Who is Mikao Usui?
Mikao Usui was born on August 15, 1865 in the Gifu district of Japan. Sensei Usui (Sensei meaning teacher) rediscovered the traditional Reiki we use today in the 1920's. This system of natural healing is based on established Oriental medicine. The system used symbols, had a set of affirmations, and employed seven main hand positions set over important accupoints. It was based on ancient Taoist energy practices which allow the practitioner to draw in energy and pass it on to the client without depleting their own energy.
Though there are many different versions of the Usui story, it must be realized that since they are verbal they have probably changed over the years. The most commonly told is that in 1922 Usui had a conversation with his Master Zen and asked him what he should do as he worked toward achieving Satori (the state of Spiritual Enlightenment) as he was not succeeding. The answer he received was "Die one time."
In March of 1922 seeking answers he then followed the advice of his Master Zen and decided to fast on Mt. Kurama until he became enlightened. It was not uncommon for Usui to fast as he made regular trips to the mountain to seek answers. This is a common practice called "shyu gyo," a spiritual discipline, which includes fasts and meditation for 21 days, a strict spiritual training. On his memorial it says that the last morning of his fast "he felt one great Reiki over his head." He became enlightened (or achieved Satori) and acquired a healing ability which he called Reiki Ryoho. In April 1922, Usui founded Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Usui Reiki Healing Method Society) and opened his first clinic in Aoyama, Tokyo where he practiced Reiki and gave workshops on the techniques publicly.
