in your work
Be compassionate to yourself and others
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your heart and chant these words with your mouth
Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind
The founder, Usui Mikao
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