Is Reiki religion or a therapy? Your personal experience, please!?
Reiki itself is a Japanese spiritual system that has been used in Japan at least back until the Meiji period, where spiritualist, shaman, and priests used this term to describe their practices. The first time a book was printed about Reiki was in 1919 by a Therapist from Japan.
In 1922, Usui himself, during an interview, had this to say about Reiki: “Usui Reiki Ryoho is a spiritual practice and a healing practice”
The Reiki that we have commonly come to know today as ‘Reiki’ started life as a spiritual system taught by a Japanese man named Mikao Usui. In around the year of 1920 Usui, a devout Buddhist, had a Satori (a breakthrough, enlightenment) that allowed him to realize that the ultimate goal in life was to live by “unity of self through harmony and balance”. He created a system for doing so, based on Buddhist and Shinto beliefs that were held outside the confines of the very controlling Japanese government during his time (in Usui’s time, Religion that was not state run was forbidden). In around 1921 he started to teach others his system, calling it a ‘philosophical’ path, which was controlled by the Japanese Department of Education.
****and here is where knowing something about Japanese history is important. The government, even before Usui’s time, was very controlling of religion. They used religion to expound the teachings of nationalism and support the government (even pushing the idea that the Emporer was a decendent of the Gods) – which continued to grow until Japan was defeated in WW II. The one thing that the government did not want during this time was a spiritual system that would promote something other than the beliefs of the government. It was also during Usui’s time that some people of Japan would want to explore other alternatives to state run religion. Some brought back old Shinto practices, others mixed and blended things to create an amalgamation of a spiritual system. This is what Usui did. The problem being, if it wasnt state run, it was forbidden. Usui disguised his practice as philosophy, and, praised the Meiji Emporer during his teachings – in an effort to quell any idea that he did not support the government of the time. Further proof of this can be seen in the fact that when Usui’s friend started to teach in his Dojo, Usui did not let him recite a folk Shinto blessing – but encouraged the the reading of the Meiji Emporers poetry.
It is a common bit of misinformation to translate Reiki as “universal energy”, where Reiki is thought of as purely a hands on healing modality. This is because the Japanese language has changed over time. The Reiki that Usui taught was named in old Kanji (old Japanese language). The common mis-translation in todays Reiki world comes from the use of new kanji (new Japanese language) script to make the translation.
In the Usui Reiki Ryoho style of Reiki (the most traditional form of Reiki), it is traditionally taught that the word Reiki – translated in the old Kanji script – means “spiritual essence” or “essence of being” and expounds the teachings of Usui-San – who was teaching a spiritual belief system where hand healing was but a very small part of the entire system. Those that worked with Usui have said that when Usui talked of hand healing he did not use the word Reiki. Instead, when he talked of Reiki, he talked about our link with our essence of being – our connection with the past, present, and future.
The Usui system was a path that taught how to refine ones own spiritual self, to make oneself better by healing the spirit first, the mind second, the body third. His teachings were centered around the 5 Reiki principles and the Usui Dojo motto: “Unity of self through Harmony and Balance.”
The basis for working with Reiki, as a spiritual system where hands on healing is a part, is based on Gassho – or mindfluness in breathing meditation. This technique is important for the student of Reiki to master. If they cannot master this technique, they will have difficulty getting in-tune with themselves or the person with whom they are working.
The second part of Traditional Reiki training is about taking in and embodying the Reiki principles:
“The secret method of inviting blessings, the spiritual medicine of many illnesses (Shôfuku no hihô, Manbyo no rey yaku)
Just for today (Kyo dake wa):
Don’t get angry (Okoru na)
Don’t worry (Shinpai su na)
Be grateful (Kansha shite)
Work hard (Gyo o hage me)
Be kind to others (Hito ni shinsetsu ni)
Mornings and evenings sit in the gassho position and repeat these words out loud and in your heart (Asa you gassho shite kokoro ni neji kuchi ni tonaeyo)
For the improvement of mind and body (Shin shin kaizen)
Usui Spiritual Healing Method (Usui Reiki Ryoho)
The founder, Mikao Usui (Chossô, Usui Mikao)”
….and the moto that was the basis for Usui’s practice:
“Unity of Self Through Harmony and Balance.”
As for personal experience of Reiki being a Spiritual system, I practice Shingon Buddhism – and have, before I came across Reiki. The Reiki principles only support my practice. As I walk through life, as I sit in daily meditation, as I practice my path, I find that the Usui Principles compliment what I have done for many years already.
And I have had Reiki students who have taken in the Reiki Principles, and, claim that by practicing them on a daily basis (along with meditation and Reiki), these things have changed their life for the better. One of my students praises Reiki highly for these chages to their life.
Really though, I find this no surprise. Meditation in itself – regular practice of Mindfulness in Breathing Meditation – has the power to change your life. Couple this with the Usui Principles and the goal of Unifying self (mind, body, spirit) through Harmony and Balance, gives one powerful tools for self-transformation.
I find that, however, Reiki in the west has been stripped of most spiritual applications and has become a purely hands on healing modality – where Reiki is being taught as ANYTHING but a spiritual practice. For most, religion and spirituality is still one of those things that you just dont talk about. Kind of a shame really.
As for Reiki being a ‘religion’, the only reference to religion that I have found with Reiki was that Usui was a devout Buddhist who made offerings to Amida Buddha daily. His own spiritual system was based heavily on Buddhist and Shinto beliefs. Five Buddhist Nuns made up some of his first students, who had stayed with him throughout most of the remaining part of his life. His original Reiki manual does not call for someone to follow a specific religious path or worship a certain diety (Usui was a devout Tendai Buddhist until his passing in 1926 – though he wasn’t teaching Tendai Buddhism). Instead, his path was more like the original Buddhist path of Theravada Buddhism – more of a philosophical path aimed at improving oneself.
For more info in the spiritual side of Usui Reiki Ryoho, you may want to visit:
www.usui-do.org
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