Explaining Traditional &

Contemporary Reiki

Traditional is being defined as the methods and practices used by Usui-sensei's students until 1940.

Contemporary for our discussion the methods and practices used after 1940.

Traditional Contemporary

Usui-sensei taught at least 20 advanced or senior students Chujiro Hayashi

(Reiju-sha Ichido: Full members of attuners)* Reiki prior Chiyoko Yamaguchi

to his death in 1926. These are the names of some: Hawayo Takata

Juzaburo Ushida Virginia Samdahl

Kanichi Taketomi Ethel Lombardi

Toshihiro Eguchi John Harvey

Kaiji Tomita Dorothy Baba

Hoichi Wanami Bethel Phaigh

Chujiro Hayashi Harry Kuboi

Fran Brown

Some of Chujiro Hayashi's students Barbara McCullough

Shouou Matsui Kay Yamashita

Mr. Tatsumi Iris Ishikuro

Wasaburo Sugano Phyllis Lei Furumoto

many people were trained in Daishoji, Ishikawa and elsewhere Shinobu Sato

Katsue (Chiyoko's sister) Barbara Weber Ray

Chiyoko Yamaguchi Beth Gray

Hawayo Takata Paul Mitchell

Chie Hayashi Rick Bockner

Barbara Brown

Wanja Twan

George Araki

Patricia Ewing

Ursula Baylow

Mary McFadyen

Eguchi, Tomita and Hayashi-sensei each formed their own healing society and in the process changed what they had originally learned. Even the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai changed things.

When Chie Hayashi invited Takata to a memorial service for Hayashi in 1950, she asked Takata to take over the Hayashi Reiki Kenkyu Kai clinic. Takata-sensei replied that she had already made changes to what she learned - so thank you but no.

It seems that the changes have not stopped here either.

After Takata-sensei died her 22 master students gathered about a year after her death to discuss what they were taught and formulate a plan on where Reiki was going. For whatever reason, elements were dropped and current New Age things came in. It is felt that incorporation of these new things makes Reiki stronger or better and so that habit has carried on to present day.

Adonea in Sedona some time ago compiled an outline of the different styles in Reiki. I was amazed that there were so many - over 80.

Blue Star, Lightarian, Medicine Buddha, Tibetan, Crystal, Karuna, Tera-Mai, Raku, Angelic and the list goes on.

I believe it was Paul Mitchell who once wrote to a Reiki email group that there was Reiki Racism out in the marketplace. I thought this was a very appropriate term. This is when a student or Master of one school or lineage makes the claim that their form of Reiki is better than someone else's.

For example, My teacher is better than your teacher; my energy is stronger than your energy; if you didn't get it from my lineage you were conned - that kind of thing.

Some folks find this racism disgusting and ask how can spiritual people behave this way. Some of the people I have met through Reiki have given it up, because of this attitude. I have also heard that some potential students are turned off from learning Reiki as a result of this.

If we can keep in mind that students are drawn to Master/Teachers whom they will learn certain lessons, then maybe this will diffuse the racism a little. Also if we want to be the change that makes the world a better place for everyone, (paraphrasing Gandhi) then it would be a good idea to get rid of the racism.

This was one of the reasons why I decided to study with different Masters of different styles so I could understand the common elements behind them all.

I guess this was why in 1998 while searching the internet on Reiki and discovering so many different styles that I became more focused and interested in learning a more traditional form of Reiki. In my quest for knowledge I did write letters to a couple of Reiki Masters, wanting to start a dialogue but they chose not to respond.

Hiroshi Doi came to Vancouver in 1999, and shared his Reiki experiences with the 63 masters who attended. Most were from Western Canada and the United States but some traveled from England, France, and South America. At this time we were made aware that the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai was still alive and continuing to offer training to people who were interested. The Gakkai is not headed by a Grand Master, but more of an elected person referred to as Chairman. Mrs. Koyama was the Chairman of the Tokyo Gakkai, and was Mr. Doi's teacher. She made her transition in 1999.

Masayoshi Kondoh is the current Chairman.

Mr. Doi has had a variety of Reiki teachers and has learned other forms of energy work which he has incorporated into his own style - Gendai Reiki. He has students in Japan, the United States, Canada, Spain, Northern Europe and elsewhere.

By being a member of U.R.R.I it was wonderful to experience the spirit of co-operation among Reiki Masters from different lineages around the world. While that email group was up and running we shared concepts, ideas, challenges and solutions to a variety of situations. It was nice to have that another perspective.

Hyakuten Inamoto was a translator at some of these U.R.R.I conference and eventually became a presenter in his own right. Hyakuten is the founder of the Komyo Kai Reiki school. Komyo Kai Reiki has many students all over the world.

Tadao Yamaguchi is the son of Mrs. Chiyoko Yamaguchi, and the founder of the Jikiden Reiki Society.

Mrs. Yamaguchi was a young girl of about 16 when she learned Reiki from Hayashi-sensei. She practiced Reiki on family and friends and eventually passed it on to Tadao shortly before she made her transition in 2003.

In order for a Jikiden student to attain the next stage of Reiki there are certain requirements that must be met, unlike the Reiki taught here in the West where a student can take a course over a weekend.

It has been my experience that the information I learn in Jikiden Reiki must stay within our community. If I share that information to the world wide Reiki community my teacher would get into trouble. Depending on the nature of the disclosure my teacher may have their teacher's certificate revoked. It seems a bit harsh, but I am just learning the differences so have to be content with that for now.

In this way, Gendai, Komyo Kai and Jikiden share a similar trait, they do not wish Reiki do be done by Distant Attunements to non-local students. Sending distant healing is perfectly ok, it is just the attunements which require one on one between the Teacher and the student.

Another point of friction amongst practitioners is the following phrase: Usui Reiki Ryoho and Usui Shiki Ryoho.

In the West most certificates will say USUI SHIKI RYOHO - meaning Usui style of reiki. Whereas the more "traditional" forms of Eastern reiki will say USUI REIKI RYOHO - meaning Usui method of reiki.

When this change happened and why it happened is unknown. A colleague Don Beckett has suggested it was Takata who started calling her style Usui Shiki.

In Western Reiki ( Usui Shiki) students are given attunements which are normally given once at each level. The beginner class opens the energy connection and every other level increases the energy capabilities of the student.

With "traditional" Reiki Ryoho students are given Reiju empowerments. ideally these are given weekly at Reiki shares to increase the energy capabilities of the student. In addition Reiju can be given to oneself anytime once learned.

So you may be wondering which is better? It is a matter of preference. One is no better or worse than the other.

I prefer the Japanese Ryoho style but that's me. Just like I prefer 70% dark chocolate as opposed to milk chocolate. You might be the other way around.

The important point to remember is that we are all Reiki Practitioners and all our lineages start with the founder Mikao Usui.

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Tadao Yamaguchi photo page 68

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