Reiki is a Japanese word you can find in any dictionary. It is made up of two ‘Kanji’ characters. Kanji is a logographic alphabet – meaning each character has a meaning. Unlike the two other Japanese alphabets, Hiragana and Katakana which are purely phonetic like the English alphabet. The first character Rei means ‘spirit’ and the second character ki means ‘energy’. This word has widespread use in Japan. It is used to describe many different kinds of healing systems, for example. Generally, when people talk about Reiki in the West they will be referring to this hugely popular system of energy healing created by Sensei Mikao Usui. At it’s height there were estimated to be a million practitioners in Japan. But then everything changed. Find out more on my Reiki History Page.
What is Reiki Healing / Reiki Ryoho?
Reiki – often called Reiki Ryoho (a shortened form of its original name), is a form of energy healing from Japan. What gave birth to what is popularly known simply as ‘Reiki’ schools in the West is the form created by Mikao Usui. This is originally called “Shinshin Kaizen Usui Reiki Ryoho (心身改善臼井靈氣療法） in Japanese. Meaning “Usui Reiki treatment method for improvement of body and mind”.
Usui discovered that he had gained the Reiki healing ability when he had a spiritual enlightenment after fasting for about three weeks on Mount Kurama. He first used that ability accidentally on himself following an injury he sustained while returning from mount the mountain. After that he developed a system to enable others to use the same ability without undergoing the same hardships he did.
It is typically applied by the laying on of hands although there are other methods. Reiki healing is a very simple therapeutic treatment that works if you believe or not. Therefore it can be used by people of any (or no) religion and cultural backgrounds. The principal idea being it supports the recipient (which can be yourself) by assisting the natural healing system we all possess.
The Gokai (5 Principles) of Usui Reiki
Reiki healing has five simple principles that were introduced by the founder Mikao Usui to help us to improve our way of living day by day. These are called ‘Gokai’ in Japanese. They are an important part of Reiki practice and were intended to be for everybody to use – here they are.
Kyo dakewa – (Just for today)
Ikaru na (Do not be angry)
Shinpai suna (Do not worry)
Kansha shite (Be grateful)
Gyo o hagame – (Do your duties)
Hito ni shinsetsu ni – (Be kind to others)
Find out more about the Gokai (five principles) here,
Reiki Healing Compared With Other Holistic Treatments
Unlike other kinds of therapies and practices that use subtle energies like martial arts or yoga, Jikiden Reiki can be learned in a very short space of time (2-3 days). It will work whether or not the recipient agrees, approves or is conscious of receiving it. So Reiki does not require faith or belief in order for it to work. Other things that set Usui Reiki Ryoho apart from other treatments include a practice known as Reiju, which is what allows for the very short time it takes to learn this miraculous treatment method. Learn more about Reiju.
Reiki – Sensei Mikao Usui’s Legacy
Usui trained 20 teachers before he passed away. The most prominent was Dr Chujiro Hayash (Sensei can be used as a term for respected teacher or a Doctor, for example. Sensei Hayashi trained many people both across Japan and in Hawaii, USA before he passed away and his Wife Chie Hayashi took over his Reiki School. He taught the Yamaguchis and their extended family, including Sensei Chiyoko Yamaguchi. Mrs Yamaguchi founded the Jikiden Reiki Institute to pass on what she learned directly from Sensei Hayashi without additions or alterations. Together with her son Tadao Yamaguchi, who is current head of the Jikiden Institute since his mother passed away in 2003.
