Natural Healing: History And Practice Of Reiki
Natural healing: History and practice of Reiki
P.Joseph
Executive Director
Thacra Social Service organisation
Reiki in Japan
The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai
Dr. Usui started a Reiki organization in Japan soon after discovering Reiki. He was the first president. After he died, he was followed by a succession of presidents: Mr. Ushida, Mr. Iichi Taketome, Mr. Yoshiharu Watanabe, Mr. Toyoichi Wanami, Ms. Kimiko Koyama and the current successor to Dr. Usui as of 1998 is Mr. Kondo. Contrary to what has been said by some in the west, there is no “lineage bearer” or “Grandmaster” in the system of healing started by Dr. Usui, only the succession of presidents listed above. While Dr. Hayashi was a respected Reiki master, he was never in charge of the Usui system of Reiki.
Reiki is a generic word in Japan, and is used to describe many types of healing and spiritual work. It is not exclusive to the system of healing based on Dr. Usui’s method. The system of healing that evolved from Dr. Usui’s method is called the Usui System of Natural Healing or Usui Reiki Ryoho.
Origins
There has been a lot of speculation about where Reiki came from, but there has been little confirmation of most of these ideas. Some say that Reiki originated from Buddhism or that it contains Buddhist concepts or techniques. I spoke with a Japanese Reiki master who is also a Buddhist and has done historical research into Reiki in Japan. He said that he could see no connection between Reiki and Buddhism and that he felt that Reiki is religiously neutral. While Dr. Usui may have been a Buddhist, he had also studied