History of Reiki

Reiki, as it is practiced today, dates back to the teachings of Mikao Usui in Japan in the early 1920's.

Usui's intense spiritual practices culminated in a profound revelation that led to the practice now commonly called Reiki. This realisation most likely occurred in 1922 on the last of a 21 days fasting period on Mount Kurama where he got the "enlightenment".

Usui travelled widely in Japan during the last four years of his life, offering his spiritual teachings to more than 2,000 beginning students, but training only 16 as Reiki masters. One of his master students, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, was a retired naval officer.

With Usui's blessings, Dr. Hayashi opened a Reiki clinic in Tokyo. Mrs. Hawayo Takata, a first generation Japanese-American, came to Dr. Hayashi's clinic for relief from a number of medical conditions. Months of treatment restored Mrs. Takata's health, and she became a devoted student.

With Dr. Hayashi's active guidance and support, Mrs.Takata brought Reiki to Hawaii in 1937 and eventually to the US mainland. Mrs.Takata practiced and taught Reiki for 40 years before she began training Reiki masters (practitioners empowered to teach others). Since Mrs. Takata's death in December 1980, her 22 Reiki masters have spread her teachings. Reiki has become very popular and is now practiced around the world, although not usually in the traditional form Mrs.Takata taught.