Why doesn't my Reiki Master know
about the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai and the Japanese Techniques? by
Adonea
Published in the January 2001 issue of "The Messenger"
Following are a few possible reasons why:
The Gakkai is a closed
organization which had to keep moving around during the war so it was
not disbanded. They are very secretive and don't care to tell anyone
about themselves or what they teach. There are only 500 members with 6
teachers. The Gakkai are the ones who erected Usui's memorial. Very
clearly on the memorial it states a lot of information about Usui
including when he founded the Gakkai. One of the reasons they do not
tell people about themselves is the wrath and anger that so many Reiki
teachers throw at others when their beliefs are shaken. Because
Takata didn't teach it is not true!
Hayashi was not a member of the
Gakkai at the time, so he may not have told Mrs. Takata about it.
Mrs.
Takata it appears was faced with a dilemma, she began teaching a
Japanese technique to Americans during WWII (she took master training
in 1938, the war was not over until 1945). She was also faced with
Christianizing a basically Buddhist teaching so it would be more
readily accepted in the West. She was herself American and did not
know all the nuances of the Japanese language, so I am sure that she
was not offered the opportunity to copy Hayashi's notes as she would
not have understood them. Her daughter Alice Takata Furumoto passed on
to, we believe all of Takata's master students, a Gray book entitled
"Reiki, a Memorial to Takata Sensei" which included Dr. Hayashi's
manual in old Japanese kanji, with a translation. It was at the
discretion of the 22 Masters what they did with this information. Most
it seems, did not pass it on. I also believe that there was some ego
involved on someone's part, saying that Mrs. Takata was the only
surviving Reiki Master in the world (I believe that is the story).
Well that made everyone in the world (other than in Japan) believe
that all Reiki came through Takata. We know that simply is not true.
Usui trained 17 masters, 3 were Naval officers (one was Hayashi), 5
Buddhist Nuns (Women), and 9 other people. Hayashi trained 13 masters
students, Mrs. Takata was the 13th, Tatsumi san was 12th, and Mrs.
Hayashi was 11th. So I would ask what happened to all those masters
and their students? Many of these lineages are alive and well and
continuing in Japan. Reiki did not die with the men during the war.
We
have a copy of the Japanese version of Hayashi's Shoden (first
degree) manual which was included in the gray book mentioned above. It
appears that Tatsumi-san had this manual and also was allowed to copy
Hayashi's notes, so he had all this and more. It was a common
practice in Japan for the apprentice to copy their Sensei's
(teacher's) teachings and notes. Doi Sensei tell us that the Usui
Reiki Ryoho Gakkai have Usui's original manuals and notes. They
recently were kind enough to release a translated version of Usui
Sensei's Shoden Manual (first degree) called the 'Usui Hikkei' in
modern Japanese kanji. We have a copy of this manual as well and have
compared it to Hayashi Sensei's, they are virtually the same. Hayashi
Sensei's is a bit more technical in nature but he simplified the
presentation of the hand placements for specific diseases.
So what
happened to the Japanese Techniques?
Mrs. Takata did not teach the
techniques with the Japanese names, but she did teach most of them. We
have a copy of the gray book mentioned earlier and notes for first
and second degree from one of her students. When comparing the
techniques and presentation of material it is virtually the same as
Usui and Hayashi Sensei's. Following is a list of the Japanese
techniques we know Takata Sensei taught:
Hanshin Chiryo: As another
method of treating the back. Most Reiki Masters do not teach this
technique.
Tanden Chiryo ho: As a quick energizer or energizing the
solar plexus. She called the area 2" around the navel the solar plexus
and said to keep it in 'A-one' condition. Plus she taught an
emotional balancer as an additional position which is also part of
Tanden Chiryo ho. This is still taught by Masters of the Radiance
Technique.
Seiheki Chiryo ho: As a mental/emotional balancing
technique. Many Reiki masters in the west have either dropped this
technique or changed it so it no longer resembles the original.
Kokiyu
ho: As a breath empowerment technique to her Master students (does
not use the microcosmic orbit, is not the Breath of the Fire Dragon,
Blue Kidney Breath or Violet Breath taught by most Reiki Masters
today). This technique is still taught by Masters of the Radiance
Technique and Masters of some Seichim lineages.
Koki ho: As breath
healing to level two students. Most Reiki Masters do not teach this.
Ketsueki Kokan-ho (called Blood Exchange by Hayashi Sensei): as the
Reiki Finish, Nerve Stroke or the Finishing Treatment. Most Reiki
Masters do not teach this technique.
Reiji: As listen to your hands
and allow them to guide you. Most Masters teach a variation of this.
Byosen Reikan-ho: As your hands will feel different sensations, treat
the cause and the effect will vanish. Most Masters teach a variation
of this.
Shuchu or Shudan Reiki: As a group treatment, saying Reiki
increases with each additional practitioner joining the treatment.
Most Reiki Masters teach this technique.
Reiki Mawashi: As the class
holds hands in a circle and feels the flow of Reiki. Many Reiki
Masters teach a variation of is technique.
Reiki Teate: As hands-on
self treatment. All Reiki Masters teach variations of this technique.
Renzoku Reiki: As the Reiki Marathon, where people take turns over
several hours or days, giving Reiki to someone. Some Reiki Masters
teach this technique.
More similarities!
Usui and Hayashi said always
start with the head, in the 'gray book' Takata says ' Kindly and
gently apply the hands starting from the head downward'. Most Reiki
Masters teach this.
Mrs. Takata gave the same 4 symbols taught by Usui
and Hayashi Sensei; at least to Virginia Samdahl her first Reiki
Master student. We have a copy of Virginia's master symbol and it is
the same as the Japanese Symbol. We also have a copy of the second
degree symbols in Takata's handwriting 'verified by Phyllis' which are
the same as Usui and Hayashi Sensei's. There are only 4 symbols in
Usui Reiki Ryoho, Reiki as taught by Usui, Hayashi and Takata
Sensei's.
Takata called Reiki by the same name as Usui and Hayashi
Sensei - Usui Reiki Ryoho. We have a copy of a tape with the history
in Takata's own voice and she uses the words 'Usui Reiki Ryoho' not
'Usui Shiki Ryoho'. Interesting huh! Here is the definition of Usui
Shiki Ryoho in Japanese: 'Usui style healing method' or 'Usui system
remedy' - the word Shiki means, 'system, method, form, rite, ceremony
or style' and the word Ryoho means, 'healing method, therapy, remedy,
cure'. While Usui Reiki Ryoho in Japanese is 'Usui spiritual energy
healing method' which makes more sense to me. The word Natural does
not appear (as in Usui System of Natural Healing) and on Takata's
certificate Hayashi called it 'Usui Reiki system of drugless healing'.
I believe that Mrs. Takata also taught eye healing to her Master
students (I think Beth Gray made a reference to it) which is called
Gyoshi ho in Japan.
Other points to think about.
Reiju: It is our
understanding that Hayashi Sensei was not taught Reiju by Usui Sensei.
Hayashi received Shinpiden in June 1925, Ushida and Taketomi received
Shinpiden in September 1925, Usui Sensei made his transition on March
9, 1926. Not much time to properly train Shinpiden students in the
Japanese way. We believe that these three men were given an attunement
method which was in Tatsumi's (a Shinpiden student of Hayashi's)
notes (copied by Dave King) to more quickly pass on the Reiki levels.
So Takata learned this attunement method rather than Reiju. It is a
much simpler attunement method then most of what is taught in Western
Reiki; and very effective. Reiju is wonderful, and it feels similar to
darshan (if you have ever received that), but it is a process that
requires receiving it over and over. So it takes a commitment by
teacher and students to meet monthly for additional Reiju, hands-on
and training.
We know that Usui experimented with various hand
positions, symbols and other techniques to find ones that conveyed his
full intention. He did not get the symbols in bubbles, but it is
possible that he saw 2 of them in the Japanese Buddhist sutras. Mr.
Doi told us that in Usui Sensei's notes, now held by the Usui Reiki
Ryoho Gakkai, it shows this experimentation.
We also know that some of
the story of the History of Reiki told by Mrs. Takata was fabricated.
Most likely to make it more acceptable in America a mostly Christian
country (stated earlier). We know that Usui was raised Tendai Buddhist
from age 4, studied Shingon Buddhism at age 27 then began Zen
Buddhist training in 1918/1919. He did not go the mountain to find a
healing technique, rather to gain 'Satori' or enlightenment, which he
did. He wanted to find the meaning of life and experience it, this was
the reason for his search. His memorial says that on the last day of
his fast he had 'one big Reiki over his head'; Reiki being the wisdom
and knowledge of all the Universe. Reiki during Usui sensei's time and
earlier meant (loosely translated) 'atmosphere of the Divine'. Mr.
Doi says that Usui went to the mountain in 1921/22, if this date is
correct Usui only had Reiki for 4-5 years before his death. He did not
rediscovered it in the middle or even late 1800's. Usui was not born
until August 15, 1865 which is the mid-1800's. Another interesting
point: the Kuramadera on Mt. Kurama (Temple) was Tendai Buddhist until
1949 then it changed to the Kurama Sonten. So it was Tendai Buddhist
during Usui's time.
The symbols come from Japanese Buddhism and Taoism
(all are Japanese); two of them are Kanji, one is a variation of the
seed syllable for Amida Buddha and one is readily done by Buddhist
monks on the front/back of the body and during meditation.
This covers
most of the techniques taught by Mr. Doi except a few he added and a
few others taught by Usui. I think since Mrs. Takata, a lot has been
left out and a whole lot has been added. Learning the Japanese
information has really helped me to more fully appreciate and
understand Reiho. Light and Adonea teach Usui Reiki Ryoho through
teacher level, if you are interested in feeling the
similarities/differences for yourself contact us to set up a class in
person or online.
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