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The Origins of Reiki

© T. Darlene Cheek

In the late 1800's, Dr. Mikao Usui, Dean and Minister of a Christian school in Japan, began a 28 year quest to bring us what we know today as Reiki. It all began with one student asking Dr. Usui if he believed that Jesus actually healed. Dr. Usui replied yes, and the student requested a demonstration. Dr. Usui, having taught his students to heal the soul, understood his students desire to also understand how to heal the body, as the Bible told them that such healing was possible. Dr. Usui was compelled to help his students find the answers to their questions, and there was a stirring beginning inside of him to heal.

Dr. Usui's first path led him to America to study different religions and philosophies at the University of Chicago for seven (7) years, after which time he returned to Japan to visit Buddhist temples and speak with the Monks. The Monks said they didn't know how to heal; however, Dr. Usui met with the Abbott who said at one time, they did know the art of healing the body, but it was lost because they had been concentrating on the spirit only. The Abbott invited Dr. Usui to stay at the monastery and study the sutras (the writings of Buddha) if he felt intuitively guided to do so, as anyone seeking knowledge were accepted in their quest.

Dr. Usui read everything there was to read in Japanese, but found no answer. Many of the sutras had been translated from Chinese into Japanese, thus Dr. Usui was intuitively guided to learn Chinese so that he could learn more. Dr. Usui studied for years and still found no answers. The Buddha's original teachings were in Sanskrit. A Tibetan priest had translated the Sanskrit teachings into Tibetan. Upon meditating over what to do next, Dr. Usui then learned the Tibetan language so that he could study the Sanskrit Sutras. It was at this time he believed he discovered the keys to healing.

Dr. Usui returned to the monastery where the Abbott told him that he must meditate, and if it were his destiny, the final answers would be revealed to him. Dr. Usui walked 17 miles to Kuramayama to fast and meditate. At his chosen spot on the mountain, Dr. Usui gathered 21 small stones to count his days of fasting and meditation. Every morning, he would face east and meditate, and throw one stone off the mountain. On the night of the 20th day, Dr. Usui felt as if he were near death, and knew that if the answer did not come on the following day, that he would have to leave the mountain without attaining the knowledge he sought.

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