Who actually was Dr. Mikao Usui - Why Usui’s life has got a lot of various stories

Who actually was Dr. Mikao Usui? Why Usui’s life has got a lot of various stories?

Facts: Usui grew up in a family of strong esoteric Tendai samurai tradition. In life he was a businessman. Later he worked for the government and one position involved being a secretary to the Minister of the Home Office.

Along his life path he’d been looking for the Truth through beliefs, culture and religion. He was also able to speak several languages. According to the Gakkai and to the Usui-Do training he was searching how to attain his own spiritual goals. The Gakkai say he had a vision during which he understood what he had to attain. Afterwards he set out to discover how to do this. He discovered back Buddha’s and Jesus’ secrets of healing though hands and universal (God) energy.

He was interested in different spiritual and healing techniques. However, he knew Tendai training. He was a lay monk. He had a wife and two children.

In about 1914 he was blessed with enlightenment. This date is still speculation. The Gakkai say he went to Kurama Yama in March 1922, yet one of his students who is still alive says she was with him from 1920 until he dies and never knew him to go to Kurama Yama.

As a matter of fact, his student (Mariko-Obaasan) says he simply called his method "Usui-Do" or "My method." Later on, just before he dies, some of his students were creating a healing system out of this and I haven't been able to determine Usui's involvement. They called it Usui Reiki Ryoho.

My answer to the questions: It is usually questioned why Mrs.Takata (the first Reiki practitioner to bring Reiki to the USA) decided to make some changes in Usui’s life
story.

While meditating on this matter, a simple answer came to my mind.

It is crucial here to get familiar with American historical background and cultural beliefs. Then, the reason for wise Mrs. Takata’s approach and final change of Usui’s life
story (or, better to say, adaptation to American culture) will become obvious.

That was a time after the War II. One of the biggest American’s enemies was Japan. Even though Mrs. Takata was the citizen of the USA, she still faced suspicions
towards some Europeans and Japanese. It took the country some time to erase negative feelings and attitudes towards the War II. And she took an active part in changing
these negative attitudes by bringing Reiki system to the US.

Hence, she came up with an idea to create a new image of Dr. Mikao Usui through changing his life story.

Mrs.Takata thought that she was the only one Reiki teacher left in the world. It happened because the only Reiki teachers she had known in Japan were no longer teaching (she was unaware of the Gakkai).

That is why, interest and value of Reiki knowledge in Northern American (the whole American continent) society has gradually increased. It was the only place where Reiki could be achieved.

Since Furomoto and Barbara Ray were Americans and had created Reiki societies early, they were better known. This simple way Reiki became “American”. <smile>

Some people might think that Takata’s approach was not necessary. However, it is significant to emphasise a country’s culture, beliefs, people’ attitudes and feelings when
one brings something new and unusual to this country he starts living in. It applies to Europe too.

Usui became a Christian monk that was another change.

Apparently, the USA was a Christian country with strong beliefs. Reiki would not have become as popular as it is now in case of its founder being a Japanese samurai. Also, if Usui-Do had remained without changes to Usui Reiki Ryoho, it is doubtful this would have spread as it was not a healing system.

A change also took place in Reiki system low levels: “strange” Buddhist meditation was eliminated.

It is important to note that over the years the name of the village (named Taniai) were Usui was born, got included into a larger district called Miyama-cho. So that it is too small to be found easily by strangers.

Eventually, Mrs. Takata story change appeared to be so perfect that first Reiki “pilgrims” from the West were not able to find any witness or traces of Dr. Mikao Usui’ ever
existence. <smile>

In various Reiki lines there are differences in quality of teaching.

Usui Gendai Reiki Ho line, the Radiance Technique ® Reiki line’ Dave King and the William Rand line might be considered as highest levels among Reiki teachings.

It is true that Reiki attunement ceremony slightly varies from one Reiki line to another. Takata seemed to have changed the ceremony she learned from Dr. Hayashi as she was using a different version by the time she trained in 1979 and 1980. Many of the ceremonies in the West differ now.

However, there might be a difference in energetic flow and power of attunement. It is also necessary to mention that some Reiki lines follow more esoteric tradition.

In some lines (and ours, too) in Reiki 2 and Reiki Master levels there are stronger demands in quality for techniques and daily life use of Reiki.

Possible problems in some Reiki lines might be the following: in Reiki 1 level, for example, simple and leading energy meditations are not taught; also in Reiki 2 level the
use of mantras and symbols is not sometimes correctly taught.

This text is based on the personal experience of Reiki Teacher/Master Attila Kupi.

For further information go to www.reiki.fi