| The teachings of Reiki Ryoho (Spiritual Healing) began | | | | Japanese healing technique, after World War II, the |
| with Mikao Usui becoming enlightened on the holy | | | | anti-Japanese sentiment in the West was high. She |
| mountain of Kurama in the spring of 1922. Usui-Sensei | | | | modified the history of Reiki to suit the times, |
| was a spiritual man, constantly working to understand | | | | transforming Usui's history to be palatable to her |
| the meaning of one's life and how to achieve | | | | Western students. This is where the false information |
| contentment. He had many students who followed | | | | of Mikao Usui's being a Christian Monk began. She |
| his teachings before his breakthrough 21 days of | | | | concocted a story about Usui's worldwide quest for |
| fasting and meditation on top of the mountain. His | | | | spiritual enlightenment and magical healing techniques |
| students referred to Usui's system of spiritual | | | | based on his desire to understand how Jesus healed |
| teachings as 'Usui Do' (Usui hand-application) and the | | | | and performed miracles. Today, there still exists a |
| man himself named his system a 'Method to Achieve | | | | great deal of incorrect reference in many Reiki |
| Personal Perfection'. Usui taught his system as a | | | | resources to Dr. Mikao Usui, Christian Doctor, who |
| method of self-discovery and development as well as | | | | studied theology. |
| a method for healing. | | | | In any case, Mrs. Takata had many students and |
| He healed many people throughout Japan and taught | | | | called herself a 'Grand Master'. This type of |
| a handful of people his teachings, including three naval | | | | delineation or hierarchy is incongruent with the original |
| officers, one of who was named Dr. Chujiro Hayashi | | | | teachings of Usui, who was not concerned with any |
| who is credited with bringing the Reiki teachings to | | | | type of dogma or guru-worship with Reiki. Between |
| the West together with another student of Reiki, | | | | 1970 and 1980, when Mrs. Takata died, she taught 22 |
| Mrs. Hawayo Takata. Mrs. Takata was Hawaiian and | | | | 'Reiki Masters' the teachings of Dr. Hayashi, who in |
| traveled to Japan to learn spiritual teachings under | | | | turn was teaching his modified Usui Reiki Ryoho. From |
| the tutelage of Dr. Hayashi. After Usui's death in | | | | these 'Masters' the Western World has been |
| 1926, Hayashi continued with the teachings of Usui | | | | indoctrinated with Reiki and it is now a spiritual |
| and renamed his teaching center 'Hayashi Reiki | | | | practice and healing method studied by millions of |
| Kenyu-kai, (Hayashi Reiki Research Centre). He added | | | | people. In the 1990's many Westeren Reiki teachers |
| hand positions for healing that are well integrated into | | | | wanted to travel to Japan to uncover the 'original' |
| the now traditional Western Reiki Ryoho. Mrs. Takata | | | | Japanese Reiki techniques and clarify the beginnings |
| brought these teachings back to Hawaii in 1937. | | | | of Reiki. |
| Mrs. Takata is said to be the last of Hayashi's Reiki | | | | This information continues to be cloudy, as the living |
| Master students before Hayashi took his own life in | | | | Japanese descendents of the 'original' Reiki |
| 1940. The history of Western Reiki teachings can all | | | | techniques, in true Japanese fashion, did not want to |
| be traced back to Mrs. Takata. There is some | | | | offend their guests by offering conflicting information |
| controversy regarding Mrs. Takata's storytelling on | | | | about Reiki's history. Much of what is practiced and |
| the part of communicating the history of Reiki to her | | | | taught in Japan today actually comes from the more |
| students. At the time of her initial teachings of this | | | | Western Style of Reiki Ryoho. |