Reiki after Dr Usui

Dr Mikao Usui did not believe that one person should have claim to the Reiki method of healing and so he attuned and taught anyone who was interested. He envisioned the Reiki method of healing being shared globally, however he didn't bargain on the Japanese mind-set that Japanese things were solely for the Japanese people. Following Dr Usui's death in 1926, this mind-set caused divide between those who were "traditionally minded" and those with a more liberal attitude.

Dr Usui's tombstone states that he founded the Reiki Society, the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai and acted as its first president, however this is unlikely. It is more likely that the society was founded after his death by Juzaburo Ushida (1865-1935), who had named Dr Usui as the first President out of respect for the Founder. The Gakkai was open to people who had studied Usui's Reiki and this Society still exists today. Ushida was the author of the Usui memorial.

There have been six Gakkai Presidents and these are:
Juzaburo Ushida (1865 - 1935)
Kanichi taketomi (1878 -1960)
Yoshiharu Watanabe (unknown - 1960)
Hoichi Wanami (1883 - 1975)
Kimiko Koyama (1906 - 1998)
Masayoshi Kondo

Dr Hayashi and Mrs Takata introduced Reiki to the West in the 1930's, causing further divisions between the Eastern and Western Schools. Dr Hayashi and Mrs Takata have no links to the presidency of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai and Mrs Takata created her own organisation "The Reiki Alliance".

Dr Hayashi was one of Dr Usui's disciples and so was attuned by Dr Usui himself, Mrs Takata visited one of Dr Usui's clinics for treatment and was later attuned to Reiki by Dr Hayashi.

It is thought that Mrs Takata often told her students that she was the only living Reiki Master and that all of the others had died during the War. Until the 1970's Mrs Takata only attuned people to the Second degree, when she began attuning people to Third degree or Reiki Master she set the high price of $10,000. She gave her students sparse information about the system, which has resulted in a near mythical history about the Founder Dr Usui's background.

Reiki is a power method of healing which works anywhere in the world. Although the Japanese Reiki and Western Reiki are now two very separate entities they originate from the one Founder Dr Usui, and both are equally valid and work to bring universal love and compassion to any situation, to heal, strengthen and empower any individual. Western Reiki has been de-spiritualised and merged with other often conflicting philosophies, while original Reiki has roots in Eastern Mysticism, Estoteric Buddhism and Folk Shinto.

While Reiki was never intended to become a religion it can be a spiritual journey. It honours the life force in all things and is rooted in quasi-religious techniques such as; meditation, secret symbols and initiation rituals.