| A Japanese Tendai Buddhist named Mikao Usui | | | | set of Reiki techniques. Among Hayashi's contributions |
| claimed to have discovered Reiki after long meditation, | | | | was a set of fixed hand positions to be used in the |
| fasting, and prayer. Usui wrote that by mystical | | | | course of a treatment; Usui himself preferred a |
| revelation he had gained the knowledge and spiritual | | | | method called scanning, through which he detected |
| power to apply and attune others to what he called | | | | imbalances, and said that the hand positions were for |
| Reiki. Mikao Usui said that he had the ability to enable | | | | beginners. |
| people to enhance their access to the energy through | | | | Hayashi initiated and trained Mrs. Hawayo Takata, who |
| certain initiations. Usui taught that his attunements to | | | | brought Reiki to the USA. Mrs. Takata claimed that |
| Reiki enhanced and refined a person's pre-existing | | | | she had been appointed Grandmaster of Reiki through |
| ability to connect with Reiki. Through such initiations, | | | | the lineage of Mr. Chujiro Hayashi, and that there were |
| students are said to become clearer channels for | | | | no surviving teachers of Reiki to be found in Japan |
| Reiki, and thereby improve the quality of treatments | | | | after World War II. Researchers have falsified her |
| that student (or practitioner) provides. | | | | claim of Grandmastership and her allegation that no |
| Some schools of Reiki are said to believe that Mikao | | | | Reiki teachers remained in Japan, after they |
| Usui was pursuing knowledge of healing before he | | | | discovered lineages through practitioners other than |
| developed his Reiki method and that he also studied | | | | Hayashi. They also stated that the title of |
| traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Qigong, and | | | | "Grandmaster" does not exist, and is not recognized in |
| Yoga. Usui, however, claimed that the awakening of | | | | Japan. |
| Reiki and the development of his techniques was | | | | Hawayo Takata claimed that, after developing the |
| something entirely different. Nonetheless, Reiki appears | | | | Reiki methodology, as well as receiving the spiritual |
| to be based loosely around ideas of qi. | | | | ability to practice it, Usui went to the slums of Tokyo to |
| Usui was also an admirer of the literary works of | | | | attempt the healing of beggars. However, after |
| Emperor Meiji, and, in the process of developing his | | | | several years of very little success, he claimed that it |
| Reiki system, summarised some of the Meiji Emperor's | | | | was their mindset that kept them ill, even after he had |
| works into a set of ethical principles, one translation of | | | | "treated" them again and again. Usui then decided that |
| which is: | | | | there should be an "energy exchange" in return for a |
| "Inviting blessings of the secret method | | | | Reiki treatment. This "energy exchange" may take the |
| Many illnesses of the spiritual (heavenly) medicine | | | | form of cash payment, or a trade of some sort. The |
| Today only anger not worry not | | | | idea is that the patient is expected to regard the |
| With appreciation do work | | | | treatment as having a value up front and is prepared |
| To people be kind | | | | to invest himself/herself in the healing process. |
| In morning at night hands held in prayer | | | | There are essentially two broad groups, or schools: the |
| think in your mind chant with mouth | | | | traditional school and the independent school. The |
| Mind body change it for better | | | | traditionalists claim to teach and practice Reiki strictly |
| Usui Reiki method | | | | as it was taught from Usui's time until Takata's time, |
| Founder | | | | although modern research suggests that training under |
| Usui Mikao" | | | | Usui differed greatly from the way Takata taught. |
| A less literal translation is: | | | | Another, separate branch of traditionalists advocate |
| "The secret method of inviting blessings | | | | adherence to the (now rediscovered) Japanese |
| The spiritual medicine of many illnesses | | | | school's methods. The independent schools vary |
| Just for today, do not anger. | | | | greatly in their practices and methods, ranging from |
| Just for today, do not worry. | | | | those descended through Iris Ishikuro, which |
| Do your work with appreciation. | | | | fundamentally adhere to traditional Reiki practice but |
| Be kind to all. | | | | eschew Takata's practice of charging $10,000 for |
| In the morning and at night hold your hands in prayer, | | | | attunement to Reiki "Master level," to so-called "newer" |
| meditate on and say these words. | | | | schools, which either add elements to traditional Reiki |
| The Usui Reiki method to change your mind and body | | | | or claim to have been independently developed. |
| for the better. | | | | Reiki has been gaining some popularity worldwide |
| Founder | | | | within hospitals. The UK NHS (National Health Service) |
| Mikao Usui" | | | | as part of its CAM (Complementary and alternative |
| Mikao Usui trained several disciples. One of his | | | | medicine) program uses Reiki and other CAM |
| disciples, the naval doctor Chujiro Hayashi, stressed | | | | therapies as part of day care patient programs |
| physical healing and taught a more codified and simpler | | | | |