Reiki

Reiki (?, English pronunciation: /reki/) is a spiritual practice[1] developed in 1922 by Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui, which since has been adapted by various teachers of varying traditions. It uses a technique commonly called palm healing or hands on healing as a form of complementary therapy and is sometimes classified as oriental medicine by some professional medical bodies.[2] Through the use of this technique, practitioners believe that they are transferring universal energy (i.e., reiki) in the form of ki through the palms, which allows for self-healing and a state of equilibrium.[3] There are two main branches of Reiki, commonly referred to as Traditional Japanese Reiki and Western Reiki. Though differences can be wide and varied between both branches and traditions, the primary difference is that Westernised forms use systematised handplacements rather than relying on an intuitive sense of hand-positions (see below), which is commonly used by Japanese Reiki branches. Both branches commonly have a three-tiered hierarchy of degrees, usually referred to as the First, Second, and Master/Teacher level, all of which are associated with different skills and techniques. The concept of ki underlying Reiki is speculative and there is no scientific evidence that it exists; a 2008 systematic review of randomised clinical trials concluded that "the evidence is insufficient to suggest that reiki is an effective treatment for any condition. Therefore the value of reiki remains unproven."[4] The American Cancer Society[5] and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine[6] have also found that there is no clinical or scientific evidence supporting claims that Reiki is effective in the treatment of any illness.

History
[edit] Derivation of name

Mikao Usui (18651926)

Chujiro Hayashi (1880 - 1940) The English word reiki derives from the Japanese loanword reiki (, meaning "mysterious atmosphere"), which derives from the Chinese loanword lngq (, "supernatural influence"). Its earliest recorded usage in English dates to 1975.[7] Instead of the usual transliteration, some English-language authors pseudo-translate reiki as "universal life energy".[8] Reiki is commonly written as in shinjitai kanji or as in katakana syllabary. It compounds the words rei (: "spirit, miraculous, divine") and ki ( "gas, vital energy, breath of life, consciousness").[9] The ki (better known as Chinese qi or ch'i) in reiki is understood as meaning "spiritual energy; vital energy; life force; energy of life".[10] Some reiki translation equivalents from Japanese-English dictionaries are: "feeling of mystery", [11] "an atmosphere (feeling) of mystery",[12] and "an ethereal atmosphere (that prevails in the sacred precincts of a shrine); (feel, sense) a spiritual (divine) presence."[13] Besides the usual Sino-Japanese pronunciation reiki, these kanji have an alternate Japanese reading, namely ryge, meaning "demon; ghost" (especially in spirit possession).[14] Chinese lngq was first recorded in the (ca. 320 BCE) Neiye "Inward Training" section of the Guanzi, describing early Daoist meditation techniques. "That mysterious vital energy within the mind: One moment it arrives, the next it departs. So fine, there is nothing within it; so vast, there is nothing outside it. We lose it because of the harm caused by mental agitation."[15] Standard Chinese lngq is translated by Chinese-English dictionaries as: "(of beautiful mountains) spiritual influence or atmosphere";[16] "1. intelligence; power of understanding; 2. supernatural power or force in fairy tales; miraculous power or force";[17] and "1. spiritual influence (of mountains/etc.); 2. ingeniousness; cleverness".[18]

[edit] Origins
See also Five Precepts and Timeline of Reiki history The system of Reiki was developed by Mikao Usui () in 1922 whilst performing Isyu Guo, a twenty-one day Buddhist training course held on Mount Kurama.[19] It is not known for certain what Usui was required to do during this training, though it most likely involved meditation, fasting, chanting, and prayer.[20][21] It is claimed that by a mystical revelation, Usui had gained the knowledge and spiritual power to apply and attune others to what he called Reiki, which entered his body through his crown Chakra.[20] In April 1922, Usui moved to Tokyo and founded the Usui Reiki Ryh Gakkai ("" in

Traditional Mandarin, meaning Usui's Spiritual Energy Therapy Method Society) in order to continue treating people on a large scale with Reiki.[20][22] According to the inscription on his memorial stone,[23] Usui taught his system of Reiki to over 2000 people during his lifetime, and sixteen of these students continued their training to reach the Shinpiden level, a level equivalent to the Western third, or Master/Teacher, degree.[23][24] While teaching Reiki in Fukuyama (, Fukuyama-shi), Usui suffered a stroke and died on 9 March 1926.[23]

[edit] Early development

After Usui's death, Mr. J. Ushida, a student of Usui, took over as president of the Gakkai.[25] He was also responsible for creating and erecting Usui's memorial stone and for ensuring the maintenance of the grave site.[25] Mr. Ushida was followed by Mr. Iichi Taketomi, Mr. Yoshiharu Watanabe, Mr. Kimiko Koyama and the current successor to Usui, Mr. Kondo, who became president in 1998.[25] The sixteen Masters initiated by Usui include Toshihiro Eguchi, Jusaburo Guida, Ilichi Taketomi, Toyoichi Wanami, Yoshihiru Watanabe, Keizo Ogawa, J. Ushida, and Chujiro Hayashi.[25][26] Before Usui's death, Chujiro Hayashi ( Hayashi Chjir) approached Usui about developing a different form of Reiki that was much simpler. Usui agreed.[27] After Usui's death, Hayashi left the Usui Reiki Ryh Gakkai and formed his own clinic where he gave Reiki treatments, taught, and attuned people to Reiki, and it was to this clinic that Hawayo Takata was directed in the 1930s.[25] Hayashi simplified the Reiki teachings, stressing physical healing and using a more codified and simpler set of Reiki techniques.[28] After multiple Reiki sessions from Hayashi's trainees at his clinic for illnesses including abdominal pain and asthma, Hayashi initiated and trained Takata to use Reiki,[29][30] and she became a Reiki Master on 21 February 1938.[29][31] Takata established several Reiki clinics throughout Hawaii, one of which was located in Hilo,[29] and then went on to travel throughout the United States, practising Reiki and teaching the first two levels to others,[32] and it was not until 1970 that Takata began initiating Reiki Masters.[33] At this stage, Takata also introduced the term Reiki Master for the Shinpiden level.[34] She stressed the importance of charging money for Reiki treatments and teachings, and fixed a price of $10,000 (roughly 6,500 or 7,400) for the Master training.[33] Takata died on 11 December 1980,[33][35] by which time she had trained 22 Reiki masters,[36] [37] and almost all Reiki taught outside Japan can be attributed to her work.[38]

[edit] Five Principles

Usui was an admirer of the literary works of the Emperor Meiji ( Meiji tenn). While in the process of developing his Reiki system, Usui summarised some of the emperor's works into a set of ethical principles, which later became known as the Five Reiki Precepts ( Gokai, meaning "The Five Commandments," from the Buddhist teachings of being prohibited against killing, thievery, sexual misconduct, lying, and for

intemperance). It is common for many Reiki teachers and practitioners to abide by these five precepts, or principles.[39] Kanji , . : , , , , . Rmaji Shfuku no hih, Manby no reiyaku. Ky dake wa:

Okoru The five concepts of Mikao Usui, contained within the whole text (Japanese writing is read na, Shinpai from top to bottom, moving from right to left). su na, Note: Commonly called the Five Precepts or Kansha Five Principles, they start in the third column , shite, from the right below the space, and continue in . Gy wo the fourth and fifth columns from the right. hakeme, . Hito ni English . shinsets u ni. The secret art of inviting happiness, , The miraculous medicine for all diseases. . Asay gassh shite kokoro ni At least for today: nenji, Kuchi ni tonae Do not be angry, yo. Do not worry, Be grateful, Shinshin Work with diligence, kaizen. Be kind to people. Usui Reiki Ryh. Every morning and evening, join your hands in meditation and pray with your heart. Chso, State in your mind and chant with your mouth. Usui Mikao. For improvement of mind and body. Usui Reiki Ryh. The founder, Mikao Usui.

[edit] Traditions
Today many branches of Reiki exist, though there exist two major traditions, respectively called Traditional Japanese Reiki and Western Reiki.

[edit] Traditional Japanese Reiki

Reiki written in Shinjitai Japanese. The term Traditional Japanese Reiki is normally used to describe the specific system that formed from Usui's original teachings[40] and the teachings that did not leave Japan. During the 1990s, Western teachers travelled to Japan in order to find this particular tradition of Reiki, though found nothing. They therefore started to establish Reiki schools, and started to teach Reiki levels 1 and 2 to the Japanese. Around 1993, a German Reiki Master, Frank Arjava Petter, also started to teach to the Master/Teacher level, and as a result, the Japanese started teaching their knowledge of Traditional Reiki. Since then, several traditions of Traditional Japanese Reiki have been established, the main traditions of which are listed below.[41]

Usui Reiki Ryh Gakkai ( in Traditional Chinese Characters, meaning "Usui Reiki Healing Method Learning Society")[42] is the name of the society of Reiki masters founded by Mikao Usui. His style is assumed to have survived to the present day (assumed as no-one knows exactly how the Gakkai practises nowadays), with Ushida being the one who, upon death, substituted the presidency of the association. This society remained secret for many years and at present, the shihan (master), Masaki Kondoh, is the president of the Gakkai. Though many of their teachings still remain secret, little by little, members of this association such as Master Hiroshi Doi have been sharing their knowledge with the rest of the world. In spite of this, it continues to be a hermetic society, nearly impossible to access. Reid Reiki Gakkai (, meaning "Spiritual Occurrence [and] Spiritual Energy Society") is the name given to the system that derives from the masters of the Ryh Gakkai, and is led by Fuminori Aoki, who added to the teaching of the Gakkai, though differences in teaching are minimal. In this system, the Koriki (meaning "the force of happiness") symbol that inspired Fuminori Aoki