What is the history of reiki?

Reiki is a spiritual practice that originated in Japan in the early 20th century. It was developed by Mikao Usui, who is said to have rediscovered the technique after a spiritual awakening. According to tradition, Usui received a spiritual vision during a 21-day meditation retreat on Mount Kurama, near Kyoto, Japan, in which he received the knowledge and ability to channel healing energy. He then went on to develop the Reiki system and taught it to others.

Reiki spread to the West in the mid-20th century, when Hawayo Takata, a Japanese-American woman, was introduced to the practice while receiving treatment for various health issues in Japan. She went on to study with Chujiro Hayashi, one of Usui's students, and eventually became a Reiki master herself. Takata brought the practice to Hawaii and later to the mainland United States, where she trained and certified 22 Reiki Masters before her death in 1980.

Since then, Reiki has continued to grow in popularity and is now practiced in many countries around the world. Today, there are many different styles and approaches to Reiki, but the basic principles and techniques remain largely the same. Reiki is considered a complementary or alternative therapy and is used by people of all ages, cultures, and belief systems to promote physical and emotional healing and balance.

Mikao Usui

Mikao Usui was a Japanese spiritual teacher and the founder of the Reiki system of healing. He lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is said to have developed Reiki after a spiritual awakening on Mount Kurama, near Kyoto, Japan.

Very little is known about Usui's life prior to the development of Reiki, and much of what has been recorded about his life and work is based on oral tradition and the accounts of his students. However, it is widely believed that Usui was a Buddhist and had a background in esoteric spirituality and meditation.

According to Reiki history, Usui received a spiritual vision during a 21-day meditation retreat on Mount Kurama, in which he received the knowledge and ability to channel healing energy. He then went on to develop the Reiki system and taught it to others. Usui is said to have had a strong commitment to peace and compassion, and his teachings emphasized the importance of self-healing, self-improvement, and spiritual development.

Today, Usui is remembered as the founder of the Reiki system and is widely respected as a spiritual teacher and healer. His teachings continue to influence and inspire Reiki practitioners around the world, and his legacy is kept alive through the ongoing practice of Reiki.