The Reiki Principles, originally called

“the secret method to invite happiness."

 

Just for today, don’t get angry.

Just for today, don’t worry.

Just for today, be grateful.

Just for today, be honest in your work.

Just for today, be kind to yourself and others.

 

Usui’s message about Reiki:

He believed it should be taught to the general public and not held as some secret knowledge only to be shared with a privileged few. Usui’s goal was to reach as many people as he could with the hopes of benefitting them, and society as a whole. Here are some quotes from the Usui Reiki Hikkei, a Japanese Reiki manual attributed to Mikeo Usui:

 

“With this [Reiki], first for human beings themselves to be strong and healthy. Then to improve the thoughts, to be mild and healthy, and human life to be pleasant.”

 

“. . . we need improvement and restructuring away from illness and suffering, many fellows have worrying mind out of illness and accident.”

 

“And everyone will receive this blessing from God. With this, expect everyone to have soul and oneness.”

 

Usiu also developed The Healing Guide: a system of Reiki hand positions for a standard course of treatment. 

 

Where did Reiki Originate?

In general, energy healing (or energy medicine) has been in use since ancient times. But Reiki in particular was founded by Mikao Usui of Japan in 1922. Usui was a very spiritual man who spent time as a Buddhist monk, practiced Japanese martial arts, and studied various spiritual practices from other cultures, including Christianity. The story is that Usui studied the healings that Jesus performed and believed there was a way for the common man to also heal others and the self. He went on a spiritual pilgrimage to Mount Kurama in Japan for twenty-one days where he fasted, meditated, and sought enlightenment. This is when the system of Reiki came to him, and he soon began practicing it when he returned home. There are a few stories of what Usui’s enlightenment process looked like while on Mount Kurama, but most are likely myths to fill in the gaps where history was not reported in detail. The important thing to understand is that Usui (by retreating for 21 days on the mountain) sought out a way to compassionately serve and help others physically and spiritually, which in turn brought them into a healthier state of balance and often triggered a spiritual awakening in them. He was able to do this through the system of Reiki.