Reiki Ryoho predates Usui Sensei ?

hi friends

in raising the above topic, i had to think twice, thrice and even more, since i dont have the idea if i would be grossly disrespecting a protocol in-as-much the topic could bring unease to many readers, like it has done to me when i came across it....

here is something i found in some literature :

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"The word "reiki" is used often by spiritual therapists during Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-1925) and early Showa (1926-1988) Era. Many people used the word "reiki ryoho" to refer to their therapies, and "reiki ryoho" is not original with Usui Sensei. The name Usui Sensei used was "Usui Reiki Ryoho."

The first person to use the term "reiki ryoho" was Mataji Kawakami, who was a therapist, who published "Reiki Ryoho to sono Koka" (Reiki Ryoho and its Effects) in 1919. However, today the term "reiki ryoho" almost exclusively refers to "Usui Reiki Ryoho."

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i dont know whether the above paragraph holds any factual correctness, but i sure know that we have some very good people on-board like James, Rob, Wayne who could easily dispell (or confirm) the above for the knowledge of readers like me

Lambs-Wool wrote:...here is something i found in some literature :

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"The word "reiki" is used often by spiritual therapists during Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-1925) and early Showa (1926-1988) Era. ...

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i dont know whether the above paragraph holds any factual correctness...

Hi Lambswool,

see: "USUI-SENSEI AND REIKI"



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Rlei_ki wrote:

Lambs-Wool wrote:...here is something i found in some literature :

QUOTE
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"The word "reiki" is used often by spiritual therapists during Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-1925) and early Showa (1926-1988) Era. ...

UNQUOTE
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i dont know whether the above paragraph holds any factual correctness...

Hi Lambswool,

see: "USUI-SENSEI AND REIKI"



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hi James

thanks for the link... it is a comprehensive reply of the answers i sought tbh


quoting something from your referred link page

QUOTE Unfortunately, if we attempt to translate such compound-words by simply translating and combining the meanings of the two individual original words, this will not necessarily give us an accurate translation of the compound-word itself.UNQUOTE


yes sure James, it would be a gross mistake whenever we do that...and this would even be mistake if we do the same in english too... for example, the word girlfriend has altogether different meanings than the two separate words girl-friend that just means a female friend, (and nothing more )

on this analogy, 'rei-ki' might mean spiritual energy if we read the words un-combined, but when combined, reiki means spirit in action, without any particular hint of whether it is energy or not...

it feels, perhaps, that Usui Sensei did mean to refer to the meanings 'spirit in action' (more closely, we can translate as 'spiritual' since spirit in action or spiritual mean almost the same to me )

QUOTE As the term Reiki is used in the name Usui Reiki Ryoho, there is not necessarily any direct reference to ‘energy’ - in this context, the ki part of the compound would simply seem to speak to the dynamic - the effect of spirit in action UNQUOTE


[nodd] Usui seems to incorporate a spiritual system rather a theraputic system, that many of us have ascribed him with!

will get in touch on this topic in some other hour of today...


see you james

take care

salman

Lambs-Wool wrote: ... 'rei-ki' might mean spiritual energy if we read the words un-combined, but when combined, reiki means spirit in action, without any particular hint of whether it is energy or not...
...it feels, perhaps, that Usui Sensei did mean to refer to the meanings 'spirit in action' (more closely, we can translate as 'spiritual' since spirit in action or spiritual mean almost the same to me )

Quite so.

As I mention elsewhere:

James (on AETW.org) wrote:
Ongoing research would suggest that Reiki - as the term is used in the name Usui Reiki Ryoho - more immediately translates simply as ‘spirit’ or 'spiritual'; thus Usui Reiki Ryoho translates most clearly as: Usui's spiritual healing-method

Now while it would be perhaps somewhat incorrect to deny that, at least on a very simplistic level, the single word Reiki still carries with it a sense of 'spiritual energy', it can, amongst other things, also be understood to mean:

'spiritual essence'
'spiritual feeling'
'spiritual intent'
'spiritual influence'
'spiritual emanation'

also:
'soul power'
'soul force'

and, quite importantly, I feel:

'Aura' (i.e. the emanation of spirit around the body)

[Thus, 'Usui Reiki Ryoho' can also have the connotation: 'Usui Aura-healing Method']

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James, I like that "aura-healing" bit. I've been doing a lot of pamper evenings recently, and when people ask me to explain Reiki, the aura seems to come into it (without me intending to mention the aura). And people seem receptive to the idea of healing the aura, more so than to the idea of healing the physical body. Strange!

Rlei_ki wrote:

see: "USUI-SENSEI AND REIKI"



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CONTINUM OF PAGE REFERRED BY JAMES
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hi James

yes, western conceptualization seems to have changed the very outfit of the discipline of spiritual practice that Usui had inspired in his students... while, west is often 'blamed' to reduce the spiritual practice of reiki to a mere therepautic technique, more particularly called Usui Reiki Ryoho, would it be too wrong if some of us claims that the trend setter was Usui himself when he had advised Dr. Hayashi to get going with the threpautic aspect of reiki for imperial navy officers in a quick-cookbook style through symbols prescribed for immediate healing ?

and precisely, another question that stems from this one... Introduction of symbols into system of reiki was not what Usui had started with.... as we believe today, symbols are as much important in the system as is the original concepts of reiki... so do we hear from history or from then surviving students of Usui Sensei that Usui had another 'landmark' satori or revelation, where he was gifted with symbols, like he was gifted with reiki in the legendary Mt. Kurama event ? when precisely (emphasiz is on 'precisely') the symbols were introduced by Usui in his teachings ?


if we make assumption that since symbols were needed for immediate healing of naval officers, Usui had requested Divine, or had meditated to solve the problem, and was then given symbols system, or could we make assumption that symbols were 'infact' gifted to him quite before their need was particularly felt for naval officers ?


as we learn from web content, ckr is a symbol belived to have been in existence from ancient times in esoteric japanese practices.... then how it is now exlcusively believed to have been 'reserved' for reiki ? when we draw CKR, we believe it empowers oter symbols and also the reiki flow, inter alia, but we dont know what CKR was used for before it was 'digitized' for reiki by Usui Sensei... do we know James ?


in the referred page, in the footnotes, note-3 ante, says :

QUOTE the whole concept of Reiki being understood to refer to "universal/life-force energy" (i.e. in the sense of an energy outside of ourself) seems to really be something quite modern - a Western conceptualisation that was imported into Japan in the 1980's.

In a diary entry dated Dec. 10 1935, Takata-sensei wrote about Reiki being:
"...Energy within oneself " - and also about how we must "...meditate to let the "Energy" come out from within." Concerning the "Energy" she said: "It lies in the bottom of your stomach about 2 in. below the navel."

This would seem to be a very different view of Reiki from that commonly held by many people today...UNQUOTE


this may be viewed a stark opposite of what we in west are generally made to believe... while Takat-sensei speaks of personal ki but appears to have mentioned reiki instead of personal ki, in above noted remarks ?

if i were to reconcile the two things, i would say that reiki is better to be described as an 'enabling technique' that opens us to something all within ourselves already.... and the logical conclusion might leade me to say that if all is within ourselves, we might discover it without attunement also ? i.e., in some other spritual technique but not reiki ?

so why attunement is held so exlcusive then ?


ah, i feel i have fully tried to give a lot botheration James , but i know very well, that teachers dont frown on silly questions of students, rather have smile when they come across with gross stupidities ? so are you smiling James ??



take care

salman

Lambs-Wool wrote:... Takat-sensei speaks of personal ki but appears to have mentioned reiki instead of personal ki

You might interpret it this way - I however, do not.


Simply because 'energy' is perceived as coming out from within, does not necessarily mean it is 'personal energy'

Consider, for example, the phenomenon of Johrei (or Jyorei) Healing:

Johrei's 'founder', Mokichi Okada believed that he had received the Johrei power from the bodhisattva Kannon.
According to Okada (known to his followers as 'Meishu Sama') Kannon placed an orb or ball of golden light within his hara, and it was from this radiant source within his abdomen that the power of Johrei emanated.

From: "The Principles of Jyorei"

"The fundamental source of the light energy of the Ball is to be found in the spiritual world. The Orb of Kannon constantly and infinitely replenishes its Power with Divine Light rays which are directed at me.” – Meishusama

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Rlei_ki wrote:

Lambs-Wool wrote:... Takat-sensei speaks of personal ki but appears to have mentioned reiki instead of personal ki

You might interpret it this way - I however, do not.


Simply because 'energy' is perceived as coming out from within, does not necessarily mean it is 'personal energy'

Consider, for example, the phenomenon of Johrei (or Jyorei) Healing:

Johrei's 'founder', Mokichi Okada believed that he had received the Johrei power from the bodhisattva Kannon.
According to Okada (known to his followers as 'Meishu Sama') Kannon placed an orb or ball of golden light within his hara, and it was from this radiant source within his abdomen that the power of Johrei emanated.

From: "The Principles of Jyorei"

"The fundamental source of the light energy of the Ball is to be found in the spiritual world. The Orb of Kannon constantly and infinitely replenishes its Power with Divine Light rays which are directed at me.” – Meishusama

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thanks James

when i first viewed your reply i found only the first line of your reply "you may interpret it in that way, however, i dont " and i was wondering why there is not anymore guidance... and when i re-visited i found the complete reply thanks for the time James


well, you've given a new dimension to my understanding of personal energy vs. reiki being localized/personalized in dantien or hara... while i was (admittedly) under a concept that what we focus or localize during joshin kokyu ho is our personal energy and was almost having the same bent of mind in exercises of kuji in, i have found a good nose-correction.....


the seat of confusion, inter alia, is our common sentiment when we try to equate reiki with the concept energy... although i myslef am quite 'vocal' in saying reiki isnt an energy, but when it comes to practical application, i find myself contradicting my own beliefs... and practically i m all the time conceiving reiki as some sort of energy... something that has to be given a good second thought...


i would now try to localize reiki and not energy in dantien... since i must now attempt to 'learn' clearly what is the difference of feeling energy vs. feeling reiki...


revisiting my questions on symbols :
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while i asked : "and precisely, another question that stems from this one... Introduction of symbols into system of reiki was not what Usui had started with.... as we believe today, symbols are as much important in the system as is the original concepts of reiki... so do we hear from history or from then surviving students of Usui Sensei that Usui had another 'landmark' satori or revelation, where he was gifted with symbols, like he was gifted with reiki in the legendary Mt. Kurama event ? when precisely (emphasiz is on 'precisely') the symbols were introduced by Usui in his teachings ?"


in search of answers, i found a good note in one of your e-books at aetw.org... i feel your rationale quite convincing that why would have Usui-sensei made the symbols known to hundreds (or perhaps 1000s) of students who were just at schoden level.. and similarly why would he have had introduced DKM to students who were at okuden... this appeals to logic quite well... so generally, what i have inferred from reading information on your pages, is that symbols were all the time 'integral', 'inbuilt' and 'constituent' in the reiki package which he had received on Mt. Kurama revelation... but just as the matter or expediency, or perhaps personal choice, he did not made the symbols 'public' unless he felt the need of teaching them to Hayashi-sensei....


another reason perhaps : since Usui-sensei's approach was more towards 'spiritual empowerment' or reiju, he might have felt 'not necessary' to introduce symbols for in-person students, since he might have felt that reiju is all the way round serving the same ends that symbols might otherwise have had...

but anyways, i feel believing that symbols were the part of the original reiki package, ab initio!


take care James

salman

Lambs-Wool wrote:
he might have felt 'not necessary' to introduce symbols for in-person students, since he might have felt that reiju is all the way round serving the same ends that symbols might otherwise have had...

Imo, Usui sensei picked, and empowered the symbols. I can't think of anyone more qualified, or had the ability to do this. Takata sensei said she taught as Hayashi sensei did. Hayashi sensei was so principled he ended his life the way he did.

It makes no sense Hayashi sensei would honour and 'tie in' Usui sensei to a system, unless, it really was Usui sensei's system.

Lambs-Wool wrote:
but anyways, i feel believing that symbols were the part of the original reiki package, ab initio!

Yeah, Reiju or not at some earlier point, who knows. What i do feel is pretty likely, is that Usui sensei used an esoteric initiaiton procedure, used some symbols & phrases, and passed that on.

Take care
Wayne

Milarepa wrote:

Lambs-Wool wrote:
he might have felt 'not necessary' to introduce symbols for in-person students, since he might have felt that reiju is all the way round serving the same ends that symbols might otherwise have had...

Imo, Usui sensei picked, and empowered the symbols. I can't think of anyone more qualified, or had the ability to do this. Takata sensei said she taught as Hayashi sensei did. Hayashi sensei was so principled he ended his life the way he did.

It makes no sense Hayashi sensei would honour and 'tie in' Usui sensei to a system, unless, it really was Usui sensei's system.

hey Wayne

thanks you explained it more clearly..


all above stems from my inqusitiveness that why symbols were introduced a bit later by Usui-sensei... and perhaps we come to know about the introduction of symbols only when Usui taught them to Dr. Hayashi-sensei....

actually history of reiki is so intricate, mind-boggling and confusing that we cannot culture the whole story unless we support ourselves by starting with some assumptions to get going, and when ends tie up, to revise or even discard such assumptions... this is perhaps a normal phenomenon whenever history is being written

take care

salman

Milarepa wrote: What i do feel is pretty likely, is that Usui sensei used an esoteric initiaiton procedure, used some symbols & phrases, and passed that on.

yes, the his initiation procedure must have esoteric roots, something unique with him, as he was

take care

Lambs-Wool wrote:
all above stems from my inqusitiveness that why symbols were introduced a bit later by Usui-sensei... and perhaps we come to know about the introduction of symbols only when Usui taught them to Dr. Hayashi-sensei....

hiya Buddy,
that's if they actually were introduced some time later. There's a portion of the Reiki community whom believe they were, and they beleive this because they ascribe to the 'originality' folks whom initially said this.

I'd suggest some 'originality' folks were possibly the level 1 students of Takata sensei, or Meiko Mitsui. hence they never knew of the symbols. .

take care
Wayne

[quote="Milarepa
I'd suggest some 'originality' folks were possibly the level 1 students of Takata sensei, or Meiko Mitsui. hence they never knew of the symbols. .
[/quote]

yes, i have started to sense this after reading James pages too

take care