Mikao Usui was born in Kyoto in 1864. At a young age, he began the study of “kiko”, a discipline which teaches health through meditation, slow movement, and breathing. Kiko includes methods of using personal energy to heal by laying on hands. The act of healing depleted the personal energy of the healer. Energy must then be built back up through meditation, movement, and breathing exercises. Usui wondered if there might be a way to heal without having to first store up personal energy.

Usui was a voracious learner, and traveled extensively, studying medicine, psychology, religion, and spiritual development, among other subjects. He joined a metaphysical group known as Rei Jyutu Ka, and continued his spiritual study and development. He eventually became Mayor of Tokyo and a successful businessman. As he continued to study religions, psychology, and asceticism, he concluded that, “The true meaning of life is to experience full inner peace or complete silence.”

In his quest to achieve this state of full inner peace, he began to study Zen Buddhism. He studied, and practiced asceticism for three years, but still did not attain enlightenment. So he journeyed to Mount Kurama, near Kyoto, where he fasted, prayed, and meditated. At the end of the third week, he felt a shock in the middle of his head, and was rendered unconscious. When he revived, he understood that “the Universe is me, and I am the Universe”. Reiki energy had entered him, and rejuvenated and enlightened him.

He jubilantly raced down the mountain, tripping and injuring his toenail as he did so. He stopped to place his hand over the injured area, and found when he removed his hand that the injury had been healed by the Reiki energy channeled through his hand.

At home, Usui used Reiki to heal others, and developed a method of teaching Reiki that could be passed on. He moved to Tokyo, established the Usui Reiki Healing Association, and opened a clinic to heal, and to train others to heal.

After the great Kanto earthquake, the need for Reiki was great. Usui opened another clinic, and traveled Japan, healing and teaching as many as he could. In 1926, he suffered a stroke and died. He was healing and teaching only a few hours before his death.

Featured image from Longevity