The Evolution of Reiki

Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive energy healing practice, originating in Japan, where practitioners use their hands to channel universal life force energy to promote relaxation, reduce pain, and support the body's natural healing abilities.

靈氣 is the Japanese kanji symbol for Reiki. Rei (靈) represents divine spirit and Ki (氣) represents “life force”.

Usui Sensei’s Reiki Ideals

The secret art of inviting happiness 
The miraculous medicine of all diseases 
Just for today, do not anger 
Do not worry and be filled with gratitude 
Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people.

Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer. 
Pray these words to your heart 
and chant these words with your mouth

Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind 

-The founder , Usui Mikao

Mikao Usui

1914- Reiki Ryoho

Matiji Kawakami was a Japanese therapist who established a healing system known as Reiki Ryoho in 1914, prior to the development of a system by Mikao Usui. Kawakami published the book Reiki Healing and Its Effects in 1919. Although his system became less common after World War II, his contributions are regarded as an early part of Reiki's history, a practice meaning "universal life energy."  

- 1922 - Usui Reiki Ryoho

Usui Reiki was founded in April 1922 when Mikao Usui established the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, a healing society and clinic in Tokyo, after experiencing a spiritual awakening on Mt. Kurama. Usui spent the early 1920s teaching his method, which combines spiritual development with hands-on energy healing, to many students to ensure it would be shared widely.

Usui’s Sensei’s Revelation atop Mt. Kurama

One of Usui's students, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, established a Reiki clinic and educational facility in Tokyo after Usui's death in 1926. Dr. Hayashi contributed to the development of Reiki by standardising hand positions and improving the attunement process.

Hayashi instructed Hawayo Takata, a Japanese Hawaiian woman, who underwent successful treatment at his clinic and consequently requested Reiki training.

- 1937 - Usui Reiki arrives in the U.S.

Hawayo Takata was a Japanese-American educator who played a significant role in introducing the spiritual practice of Reiki to Western audiences, initially bringing it from Japan to Hawaii and subsequently to the mainland United States. Following her personal experience with Reiki healing, she undertook training with Chujiro Hayashi and attained the status of Reiki Master during the 1930s. Her contributions were instrumental in both preserving and promoting Reiki, especially in the period following World War II.

Born on December 24, 1900, in Hanamaulu, Territory of Hawaii, Takata married and later had two daughters. Following her husband's passing in 1930, she developed health issues and, in 1935, traveled to Japan for medical treatment.

While in Japan and preparing for an appendectomy, Takata experienced a strong intuition to pursue alternative healing methods. At the hospital's recommendation, she visited Chujiro Hayashi's Reiki clinic.

Takata underwent four months of daily Reiki treatments, resulting in full recovery. She subsequently requested instruction from Hayashi, who, after initial hesitation regarding teaching a Westerner, consented. Takata earned her first and second degrees of Reiki in 1936 and was initiated as a Reiki Master in 1938.

Takata subsequently returned to Hawaii, where she established her own Reiki practice. In 1938, Hayashi visited her in Hawaii; together, they contributed to advancing the presence of Reiki within the United States.

Throughout her career, Takata trained 22 individuals as Reiki Masters, enabling them to instruct others and facilitate the global spread of the practice. Both her direct students and subsequent generations have played a pivotal role in establishing Reiki internationally. 

Takata modified the traditional Reiki system to meet the needs of Western participants, introducing a streamlined and accessible format for instruction and healing sessions. She frequently employed oral teaching methods, operating on the premise that students assimilated information more effectively without reliance on written materials.

At the time of her passing in 1980, Takata had firmly established Reiki as a recognized approach within Western alternative medicine. Her contributions are considered essential to the continued development and dissemination of Reiki, particularly amid post-war changes and increasingly rigorous regulations governing health practices.

Iris Ishikuro was one of Hawayo Takata's Reiki Master students and her cousin, recognized for her significant contribution to the dissemination of Reiki in Western countries. She played a crucial role in increasing access to Reiki training by moving away from Takata's practice of charging substantial fees for master-level instruction.

Connection to Hawayo Takata

 Ishikuro received her training under Hawayo Takata, the Japanese-American practitioner who first introduced Reiki to the West. Takata herself had studied with Chujiro Hayashi, a direct disciple of Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki. In 1968, Ishikuro completed her Reiki I training with Takata, and the two shared a familial relationship as cousins. During this period, Takata required her master students to charge a considerable fee—$10,000 in the 1970s—for advanced training, which restricted access to master-level instruction. Following Takata’s passing in 1980, Ishikuro and other masters began offering instruction at more accessible rates.

 Influence on Raku Kei Reiki

 Several of Ishikuro's students indicate that she, in collaboration with Arthur Robertson, contributed to the creation of a variant known as Raku Kei Reiki, although Robertson is generally recognised as the principal architect of this system. As a student of Ishikuro, Robertson integrated Usui Reiki with aspects of Tibetan shamanism, incorporating unique symbols and the "Violet Breath" technique. The dissemination of Raku Kei and related styles through Ishikuro's lineage subsequently facilitated the emergence of numerous "Usui/Tibetan" Reiki variations.

Introduction of the Master Symbol

It has been suggested that Ishikuro was responsible for introducing the Tibetan dai ko myo master symbol to Takata, thereby influencing its inclusion in certain Western Reiki traditions. Prior to studying Reiki, Ishikuro was affiliated with the Johrei Fellowship, a religious organization that emphasises hands-on healing and incorporates this symbol into its spiritual practices. Her association with the Johrei Fellowship may also account for some of the "Tibetan" elements present within the Raku Kei system.

Legacy 

Through the effective training of numerous Reiki masters at an accessible cost, Ishikuro played a pivotal role in promoting the extensive growth of Reiki throughout Western countries, especially during the 1980s.

Consequently, a significant portion of contemporary Reiki practitioners are able to trace their professional lineage through Iris Ishikuro.

Arthur Robertson & Iris Ishikura

- 1989 - Tibetan Reiki

Tibetan Reiki is a modern lineage of the Japanese healing practice, Usui Reiki, that integrates traditional Usui techniques with additional symbols and rituals derived from Tibetan spiritual teachings. This variation is often known as Usui/Tibetan Reiki and focuses on balancing energy for physical and spiritual healing.

While the foundation of Tibetan Reiki is based on the system rediscovered by Mikao Usui, it differs significantly in its symbols, attunement process, and spiritual focus. 

Arthur Robertson developed this form of Reiki in the United States, combining traditional Usui Reiki methods with elements from Tibetan shamanism.

Robertson was a student of Iris Ishikuro, who was taught by Hawayo Takata, the Japanese-American credited with introducing Reiki to Western audiences.

Tibetan Reiki is distinct from Traditional Japanese Reiki, which more closely reflects the teachings of Mikao Usui. Robertson and other Western instructors made adaptations to the system and included additional practices.

Some practitioners reference connections to ancient Tibetan Buddhist teachings, though historical evidence for these links is limited.

- 1995 - Karuna Reiki

Karuna Reiki® is an advanced modality of Usui Reiki, developed by William Lee Rand to support comprehensive healing and foster spiritual development through an expanded set of symbols and targeted techniques. The term "Karuna" originates from Sanskrit, meaning "compassionate action," which illustrates the practice’s emphasis on promoting unconditional care and addressing the alleviation of suffering. Attainment of Usui Reiki Master certification is required prior to undertaking Karuna Reiki®, as it incorporates distinct symbols, chanting, and attunements designed to address cellular health, karmic patterns, emotional obstacles, and interpersonal dynamics.  

The foundation of this practice lies in demonstrating compassion with the aim of alleviating suffering for all beings, based on a profound recognition of interconnectedness.

Karuna Reiki® utilizes eight distinct symbols, each possessing unique energetic attributes. These symbols are applied during treatments to address specific objectives such as cellular healing, elimination of negative energy, and cultivation of inner peace.

Recognized as an advancement of Usui Reiki, this modality is intended to facilitate deeper levels of healing and spiritual evolution by addressing past life experiences, unconscious behavioral patterns, and spiritual attachments.

Practitioners seeking to engage in Karuna Reiki® must have completed Usui Reiki Master level training and demonstrate proficiency in drawing both the Usui master and Reiki II symbols from memory.

- 2014 - Holy Fire® I

Holy Fire® Reiki is a form of Usui Reiki energy healing introduced in 2014 by William Lee Rand. It is described as providing a direct connection to a high-frequency energy that is said to originate from a higher level of consciousness. The term "holy" refers to the meanings "whole" and "complete," rather than a religious context, while "fire" is used to denote the purifying and transformative aspects of the practice.

William Rand was first introduced to Holy Fire® Reiki energy on January 23, 2014, when Janice Jones facilitated the channeling of the energy. The technique was presented to my Reiki Master class shortly thereafter, and the students reported that the healing energy appeared more potent and seemed to be guided by a higher level of consciousness compared to their previous experiences.

• Higher Source Energy:

  Originates from a refined level of consciousness beyond traditional Reiki.

• Purification and Wholeness:

  Promotes healing, balance, and wholeness for mind, body, and spirit.

• Empowerment and Guidance:

  Supports personal growth, guidance, and purpose discovery.

• Deep, Spontaneous Healing:

  Enables quick, ongoing healing of trauma and negative patterns.

• Cultivation of Positive Traits:

  Encourages self-love, kindness, patience, optimism, vitality, joy, and peace.

• Feeling of Being Loved:

  Creates a deep sense of comfort and being cared for.

• Respect for Free Will:

  Always honors individual choices in the healing process.

Holy Fire Reiki employs a distinctive attunement procedure known as Holy Fire Placement or Ignition, in which the practitioner facilitates a guided meditation to enable students to connect directly with the energy.

Through divine intelligence, the healing energy remains active after sessions or training have concluded, offering sustained background support to individuals.

This modality also contributes to the healing of relationships and the enhancement of interpersonal interactions.

- 2015 - Holy Fire® II

Holy Fire® II was introduced in December 2015, following guidance attributed to Jesus Christ as received by Janice Jones. The system subsequently incorporated the ability to utilize this energy during Reiki I and II placements. Since the energy appeared to be internally established within each student, the process terminology shifted from "attunement" to "Placement". Observations indicated an enhancement in the overall effectiveness of Holy Fire® energy across all instructional levels, leading to the adoption of the name Holy Fire® II for the system.

- 2018 - Holy Fire® III

During spiritual healing sessions with Colleen Benelli, an LRMT with extensive training in shamanism and additional instruction from Janice Jones, I began receiving indications that a new element would be introduced to my Reiki practice, although the specifics were not initially clear. Additionally, while reflecting on upcoming Reiki classes at Mount Kurama in Japan—the mountain renowned as the site of Usui Sensei's formative spiritual experience and the origin of Reiki—I sensed that a significant development would occur.

On September 21, 2018, during these classes, a new level of Holy Fire® energy was identified. Under Colleen’s guidance, which incorporated insights attributed to Jesus, I was instructed to revise the class structure. Specifically, rather than conducting a pre-Ignition as practiced in Holy Fire® II classes, I transitioned to offering a standard Ignition, increasing the total from three to four.

The Ignition process involves the teacher leading a brief guided meditation of approximately five to seven minutes, after which the session continues with gentle background music. This method enables the Ignition energy to engage directly with the student’s energy field, independent of the teacher as a channel. The overall experience lasts roughly 26 minutes.

- 2022 World Peace Reiki

World Peace Reiki is a specific evolution of the healing practice developed by the International Center for Reiki Training (ICRT). It is part of the Holy Fire system and contains a powerful energy with a specific focus on manifesting peace and assisting with global healing.

World Peace Reiki , a higher evolution of Reiki, is considered a more refined form of Reiki, succeeding the Usui and Holy Fire systems. It is intended to help heal the anxiety and fear many people experience due to world events.

While all Reiki is healing, the energy of World Peace Reiki is specifically attuned to manifest peace within an individual, independent of what is happening around them. It is also used to send peace-manifesting energy to the entire world.

To become a World Peace Reiki Master, one must already be a Reiki Master in the Usui/Holy Fire III system. The new energy and its associated techniques are taught in a master-level workshop.

World Peace Reiki is also associated with the World Peace Crystal Grids. The ICRT has placed these special grids in locations around the world, such as the North and South Poles, Jerusalem, and Mount Kurama in Japan.

These grids act as reservoirs for Reiki energy. Practitioners can use World Peace Cards or specific meditation techniques to send Reiki to the grids, which then amplify and distribute the healing energy around the world. Individuals can also use the cards to bring peace into their own lives.

In addition to personal and global peace, practitioners report benefits such as deep healing, spiritual alignment, purification, and personal empowerment from the World Peace Reiki energy.