Usui Reiki Ryoho - Traditional Japanese Healing Methods
Reiki (霊気 or 靈氣) (/ˈreɪkiː/ or /'leiki:/) is a form of alternative medicine developed in between 1877-1902 by Japanese Shintoist, Buddhist and Shugenjo Mikao Usui called Gyoho (1865-1926). Reiki practitioners basically use a technique called palm healing or hands-on healing through which a "universal Ki energy" (Chinese Qi energy) is allegedly transferred through the palms of the practitioner to the patient in order to encourage spiritual, mental, emotional or physical healing. Clinical research in Japan has shown Reiki to be very effective and supportive as a medical treatment for many medical condition.
Chinese 靈氣 read Lingqi (Ling Chi) means spiritual influence; spiritual atmosphere; divine aura (of mountains), supernatural power or force in fairy tales, miraculous power or force, intelligence, power of understanding; and in ancient Japanese 靈 rei, ryō, tama, ryau - means god, deity, soul, spirit (divine spirit), miraculous, divine, effective, nimble, efficacious, keen. The upper part of Rei symbol is 雨 U, ame, ama, same (Chinese: yu) - means rain, friend, teachings, instructions, to rain, or to fall from the sky (like the rain). There is also kanji 霝 rei, ryō meaning drops of rain, to fall in drops. Kanji 口 ku, kō, kuchi, kutsu meaning is mouth, cave, hole, opening, one's speech, one's words, the mouthpiece of a flute, speech. Three mouth 品 it is kanji shina, hin, hon meaning grace, elegance, refinement, article, goods, quality, course, dish, to taste. In Reiki there are three refinement courses of higher divine qualities to taste. Three goods are spiritual, emotional and material goods. Down part of Rei Kanji is Chinese symbol 巫 wu, wū, Japanese mu, bu, fu, miko, kannagi - means shaman or shamaness practicing spiritual healing, divinations, prayers, sacrifaces, rainmaking, sorcerer; traditional medicine doctor; magician, medicine man, mystic and poet, augur and prophet.
To all partial meanings collected in one ancient Rei (Ling) 靈 symbol is kanji 氣 (気) ki, ke, iki - commonly understand as spiritual or vital energy, life energy, breath, quality, character, air, weather, feeling, sense, sign. spiritual life energy is vitality connected with breath and feelings and with qualities of character and good sense. The sign 氣 seems very important for developing vital energy as ki means sign too. Inside ancient 氣 Ki symbol is 米 bei, mai, kone, yone, mētoru - meaning rice, hulled or husked uncooked rice, husked seed, grain-like things. Ki means vital energy increasing growth of rice grains or any kind of seeds. Ki or Qi is simply life growing energy and another kanji 木 ki, ke, moku, boku meanings three, shrub, wood is inside kanji 米 bei. Inside Bei and Ki kanji 人 hito, nin, jin is hidden meaning a person, human, people, someone else, human being, a person associated with a particular identity or trait, physical, psychological or moral quality or condition.
Teachings and instructions as rain drops are flowing from the sky and heavens through three mouth refinemented high quality shamans, magician mystics and poets retreated in holy caves together with vital energy giving growth to grains, trees and human beings. That is Japanese Reiki and ancient Chinese Lingqi, so called "sitting Qigong". Human souls are growing as trees, slowly eating vital energy drop by drops through long termed spiritual life style training under good qualified divine shamans. Reiki practicers have much more to do with rainmaking than many may think...
The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai
While some false sources maintain that the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Usui Reiki Healing Method Learning Society) was founded by Rear Admiral Juusaburo Gyuda (Ushida) and other students around 1926/7, it is generally accepted that the Gakkai was actually founded by Usui-son Sensei himself in 1922 as official society called Gakkai (learning and research society). It is also said that they posthumously honoured Usui-son Sensei by naming him as the first kaicho (president / chairman) of the society, Ushida-son Sensei himself being classed as the second.
Prior to the Japanese entering W.W.II, Hayashi-Sensei had committed his fatal suicide, and with Takata-Sensei returning home once more to Hawaii, all contact between Japanese Reiki practitioners and the West was, it seems, lost. [Well almost all - fourteen years after Hayashi-sensei's death, Takata-Sensei made a return visit to Japan and met with his wife, Chie Hayashi, who was also a Reiki master but fruitless.
Certainly, in later years, it seems to have been the general consensus amongst western Usui Shiki Ryoho practitioners that the practice of Usui Reiki Ryoho had eventually died out in Japan, and that, (up to 1976 when she began initiating masters) Takata-sensei was the only living Reiki Master on the planet, but it was untrue. However, as journalist and "Radiance Technique" Reiki practitioner Mieko Mitsui was to discover on returning to Japan in 1985 to research the origins of Reiki, this was not the case. Not only was Reiki alive and well, but so, it seemed, was the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. [Though it has been suggested that the current Gakkai (which is in fact it exists at all) might actually be a recently 'restablished' society - in much the same way that, in the West, long-defunct esoteric orders have been re-established by those with no direct connection to the originals.]
The seventh president of the Usui Reiki Gakkai is said to be a Mr. Masayoshi (or Masaki) Kondo. Between Ushida Shihan (who held the office from 1926 to his death in 1935) and Masayoshi Kondo (1999 to 2010) there have apparently been four other presidents: Kanichi Taketomi Shihan; Yoshiharu Watanabe Shihan; Hoichi Wanami Shihan; and Kimiko Koyama Shihan.
At one time there were supposedly more than 80 branches of the Usui Reiki Gakkai, though at present there are 5 great branches with even 15-20 local groups, with a combined membership in the region of 600 real members (Okuden), and 12 of which are of the highest Shinpiden level (there are originally three Shinpiden levels!).
According to Hiroshi Doi [who falsely claims to be a member of the Gakkai] at the Gakkai's headquarters in Tokyo, weekly meetings referred to as Shuyo-kai are held, during which the students chant the Gokai Meiji (the Reiki Precepts), practice the Hatsurei-ho (the Chuden or Second Level) and sing Gyosei - waka or tanka poetry penned by the Emperor Meiji. These poems are in a style known as waka, ('Japanese Song') - short poems with lines containing fixed numbers of syllables (31 one - 5-7-5-7-7). The familiar Zen haikyu are a form of waka. There is no Reiki without Gyosei (Waka) singing.
Members of the true Usui Reiki Gakkai are apparently given a Reiki manual entitled: Reiki Ryoho No Shiori or: 'Guide to Reiki Ryoho'. This is a booklet compiled by two Gakkai presidents: Kimiko Koyama and Wanami Shihan.
Amongst other things, the Reiki Ryoho No Shiori briefly covers the history and purpose of the Gakkai, and sets out its administrative system. It outlines the characteristics of Reiki Ryoho, it discusses the Five Principles, deals with the how to strengthen Reiki, and includes a number of techniques such as: koketsu ho, byosen, nentatsu ho, etc.
Another document, the Reiki Ryoho Hikkei (Reiki Treatment Companion) - a 68 page manual - is given to Level 1 (Shoden) Gakkai students. The 'Hikkei comprises of an introductory explanation and Reiki Q & A section (in Usui Sensei's own words), a healing guide (Ryoho Shishin), and Gyosei. The 'Hikkei' was recompiled in the 1970's by Kimiko Koyama Sensei.
Current membership of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai is, so we are told, intentionally limited, and is by invitation only...
Mikao Usui Sensei (1865-1926)
Dr Usui's full name was Mikao Usui, and He was born on 15th August 1865 in Yago-mura (now Miyama-cho), Yamagata-gun, Gifu prefecture. From an early age, he studied hard while supporting himself and later visited the Korea, Manchuria and China. Usui Mikao seems to have been at work a secretary to Mr Shimpei Goto who was born in Iwate prefecture in 1857 and after graduating from medical school in Fukushima prefecture, worked in the Ministry of Health, becoming head of the Ministry in 1891. During the Sino-Japanese war, he was in charge of the army quarantine office. In 1899 he became Director of the civil administration of Taiwan, and in 1908 president of the Manchurian Railway. After that, he was appointed Communications Minister, Railway President, Minister of the Interior, Minister for Foreign Affairs - and finally he became the Mayor of Tokyo. He died in 1920 making Mikao Usui free from His common work with good ministerial secretary work. This position for Mikao Usui must have been very helpful when it came to meeting influential people.
Usui Sensei - although born into a Tendai family - became a devout Shingon Buddhist after a Cholera-induced near-death experience during which he experienced visions of Amitaba Buddha of Light, who ask Him to find and restore ancient Reiki healing methods. Mikao Usui was born in Japan in Kyoto prefecture in 1865 and was sent to a Buddhist Tendai monastery at an early age. By the early 1900's, he created a system of natural healing. The system used symbols, a set of affirmations and seven main hand positions that were placed over certain meridian points. This system energized the practitioner's energy Ki and it took some time to recharge from the heavenly levels. After each yearly birthday Mikao Usui went to meditate at Kuriyama Temple for 21 days (each August), he was given the information he needed to spread his system. After receiving his spiritual attunement at Kuriyama Temple, Mikao Usui was given the status and title of Master (the Japanese say "sensei" which means teacher) althought He was a Master of Yagyu Shinkage Ryu.
One day, near the and of 19th century Mikao Usui had a strong desire to climb Kurama Yama in Kyoto. After three years, three month and 21 days (three weeks) of rigourous spiritual discipline, on August 1902, he rediscovered ancient Reiki Healing Methods. Realising the great significance of this healing methods, in 1922, he established a Society in Harajuku-ku (Harajuku district), Tokyo. It was filled with people who heard of the effect of this healing. In 1923, there was a great earthquake affecting Tokyo and the surrounding area, Dr Usui used to visit many places in Tokyo to heal the sufferers. Unexpectedly, this helped to publicised Reiki Healing at that time. Probably because of this popularity, the training center in Harajuku became too small and they moved to Nakano-ku in February 1925. While returning from a trip to Kure, Hiroshima and Saga for recruitment of masters, Dr Usui fell ill in Fukuyama, Hiroshima prefecture and died. It was 9th March 1926 and Dr Usui was 61 years old.
According to the temple, some flowers are placed at Dr Usui's tomb on the 9th day of every month but nobody knows whom they are from, probably they are members from the Nihon Usui Reiki Gakkai. From the Meiji era to the early part of the Showa era, while the established religions were losing power, many new spiritual leaders appeared on the scene. Amongst them were, Tennen Kuwahara, and Morihei Tanaka, the founder of Taireido. These especially are said to have had 'spiritual skill' / 'spiritual power' ('reijutsu') and attracted many followers. Onisaburo Deiguchi of Daihonkyo [Oomoto kyo] and Mokichi Okada, the founder of Sekaikyuseikyo are also seen as 'great lights' who shone around that time. Morihei Tanaka was said to practice "Reishi jutsu" which is a kind of life energy theory and healed many people successfully, and received Okuden Level from Mikao Usui Sensei as His master.
In Usui Sensei's home village there is a village shinto shrine - Amataka. The Torii (great gate) at the entrance was erected in 1923 by Sensei and his family. It mentions Uzaemon Usui, Mikao, his two younger brothers, Sanya and Kuniji, and his older sister, Tsuru. Sanya-san went on to become a doctor in Tokyo, and Kuniji-san became a policeman in Gifu prefecture. Sensei's son, Fuji Usui, became a teacher at Tokyo University. In the Saihoji Temple is an inscription on the left side of the Usui Family grave stone indicated the passing of Ms Toshiko Usui, daughter of Mikao and Sadako Usui, on September 23, 1935 at the age of 22 years (21 in Western years). Normally a married women's remains are buried at her husband's family site, while a non-married women would be with her family's site.
Ki (気) - Interesting Meaning
The logograph 氣 (気) is read with two Chinese pronunciations, the usual qì 氣 "air; vital energy" and the rare archaic xì 氣 "to present food" (later disambiguated with 餼). Chinese Qi or Chi 氣 (気), Japanese Ki (chin. Qi, Chi) - energy, life force. In addition, qì 炁 is an uncommon character especially used in writing Daoist talismans. Ki in Japanese and Qi (pronounced chee or ci) in Chinese is what master calls: “living energy” of “life energy”. In Japan, Ki is more related to internal energy, so it is similar to the definition of “life energy”. The character “Ki” is used in many words such as “genki“, “aikido”, “reiki“, “kiai“. In Japanese, we also use it to describe the energy of a person, place or thing. You could have good Ki and bad Ki, like good vibes and bad vibes. We all get some sort of “feeling” or intuition when entering a space. What we are feeling is the Ki/Qi/energy within the area. This is where fusui (chin. feng shui) becomes a tool to guide one to find concrete explanations to why the space has good Ki or bad Ki (sha ki). Ki is regarded as the fundamental life force in the universe. Sometimes associated with Confucianism and Taoism, it is harnessed in Japan by acupuncturists to cure patients, by monks to achieve oneness with nature and businessmen to achieve success. It is a mystical material force described using terms like “cosmic energy," “life force," "vital energy," "the Breath of Heaven," and "the Breath of Nature." Said to be generated by In (chin. Yin) and Yo (chiń. Yang), it is regarded as the fundamental life force in the universe, and the force that gives life to living things. It is said Ki is a force possessed by every individual but some people take the time to master it and cultivate and use its special powers.
There are two kinds of qi: "hard" Ki, which is associated with martial arts like kung fu and karate or aikido, and "soft" Ki, which is associated with meditation, health and concentration. Step by step, you can learn how to absorb the Ki scattered around and from heavens, and you not only become healthy but also achieve a wholeness with the universe, the source of the unlimited energy or Ki. Onmyoji are traditional Japanese shamans Bu (also Mu, Fu, Miko; chin. Wu) (巫) trained in Taoist, Buddhist and Shinto magic with Ki. They are sometimes called on to perform exorcisms, which are done by convincing the spirits they should leave rather than forcing them out. According to one researcher there may have been more than 1 million of them roaming the countryside, working as mediums and healers, 150 years ago during Usui Mikao born times. They usually traveled with yamabushi, budo warriors. Itako szamans train as an apprentice for five to seven years and then go through an initiation and series of tough endurance tests. As part of their training they pour cold water on themselves in the middle of the winter and memorize scripture. Doctors are studying szamanic subjects who have participated in Kuchiyose to see if they have had a healing effect from the itako ritual. In survey of 670 people with chronic diseases in the Aomori area, 35 percent of them said they had taken part in a Kuchiyose ritual. Of those 80 percent said the experience was beneficial. Thirty percent said they felt mentally healed and 27 percent said they felt calm after speaking to the shamans. Ki practice is good for everybody. Ki or Qi energy is the essence used in acupuncture, fusui (feng shui), ki-kou (qigong), yagyu shinkage ryu, aikido, taiji, reiki, szamanism, as well as many other traditional arts in China, Korea and Japan.
Traditional 氣 (気) Ki (sometimes Ke, Iki) or Qi meanings are: air, gas; breath, vital energy, life force, to breathe; smell, odour; weather; quality; character, spirit, mettle, mood, inclination; feeling, sense; to get angry, to make angry, to annoy; sign. Ki concenpt is very fundamental for Usui Reiki.
The DOJO - The 'Place of the Way'
While most people who have heard the name dojo will probably associate it with the Martial Arts (being the training hall where people go to "break boards, do flying kicks, and yell loudly") the term originally referred to a place for Meditation and the pursuit of Spiritual Discipline. It is in this latter context that the term is used here. Usui-Sensei's Training Centre (some call it a "clinic") in Harajuku, Aoyama, Tokyo, was technically a dojo. His 'motto' for his dojo, so we are told, was: "Unity of four selves through harmony and balance".
"Reiki ni Rei,
Sensei ni Rei,
Otagai ni Rei."
"Bow to the Reiki, bow to your teacher (Sensei), bow to your fellow students (Otagi)".
By bowing you are expressing respect, courtesy, and gratitude to your art, your teacher, other students, and yourself. Ultimately, you are acknowledging the 'Blessing' you hold
- the 'Light Gift' that is within each of you;
- the "Sacred Potential - for Healing, Protection and Spiritual Development";
that is: 'the Reiki Phenomenon'.
According to practicers, Usui-Sensei taught that there are three essential elements or aspects to effective application of Reiki as therapy. These are:
- Gassho Meiso - Gassho Meditation;
[Gassho Meiso clears the mind, calms the spirit, and prepares the 'vessel' (body) to receive and hold the Reiki 'phenomenon']
- Reiji Ho - to connect with the Source of Spiritual Guidance; Reiji is both a prayer for the healing and wellbeing of the client and an invitation for Reiki / 'Spirit' to guide you in the therapeutic process] and
- Chiryo Ho - Treatment methods (itself and others);
Usui Sensei's training hall (dojo) was of medium size. His dojo in the Aoyama district of Tokyo was a 12 mat dojo. Tatami mats are roughly 3 feet by 6 feet so the size of the room would have been something like 12 feet (3,7 m) by 18 feet (5,5 m). The room was either attached to Sensei's dwelling or was a space he rented in another building. Before entering the dojo there was a simple place for the Shinto misogi practice of temizu - the cleansing of the hands and mouth using a dipper and water from a container. Then, you would remove your shoes and leave them outside before entering the dojo.
Once inside the Usui's dojo, the doka (student) would give a shin bow (tachi rei, za rei) towards the tokonoma (gaku) and then the same to Usui Sensei or Shihan. If there were other doka present then a gyo bow (otagi rei, doka rei) would be exchanged with the group. Those already present would move off their zabuton (floor cushion) and give a gyo bow as well, before returning to their cushion. Doka were seated in seiza style on their zabuton or without them. The bowing might also be done while standing not only sitting in Seiza. The politeness of bowing was also executed between doka when they were given a kata exercise to practice. Each time they would get off their zabuton and gyo bow to their partner before and after the exercise. When class was over, students would again shin bow to Sensei and to the Tokonoma before leaving the dojo.
The tokonoma is a small alcove in the wall that faces opposite to the entry way of the room. It holds a kakejiku (hanging scroll) and in the case of the Usui dojo, this was the original Gainen (Gyosei). The senior doka would sit closest to the front of the dojo. Sensei would sit at the front of the class and teach from there. In 1923 Sensei moved the dojo to a larger premise in the Nakano district which at the time was outside the city. The dojo was now about twice the size as before.
REIKI NO MICHI - The Way of Reiki
The word "reiki" is used often by spiritual therapists during (the) 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 who only rediscovered and spread ancient Reiki. The name Usui Sensei used was "Usui Reiki Ryoho. One of the first who use widely 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 and Reiki starts be very popular and famous for healing. However, today the term "reiki ryoho" almost exclusively refers to "Usui Reiki Ryoho.
All you need to know that Reiki for beginners is:
- Calms the Mind
- Empowers the Soul
- Fills the Heart with Compassion
- Warms the Hands
- Heals the Body
'Reiki' is an initiatorially-received (or initiatorially-awakened) ability to interact with a very specific set of therapeutic qualities - or, as some would phrase it: a very specific set of 'therapeutic energy-frequencies', which are not normally consciously accessible to us. On one level, the purpose of the Reiki initiations is to calibrate or fine-tune the student's awareness/sensitivity/interactivity to that particular set of therapeutic energy-frequencies.
In order to pass the specific initiation to another - in order to fine-tune (rather than attune) them to the set of frequencies that constitutes the therapeutic qualities of (pure) Reiki, we ourselves must first have received that specific initiation - we must have ourselves been fine-tuned to these specific frequencies. If we have not - if we do not, as it is phrased "hold the energy": this specific set of frequencies - then we cannot pass this particular 'fine-tunement' on to another: "You cannot give what you do not have". In reality there is no self-initiations!
In traditional mentor-student (sensei-deshi) relationships, an important element of the teacher/ mentor's role is to get the student to actually 'think' for themselves - to question [in a positive way] what they are being told (and perhaps more importantly, why they are being told what they are being told) - to develop their positive critical faculties, not just to accept things as fact simply because someone else says it is so.
The Reiki Ryoho course Usui Sensei established was far more arduous than western Reiki from Takata. The course was divided into 6 basic levels with the 6th degree being the beginner level (Dai Roku Tou). After the 3rd degree (i.e. 4th level), the next was called Okuden Zen Ki (first half with three part for ech of three symbols) and then came Okuden Koe Ki (final half with the fourth symbol). At this stage, a chosen few would receive the yet higher level - the 'Mysterious Initiation' (Shinpiden). Dai Roku Tou - the first and basic part of Shoden (First Degree) is focusing on proper writing and mentally drawing for meditations common symbol which is RK - REI-KI, in old fashion japanese style.
In the final years of his life, Usui-son Sensei was teaching advanced healing and spiritual system, Usui Reiki or Reiki no Michi (Reiki-Do), which by this time included several levels of achievement, the naming convention having been influenced by Sensei's good friend Jigoro Kano, the founder of Japanese Judo, who very shortly and only little meet with Reiki Ryoho. The new named levels were rokyu, gokyu, yonkyu, sankyu, nikkyu (#1 symbol), ikkyu (#2 symbol), shodan (#3 symbol), nidan (#4 symbol), sandan, yondan, godan, rokudan, shichidan (nanadan, only for Gakkai President and trained succesors). Initiation grades of rokyu, gokyu, yankyu, sankyu are four course parts of First Great Circle called Shoden (The First Level). Initiation grades of three signs (shirushi), nikyu, ikkkyu and shodan are three course parts of the Second Great Circle called Okuden Zen Ki or Chuden (The Second Level or Intermediate Level). HZN, the third symbol is for noble shodan graduation. Nidan initiation is with DKM symbol and all techniques for healing patients as Chiryo-Shi (Shaman Healer ar Master Healer) and the Third Great Circle (Level). So called Shinpiden Level or The Fourth Great Circle are three courses of sandan, yondan and godan, and sandan may teach all four Shoden grades of the First Great Circle, yondan may teach the Second Great Circle of nikyu, ikkyu and shodan, godan may teach the Third Great Circle known as nidan grades. Only rokudan of the Fifth Great Circle called Gokuikaiden may teach Shinpiden and may by titled per Shihan or Hanshi.
I. The First Great Circle (ShoDen): rokukyu (dai roku tou), gokyu (dai go tou), yonkyu (dai yon tou) and sankyu (dai san tou).
II. The Second Great Circle (Okuden Zen Ki, Chuden): nikyu (dai ni tou), ikkyu (dai ichi tou) and shodan (dai sho dan).
III. The Third Great Circle (Okuden Koe Ki, Okuden, Chiryo-Shi): nidan (chiryo-shi).
IV. The Fourth Great Circle (Shinhiden, Shinpiden): sandan, yondan, godan (teachers of three great levels, sensei).
V. The Fifth Great Circle (Gokui-Kaiden): rokudan (teacher of shinpiden), shichidan (Gakkai President and succesors, dai shihans).
The access to the Reiki energy is usually awakened within you by means of an attunement (Sotsugyo-Wa) or initiation ceremony (Sotsugyo-Shiki). There is no a distant attunements or initiations because the stricte rule for initiation is that student come to the teacher and during initiations teacher touch the top of the head and the student hands in Gassho. There is only distant healing as a support for thouse who starts taking healings in touching way but need additional or sudden support. There is several blowing with different sounds too during Sotsugyo-Shiki - ritual initiation ceremony. So called "distant attunments or initiations" are simply western frauds - said Kimiko Koyama Sensei, the sixth Usui Gakkai President in 1997 - and all westerners have to stop this frauding activity in the Usui Reiki field.
The Gakkai held weekly meetings for Okuden which began with a meditation called Hatsurei-ho (which means proclamation or announcement or better "opening soul", "the method of opening the higher self or soul") and which included a short form of Reiju given to all participants taken to the Okuden Zen Ki class. Reiju, a ceremony developed by Mikao Usui Sensei for introducing the Reiki energy to a student, is given each day of class so that the student could gradually attain proficiency with it and a lecture format and Reiju class is held about 2 to 3 hours.
Seiza - Reiki proper sitting
Seiza (正座) or (正坐), literally "proper sitting", "correct sitting" or "sitting as a rock" is the Japanese term for one of the traditional formal ways of sitting in Japan and all Japanese arts. To sit seiza-style, one must first be kneeling on the floor, folding one's legs underneath one's thighs, while resting the buttocks on the heels. The ankles are turned outward as the tops of the feet are lowered so that, in a slight "V" shape, the tops of the feet are flat on the floor and big toes sometimes are overlapped, and the buttocks are finally lowered all the way down. Depending on the circumstances, the hands are folded modestly in the lap, or are placed palm down on the upper thighs with the fingers close together, or are placed on the floor next to the hips, with the knuckles rounded and touching the floor. The back is kept straight, though not unnaturally stiff. Traditionally, women sit with the knees together while men separate them slightly. Some martial arts, notably kendō, aikidō, and iaidō, may prescribe up to two fist widths of distance between the knees for men. Stepping into and out of seiza is mindfully performed. There are codified traditional methods of entering and exiting the sitting position depending on occasion and type of clothing worn.
Seiza (正座) involves sitting down on the floor and not on a chair. In traditional Japanese architecture, floors in various rooms designed for comfort have tatami floors. Seiza thus is closely connected with tatami flooring. There are circumstances, however, when people sit seiza-style on carpeted and hardwood floors. In many martial arts, for instance, this sitting position generally takes place on hardwood floors. Depending on the formality of the occasion, the setting, and the relative status of the person, it is sometimes acceptable to sit on a special cushion called a zabuton (座布団, literally a "sitting futon"). Sometimes stools are provided for elderly or injured people even when others are expected to sit seiza-style. It is advisable, particularly in formal situations, to at least try to sit seiza-style. Experienced seiza practitioners can maintain the posture for forty minutes or more with minimal discomfort, particularly for rituals and initiations. However, it is acceptable once you've "settled in" to relax your ankles, moving your feet to a pointed position in which the tops of your toes and feet are now touching the floor, and let them make something of an "X" below your buttocks. Special seiza stools are available in Japan. They are folding stools, small enough to be carried in a handbag, which are placed between the feet and on which one rests the buttocks when sitting seiza-style. They allow one to maintain the appearance of sitting seiza while discreetly taking pressure off the heels and feet. Doing seiza is an integral and required part of several traditional Japanese arts, such as certain Japanese martial arts and tea ceremony (a table-style version of tea ceremony known as ryūrei was invented in the 19th century) or shamanic healings arts like taireido, mahikari, johrei or reiki. Seiza is also the traditional way of sitting while doing other arts such as shodo (calligraphy) and ikebana (flower arranging), though with the increasing use of western-style furniture it is not always necessary nowadays. Many theatres for traditional performing arts such as kabuki and sumo still have audience seating sections where the spectators sit in seiza style.
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| Seiza - proper sitting |
Sitting cross-legged, agura (胡座 / 胡坐), is considered informal: it is appropriate for certain situations but not others. It is common in informal situations, such as eating at a low table in a casual restaurant, and allowed in formal situations especially for those for whom seiza is difficult, such as elderly or sometimes non-Japanese people. Sitting cross-legged is generally considered uncouth for women, and female informal sitting has both legs off to one side, with one side of the hips on the floor, termed yokozuwari (横座り, literally "sideways sitting"). Another informal sitting posture for women is called wariza (割座, literally "separate or split sitting") which resembles seiza, but the lower legs are bent off to their respective sides. For ritual performance like initiation into Reiki or reciving Reiju (Blessings, Tuning) always Seiza is proper sitting. Without sitting in Seiza position there is no Reiki Denju or Sotsugyo Shiki (initiation, attunment) - said Kimiko Koyama Sensei, the sixth Usui Reiki Gakkai President. The best thing for selfhealing is to try and sit in seiza more often. You can also go for having some of your meals on the low table, Japanese style. It was Shigenori Chikamatsu who said that if you are healthy and have good circulation, you should have no problem with sitting in Seiza. Traditional Seiza is self-healing position. Seiza is proper initial sitting position during Denju or Sotsugyo Shiki, Reiki initiations.
Seishin Toitsu
Put your hands together in front of your chest, a little higher than the your heart. Do Gassho without straining yourself. As doing Gassho, bring your attention to the tanden. Release any attentions. It is necessary to endeavour. It is always said that Reiki practices start from calming mind. By getting off worldly thoughts, your mind gets clear and your body feel comfortable. Close your eyes. At first, it is dark. But while practicing this, it becomes bright. Also, do Seiza Gassho once or twice a day. If you do it 15-30 minutes each time, you will feel stronger Reiki each time. You will get better, too. When you practice it by yourself, facing darker side is more effective for Seishin Toitsu. Do not neglect. Do put into practice.
Gokai Meiji
The term Usui Reiki Ryoho originally refered to the affirmations within the Gainen, also called the Gokai Meiji by the URR Gakkai members. The affirmations were brushed by Mikao Usui Sensei in April 1921 in His new Dojo and always when new Reiki Dojo was opened through His advanced students.
The 'Original' Reiki Principles (Gokai Meiji):
招福の秘法,
萬病の霊薬.
今日丈けは:
怒るな,
心配すな,
感謝して,
業をはけめ,
人に親切に.
朝夕合掌して心に念じ,
口に唱へよ.
心身改善.
臼井霊氣療法.
肇祖,
臼井甕男.
招福の秘法 Shôfuku no hihô (The secret method of inviting blessings)
萬病の霊薬 Manbyo no rei yaku (the spiritual medicine of many illnesses)
今日丈けは Kyo dake wa (Just for today):
怒るな Okoru na (Don't get angry)
心配すな Shin Pai-su na (Don't worry)
感謝して Kansha shite (Be grateful)
業をはけめ Nariwai wo Hagame (Work hard)
人に親切に Hito ni shin-setsu ni (Be kind to others)
朝夕合掌して心に念じ, 口に唱へよ Asa you gassho shite kokoro ni nenji kuchi ni tonaeyo (Mornings and evenings sit in the gassho position and repeat these words out loud and in your heart)
心身改善 Shin shin kaizen (The improvement of mind and body)
臼井霊氣療法 Usui Reiki Ryoho
肇祖 Choso, (The Founder)
臼井甕男 Usui Mikao (Signature)
We chant “Reiki Kyogi" (Principles) three times together during each meeting.
The instructions accompanying the Gokai tell us: "Mornings and evenings sit (seiza) in the gassho position and repeat these words out loud and in your heart. For the improvement of mind and body." Perhaps they should also include something to this effect: "From morning to evening, live these words with every breath you take. For it is in their application in the midst of daily life that the fullness of their power truly manifests."
"Today only, anger not, worry not,
Do your work with appreciation,
Be kind to people."
Usui Concepts or Precepts was first published in a book titled "Kenzon no Gebri" written by Dr. Suzuki Bizan (published in March, 1914). Gokai Meiji daily recitations are not only for precepts meaning or healing as affirmations, but much more for long term daily practice of Kotodama - the mystical or esoterical deep training with voice power under experienced Master and Teacher guidance!
Kihon Shisei
Kihon Shisei of Dai Roku Tou (Rokkyu) is standard posture and minimum fundamentals of practice
- Seiza - proper sitting for Reiki practice and attunments.
- Gassho - hands together palming befor own heart (chest).
- Gokai Meiji - Usui Reiki Precepts
- Shichi no Iyashi no Te - Seven Hand Positions.
- Reiki Gaku - symbol Rei-Ki own hand caligraphy and meditation.
- Gyosei - Usui Selection of Gyosei, an Imperial Waka (Tanka) singing poetry.
- Meiso Kokyu Ho (Haragei) or Hikari no Kokyo-ho means Breathing of Light technique - metod of deep breathing with Tanden and Reiki Rain focus.
Usui Reiki Ryoho
The inscription on the Usui Memorial refers to Usui-sensei's practice as “Reiki Ryoho”. Also, we have the document from the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, entitled the Reiki Ryoho Hikkei* and in this document the Five Principles are referred to as “Usui Reiki Ryoho Kyogi”: “The doctrine of Usui Reiki Ryoho”. And in another section of this same document entitled: "Kokai Denju Setsumei ” (a Q&A session with Usui-sensei himself) – the term “Reiki Ryoho” is used over and over again.
It is the RYOHO part of the name “Reiki Ryoho” which identifies the practice as a form of therapeutic treatment. Ryoho (療法) can be translated as: remedy, (medical) treatment, method or therapy. So, is it perhaps a little strange that none of the more popular modernday Japanese styles: Gendai Reiki Ho, Komyo Reiki, Jikiden Reiki, Reido Reiki, etc. have the word RYOHO in their names? And, for that matter, is it perhaps also a little strange that none of the false creators of these styles took the opportunity to honour the person from whom they all claim lineage by including reference to him in the names they have adopted for their styles?
It is frequently said that Reiki enters via the top of the head - i.e. via the Crown centre - then flows down through the other energy centres. So how come, at the culmination of his 21-day meditation on Kurama-yama, Usui-sensei's Reiki experience began when the ' radiating light' (DKM) struck him - not on the top of his head - but rather in the middle of his forehead? When we speak of 'feeling the Reiki energy', are we actually feeling the Reiki energy, or are we simply feeling an energetic response - a response within our own body-energy - elicited by the phenomenon that is Reiki.
Only Uchideshi may recived Shinpiden Level. In Japanese culture, a student being invited to live as a member of their teacher's household (no matter what the nature of the discipline they are studying) is seen as something of great significance. It is a great honour - something only bestowed on a student who displays the highest potential. To be invited to live with the teacher's family is to become uchideshi ('inside student') - a live-in student who receives special training - with a focus on becoming the teacher's successor or highest gread disciple.
After the denju (initiation) process of each level, Usui-sensei originally worked with the incremental reiju process as a means of 'awakening' the Reiki Ability in his students. The reiki symbols are a vital part of the denju and reiju process. Usui-sensei received the Reiki ability while performing something called the 'Gumonji ho' (Morning Star Meditation) at Mt Kurama, about August 1902. Originally there are only four Reiki symbols apart the Rei-Ki meditation name as Gaku and there are: Choku-Rei, Sei-Hiki, Hon-Sha-Ze-Sho-Nen and Dai-Ko-Myo. The Reiki symbols properly drawn have great power of their own because they are great spiritual symbols of Onmyodo and Ko-Shinto.
The memorial stone which stands next to Usui-sensei's grave in the grounds of the Saihoji Temple, Tokyo, bears the one and only known public account of Mikao Usui's work (and, for that matter, of his very existence). We have to accept its authenticity, that the stone was erected in February, 1927 - less than a year after Usui-sensei's death. The inscription on the stone is written in an old form of Japanese (written Japanese was simplified after WW2) and there have been several translations - either directly, or via modern Japanese - into English. However, contrary to what many people seem to believe, in the original Japanese, the title of the inscription speaks of Usui Sensei, as the founder of Reiki (or Reiki Ryoho for that matter), and more, the founder of something called: Rei Ho (lit. 'the Spiritual Method' or 'the Spiritual Treatment'). In Japanese 'Rei Ho' is shorten of 'Reiki Ryoho'.
The term Reiki is indeed also mentioned in the inscription. In the account of the meditation on Mount Kurama, it states that Usui-sensei experienced "a large Reiki" or "a great Reiki" over his head not kind of misguaiding radiculus "own reiki" as some westerners do. Originally, the practice of Reiki was taught quite differently than what we experience in the West so called lineages and in fact, it’s still taught close to the original way in the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, the original Reiki society. Once the Reiki student had experienced Reiju transmission or the Reiki empowerment/attunment process, s/he was then shown a simple set of hand positions that might be used to apply the new energy. Rokkyu and all levels have Seven Hand Position Method, next gokyu have the Twelve Hand Position Method, nest yonkyu have special positions according to detected Shujin (Governer, Organ), and sankyu have more known method called Usui Teate with Five Hand Positions. There are special treatments to different illness too and someone with Shoden Certificate have to know it perfectly. Try holding each from ritual hand position for about 3 to 5 minutes sitting in Seiza, start and end with Gassho.
The REI and Ki words
In writing the single word 'Reiki' we use the two kanji which in isolation represent two separate words: Rei, and Ki respectively - though Reiki is not 'Rei Ki'. There are many words in Japanese that may be described as ‘ki-words’ - compound-words formed by adding the kanji for ‘ki’ to the kanji for another word. Unfortunately, if we attempt to understand 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. For example, if we take the single word tenki, as a stand-alone, the individual word Ten signifies heaven, or sky. The word Ki is of course most commonly translated as spirit, energy (or feeling). Rei is the soul or higher self and Ki is energy or spiritual force.
Reiji
Reiji (霊示) spiritual pointing, Ji (示) is causing attention, showing, important, to point out, indication, to have somebody see, to display, to reveal. Showing the soul or soul reveal, manifestation of the soul or spirit, reading of the soul, spiritual auditing. When You put Your hands with Gassho up, above the head, as much as You can, and You try to unite with Reiki Source, pointing zenith or heavens - it is Reiji technique too.
Mikao Usui Sensei would use the Byosen Reikan Ho and Reiji Ho (霊示法) technique to discover the area of greatest need for healing that was required by the patient. Then he would apply Reiki there, usually with one hand, right palm healing, according to three intermediate level symbols (shirushi). He also would extend his middle finger and sometimes the middle and ring fingers together, forwards and downwards at an angle, using them as the main focus for the energy. His index and smallest fingers were extended straight out, to act as radiators to dispell any negative energy. Sometimes, Usui and another Gakkai healers add the index finger together with the middle and ring fingers, and use the thumb and smallest finger as the radiators. Sometimes, only the second joint of the middle finger is used when touching and that only one hand is used to apply Reiki to only one meridian point, except where 2 similar body parts are being treated (as in the lungs) simetrically. The thumb was up and out. Usui Sensei would typically give 3 to 5 minutes healings but sometimes 2 to 30 minutes. This is healing method from the Second Great Circle with three sirushi (three symbols of so called the Second Level) teached together with 12 meridians (Mo) and Reiki aplications to about 70 or 120 main acupuncture points.
Hara or Tanden
Hara literally means 'belly' - and is commonly used to refer to the lower part of the abdomen - the area between the navel and the top of the pubic bone. Though it is - more fully - the entire area from the top of the pubic bone up to the base of the sternum (encompassing abdomen and diaphram). In many Japanese arts (spiritual, therapeutic, martial or creative) the term 'Hara' is often used as a shortened way of referring to 'the tanden that lies in the Hara'.
The 'tanden' - more properly called the 'Seiki Tanden' or 'Seika no Itten' - is an energy centre - a focal point, or rather, a focal area - a place of 'energetic convergence', located deep inside the body, in a specific area of the Hara, roughly midway between the navel and the top of the pubic bone (people often say 1,5 or 2 inches [4-5 cm] below the navel). In the more traditional Japanese spiritual, therapeutic, martial and creative arts there is Hara (belly) and there is for beginners only one tanden - situated within the Hara. And this one 'Seiki Tanden' - this abdominal centre, is the focal point for all 'dimensions' of energy - personal, spiritual and otherwise. Ones very life - even ones spirit itself, is seen to reside here.
However, many who now claim to be teaching the Japanese 'Hara System' are actually teaching the Chinese 'Three Jewels' or 'Three Tan Tien' system instead, and Ka Tan Den is the Lower Tanden, Chu Tan Den is the Middle Tanden and Jo Tan Den is the upper Tanden. You see, in Japan, there are also several spiritual, therapeutic, martial and creative disciplines (some , 'imported' - having actually originated in China, others, 'homegrown', yet nonetheless very heavily influenced by Chinese Chi Gung/Qi Gong philosophy) which speak of not one, but three tandens (Chinese: 'tan tien' also 'dan tian') and their associated Chinese attributes.
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| Three Tanden: Lower, Middle and Upper Tanden (Red Circles) |
In the Chinese system, the 'lower tanden' is identical (position-wise) to the Seika Tanden conceived of in the traditional Japanese philosophy/practice we refer to as 'the hara system' or 'the Way of Hara'. However, the Chinese system posits a second (middle) tanden in the region of the thymus / chest, and a third (upper) tanden in the region of the pineal gland / brow. These two additional tanden have no place in the 'Hara System' - for the simple reason that neither of them are located within the Hara (even using the term in its broadest sense, i.e. indicating the entire area from the top of the pubic bone up to the base of the sternum).
As mentioned, in the Japanese 'Hara System', Seika Tanden is situated within the Hara - and, under certain circumstances the term 'Hara' may be used to imply this singular lower tanden. However when it comes to the Chinese influenced systems, the term 'Hara' cannot be used to refer to the two additional tanden which are situated at the brow and the 'heart'. Hara means 'belly' and You cannot have a 'middle belly' in your chest, nor an 'upper belly' in your head! But You have three Tandens.
Seven Position for Healing
Traditional Japanese Reiki treatment have special Seven Hands Position, based on acupuncture meridians, primarily the glad bladder meridian. These positions are part of standard self-healing pattern in use long before Usui's time (ancient Reiki and Lingqi). Mikao Usui Sensei was using them in a healing system he recreated around 1900, particularly after His three years long retreat on Kurama mountain. Some od these hands positions use also the fingertips to direct energy at certain meridian points on the body, just after common hand position. These are points where Ki energy naturally enters or leaves the meridian system. Normally, Dai Roku Tou, very beginning initiation level (the first part of Shoden) starts to learn Seven Healing Hand Positions sitting in Seiza and after Gassho concentration. This is sacred self-healing ritual and secret keep in Usui Reiki Gakkai from about 1900. This is part of daily ritual practice with Ki for all trusted and initiated in Reiki. Thouse who never learn this and can't teach this are surely never practice Usui Reiki Ryoho and are not connected with Reiki.
These positions correspond to Eastern traditional teachings (such as Chinese Medicine) where the "body" is the head and torso, the limbs are considered "external". It is thus only necessary to offer energy (Ki) to the head and thorax in order to 'treat' the entire bodymind and incrise Ki energy. The positions correspond to main Accupressure points on the Meridians and consist of the Three Head positions, Clavicle's, Lower rib cage and Upper back (neck and shoulders back) and Lower Back (kidneys, water point). This system should be tried by all Reiki Practitioners because it is a very powerful system of self-healing and support for all initiates. An eighth position is added for 'level two' (chuden, okuden zen ki) using the Harmony symbol CR (Choku-Rei). The healing of self using the hand positions regularly taught today were in common use around Usui's time, but the main difference being that only secret and sacred regular hand positions (ritual hand positions, sitting in Seiza, start and end with Gassho) seem to have been used for different levels of Reiki initiations.
Onmyodo - Japan Taoism
Beliefs concerning the 'Taoist Immortals' and Taoist Paradises were 'adopted-in' to various streams of Japanese folk belief and mythology, along with Taoist mystical and medicinal practices. For example, the koshin-machi, a popular Japanese all-night vigil undertaken as part of a longevity disciplines, is based on Taoist belief. Also, elements of Taoist magic exist in Shinto practice, and more noticeably in the mountain-centred ascetic disciplines of Shugendo. But probably the most important expression of Taoism in Japan was the ritualistic tradition known as Onmyodo.
Central to onmyodo were the disciplines of astrology and Taoist Five-Element theory (Gokai). In onmyodo philosophy there was no particular concern with (or belief in) life after death. It's primary focus was on the identification and avoidance of troubles and disharmonies in the here-and-now. Through an understanding of the natural laws of the universe, and through the application of ritualistic practice based on yin-yang/five-element theory, onmyodo sought to bring order to a world perceived as being, in the main, completely chaotic.
Originally, onmyodo was closely aligned with the Imperial Household, and matters of state. The onmyodo practitioners were consulted on everything, from the siting of the imperial capital, to the performance of state ritual, the interpretation of supernatural signs, and, most importantly, divining the fate of Emperors, Courtiers, and the nation.
Possibly the earliest of the onmyodo disciplines to reach Japan in the sixth century A.D was that of jugondo. Jugondo was concerned with issues such as the vanquishing of monsters; curing of disease; freeing people, places and objects from possession by spirits (evil or otherwise); dispersing of apparitions, etc.
A highly ritualistic discipline, it incorporated Chinese medical practices, Taoist spells and charms, magic invocations, and forms of hypnosis to induce mystical states in the practitioner. In these altered states, jugondo practitioners would undertake feats such as fire-walking and pouring boiling water in their bare skin without harm. Over the centuries, however, the various arts and practices of onmyodo gradually became absorbed into Shinto and Buddhist tradition, and also into the disciplines of the shugenja, and other ascetic groups, to the point where onmyodo - as a distinct tradition in it's own right - to all intents and purposes ceased to exist.
Today, the term onmyodo is unknown even amongst many of those people who, under a different name, practice the various surviving elements of this ancient mystical, curative, and magically ameliorative tradition.
Tengu - mistical angelic bird like spirits
Originally, the mtythical Tengu were depicted as bird-like beings, but over time came to take on more human-like form, yet retaining wings and crow-like heads, with red faces and long noses. Described as 'forest goblins' by some, the Tengu are the guardians the mountainous regions, and highly skilled in the martial arts. They are said to be possessed of supernatural powers including shape-shifting, the ability to move instantly from place to place, to speak without moving their mouths, and the power to appear uninvited in peoples dreams.
Tengu are also said to have mastery over rain and wind and to be responsible for mysterious lights seen in the mountains. Not only are they said to be skilled warriors, but the Tengu are also mischief makers, and are especially prone to playing tricks on vainglorious and arrogant monks and priests. Likewise they take it on themselves to punish those who willfully misuse knowledge and authority to gain fame or further their position. The have a great dislike for braggarts, and for those who would corrupt the Dharma (law), and are regarded as guardians of Buddhist shrines and temples.
Yamabushi and Shugendo
Over the centuries, the Tengu became closely associated with the Yamabushi or Shugenja (followers of the path of Shugendo). These ascetic mountain priests are part of an ancient tradition involving the practice of strict and rigourous mystical disciplines often referred to collectively as shugyo. The original meaning of the kanji for 'shu' was something like 'sweeping away the dust that obscures a persons primal elegance', however the kanji-pair 'shu-gyo' is commonly now translated as "austere training"- and the term Shugendo, this is generally translated something along the lines of: 'the way of cultivating psychic and spiritual powers'.
Shugendo's origins lie in the Nara Period, and can be traced to the legendary En no gyoja ('En, the ascetic' - Gyoja is a general term for an ascetic mountain-dwelling monk) who lived near Kyoto in the late 7th Century. Retreating deep into the mountainous regions, these practitioners - a great many of them devotees of Fudo Myo-o, undergo harsh training, and through the practice of rituals, fasting, abstaining for drinking water, sutra recitation, meditation, and sitting in misogi (spiritual purification under waterfalls), and the practice of sammitsu (involving use of incantation and mudra-like techniques), seek mystical states and the development of powers including exorcism and healing.
It has often been said that the Tengu would instruct these priests in sacred rites and magical knowledge. In legend, the distinction between Yamabushi / Shugenja and the Tengu often becomes blurred. It is said that shape-shifting Tengu often take on the form of these mountain priests, and in turn, the ascetic priests often take on the guise of Tengu to deter the uninitiated from interrupting their seclusion.
Ryobu Shinto or Honji Suijaku
Historically, the indigenous religion of Shinto, also known as Kami No Michi (The Way of the Kami or Numinous Beings, Angelic Path), was of central importance in Japanese culture since the earliest times, its pervasiveness being due in part to its ability to coexist happily with other faiths, Buddhism in particular. In fact, from the 8th century onwards, the Japanese people had reconciled Shinto and Buddhism to such a degree that Buddhist temples were built within Shinto shrine precincts and Buddhist priests were entrusted with the running of Shinto shrines.
This conciliation had been made possible thanks to the emergence of a syncretic doctrine known as: Ryobu Shinto [or:Honji Suijaku], which - essentially by initially equating the Kami Spirit-Beings of Shinto with Buddhist Deities (i.e. Buddhas & Bodhisatvas, etc) - enabled the followers of one faith to legitimately venerate the other faith's Divine Beings as alternative manifestations of their own.
This popular synthesis - which was typified by wandering Yamabushi (mountain priests), itinerant practitioners of Shugendo, who ministered to the people with a mixture of Buddhist and Shinto rites - prospered right up until the early years of the Meiji Era (1868 -1912), when the doctrine of Ryobu Shinto/Honji Suijaku was annulled, and the Shugendo tradition of the Yamabushi was proscribed by the new regime as being an unacceptable hybrid.
REIKI KOTODAMA" - original Usui technique
Usui-sensei taught students the practice of intoning what are commonly referred to as “Kotodama” or "Koto-Tama" (言霊) lit. "word spirit/ word soul", and Tama (-Dama) is another kind of reading the kanji 霊 Rei known in Reiki. English translations include "soul of language", "spirit of language", "power of language", "power word", "magic word", and "sacred sound". The notion of kotodama presupposes that sounds can magically affect objects, and that ritual word usages can influence our environment, body, mind, and soul. It was claimed that the intoning of japanese hiragana syllables is Kotodama training, offerd mostly for Okuden Koe Ki (Master Level) and for Shinpiden as additional special spiritual practice for voice. Kotodama gaku, the science/study of kotodama is very popular in Japan, even through singers and musicians, not only through Onmyodo, Shugendo or Omoto students. Those who teach the 'kotodama', teach the first Hiragana alphabet syllable-sequence as a method of connecting with 'earth' energy' and the second sequence as a method of connecting with 'heaven' energy. Within the 'classical' approach to the discipline of kotodama gaku,2 there already exist practices for connecting with earth (nature) and heaven ”energies“ or, as they were understood during that era: “kami” – and, following kotodama principles, the combination of syllables in each of the two so called 'kotodama' mentioned, can be seen to possess other, different, influencing properties than those currently assigned to them.
Usui-sensei really did teach what is now referred to as the 'Kotodama', the original nature and significance of at least some elements of the practice for better and more magical voice. Kotodama is helpfull for singing Gyosei, imperial Waka (Tanka). Kototama or kotodama is also fundamental to Japanese martial arts, for instance, in the use of Kiai arts. One of the classical names of Japan is kototama no sakiwau kuni (言霊の幸わう国, "the land where the mysterious workings of language bring bliss").
Working with the 'Kotodama'
Sit in the traditional Japanese seiza or zazen posture (- not on a chair), upright with back straight - with hands either palms down, resting on your thighs, or in the formal gassho position. Focus your attention in your hara, at the area known as seika tanden (a couple of inches below the navel, tanden circle dawn point). Clear and still the mind and heart. Draw the breath smoothly, steadily and easily in through the nose, then vocalise the kotodama as you breathe out through the mouth. In a low and deeply resonant voice, intone each 'kotodama' slowly, strongly - with total concentration and unity of body, mind and spirit. Pronounce each syllable: each 'word-sound' distinctly, separately - do not run or slur them together. Let each 'word-sound' fill your whole body - vibrating throughout every molecule - every atom. Be aware of the resonance extending out throughout your aura into the very air about you.
Usui Reiki Kotodama practices are based on Gokai Meiji daily recitations and Gyosei singing and recitations, much more for long term daily practice of Kotodama - the mystical or esoterical deep training with voice power under experienced Master and Teacher guidance! Gyosei (Meiji Waka or Tanka song-poems) are short written ideals, thoughts for spiritual grown and much more for Kotodama practice with voice power. Without long term deep practice of Gyosei recitation and singing them with Kotodama style work no one may stand as Reiki Master or Teacher. To be a Shinpiden Reiki Master and Teacher you have to memorize (in Japanese), show deep understanding of thoughts, and worked with recitation and singing of 125 Gyosei! Thus Your real mastership in Reiki is not on printed certificate diploma for 10.000 USD but really on Your heart and with the Force of Your Kotodama voice!
Usui Reiki Kotodama practices are based on Gokai Meiji daily recitations and Gyosei singing and recitations, much more for long term daily practice of Kotodama - the mystical or esoterical deep training with voice power under experienced Master and Teacher guidance! Gyosei (Meiji Waka or Tanka song-poems) are short written ideals, thoughts for spiritual grown and much more for Kotodama practice with voice power. Without long term deep practice of Gyosei recitation and singing them with Kotodama style work no one may stand as Reiki Master or Teacher. To be a Shinpiden Reiki Master and Teacher you have to memorize (in Japanese), show deep understanding of thoughts, and worked with recitation and singing of 125 Gyosei! Thus Your real mastership in Reiki is not on printed certificate diploma for 10.000 USD but really on Your heart and with the Force of Your Kotodama voice!
The complete hiragana for Kotodama practice are in table alphabet hiragana known 五十音図 gojūonzu ("table of 50 sound") together with sound ん, appended to the end.
Consonants A, I, U, E, O, N wrote in hiragana there are: あ, い, う, え, お, ん. N (ん) is only appended to the end of table.
A - あ
I - い
U - う
E - え
O - お
N - ん
All hiragana table you may lern from true Reiki Master and Teacher or commonly on Japanese language study course. Originally, for all syllables there was more than one possible hiragana. In 1900, the system was simplified so each syllable had only one hiragana. The deprecated hiragana are now known as hentaigana (変体仮名). In Kojiki (古事記), the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, the mystery power of words is already mentioned. This great universe said to the two gods or archangels, Izanagi no mikoto (伊邪那岐命) and Izanami no mikoto (伊邪那美命), "Mend this drifting country and form it". The two gods or archangels followed the word of the universe by receiving Kotodama, the power of its word, the essence and the power of the word and formed Japan as a country. This word from the universe is considered as the first kotodama in this world. In order to make Kotodama function correctly, the practice of Misogi Harai (rite of clearing and purification) is performed.
In Onmyodo and Omoto spiritual theory, the sounds a, e, i, o, u, gave birth to spirit matter, fire water, yin yang, and evolved into the 75 sounds that maintain existence. Before training each Master would use the sound vibrations of the kotodama from the centre of his being (Tanden) to activate the flow of energy and light. Kotodama manifests when syllables, words and phrases are intoned with spirit – with ki, i.e: with sincerity, with determination, and/or with passion and feeling – when they are intoned charismatically: with ’emotional content’. The concept of Kotodama implies that sounds possess a mystical power that can magically affect objects, and that the use of ritual word can influence our environment, body, mind and spirit. Chanting the Reiki symbols (jumon) allows the practitioner to invoke the spirit within the names of each of the sacred symbols. It also activates and sustains the particular vibration/frequency of the symbol in Reiki. Chanting can enhance the Reiki experience, whether in a session or in our own personal practice of Kotodama and Jumon.
The term 'jumon' can perhaps be most simply and clearly be explained as a mystic, spiritual or magical incantation - a 'spell' - a sacred phrase or Invocation. Just like a mantra in Sanskrit or shamans whishpers, a traditional jumon can be chanted once or many times, eg: 3, 9, 27, 108, 1.080, 11.664 (108 x 108) – even 1.080.000 times. In traditional Kotodama certain traditional kotowaza [諺] (sayings or proverbs) may also be used as jumon. For example the kotowaza: "watari ni fune" - "a boat for someone wishing to cross a river" - alludes to good fortune in the form of the timely appearance of a desired or needed thing. Thus, it may be used as a jumon in the hope of actively invoking such good fortune. Kototama gaku - the science of kotodama - is intricately interwoven with other elements of Japanese esoteric belief, including numerology. In the same way that kotodama refers to "the spirit inherent in words", there is also kazudama: (数霊) "the spirit inherent in numbers".
Shirushi - True Reiki symbols
The Reiki symbols (shirushi in Japanese) and their jumons (呪文 jumon - "magic spell; magic words; incantation") have been the source of great interest and much discussion over the years. Reiki symbols were sacred and as such should be kept secret - not shown to the uninitiated althought there are well known Japanese Kanji and the Master Symbol, DKM - Dai Ko Myo, is probably the most known one in Japan. The symbols should be treated with respect because higher levels of energy behind them and that is unallowed for Gakkai members to spread informations about how to work with them for non-initiated. Many people, on first hearing about Reiki, have jumped to the conclusion that knowledge of the four symbols will give them the 'power' to do Reiki. But this is not the case because there is necessary training and Denju or Sotsugyo-Shiki - ceremonial initiations into Reiki. To reveal the visual representations of the four symbols, or the Japanese words which form their names (and for that matter the Anglicized meanings of those Japanese words) is not to 'give away' their power - their 'secret'. The 'secret' of the four symbols is something which cannot be expressed in words or images, but can only truly be understood by experiencing the symbols once properly initiated into traditional Reiki. To be effective as 'keys' to Reiki, the symbols need to be 'psychically imprinted' on the student by a Reiki Teacher as part of the Initiation/attunement process and after Denju (Great Circle Initiations) through regular Reiju.
There are also many fraud symbols fabricated through - according Kimiko Koyama Sensei - mentally ill and demoniac possessed one in the West, and all such scrolls have nothing to do with original Usui Reiki Ryoho and have no spiritual power or worth!
The term Choku Rei [the first symbol] is an important concept in the beliefs and practice of both the Byakkõ Shinkõkai and the Omoto kyo spiritual groups, though the Omoto kyo primarily use the alternative Ko-shinto 'reading' of the Choku Rei kanji: Nao Hi and in many others spiritual groups like Onmyodo, Shugendo etc. The SH (Sei-Hiki) symbol is essentially old Chinese Kanji mostly used during Shinto exorcisms against devil and devilish influences (mostly fatally drawn in the west). The HZN Kanji ligature of Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen - a version of it even crops up in historical 'magical charms' used by the Ninja and Onmyodo and during sacred meditation with Goho-Mao-Son on Kurama Yama inner sanctuary temple. The most important is correct proper drawing of each Kanji, Choku Rei, according to Kimiko Koyama Sensei, the sixth President of Gakkai is "from the left to the right and down, and counterclockwise spiral three times and half, finishing in the middle on the line down". Even small change in symbols correct pattern make attunement with subtle Reiki energy impossible! There is one symbol to focus at one time, to concentrate and intensify the effect of special kind or level of Reiki energy. Each Shirushi (symbols) according Kimiko Koyama Sensei connect practicers with another kind or another level of Reiki energy, to different aspects or qualities of the Reiki energy, and proper work with them is very important.
The complete phrase DKM as 'DaiKoMyo' appears as part of a sacred 'nine-syllable' mantra dating from before the 8th AC: "Shiken Haramitsu Daikomyo". It also occurs in the name: "Daikomyo-o" - 'Great Shining Bright King'. Daikomyo-o is one of the Daison myo-o - great and venerable kings of magic knowledge - compassionate yet wrathful deities who protect humans against evil influences, and who possess the knowledge and force contained in this jumon (呪文 "magic spell; magic words; incantation"). DKM: the 'Great Bright Light' can perhaps be better understood as the 'Great Komyo', Great Enlightment. Komyo signifies 'Enlightened Nature' or 'the Radiant Light of Wisdom' - the Radiance of a Deity - not one specific Deity, but any expression of deity - be it in the form of a Sonten in Kurama Yama, or a Shinto kami. DKM can be seen as the manifest expression of the Light of Wisdom: the means by which illumination "dawns on us." There is no true initiation into Reiki without use of DKM symbol. There is pity that Takata symbols were corrupted and her successors disciple use and spread them much more corrupted as Kimiko Koyama Sensei explained. Those who claimed that the Usui Reiki Gakkai doesn't use the DKM (Dai Ko Myo), not even for attunement purposes - and that Mikao Usui Sensei didn't use a 'master symbol' at all are probably mentally ill - said Kimoko Koyama Sensei. Seriously mentally ill patients sometimes very dislike higher energy like DKM kind and prefer not to use and not to have such symbols of higher energies of Reiki. Thouse who neglect DKM in Reiki never was and never will Reiki Masters nor Teachers - said Kimiko Koyama Sensei, the sixth Gakkai President.
'Reiju' is what is conferred on those chosen few and not necessarily just once, and it was given more than once. It is difficult to grasp the meaning of 'Reiju' for Initiated Reiki Disciples from the meaning of the individual characters, but it would be fair to think it means "opening the channel to receive the cosmic energy" of the Higher Soul or Divine Spirit, from The Source of Reiki. Regarding 'Reiju', there is an unwritten rule in Usui Reiki Gakkai, that nobody should talk about it because it is part of misterious training given from the Teacher to his disciple. Reiju is that there used be meetings called 'Reijukai' (Inner Reiju Society) where the people who had studied to the highest level gathered, and 'Reiju' was conferred on them as part of long Shinpiden practice. Also, there were only three people who had allow to give 'Reiju' conferred on them by Mikao Usui Sensei directly. They were Taketomi Seiichi (or Kanichi) who became the second president after Dr Usui's death, the third president Yoshiharu Watanabe Shihan and the fourth president Toyokazu (Hoichi) Wanami Shihan. And of course Ushida Shihan, the appointed second President of Usui Reiki Gakkai. This 'mysterious initiation'- actually an elite training course in Gakkai - really is. The 'mysterious initiation' called Shinpiden or Shinhiden would include three parts, each one more advanced than other.
To start practice with Reiki HZN symbol, you have first to learn how to draw these five separate Kanji properly, in correct japanese way of writing and drawing. And meditate and contemplated them because their symbolical meaning for five elements and five precepts and another gokai (five groups or levels) and so on. Symbolical these five sylabes are grades or levels of Five Great Reiki Circles (Shoden, Okuden Zen Ki, Okuden Koe Ki, Shinpiden and Gokuikaiden). There are five principles for Goho Mao-son of Mount Kurama hiden (sacred secrets).
本 Hon (moto, nari, hajime, bon) - a book, script, scenario; source; stump, root, basis, main; home runs or goals; falcons, blades of grass and tree trunks; originally, initially; source, origin, root; Hon is in 日本 - sun country, sun source; nihon, nippon, Japan; within Hon there is kanji 木 ki, ke, ko, moku, boku - the first of five elements called a tree, shrub or wood also simple, plain, slow, emotionless; mystically Hon is wonder-land or holy book of the soul or the source tree of all souls;
者 Sha (mono, hisa, hito) - person, someone of that type, someone who does that; Kanji Sha is composed with 土 tsuchi, to, do means earth, the ground, soil, mud, clay - earth element and 日 nichi, jitsu, ni, ke means the sun, day, birthday, Japan, daytime or time between sunrise and sunset; Sha is the earth connected with the sun or the earth with the sun hidden inside;
是 Ze (shi, kore, kono, koko, sunao, tadashi, tsuna, yuki, yoshi) - justice, right; true, correct; Kanji 日 is upper part of this Kanji;
正 Shō (shou, sei, tadashii, tadasu, masa, masani) - straight, upright, central, in proper position; right, proper, correct; pure; unmixed, authentic, true; honest, upright, honourable; to straighten, to make straight, to adjust; to make right, to rectify, to correct; first (month of the lunar year); bull's eye, centre of target; target; goal; Kanji Sho and Ze have common parts and common meanings;
念 Nen (den, nemu, demu) - sense, feeling, desire, attention, idea; to consider, to contemplate; to miss; to long for, to think of, to recall; to feel compassion for; to read aloud; to chant; to study; to learn; Nen and Ze have common parts and some mutual meanings;
Hon Sha - original person, source one, someone form the source; a book of a person; someone with source roots; shamanic falcon person; person with a goal;
Sha Ze - true person; someone right and justice; correct person (morally and spiritually); someone who does justice;
Ze Shō (Ze Shou) - stright in justice; true honest; correctly rectified; right authentic; with justice and right goals;
Shō Nen (Shou Nen) - right and proper feeling; in proper position to contemplate; properly to think of; state of being calm; calm, peaceful thoughts;
"The book of right and justice mindfulness person."
"The book original nature of correct thought".
"The source falcon person of correct thoughts, justice feelings and right goals."
"Opening the nature holy book of true, original person of right feelings, correct goals and thinking in proper and honest way."
We as a practitioners have to connect deeply with Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen sphere of spiritual existence with five syllabic attributes, with higher sphere or plan of the Source, true right, compassionate and justice goals of humanity. And we have to study, to chant and to contemplate these five syllables as wonderful flower of five petals like Cherry Blossom Sakura.
How to create and to draw proper and correct ligature of this five Kanji is a step for true mystical advanced practicers (deshi and uchi-deshi) and almost all written in Internet so called HZN symbols are incorrect and have critical errors and may deviated mind and soul (but not a different versions).
Initiation (Kanjo) is a ceremony of first importance in Japanese esoteric traditions, perhaps much more for Shugendô than for another Shinto schools. Throughout his secular or spiritual life, the lay or religious yamabushi receives initiations which are some times comparable with true sacraments of Kings. Details of the ceremony of correct initiation Shô Kanjo (Sho Den), in Shugendô (transfer of the Amaterasu or Buddha into the body of he who is appointed), are different according each of the schools of Shugendô. But each yamabushi is capable of recognizing in which tradition the shugenja underwent correct initiation; there are secret codes of recognition, as in all initiatory organizations! If initiations are not received, one cannot include/understand the authentic words (jumon), the seals of hands (kuji-in). Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai recognized authentically Initiated members in the same way - through authentic jumon and kuji-in and proper shiki (initiation ceremony).
There are several types of mystical initiations; the one referred to in this comment of Zémui is the Initiation known as of Bonds of Salvation (Kéchien kanjo) which is always given to the large pagoda of Koya san in the school of Shingon Buddhism (thus of Shugen of the Daigo temple). The first part, that of the mandala of Taizokai, is transmitted in the spring. The second part, that of Kongokai mandala is transmitted in the autumn. Even the lay practitioners are now allowed to receive it. This initiation is the first of the great family of initiations which supposes the choice of a place, the construction of a fire altar, a rite with kuji in (mudra) and jumon (mantra): Initiations by facts and acts (Jigyô kanjo) in which initiation with the Seals (mudra) itself is named: Impô Kanjo. In the group of initiations where the construction of a fire altar is necessary, there is undoubtedly that which crowns a Master of esoteric buddhism, the initiation known as of transmission of the Law: Dempô Kanjo. It depends on the particular school; it is granted at the end of the novitiate in the Shingon school, after the 3 months of studies and practices of the basics of the 4 ways: Shidô-kegyo. It is given much later in Tendai, at the end of ten years, judging that one needs many years of studies and serious practices to fully Master the esoteric buddhism in this branch of the Master Enchin, who gave to the Tendai school all its letters of nobility relating to the esotericism. And even later in the shugen of the Shôgôin temple. Always in this same group of initiation, shugendô has its own initiations except Dempô Kanjô which is given only to the monks: two major initiations are given to all the shugenjas which are of the level for it; Katsuragi Kanjo in the Katsuragi mounts, every 8 years and Jinsen Kanjo every 20 years only in the Omine mounts. Jinsen kanjô is divided into two groups: Those which receive simple initiation and those, rarer, who have the possibility of receiving double initiation known as the Correct place of the hermitage of Jinsen: Jinsen Shô Kanjo. At the feudal time, this initiation always took place at the end of the pilgrimage of summer in the Ominé mounts. Since the Meiji Restoration, it takes place only every 20 years because the sum of material, to take along in the full pilgrimage of the mountains, is colossal. The hermitage of Jinsen is south of MT. Sakka, in the Ominé mounts. It is there that En-No-Gyoja passed the royal sacrament of the Secret Law to his 5 disciples. The last initiation Jinsen Kanjo which took place at the 20th century, proceeded as usual with the Hermitage of Zenki (4 hours walk south of Jinsen, however fully in the mountains, with shelter from inquisitive eyes) in September 1999; it was there among 200 other yamabushi lay and religious.
There is a quality of initiation even rarer than Jinsen Kanjo, in all the esotericism that is Shugendo, it is Initiation by Heart: Ishin Kanjo, which can be achieved anywhere, without all of the material required by Jigyô Kanjo. Examples of the Initiation by the Heart: En-No-Gyoja and the meeting with the Master Nagajurna in the cave of the MT Minô, that of the Nichizô Master and Jimpen Dai Bosatsu in the cave of Shô; or that of the Nagajurna Master and the Vajrasattva Buddha in the Palace of iron Stupa. It is an initiation which is apart from space and of time, in a place that only the Kamis or Buddhas know following intense ascetic periods for the practitioner. More important than a simple initiation, this initiation makes possible a deepening of the close links which link the disciple with the Master of the line.
There are also many fraud symbols fabricated through - according Kimiko Koyama Sensei - mentally ill and demoniac possessed one in the West, and all such scrolls have nothing to do with original Usui Reiki Ryoho and have no spiritual power or worth!
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| These are not true REIKI SYMBOLS but strange Western scrolls and frauds |
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| Fraud strange scrolls of mentally deviated one - not reiki master symbol |
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| Incorrect forms of CR and SH Reiki Symbols - the middle one totally incorrect |
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| Here all scrolls with critical mistakes - totally incorrect forms of symbols |
'Reiju' is what is conferred on those chosen few and not necessarily just once, and it was given more than once. It is difficult to grasp the meaning of 'Reiju' for Initiated Reiki Disciples from the meaning of the individual characters, but it would be fair to think it means "opening the channel to receive the cosmic energy" of the Higher Soul or Divine Spirit, from The Source of Reiki. Regarding 'Reiju', there is an unwritten rule in Usui Reiki Gakkai, that nobody should talk about it because it is part of misterious training given from the Teacher to his disciple. Reiju is that there used be meetings called 'Reijukai' (Inner Reiju Society) where the people who had studied to the highest level gathered, and 'Reiju' was conferred on them as part of long Shinpiden practice. Also, there were only three people who had allow to give 'Reiju' conferred on them by Mikao Usui Sensei directly. They were Taketomi Seiichi (or Kanichi) who became the second president after Dr Usui's death, the third president Yoshiharu Watanabe Shihan and the fourth president Toyokazu (Hoichi) Wanami Shihan. And of course Ushida Shihan, the appointed second President of Usui Reiki Gakkai. This 'mysterious initiation'- actually an elite training course in Gakkai - really is. The 'mysterious initiation' called Shinpiden or Shinhiden would include three parts, each one more advanced than other.
Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen - 本者是正念 - for Okuden and Shinpiden
To start practice with Reiki HZN symbol, you have first to learn how to draw these five separate Kanji properly, in correct japanese way of writing and drawing. And meditate and contemplated them because their symbolical meaning for five elements and five precepts and another gokai (five groups or levels) and so on. Symbolical these five sylabes are grades or levels of Five Great Reiki Circles (Shoden, Okuden Zen Ki, Okuden Koe Ki, Shinpiden and Gokuikaiden). There are five principles for Goho Mao-son of Mount Kurama hiden (sacred secrets).
本 Hon (moto, nari, hajime, bon) - a book, script, scenario; source; stump, root, basis, main; home runs or goals; falcons, blades of grass and tree trunks; originally, initially; source, origin, root; Hon is in 日本 - sun country, sun source; nihon, nippon, Japan; within Hon there is kanji 木 ki, ke, ko, moku, boku - the first of five elements called a tree, shrub or wood also simple, plain, slow, emotionless; mystically Hon is wonder-land or holy book of the soul or the source tree of all souls;
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| How to draw kanji HON - starts to draw where red point is |
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| How to draw kanji SHA |
是 Ze (shi, kore, kono, koko, sunao, tadashi, tsuna, yuki, yoshi) - justice, right; true, correct; Kanji 日 is upper part of this Kanji;
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| How to draw kanji ZE |
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| How to draw kanji SHO |
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| How to draw kanji NEN - start to draw where red point is |
Sha Ze - true person; someone right and justice; correct person (morally and spiritually); someone who does justice;
Ze Shō (Ze Shou) - stright in justice; true honest; correctly rectified; right authentic; with justice and right goals;
Shō Nen (Shou Nen) - right and proper feeling; in proper position to contemplate; properly to think of; state of being calm; calm, peaceful thoughts;
"The book of right and justice mindfulness person."
"The book original nature of correct thought".
"The source falcon person of correct thoughts, justice feelings and right goals."
"Opening the nature holy book of true, original person of right feelings, correct goals and thinking in proper and honest way."
We as a practitioners have to connect deeply with Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen sphere of spiritual existence with five syllabic attributes, with higher sphere or plan of the Source, true right, compassionate and justice goals of humanity. And we have to study, to chant and to contemplate these five syllables as wonderful flower of five petals like Cherry Blossom Sakura.
How to create and to draw proper and correct ligature of this five Kanji is a step for true mystical advanced practicers (deshi and uchi-deshi) and almost all written in Internet so called HZN symbols are incorrect and have critical errors and may deviated mind and soul (but not a different versions).
Initiations in Japanese mystical traditions
Initiation (Kanjo) is a ceremony of first importance in Japanese esoteric traditions, perhaps much more for Shugendô than for another Shinto schools. Throughout his secular or spiritual life, the lay or religious yamabushi receives initiations which are some times comparable with true sacraments of Kings. Details of the ceremony of correct initiation Shô Kanjo (Sho Den), in Shugendô (transfer of the Amaterasu or Buddha into the body of he who is appointed), are different according each of the schools of Shugendô. But each yamabushi is capable of recognizing in which tradition the shugenja underwent correct initiation; there are secret codes of recognition, as in all initiatory organizations! If initiations are not received, one cannot include/understand the authentic words (jumon), the seals of hands (kuji-in). Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai recognized authentically Initiated members in the same way - through authentic jumon and kuji-in and proper shiki (initiation ceremony).
There are several types of mystical initiations; the one referred to in this comment of Zémui is the Initiation known as of Bonds of Salvation (Kéchien kanjo) which is always given to the large pagoda of Koya san in the school of Shingon Buddhism (thus of Shugen of the Daigo temple). The first part, that of the mandala of Taizokai, is transmitted in the spring. The second part, that of Kongokai mandala is transmitted in the autumn. Even the lay practitioners are now allowed to receive it. This initiation is the first of the great family of initiations which supposes the choice of a place, the construction of a fire altar, a rite with kuji in (mudra) and jumon (mantra): Initiations by facts and acts (Jigyô kanjo) in which initiation with the Seals (mudra) itself is named: Impô Kanjo. In the group of initiations where the construction of a fire altar is necessary, there is undoubtedly that which crowns a Master of esoteric buddhism, the initiation known as of transmission of the Law: Dempô Kanjo. It depends on the particular school; it is granted at the end of the novitiate in the Shingon school, after the 3 months of studies and practices of the basics of the 4 ways: Shidô-kegyo. It is given much later in Tendai, at the end of ten years, judging that one needs many years of studies and serious practices to fully Master the esoteric buddhism in this branch of the Master Enchin, who gave to the Tendai school all its letters of nobility relating to the esotericism. And even later in the shugen of the Shôgôin temple. Always in this same group of initiation, shugendô has its own initiations except Dempô Kanjô which is given only to the monks: two major initiations are given to all the shugenjas which are of the level for it; Katsuragi Kanjo in the Katsuragi mounts, every 8 years and Jinsen Kanjo every 20 years only in the Omine mounts. Jinsen kanjô is divided into two groups: Those which receive simple initiation and those, rarer, who have the possibility of receiving double initiation known as the Correct place of the hermitage of Jinsen: Jinsen Shô Kanjo. At the feudal time, this initiation always took place at the end of the pilgrimage of summer in the Ominé mounts. Since the Meiji Restoration, it takes place only every 20 years because the sum of material, to take along in the full pilgrimage of the mountains, is colossal. The hermitage of Jinsen is south of MT. Sakka, in the Ominé mounts. It is there that En-No-Gyoja passed the royal sacrament of the Secret Law to his 5 disciples. The last initiation Jinsen Kanjo which took place at the 20th century, proceeded as usual with the Hermitage of Zenki (4 hours walk south of Jinsen, however fully in the mountains, with shelter from inquisitive eyes) in September 1999; it was there among 200 other yamabushi lay and religious.
There is a quality of initiation even rarer than Jinsen Kanjo, in all the esotericism that is Shugendo, it is Initiation by Heart: Ishin Kanjo, which can be achieved anywhere, without all of the material required by Jigyô Kanjo. Examples of the Initiation by the Heart: En-No-Gyoja and the meeting with the Master Nagajurna in the cave of the MT Minô, that of the Nichizô Master and Jimpen Dai Bosatsu in the cave of Shô; or that of the Nagajurna Master and the Vajrasattva Buddha in the Palace of iron Stupa. It is an initiation which is apart from space and of time, in a place that only the Kamis or Buddhas know following intense ascetic periods for the practitioner. More important than a simple initiation, this initiation makes possible a deepening of the close links which link the disciple with the Master of the line.
TRANSLATION OF THE USUI MEMORIAL
REIHO CHOSO USUI SENSEI KUDOKU NO HI
Memorial of the Benevolence of Usui Sensei, founder of Reiho (Spiritual Method)
That which one attains within, as a result of disciplined study and training, is called Virtue, and that which can be offered to others by teaching, and methods of salvation is called Distinguished Service. Only the person of high merit and great virtue can be called a great founding teacher. Sages, philosophers, and brilliant men of old and the founders of new teachings and new religions were all like that. Usui Sensei can be counted among them. Usui Sensei developed the method that would improve mind and body by using the universal power. Having heard of his reputation, countless people from all over gathered and asked him to teach them the great way of the Spiritual Method, and to heal them.
His common name was Mikao and his other name was Gyoho (Kyoho). He was born in the village of Taniai in the Yamagata district of Gifu prefecture. His ancestor's name is Tsunetane Chiba. His father's name was Taneuji, and was commonly called Uzaemon. His mother's family name was Kawai. Sensei was born in the first year of the Keio period, called Keio Gunnen (1865), on August 15th. He was a talented and hard working student; his ability was far superior to his fellows. When he had grown up, he travelled to Europe, America and China to study. He wanted to be successful in life, but couldn't achieve it. He worked hard but often he was unlucky and in need. However he didn't give up and he disciplined himself to study more and more.
One day he went to Kurama Yama to undergo rigourous spiritual discipline. On the beginning of the 21st day, suddenly he felt a large Reiki over his head. He attained an enlightenment and at that moment he comprehended the Spiritual Method. When he first used it on himself, it produced beneficial results immediately. After that, he tried it on his family. Since it was effective, he decided it was much better to share it with the public than to keep this knowledge solely for his own family. He opened a training centre in Harajuku, Aoyama, Tokyo to teach and practice the Spiritual Method in April of the 11th year of the Taisho period (1922). Many people came from far and wide and asked for the guidance and therapy, and even lined up outside of the building.
In September of the twelfth year of the Taisho period (1923), there was a devastating earthquake. Everywhere there were groans of pain from the injured. Usui Sensei felt pity for the people, and took the Spiritual Method into the devastated city and used its healing powers on the survivors, curing and saving innumerable people. This is just a broad outline of his relief activities during such an emergency.
Later on, his training centre became too small. In February of the 14th year of Taisho (1925 A.D.) he moved to a new training centre in Nakano, outside Tokyo. Due to his increased fame he was often invited to many places. Sensei, accepting the invitations, went to Kure and then to Hiroshima and Saga, and reached Fukuyama. It was during his stay in Fukuyama that unexpectedly he became ill and died, aged 62*. It was March 9 of the 15th year of Taisho (1926 A.D.).
His wife was named Sadako, from the Suzuki family. A boy and a girl were born. The boy's name was Fuji who carried on the Usui family after his father's death. Sensei was mild, gentle and modest by nature and he never behaved ostentatiously. His was physically big and strong. He always had a contented smile. However, in the face of adversity, he sought a solution with determination and patience. He had many talents and liked to read, and his knowledge of history, medicine, psychology, divination, incantation, physiognomy and Buddhist scriptures was great.
On reflection, the Spiritual Method not only cures diseases, but also balances the spirit and makes the body healthy using innate healing abilities, and so, helps achieve happiness. So, when it comes to teaching, first let the student understand the Meiji Emperor's admonitions; and let them chant the Five Precepts mornings and evenings, and keep them in mind:
Firstly: Don't get angry today, Secondly: Don't worry today, Thirdly: Be grateful today, Fourthly: Work diligently today, Fifthly: Be kind to others today.
These are truly great teachings for cultivation and discipline in keeping with those great teachings of the ancient sages and the wisemen. Sensei named these teachings ‘the Secret Method of Inviting Blessings’ and ‘the Spiritual Medicine to cure many diseases’. Notice the outstanding features of the teachings. Furthermore, when it comes to teaching, it should be as simple as possible and not difficult to understand. It is important to start from a place close to you. Another noted feature is that while sitting in silent meditation with your hands held in prayer and reciting the Five Precepts, a pure and healthy mind will be cultivated. Its true value is in daily practice. This is the reason why the Spiritual Method became so popular.
Recently the state of the world has altered and peoples' thoughts have changed a great deal. Hopefully, the spread of this Spiritual Method will be of great help to people who have a confused mind or who do not have morality. Surely it is not only of benefit in curing chronic diseases and lingering complaints?
The number of students of Sensei's teaching is already over 2,000. Among them, senior students who remained in Tokyo are maintaining Sensei's training centre, and others in different provinces also are trying to spread the Spiritual Method as much as possible. Although Sensei died, the Spiritual Method will continue to spread far and wide. Ah, what a great thing Sensei has done, to have shared this Spiritual Method with the people out there after having been enlightened within!
Lately, many students came together and decided to erect this memorial in the graveyard at Saihoji Temple in the Toyotama district to honour his benevolence, and to spread the Spiritual Method to the people in the future. I was asked to write these words. As I deeply appreciate his work and am pleased with the very friendly teacher-disciple relationships among fellow students, I could not refuse the request, and I wrote this summary in the hope that people will be reminded to look up to him with reverence.
Composed by: Masayuki Okada, Doctor of Literature - subordinate 3rd rank, 3rd Order of Merit.
Calligraphy by: Navy Rear Admiral Juzaburo Ushida - subordinate 4th rank, 3rd Order of Merit, distinguished service 4th class.
February, the 2nd year of Showa (1927 A.D.)
* NOTE: According to the dates given, Usui Sensei would have actually been 61 at the time of his death. However, apparently there is an ancient Japanese tradition that a child is considered to be 'one' at birth, and is seen as being a year older at each new year, rather than the birthday that falls in that year?? An alternative explanation for the discrepancy could have something to do with the fact that, at the time of Usui-sensei's birth, Japan used a different calendarical system. The change over to the 'western' system in 1873 may have led to mistakes in the recording of exact dates of events in the immediately preceding years.
Nihon Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai
There are in Japan authentic manuscripts from the 7th to the 19th Century), detailing the Reiki tradition and teachings. It is useful to understand that Mikao Usui Sensei experienced powerful heavenly healing energy as a side effect of his many years of spiritual training (tendai, shingon, yagyu shinkage ryu, onmyodo, shugendo), and finished while he was in the process of a 3 years, 3 month and at last 3 week spiritual retreat and fast on a well known mountain power spot at Kurama Yama. One very confusing trend we are seeing in western countries is that of new styles of healing making illegally use of the term "Reiki" as if it was a replacement word for "healing energy" or healing system. These are usually styles of energy that an individual has received through direct connection with Spirit, but have no energy lineage to the energy of Kurama Yama, Sonten, Goho Mao-son and Mikao Usui - the energy we really call "Reiki". This is not to say that these energies are not powerful - they certainly can be, and just like any other healing energy they can be effective with a wide range of people. However, they confuse many if they profess to be an energy of the "Reiki" family. There have been several new energies and energetical healing schools that may be taught, but do not pretend to be versions of Reiki or sourced in Reiki. Some of these are Mari'el, Seichim, Tibetan, Golden, Karuna, Kundalini, Radiating Light, Golden Age, Satya, Menchho, Jinlap, Saku, Blue Star, Radiance Technique, Plus, Raku Kei, Real "Reiki", Magnified Healing, Urevia, etc. Advanced Reiki Gakkai practicers easy feel with SH methods that some of them are simply bad spirit possessions, nothing else and their egotic so called western "founders" of new "reiki" styles have to be exorcised.
During Usui and after Usui time the URR Gakkai was branching out across Japan, establishing more than 60 support groups and training centres, many of which were near naval bases. Usui and His successors created the level of Shihan above Shinpiden and permitted only one teacher in a branch, who was responsible for an entire city or region (prefecture). Shinpiden level became a support level for the Shihan (Rokudan Grade, first Gokui-Kaiden - the Fifth Great Level), from which a replacement could be drawn when necessary. However since a Shihan could run their branch their own way, some retained the old teachings and some starts to train mostly for clinical works and simplified even simplified method for navy medical staff like Chujiro Hayashi. From time to time some Shihan would leave the Reiki Gakkai in crazy protest over policy or for other reasons, sometimes taking their complete centre with them. These Shihan might continue to teach in the older ways and thus as the main Tokyo branch changed for medical staff and navy medicine officers, they were no longer in step. The II world war seemed to also sever the link between some branches and the head office. An example was the Hiroshima branch run by Ayako Sasaki ruined after nuclear bombing. She had lost touch with the Tokyo group but continued teaching a simple healing method, calling it Teàte.
Someone tells that after the II World War the number of branches was reduced and next incresed and reorganized and by 1999 there were 5 great recognized centres with Shihan with 10-15 Shinpiden, throughout Japan, although membership grew back to around 500. Under the leadership of Mikao Usui Sensei, four meetings a month (Shuyokai) for Shoden members held a the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai's Headquaters. And four more secretly done meetings for Okuden and special monthly meetings for all Shinpiden. The Meiji Emperor's poems called Gyosei (Waka, Tanka) were read aloud and sing and it is still part of regular long term Kotodama Reiki training. Four basic healing treatments arranged as Shiki Ryoho, ritual or ceremonial healing methods with hands positions still is very deep secret of Gakkai, mostly not known or rejected and neglected in the West. For beginners meeting, Mikao Usui Sensei read the Gyosei poems aloud and they all listened to lectures delivered by Usui Mikao. Many people would touch his robe only to receive blessing and connect with overflowing energy of Reiki. After the Meiji Emperor's poems were recited, Usui Mikao Sensei told the participants about where Reiki comes from and how it is used. Afterward, the participants (candidates) practiced Gassho Meiso sitting in Seiza (Zazen) position and the Joshin Kokyu-ho breathing technique, and they take healing transmission Usui Mikao gave. Shoden and Okuden disciples assisted Him giving more personal treatments.
The way that the Japanese thinks is absolutly wonderful and they tend to think in pictures as in their scripts with Kanji. Kokoro (Shin) means that heart and mind is in unity, kokoro (shin) is both, the heart and the mind. Japanese are less egoistic but more in-group, they have better developed so called group consciousness with natural strict hierarchy. It si much helpfull for spiritual advancement. Their heart and mind is one, kokoro (shin) and uchi - in-group consciousness is on much higher level than for Americans or Europeans. The Japanese have a very powerfull collective group-Soul (group-Self), as family members, as society members and as the Nation. Japans are high-contex culture, as contrasted to a low-context culture like Americans or Germans with their egoism and egotism. The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai is open to the public, but the fact is that it is a very secret society (esoteric healing society) with more than six hundred real members on Okuden Level in all Japan (and each Okuden - a real member - have group of patients and candidates, sometimes several hundred ones). One can only became a member if introduced by someone who already is a member, and if there is a space in teacher's Dojo. Because the members of Gakkai usually stay with the group and in-group for rest of their life (life-membership is common good habit in spiritual advanced civilizations), it is difficult to get in.
Traditionally, Reiki has been and still is seen as a way of life in Japan not as kind of course or seminar to finished for several days or weeks. Some student works on Shoden level during 10 or 20 years than go to the Okuden Zen Ki. Some students, true reikidoka (deshi), may have taken 20 years or more to learn what we call the Second Reiki Degree or Level (Okuden Zen Ki, Chuden). And many have never learned it or even not heard of it. And for it all of them are attendants of weekly meetings, about 2 or 3 hours per week or for one a month for one full day. For to be Okuden student they have to have ability for work as healers, have to heal patients or help another one as co-healer, not only attend in meetings regularly. And as there are three "mouths" in the middle part of Reiki Kanji drawn as three squares there three symbols as doors to higher Reiki energy, but there is necessary to write and to draw these symbols in right, correct, proper way, not as crazy scrolls unsimilar even to the original Kanji or Kanji ligatures as they normally are.
There is no many kind of drawing Reiki symbols but there are many kinds of tragical errors and frauds made on the West when different ones are drawing symbols for selling them. All Reiki symbols, CR, SH, HZN and DKM are always drawn with right hand, never with left hand, and it is critically important because right hand is always sun hand, while left hand is always moon hand. Okuden Zen Ki (Chuden Level) is great ancient training of right hand healings with drawning symbols, three set symbols, and Mikao Usui Sensei during His life ask not to add any other symbols to given Reiki ancient symbols set (so those using another additional symbols and drawing symbols with typical western errors are restrictly recognize as having no connection with Reiki Source at all and according Kimiko Koyama Sensei, they use the Reiki name fraudly). There is no mistakes from the Source of Reiki and all errors shows that is something incorrect in hearts and minds of those who spread deviated and corrupted forms of Reiki symbols - as Kimiko Koyama many times explained it for different foreigners asking Her about original Usui Reiki Ryoho during Her Presidency (from 1975 to 1998 and even in Her last year in 1999).
The idea that a person can be initiated into an esoteric, mystical, or shamanistic system in one day and effectively “heal” people the next day, if taken literally, is quite unreasonable. This is known by all practitioners of ancient mystical and shamanistic traditions worldwide. In order to change the result of someone’s life condition, the true healing, the person’s emotional state must change, as well as some behavioral patterns and etc. Some life conditions are the result of an individual’s karma. This is known and taught in all facets of the Tao. There are, however, methods of correcting blockages in an individual’s energy-field, which can aid in recovery. Reiki, I’m sure, assists in healing along these principles, but there is another reason why Usui-Sensei promoted it as a system of healing.
Healers cannot be initiated overnight. However, taking on the perspective of a “healer” is probably the easiest way that a Westerner can understand Shinto. The aim of Koshinto, as stated earlier, was the unification of man with the divine. In order to achieve this aim, the “divine seed” or “one spirit” in man must be cultivated and nurtured. The divine seed in man, like its source of origin, the divine world, is in service of the all. The practice of Reiki is the practice of esoteric prayer. In esoteric prayer, people are taught to pray for the reduction of man’s karma and that many of the world’s misfortunes may be resolved before the person engaged in prayer includes own problems. In the beginning, it seems like a beneficial thing. It follows an esoteric law, if enough people pray on a matter, or think on a matter, it can affect change. Yet, the advance practitioner of esoteric prayer knows that such methods are used in bringing to the forefront the divine part of the person engaged in prayer. The more a person engages in esoteric prayer, the more the divine seed is given time to grow. The same is true in the case of Reiki. Many practitioners aren’t sure scientifically how the energy works, but they know it works. The divine seed in man is brought to the fore every time one exercises the perspective of the “healer,” as in the case with esoteric prayer. Every act of Reiki allows time for that part which cares about the all, time to take the forefront position in our psyche. This creates a change in our emotional state and way of thinking, allowing us the opportunity to “heal” ourselves, which is healing a part of this world. In order for a person to heal anything in this world, they must first learn how to heal themselves.
When the practitioner adheres to the original teachings of Reiki, there are no side-effects. However, due to the ignorance of some practitioners in not knowing the basic fundamentals of how life-force energy works, and no prior esoteric or shamanistic training, other than Reiki, they mistakenly assume that you could just inject “foreign entities” into Reiki and improve it. In cases such as these, the energy becomes polluted. There are some shamans who were able to modify Reiki effectively and give it a “new title,” but this is even baffling at times. First, let’s straighten out a few things concerning the use of the term Reiki. Reiki is native to Japan. The idea of palm-healing exists in every primordial faith that has survived from ancient times till today. In Ifa, a form similar to distant-energy healing emitted from the palm of the hands exists. In Vudun, a form of healing similar to Reiki exists. An esoteric form of “palm-healing” existed in the advanced stages of the Fourth Way Schools. Such is the case with Theosophy and sciences used by the Native American medicine man. The concept of distant-energy healing is universal as it was in the ancient world, but Reiki is a term used to describe a specific school of “healing” that originated in Japan and their teachings on this universal art that are more accessible than others. It is quite disrespectful to go to another part of the world and learn their version of the universal palm-healing art and call it “something” Reiki. This is how adverse effects of Reiki are caused. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shinto are not separate paths of study among the Japanese people, but work together in a coherent, fluid motion. While this may be confusing for those living outside of Japan to understand, it is very simple indeed.
Confucianism represents the workings of the logical mind. Buddhism represents the workings of the subconscious self, and Shinto that of the super-conscious mind. It is very simple way of integrating into one’s life a very deep knowledge. Yet, it is approached with the same understanding that these things are not “belief-systems,” but instruments of cultivating the soul. Religions of the West can be used to cultivate the soul, when understood esoterically. However, if one has a literal understanding of the Western religious paradigm and tries to integrate such into his/her Reiki practice, it can create a toxic environment for the practitioner. Keep it simple. There is no need of interjecting Western deities into an Eastern art. Those who possess a deep knowledge of Shinto and Japan know that “purity” is integral to any practice that has anything to do with the cultivation of the soul. Often times, here in the West, we hear of practitioners that have met angels, or other spiritual beings in a dream or what have you. While some of these experiences may be useful, if they occur in the practitioner’s experience rarely, it is also a sign that one needs to purify themselves spiritually.
In Shinto, there exists an astral world, but also a divine world. The divine world doesn’t communicate with the mortal world in the same way that the astral world does. The astral plane is a lower world, close to the physical world, and the beings there also seek to evolve and become one with such the divine world, so is the purpose of man. Yet, there are also negative energies existing in the astral world that easily manifest themselves to the mind of the ignorant practitioner. These energies can be quite deceptive. Basically, the purity held in the Art of Reiki is found in maintaining its five principles. Becoming a true Reiki master, if such a thing exists, has nothing to do with your level of initiation, but has everything to do with the clarity and lightness of our spirits based on our cultivation of the Five Principles found in Reiki, a matter we will discuss later.
We are taught the landscape of the spiritual world, as the symbols given in the Second Degree initiation exist on the three spiritual or angelic planes, but in the Third Degree initiation, we receive the master symbol DKM (DaiKoMyo), which is a key to the divine world of God. However, an initiation into the realm of divine knowledge cannot be easily in an attunement or ritual, but must be cultivated by the diligent practice of the Reiki art. When people bring in all sorts of deities from various religious worlds, it actually makes the Reiki energy toxic. While there may be nothing wrong with these practices within themselves, it is best advised to avoid mixing your Reiki art with foreign deities in order to keep your practice pure. It may happen that some practitioners will encounter some spiritual beings in dreams and visions shortly after their initiation into Reiki and a few years after. This may occur as the result of the purging process that takes place in the subconscious mind during a recent Reiki attunement. The new Reiki initiate through his/her attunement will become aware of subconscious forces that they were formerly influenced by prior to their initiation. These subconscious forces are either purging, migrating from the subconscious to conscious mind, eventually leaving the psyche of the practitioner all together. Yet, there are other energies that are a bit more stubborn and will disguise themselves as some ancient entity and trick the new Reiki practitioner into invoking them in their practice of Reiki and feeding off of the energy. This is why it is best to keep things simple. Work with Reiki as Reiki, nothing more. If you have worked with other spiritual paradigms and would like to continue, do so, but do not mix the Art of Reiki with these practices until you have acquired a fair knowledge and a sense of discernment in the landscape and workings of the spiritual worlds.
While some sources state that Usui-Sensei summarized some of Emperor Meiji’s set of principles and concepts in his composing of the Five Reiki Precepts. This is an interesting perspective. Yet in still, it is known that in Shinto one’s emotional state creates their reality. To engage in negative emotions is like having a physical disease and is perceived as being a sin. In English, the concept of sin is not a mistake, but to miss one’s goal, literally to miss the mark. Our mark in Koshinto is unification with the divine. Negative emotions can stand in the way of that. When we pursue the path of Reiki, like Shinto, purity and cleanliness of mind are essential as the divine spirit does not inhabit dirty temples. In this case, the temple is our emotional, mental, and physical bodies. Purification is really the essence of Reiki. This is another principle that should be in the forefront of every Reiki practitioner’s minds, especially if they treat people by means of Reiki.
It is true that many shamanistic practices help us to understand and gain a proper perspective of the religion that we may be involved in. However, some religions forbade the practice of Reiki and a Reiki instructor would do well to inform potential students of the origins of Reiki. Reiki is a spiritual practice. Reiki does work, but for some reason there is this overzealousness displayed by many in the Reiki community, to convince non-spiritual institutions that it really works. Slow down! I understand how such excitement can occur, but the idea of trying to convince the non-spiritual establishments of state and science that Reiki works is a waste of time. Let the work of Reiki speak for itself. We live in a world where the majority of people believe that a human-sacrifice was needed in order to prepare the road of salvation for mankind. While this view may be one of the most morbid spiritually, it’s celebrated every year. There is enough room and legislature for the spiritual practice of Reiki to exist. There are several reasons why this is a good topic to bring into our discussion.
Reiki was conceptualized by the spiritual practices of 21 days fasting, meditation, and prayers. On the other side of the coin, Reiki is a hands-on art and it is important to have some regulation in regards to such. Reiki is a beautiful spiritual practice and very similar to man’s original spiritual paradigm of pure heart and mind. Value your practice by preserving its simplicity and purity, for in the innocence of children, lay the keys of heaven.
Group counsciousness in Reiki Gakkai. Shuudan Ishiki (集団意識), which directly translates as ‘group consciousness’ (jisho.org) refers to the Japanese instinct to “adhere to the values of the groups to which they belong” in order maintain harmony in said groups (The Japanese Mind). This is often referred to simply as the uchi 内, or ‘group’. Honne (true feeling or intention) and tatemae (what is said) certainly play a significant role in this concept of maintaining group harmony (society harmony). Since the harmony, or wa, is so important to Japanese society, one must consider the other members of the group (or society) when speaking, so as not to say anything hurtful or clash against the group flow. Whether it be a group of friends, a college class, neighbors, a sports club, or any other type of group, it is necessary to be conscious of the group (society, gakkai). It should be noted that members of the group sometimes make mistakes and go against the group (society, gakkai), or don’t quite fit in if they are new to the uchi. But as a famous Japanese proverb says, “the nail that sticks out will be hammered down”, with the help of respect and social grace.
The way that the Japanese thinks is absolutly wonderful and they tend to think in pictures as in their scripts with Kanji. Kokoro (Shin) means that heart and mind is in unity, kokoro (shin) is both, the heart and the mind. Japanese are less egoistic but more in-group, they have better developed so called group consciousness with natural strict hierarchy. It si much helpfull for spiritual advancement. Their heart and mind is one, kokoro (shin) and uchi - in-group consciousness is on much higher level than for Americans or Europeans. The Japanese have a very powerfull collective group-Soul (group-Self), as family members, as society members and as the Nation. Japans are high-contex culture, as contrasted to a low-context culture like Americans or Germans with their egoism and egotism. The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai is open to the public, but the fact is that it is a very secret society (esoteric healing society) with more than six hundred real members on Okuden Level in all Japan (and each Okuden - a real member - have group of patients and candidates, sometimes several hundred ones). One can only became a member if introduced by someone who already is a member, and if there is a space in teacher's Dojo. Because the members of Gakkai usually stay with the group and in-group for rest of their life (life-membership is common good habit in spiritual advanced civilizations), it is difficult to get in.
Traditionally, Reiki has been and still is seen as a way of life in Japan not as kind of course or seminar to finished for several days or weeks. Some student works on Shoden level during 10 or 20 years than go to the Okuden Zen Ki. Some students, true reikidoka (deshi), may have taken 20 years or more to learn what we call the Second Reiki Degree or Level (Okuden Zen Ki, Chuden). And many have never learned it or even not heard of it. And for it all of them are attendants of weekly meetings, about 2 or 3 hours per week or for one a month for one full day. For to be Okuden student they have to have ability for work as healers, have to heal patients or help another one as co-healer, not only attend in meetings regularly. And as there are three "mouths" in the middle part of Reiki Kanji drawn as three squares there three symbols as doors to higher Reiki energy, but there is necessary to write and to draw these symbols in right, correct, proper way, not as crazy scrolls unsimilar even to the original Kanji or Kanji ligatures as they normally are.
There is no many kind of drawing Reiki symbols but there are many kinds of tragical errors and frauds made on the West when different ones are drawing symbols for selling them. All Reiki symbols, CR, SH, HZN and DKM are always drawn with right hand, never with left hand, and it is critically important because right hand is always sun hand, while left hand is always moon hand. Okuden Zen Ki (Chuden Level) is great ancient training of right hand healings with drawning symbols, three set symbols, and Mikao Usui Sensei during His life ask not to add any other symbols to given Reiki ancient symbols set (so those using another additional symbols and drawing symbols with typical western errors are restrictly recognize as having no connection with Reiki Source at all and according Kimiko Koyama Sensei, they use the Reiki name fraudly). There is no mistakes from the Source of Reiki and all errors shows that is something incorrect in hearts and minds of those who spread deviated and corrupted forms of Reiki symbols - as Kimiko Koyama many times explained it for different foreigners asking Her about original Usui Reiki Ryoho during Her Presidency (from 1975 to 1998 and even in Her last year in 1999).
Usui Sensei Healing
The idea that a person can be initiated into an esoteric, mystical, or shamanistic system in one day and effectively “heal” people the next day, if taken literally, is quite unreasonable. This is known by all practitioners of ancient mystical and shamanistic traditions worldwide. In order to change the result of someone’s life condition, the true healing, the person’s emotional state must change, as well as some behavioral patterns and etc. Some life conditions are the result of an individual’s karma. This is known and taught in all facets of the Tao. There are, however, methods of correcting blockages in an individual’s energy-field, which can aid in recovery. Reiki, I’m sure, assists in healing along these principles, but there is another reason why Usui-Sensei promoted it as a system of healing.
Healers cannot be initiated overnight. However, taking on the perspective of a “healer” is probably the easiest way that a Westerner can understand Shinto. The aim of Koshinto, as stated earlier, was the unification of man with the divine. In order to achieve this aim, the “divine seed” or “one spirit” in man must be cultivated and nurtured. The divine seed in man, like its source of origin, the divine world, is in service of the all. The practice of Reiki is the practice of esoteric prayer. In esoteric prayer, people are taught to pray for the reduction of man’s karma and that many of the world’s misfortunes may be resolved before the person engaged in prayer includes own problems. In the beginning, it seems like a beneficial thing. It follows an esoteric law, if enough people pray on a matter, or think on a matter, it can affect change. Yet, the advance practitioner of esoteric prayer knows that such methods are used in bringing to the forefront the divine part of the person engaged in prayer. The more a person engages in esoteric prayer, the more the divine seed is given time to grow. The same is true in the case of Reiki. Many practitioners aren’t sure scientifically how the energy works, but they know it works. The divine seed in man is brought to the fore every time one exercises the perspective of the “healer,” as in the case with esoteric prayer. Every act of Reiki allows time for that part which cares about the all, time to take the forefront position in our psyche. This creates a change in our emotional state and way of thinking, allowing us the opportunity to “heal” ourselves, which is healing a part of this world. In order for a person to heal anything in this world, they must first learn how to heal themselves.
When the practitioner adheres to the original teachings of Reiki, there are no side-effects. However, due to the ignorance of some practitioners in not knowing the basic fundamentals of how life-force energy works, and no prior esoteric or shamanistic training, other than Reiki, they mistakenly assume that you could just inject “foreign entities” into Reiki and improve it. In cases such as these, the energy becomes polluted. There are some shamans who were able to modify Reiki effectively and give it a “new title,” but this is even baffling at times. First, let’s straighten out a few things concerning the use of the term Reiki. Reiki is native to Japan. The idea of palm-healing exists in every primordial faith that has survived from ancient times till today. In Ifa, a form similar to distant-energy healing emitted from the palm of the hands exists. In Vudun, a form of healing similar to Reiki exists. An esoteric form of “palm-healing” existed in the advanced stages of the Fourth Way Schools. Such is the case with Theosophy and sciences used by the Native American medicine man. The concept of distant-energy healing is universal as it was in the ancient world, but Reiki is a term used to describe a specific school of “healing” that originated in Japan and their teachings on this universal art that are more accessible than others. It is quite disrespectful to go to another part of the world and learn their version of the universal palm-healing art and call it “something” Reiki. This is how adverse effects of Reiki are caused. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Shinto are not separate paths of study among the Japanese people, but work together in a coherent, fluid motion. While this may be confusing for those living outside of Japan to understand, it is very simple indeed.
Confucianism represents the workings of the logical mind. Buddhism represents the workings of the subconscious self, and Shinto that of the super-conscious mind. It is very simple way of integrating into one’s life a very deep knowledge. Yet, it is approached with the same understanding that these things are not “belief-systems,” but instruments of cultivating the soul. Religions of the West can be used to cultivate the soul, when understood esoterically. However, if one has a literal understanding of the Western religious paradigm and tries to integrate such into his/her Reiki practice, it can create a toxic environment for the practitioner. Keep it simple. There is no need of interjecting Western deities into an Eastern art. Those who possess a deep knowledge of Shinto and Japan know that “purity” is integral to any practice that has anything to do with the cultivation of the soul. Often times, here in the West, we hear of practitioners that have met angels, or other spiritual beings in a dream or what have you. While some of these experiences may be useful, if they occur in the practitioner’s experience rarely, it is also a sign that one needs to purify themselves spiritually.
In Shinto, there exists an astral world, but also a divine world. The divine world doesn’t communicate with the mortal world in the same way that the astral world does. The astral plane is a lower world, close to the physical world, and the beings there also seek to evolve and become one with such the divine world, so is the purpose of man. Yet, there are also negative energies existing in the astral world that easily manifest themselves to the mind of the ignorant practitioner. These energies can be quite deceptive. Basically, the purity held in the Art of Reiki is found in maintaining its five principles. Becoming a true Reiki master, if such a thing exists, has nothing to do with your level of initiation, but has everything to do with the clarity and lightness of our spirits based on our cultivation of the Five Principles found in Reiki, a matter we will discuss later.
We are taught the landscape of the spiritual world, as the symbols given in the Second Degree initiation exist on the three spiritual or angelic planes, but in the Third Degree initiation, we receive the master symbol DKM (DaiKoMyo), which is a key to the divine world of God. However, an initiation into the realm of divine knowledge cannot be easily in an attunement or ritual, but must be cultivated by the diligent practice of the Reiki art. When people bring in all sorts of deities from various religious worlds, it actually makes the Reiki energy toxic. While there may be nothing wrong with these practices within themselves, it is best advised to avoid mixing your Reiki art with foreign deities in order to keep your practice pure. It may happen that some practitioners will encounter some spiritual beings in dreams and visions shortly after their initiation into Reiki and a few years after. This may occur as the result of the purging process that takes place in the subconscious mind during a recent Reiki attunement. The new Reiki initiate through his/her attunement will become aware of subconscious forces that they were formerly influenced by prior to their initiation. These subconscious forces are either purging, migrating from the subconscious to conscious mind, eventually leaving the psyche of the practitioner all together. Yet, there are other energies that are a bit more stubborn and will disguise themselves as some ancient entity and trick the new Reiki practitioner into invoking them in their practice of Reiki and feeding off of the energy. This is why it is best to keep things simple. Work with Reiki as Reiki, nothing more. If you have worked with other spiritual paradigms and would like to continue, do so, but do not mix the Art of Reiki with these practices until you have acquired a fair knowledge and a sense of discernment in the landscape and workings of the spiritual worlds.
While some sources state that Usui-Sensei summarized some of Emperor Meiji’s set of principles and concepts in his composing of the Five Reiki Precepts. This is an interesting perspective. Yet in still, it is known that in Shinto one’s emotional state creates their reality. To engage in negative emotions is like having a physical disease and is perceived as being a sin. In English, the concept of sin is not a mistake, but to miss one’s goal, literally to miss the mark. Our mark in Koshinto is unification with the divine. Negative emotions can stand in the way of that. When we pursue the path of Reiki, like Shinto, purity and cleanliness of mind are essential as the divine spirit does not inhabit dirty temples. In this case, the temple is our emotional, mental, and physical bodies. Purification is really the essence of Reiki. This is another principle that should be in the forefront of every Reiki practitioner’s minds, especially if they treat people by means of Reiki.
It is true that many shamanistic practices help us to understand and gain a proper perspective of the religion that we may be involved in. However, some religions forbade the practice of Reiki and a Reiki instructor would do well to inform potential students of the origins of Reiki. Reiki is a spiritual practice. Reiki does work, but for some reason there is this overzealousness displayed by many in the Reiki community, to convince non-spiritual institutions that it really works. Slow down! I understand how such excitement can occur, but the idea of trying to convince the non-spiritual establishments of state and science that Reiki works is a waste of time. Let the work of Reiki speak for itself. We live in a world where the majority of people believe that a human-sacrifice was needed in order to prepare the road of salvation for mankind. While this view may be one of the most morbid spiritually, it’s celebrated every year. There is enough room and legislature for the spiritual practice of Reiki to exist. There are several reasons why this is a good topic to bring into our discussion.
Reiki was conceptualized by the spiritual practices of 21 days fasting, meditation, and prayers. On the other side of the coin, Reiki is a hands-on art and it is important to have some regulation in regards to such. Reiki is a beautiful spiritual practice and very similar to man’s original spiritual paradigm of pure heart and mind. Value your practice by preserving its simplicity and purity, for in the innocence of children, lay the keys of heaven.
Group counsciousness in Reiki Gakkai. Shuudan Ishiki (集団意識), which directly translates as ‘group consciousness’ (jisho.org) refers to the Japanese instinct to “adhere to the values of the groups to which they belong” in order maintain harmony in said groups (The Japanese Mind). This is often referred to simply as the uchi 内, or ‘group’. Honne (true feeling or intention) and tatemae (what is said) certainly play a significant role in this concept of maintaining group harmony (society harmony). Since the harmony, or wa, is so important to Japanese society, one must consider the other members of the group (or society) when speaking, so as not to say anything hurtful or clash against the group flow. Whether it be a group of friends, a college class, neighbors, a sports club, or any other type of group, it is necessary to be conscious of the group (society, gakkai). It should be noted that members of the group sometimes make mistakes and go against the group (society, gakkai), or don’t quite fit in if they are new to the uchi. But as a famous Japanese proverb says, “the nail that sticks out will be hammered down”, with the help of respect and social grace.
Kurama Yama - enlightment and Reiki descending place
Kurama Yama or Mt. Kurama (570 meters above sea level) is 12 kilometers due north of Kyoto Imperial Palace and can be reached in 30 minutes from Kyoto by car or train. The Kurama Temple, founded in 770 as the guardian of the northern quarter of the capital city (Heiankyo), is located halfway up the mountain. The original buildings, however, were repeatedly destroyed by fire. The Main Hall was last rebuilt in 1971. The temple formerly belonged to the Tendai group of Buddhism, but since 1949, it has been included in the newly founded Kurama-Kokyo Society as its headquarters.
More than six million years ago, Goho Mao-son (the great king of the conquerors of evil and the spirit of the earth) descended upon Mt. Kurama from Venus, with the great mission of the salvation of mankind. Since then, Mao-son's powerful spirit governing the development and the evolution not only of mankind but of all living things on Earth has been emanating from Mt. Kurama, and a priest named Gantei received the spiritual transmission. In the first year of Hoki (A.D. 770), Gantei, who was the best pupil of High priest Ganjin, the founder of the Toshodaiji Temple in Nara, led by a white horse, climbed up to this holy place. His soul was enlightened with the realization of Bishamon-ten (the protector of the northern quarter of the Buddhist heaven and the spirit of the sun). Following, he founded the Buddhist temple on Mt. Kurama. Later, in the 15th year of Enryaku (A.D. 796), the chief officer in charge of the construction of the Toji Temple, saw a vision of Senju-kannon (the thousand armed Kannon and the spirit of the moon) and built temples and pagodas on the mountain.
Goho Mao-son, Senju-Kannon and Bishamon-Ten are the symbols of the universal soul, forming a Trinity known as "Sonten" or the "Supreme Deity". Sonten is the "Living Soul", the "Supreme Soul of the universe", the "Glorious Light", and the "Activity of the Soul". These three are the symbols of power, light, and love. Mount Kurama spiritual traditions worship or contemplate Sonten as the composite of all three. They trust in Sonten for all things. Sonten is the Creator of the universe, and cultivates the development of everything all over the earth. He rests deeps in our individual minds, and causes the "Great Self" or "ParamaAtman" to wake up within our hearts. He gives us new power and glorious light.
Seishonagon, an eminent female essayist, wrote an essay (A.D. 1.000) on Kurama Yama. "The road to Kurama is a winding path; at a glance, the distance appears to be quite near, but it is quite far." Now, however, if you take the cable car, it takes only three minutes to get to the upper terminal and then only a ten minute walk to the main hall of the temple. There, the sky is clear and serene, and the air is pure. Mt. Kurama is wonderful throughout the year. During the Heian and Kamakura Periods in particular, literature and the Buddhist arts flourished on the mountain. Kurama is also famous as a historical place for esoterical Shinto groups like Shugendo or Onmyodo. There is the interesting story, for instance, of the warrior called Ushiwaka-maru (later known as Minamoto Yoshitsune, 1159-1189). When he was a young lad, he took military arts under the "Tengusan" (subjugator of evil) at Kurama Yama, and he went on to become an excellent soldier. A number of historical sites connected with him still remain on the mountain. We lead our lives by virtue of Sonten. Sonten has bestowed his power on us so that we can lead a good life; casting evil out of our minds with the strength of his power. We make every effort to perfect ourselves. We trust in Sonten for all things.
Kurama Mountain - jap. Kurama Yama (鞍馬山) Horse Saddle Mountain - is a sacred mountain due north of Japan’s old imperial capital Kyoto. In the twelve centuries of its existence, the temple complex has become a rich tapestry of legend, tradition history and natural unique beauty. Kurama Mountain is extinct volcano. Up until about fifty-five million years ago this area was a shallow, ancient, seabed alive with trilobites, corals and other Cambrian-era creatures. Emperors have meditated here, warriors have trained here, Gods have visited here, thousand of people come here to pray meditate or hike, there are flowering trees and foliage, ancient sea fossils from beginning of life on the planet. Kurama Mountain is extinct volcano. Kurama temple’s religion is based on Sonten, the divine force behind the cosmos. Sonten is seen as the being made up of a trinity of three of the deities that have been part of Kurama Mountain since its beginning: Mao-son (the ‘Great King of the Conquerors of Evil and the Spirit of the Earth’), Senju Kannon and Bishamonten are the symbols of the universal soul, forming a Trinity known as “Sonten” or the “Supreme deity”. Sonten is the “Living Soul of the Universe”, the “Glorious Light”, and the “Activity of the Soul”. These three are the symbols of power, love and light. “We trust in Sonten for all things.” Sonten is the creator of the Universe, and cultivates the development of everything all over the earth. It rests deep in our individual minds, and causes the “Great Self” or “Atman” (Ichi-Rei) to wake up within our hearts, it gives us new power and glorious light.
Sonten 尊天 symbolizing all things. Mao-son, Bishamon-ten, and Senju-kannon are the symbols of the universal soul, forming a Trinity known as "Sonten" or the "Supreme Deity". Sonten is the "Living Soul", the "Supreme Soul of the universe", the "Glorious Light", and the "Activity of the Soul". These three are the symbols of power, light, and love. We worship Sonten as the composite of all three. "We trust in Sonten for all things." Sonten is the Creator of the Universe, and cultivates the development of everything all over the Earth. He rests deeps in our individual minds, and causes the "Great Self" or "Atman" to wake up within our hearts. He gives us new power and glorious light. Sonten is the DKM energy source.
1. Bishamonten (毘沙門天王) - Bishamonten-ō or Tamonten symbolizes light and the sun (in the center); the CR energy source;
2. Senju Kannon (千手観世音菩薩) - Kannon symabolizes love and the moon; the SH energy source
3. Gohoo Maoo Son (護法魔王尊) - Goho Mao Son (Go-hou Ma-ou Son) symbolizes power and the earth; the HZN energy source.
Goho Mao Son, the Great King of the conquerors of evil and the spirit of the earth, looks almost like a tengu himself. Legend says he came to earth from Venus more than 6.500.000 years ago. He is shown as a male of the age 16 and remains young for ever. He is a special secret esoteric Great Kami (or Buddha), The Enlightment Being of Kurama temple. More than six and a half million years ago, Mao-son (Maou-son, the great king of the conquerors of evil and the spirit of the earth) descended upon Mt. Kurama from Venus, with the great mission of the salvation of mankind. Since then, Mao-son's powerful spirit governing the development and the evolution not only of mankind but of all living things on Earth has been emanating from Mt. Kurama, and a priest named Gantei received the spiritual transmission and many after Him, like Mikao Usui Sensei.
Kurama no Hana Kuyoo 鞍馬の花供養 - Flower Ceremony at Kurama used to be for five days from April 18 till 22, but sometimes it is for seven days till 24. At the temple Kuramadera flowers are offered and prayers of repentance (senboo) are spoken. During this period,the main deity, Tamonten (Bishamonten), which is usually hidden (hibutsu), is shown to the public. Small children in court robes form a procession and throw artificial blossoms for the visitors. There are performances of dance, kyogen, songs, tea ceremonies and more by the believers of Bishamonten. Every day there is something else to enjoy. Kurama is a mountain region in the North-West of Kyoto. Legend tells us it is the home of Sojobo, (Sōjōbō 僧正坊), a master king of the long-nosed tengu, who taught swordsmanship to the young Ushiwaka-maru or Shanao, later named Minamoto no Yoshitsune. The old Japanese calendar, instead of using the seven days of the week, used twelve different zodiac animals to symbolize each day. So, in a sense, today's 'seven day' week, was once a 'twelve day' period. The Tiger hour is about 3-5 am. Tiger Month is January and Tiger day comes up every 12 days. The temple Kurama in Kyoto is especially closely related to this day - the First Day of the Tiger (hatsu tora). Gantei dreamed that he climbed up Mt. Kurama led by a white horse at four o’clock in the morning on January 4, 770. Then a demon attacked him, but a dead tree fell down on the demon and smashed it. The next morning, a statue of Bishamonten, one of the four heavenly kings in Buddhism, was found under the fallen tree. Gantei then built a temple to worship the statue. The date and time of the dream was related to the tiger in Japanese zodiac signs, so there are two tigers placed as messengers of Bishamonten in Kurama temple. Only someone born in the tiger time may be the good keeper of Kurama Yama traditions.
Kurama philosophy book: ”The energy and understanding of Sonten that people have received on Kurama has led some people to start new religions, both recently and during early times. Others founded big enterprises…Without knowing they are doing so, many people come to Kurama for pilgrimage and are given the energy. From Kurama Mountain this wonderful power radiated and you should take this power without hesitation.” There are several stories as to how Maoson – a deity unique to the Kurama Temple, became associated with Kurama Mountain. In one legend, told by the famous Kuki Family, Mao-son appeared when a meteorite landed from the Planet Venus. A piece of this meteorite is now enshrined on Kurama Mountain. Another story refers to the vision of a warrior God from Venus descending to earth in a fiery chariot six millions years ago. He landed at a spot called “Okunoin”. Mao-son is thought to be a guardian and guide for both the physical and spiritual evolution of mankind. He is seen as the conqueror of evil, whose mission is the salvation of mankind and all living things. All three of Kurama’s deities, Bishamonten, Senju Kannon and Mao-son are emanations from the divine Source called Sonten. Kurama Temple is actually a little older than Kyoto, which was founded in 794. It is interesting that the temple is due not of Kyoto’s imperial palace, as it seems logical for Kurama to be the northern guardian of Kyoto, since Bishamonten guarded the north side of the Enlightment World.
Regarding Mt. Kurama’s brochure, the story of the Kurama Temple and its Major Deities tells the following story: “In the first year of Hoki (A.D. 770), Gantei, who was the best pupil of Hight Priest Ganjin, the founder of the Toshodaiji Temple in Nara , led by a white horse, climbed up to this holy place. His soul was enlightened with the realization of Bishamon-Ten or Vishamon-Ten (the protector of the northern quarter of the Enlightment heaven and the spirit of the sun). Following, the founder the Temple on Mt. Kurama. Later, in the 15th year of Enryaku (A.D.796), the chief officer in charge of the construction of Toji temple saw a vision of the Senju-Kannon (The Thousand - armed Senju Kannon and the spirit of the moon) and build temples and pagodas on the mountain. Further research into the history of the temple has verified the essential details of the story. Ganjin’s student, Gantei, had two visions which led to the founding of Kurama Temple. In the first vision, he was told to leave Nara and search for sacred mountain near to what later became Kyoto. He had his second vision while he was on his journey. In this vision, he saw horse with a saddle, which held treasure, a traditional reference to the white horse that carried the Sutras. When he awoke and looked around, he saw the twin-peakes of Kurama Mountain and the saddle between them, and he knew he had been guided there. The name “kurama” comes from combination of two words: “kura” - which means horse saddle, “yama” - which means mountain. Even in the eighth century, Kurama had the reputation go being a powerful energy spot. After having been led to the mountain, Gantei meditatad and “…his soul was enlightened with the realization of Bishamonten.”
Another account of Gantei’s vision describes how he was attacked by she-demon and rescued by Bishamonten at the hour of the tiger on the day the tiger, in the month of the tiger, which is on the first day of the new year. In the Lotus Sutra, Bishamonten is the guardian of the northern guarantee of Enlightment heaven. He has vowed to protect the Enlightment Beings from harm. In gratitude for his rescue, Gantei ofunded Kurama Temple, dedicating it to the God Bishamonten. By the end of the tenth century Kurama Temple was one of the most widely known and visited Kannon sites of this time were Ishiyama, Kiyomizudera, Hasedera, Tsubosakadera and Kokawader. Other temples were added to this group in the eleventh and twelfth centuries to make a total of thirty-tree. For many centuries Shinto and Buddhism were practiced side-by-side. Typically each Buddhist temple had a Shinto shrine on its ground and each Shinto shrine similarly had a Buddhist temple on its grounds. In the English brochure of Kurama Mountain main nine festivals are mentioned with the best-known festival on Kurama Mountain – is the Kurama Fire Festival. In this evening festival, the man Kurama village carry torches and portable shrines through the streets. The torches are carried to guide the bad spirits go hell through the human realms. This festival began when the Emperor first began the annual tradition of sending torch-bearers to the village, back in 794.
Shinto divided into Great and Little Traditions, which relate to different areas of life. The Great Tradition of Shinto concerns the Emperor and his history as the living descendent of an unbroken chain of emperors, originating from the offspring of the Great Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Omnikami. Japan’s sense of itself as a divine land under a divine ruler came from legend. The Great Tradition of Shinto was used by the state starting in the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), to unify Japan under the divine rule of the Emperor, as both spiritual and worldly leader. The Little Tradition of Shinto refers to all other aspects of this religion that are not part of the Great Tradition. The Little Tradition of Shinto is visible in numerous paces on Kurama. Shinto Little Tradition includes Nature worship, polytheism and shamanism, ancestor worship, and healing, agricultureal and fertility rites. Shinto derives from the people’s faith and practices that are handed-down over time. There is no unifying structure or theology in Shinto. Many rituals and deities are connected to particular locales. In designating what is worthy of worship, Shinto makes no sharp distinctions between kami (gods, angels) and people. Anything that excellent, awe – inspiring, impressive or striking can be kami. This can include heroes, emperors, rocks, streams, mountains, buildings. The goal of Shinto is to provide one with appreciation and sense of awe in the face of mysteries of life. Shinto believes that nature is intrinsically good, beautiful and valuable for itself. This belief has strongly influenced much of Japanese Art and Culture.
On Kurama Yama there are a wide variety of kami, a number of very large trees are considered to be kami, as well as springs,and even the stone cover of the crypt which once housed the sacred writings. Kami are considered to be typically good, requiring only proper attention and respect as shown by prayers and offerings rice, sake or other food items, even money. Prayers ask kami to grant petitions (often good luck or success) and thank kami for the blessing they have bestowed. Shinto deities are not typically anthropomorphic. The are numerous kami all over Kurama, indicated by spirit ropes. Spirit ropes indicate what areas are scared. The spirit rope dangling rope tassels and folded paper thunderbolts. Purification is an essential element of Shinto. Outer purification is symbolized by rinsing the hands and the mouth at the purification shrines. Inner purification is achieved through prayer and meditation. Disease, bleeding and wrongdoing are considered to be pollutants which must be cleansed to restore harmony. This emphasis is visible in Japan’s focus on bathing, and on using purification salt before some wrestling matches and after funerals.There are a number of purification basins on Kurama, some are simple puddle, formed by a spring, and others are elaborate, roofed structures.
Kurama and its main shrine is a magical place that gains a lot of its power from its brilliant natural setting. Kurama has been independent since 1949, describing its own brand of Buddhism as Kurama-kyo. Along the ascent to Kurama-dera stands Yuki Jinja, a shrine famous for its Fire Festival (Kurama Hi Matsuri), held annually on October 22. At the top, you can take a brief detour across the ridge to Osugi-gongen, a quiet shrine in a grove of trees. Behind the temple’s main building, the hiking trail continues through the forest to Kibune, a small town in the neighboring valley. The hike from Kurama-dera to Kibune is steep at times and takes about one hour. On the way down are two mountain shrines, Sojo-ga-dani Fudo-do and Okuno-in Mao-den, which make pleasant rest stops. The Great King of the Conquerors of Evil and the Spirit of the Earth descended as a meteorite from Venus some 6 million years ago and landed at Kurama Yama and have the stones known as Mao-son no kami. While Mao-son gives divine protection to the one who worships him, he destroys those who oppose him hence the fearful name. Along the way on Kurama Yama, springs and natural stones are coloured with stories of the historical Yoshitsune or the legendary Mao-son or the mythical Tengu. In a quiet room of the mein Kurama shrine, the statue of the temple’s main deity Bishamon-ten stands alongside Thousand-Armed Kannon and Mao-son. Okuoin Mao-den (the Palace of Mao-son) is a small little temple shaded under an old cedar tree in which the spirit of Mao-son is believed to reside.
The Soul (or the Higher Self) in many spiritual, religious and mythological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing. There were found no one nation nor tribe that hadn't any spiritual views about the soul. In the national spiritual traditions of Japan - Shinto or Koshinto - the «vital soul» or tama is not concentrated in one thing or person but it is spread everywhere and gives a life, penetrating in nature things. Tama gives its holder vital energy but not a personality. When tama leaves a body, a man gets sick or die. In Shinto there is an idea about four souls which is like different manifestations of a man or Kami (sacred spirits) that are ara-mitama (rude soul), the nigi-mitama (harmonious soul), the saki-mitama (happy and prosperous soul) and the kushi-mitama (wondrous soul). According to the teachings, each of the four souls making up the spirit has a character and a function of its own; they all exist at the same time, complementing each other.
Tama, formally mitama, in Japanese mystical traditions, is a soul or a divine or semidivine spirit; also an aspect of a spirit. Several mitama are recognized in Shintō, Koshinto and traditional folk religions and spiritual movements. Among them are the ara-mitama (with the power of ruling), the nigi-mitama (with the power of unifying and harmonizing), the saki-mitama (with the power of blessing) and the kushi-mitama (with the power of transforming into higher being). Some shrines pay homage to a particular mitama of a deity, such as the separate shrines dedicated to the ara-mitama and the nigi-mitama of the divine light goddess Amaterasu.
The four souls described are from the shinto philosophy of Naohi, Naobi or Choku-Rei (in Japanese: 直霊): Aramitama (in Japanese: 荒魂, Courage), Nigimitama (in Japanese: 和魂, Friendship), Sakimitama (幸魂, Love, Friendship) and Kushimitama (in Japanese: 奇魂, Wisdom). When a person contains these four spirits at their maximum, such as Enlightment Ones or Kami (sacred spirits), they unite to form a really strong and powerful balance within the soul that can be used for higher good and against evil. Ichirei shikon - literally, "one spirit, four souls", and according to Shintō doctrine, the spirit (reikon) of both kami (sacred spirits) and human beings is made up of one spirit and four souls. The spirit is called naobi or naohi (choku rei), and the four souls are the turbulent (aramitama), the tranquil (nigimitama), the propitious (sakimitama) and the wondrous, miraculous, or salubrious (kushimitama). Various theories exist to explain the nature of each of the four souls and the process of the historical development of the concept. The distinctive feature of the ichirei shikon theory, however, is that while each of the four souls has its own particular character and function, they exist in parallel, acting together in a complementary fashion.
Motoori Norinaga's tanka (poem) says “Japan's soul is the blossoming of mountain sakura, fragranting at sunrise”. Japanese think that beauty purifies a man's heart, soul and consiousness. All the traditional arts of the way (dou) (the way of tea (chyadou), the way of flower (ikebana-dou), the way of brush (shodou) etc.) make the heart of man beautiful. In Japanese tradition kokoro is rather more connected with traditional Japanese arts as tea ceremony, ikebana, poetry, calligraphic – all that can be called aesthetic knowledge of the world. Japanese people say “Chyado wa nihon no kokoro” (Tea ceremony is the Japan soul).
In Shinto and Koshinto, similarly to Daoist, it is believed that every person, place and thing has a soul. Furthermore, those souls can be broken into four distinct parts. The soul itself is always comprised of each of these spirits, but which side is in control at the moment depends on external factors. The four spirits are as follows:
1. The ara-mitama (harsh soul, courage soul) is the counterpart to the next one, the nigi and it is driven by pure savage and violent instinct. People tap into it whenever they are faced with adversity or a dire threat.
2. The nigi-mitama (harmonious soul) is a soul's natural state - the way a being behaves when things are calm and relaxed. Nigi mitama is a persona of the temperance arcana (abstinence from alcoholic drink and drugs). It specializes in recovery. It is associated with gentleness.
3. The saki-mitama (happy soul, prosperous soul) is loosely defined as prosperity and good luck. It's sometimes also considered one of the nigi-mitama's secondary functions.
4. The kushi-mitama (wondrous soul) is the counterpart to the saki-mitama and is prosperity itself. It causes various transformations and cures wounds and illness. Like the saki-mitama, some consider it another function of the nigi-mitama.
This practical belief system creates a very advanced version of "karman". The highest duty of a living person is to live an honorable and noble life so that they can leave behind a positive spirit. However, if someone dies with unfinished business, or with malevolence and dishonor, their ara-mitama is left behind and brings dishonor, calamity and misfortune to everyone. The nigi-mitama if not so much developed is essentially the root of all evil and misfortune. It is thus the duty of the living to return an ara-mitama to the nigi-mitama level of harmony and peace. This is usually done by overcoming the curse and misfortune through humility and sacrifice (as the original person was supposed to do in the first place).
The Japanese word mitama (御魂・御霊・神霊, honorable spirit) refers to the spirit of a Kami (Sacred Spirits, Angels, Gods) or the soul of a dead person. It is composed of two characters, the first of which, mi (御, honorable), is a simply an honorific. The second, tama (魂・霊) means "spirit". The character pair 神霊, also read mitama, is used exclusively to refer to a kami's spirit. Significantly, the term mitamashiro (御魂代, mitama representative) is a synonym of shintai, the object which in a Shinto shrine houses the enshrined Kami (Sacred Spirits). Early Japanese definitions of the mitama, developed later by many thinkers like Motoori Norinaga, maintain it consists of several "souls", relatively independent one from the other. The most developed is the ichirei shikon (一霊四魂), a Shinto teachings according to which the spirit (霊魂 reikon) of both Kami (Sacred Spirits) and human beings consists of one spirit and four souls. The four souls are the ara-mitama (荒御霊・荒御魂, rude soul, rough, wild, unruly, gross), the nigi-mitama (和御霊・和御魂, harmonious soul), the saki-mitama (幸御魂, happy and prosperous soul) and the kushi-mitama (奇御霊・奇御魂, wondrous soul, mysterious, magical, powerfull). According to the teachings, each of the souls making up the spirit has a character and a function of its own; they all exist at the same time, complementing each other. In the Nihon Shoki, kami Ōnamuchi actually meets his kushi-mitama and shiki-mitama, but does not even recognize them. The four seem moreover to have a different importance, and different thinkers have described their interaction differently.
Shikon no Tama and Magatama
Shikon, is formed from the Japanese words, 'shi' meaning four, and 'kon' meaning soul. Kanji 四 (in Chinese writing system (ancestoral to Japanese) means four (shi). Kanji 魂 (in Chinese writing system (as well as Japanese) means soul (kon). Kanji 玉 (in Chinese and Japanese) Jade or royal stone (tama). The Shikon Jewel, also known as the Sacred Jewel or Jewel of Four Souls, is a mystical powerful marble-sized jewel which grants whoever possesses it with immense power. Physically, it is a sphere that appears to be made of some sort of crystalline material prior to the accident that shattered it. When purified, the jewel is a soft pink color, however the more tainted the soul and wishes of the person holding it, the more the color turns to a lurid black-violet. It is somewhere between a marble and a ping-pong ball in size when complete, but the shards of the Jewel of Four Souls are irregular in size and shape. It was created to be held by a priest, priestess or monk with exceedingly strong and powerful spiritual powers.
According to Japanese legends, the magatama jewel had been a gift to the sun goddess Amaterasu from her father, the supreme deity Izanagi, and together with the sword and mirror, she gave it to her grandson, who came down from the heavens to conquer and rule the islands. It is the only item of the three regalia that has remained in its original form and it is kept safe at the Kashiko-dokoro (賢所), the central shrine of the Three Palace Sanctuaries at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is used in the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor of Japan. The name of the most important magatama is Yasakani no magatama, and it is one of the Imperial Regalia. According to legends, a human soul is locked in the magatama and can be passed on. In other words, the strength, power, and authority of the soul are passed on to the heir. Since the very first magatama was a gift to the sun goddess Amaterasu from her father, the supreme deity Izanagi, and contained Izanagi’s own soul, and the goddess passed it on to her own grandson who became the great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor, the power of the emperors are inherited directly from the gods.
The origins of wearing magatama jewels dates from the Jomon period (14,000 BC- 300 BC). The magatama beads have several possible origins. It is believed that they developed from hunters wearing animal parts such as claws, teeth, bones from their game as mementos. Another explanation is that the form represents the waxing moon or a human embryo. Some of the earliest mystical and shamanic traditions uses of magatama beads were in Japanese shamanic practices. They were used as tools to draw a god’s spirit into a shaman, who would serve as a medium between celestial beings and humans. Today magatama medallions are used to keep evil spirits away, and to bring good luck and fortune to its owner. If you ever get the chance to visit Japan, it is truly recommend obtaining a magatama talisman for good luck and for a long and happy life because energized through Reiki masters or miko shamans.
Ara-mitama
The ara-mitama is the rough and violent side of a spirit, an earth element, physical body. A kami's first appearance is as an ara-mitama, which must be pacified with appropriate pacification rites and worship so that the nigi-mitama can appear. The ara-mitama soul appears in times of war, conflict or natural disasters. The aramitama state of soul favours change and strugle. The change doesn’t have to be instant, but it goes beyond what was expected and predicted. This change disrupts the established order, makes plans impossible to carry out, and creates new options. Most people want to avoid too much unexpected change. It is hard and stressful to deal with, even if it is ultimately good. The rulers of a country like unexpected change even less, as it almost always reduces their power. Further, many of the obvious examples of unexpected change are negative: natural disasters, plagues, wars and deaths. It is obvious that, sometimes, the aramitama’s intervention is what you want or need. The aramitama is concerned with change, disrupting the way that things are. As discussed in the last post, something counts as a change if the Kami (Sacred Spirits) or a man thinks that it disrupts the way things normally are. Aramitama kami or soul has the powers of inspiration, destruction, creation, and transformation.
The first power of aramitama is inspiration. Wisdom is about the way things are, while inspiration is about the way things could be, but are not. It could be artistic or creative inspiration, but it equally covers political inspiration, or new ideas for ways to organise your own life. Inspiration is about new ideas, but they do not have to be absolutely new. They just have to be ideas that change the current situation. The idea that women should be equal to men could have been suggested thousands of times by aramitama throughout history, because it has always been a change.
The second power of aramitama is destruction. Destroying something in a situation changes that situation. This power is the one most often regarded negatively, and it often causes genuinely negative effects. An earthquake or typhoon would fall under destruction, as would a plague. However, destruction could also remove hatred or prejudice, or a disease that had become normal.
The third power of aramitama is creation. Adding something new to a situation changes it just as surely as removing something. This brings up a point in which the game will differ from normal Shinto practice. In the game, if you want a baby, you have to ask the aramitama, because a new baby is a change. Once a woman is pregnant, she should ask the nigimitama for a safe pregnancy and childbirth, because the situation then falls under protection and prosperity, but a woman who is not pregnant and wants to be should ask the aramitama. The same applies to requests for a good relationship; it is something new, so it is under the purview of the aramitama. Improving an existing relationship, on the other hand, falls under prosperity.
The final power of the aramitama is transformation something in the situation changes. This is different from a combination of destruction and creation. When a Kami or the soul uses destruction followed by creation, something is destroyed, and then something new is added. Transformation, on the other hand, changes something that already existed in the situation. When stupid one is changed into wise one, this is transformation power, no one is killed or destroyed. Some cases, however, are not so clear. Consider changing a relationship of hatred into one of friendship. Is that a transformation of a single relationship, or only the destruction of the hatred and the creation of the friendship. A change is transformation by default, with destruction or creation being used when transformation is clearly not a useful description of what happens, so the relationship change would be transformation.
Ara-mitama (Rough Soul): its essence is yu (audacity), and its features are shin (willingness), ka (resolve), fun (perseverance), ben (diligence), and koku (fortitude). Ara-mitama: its commandment is hajiru (to feel ashamed). Ara-mitama degenerates into soh-kon (hostile soul), so all hostile (unfriendly, antagonistic) tendencies have to be cut. Black purple or amethyst means North (Ara Mitama). Fully cleanced and developed ara-mitama (self-governing) aspect or part of human soul is a subject of the First Degree Reiki (Shoden) long term practice consisted with four small circles or degrees of initiation.
Nigi-mitama
The nigi-mitama as peacefull and harmonious soul of water element, etheric or energetical body, and is the normal state of the Kami (Sacred Spirits) and man, its functional side. The Nigi Mitama is the calm and functional state of a person's soul, or kami, which is considered to be the opposite of Ara Mitama. The Ara Mitama must first be pacified with rituals, rites and worship before the Nigi Mitama will really appear. The term denotes the functional working of a spirit. Nigimitama refers to the peaceful and calming aspect of a spirit, whereas aramitama refers to its harsh and raging aspect. A spirit appears first as an aramitama but is transformed into a nigimitama by pacification and worship. Aramitama and nigimitama came to be understood as alternative aspects of the same spirit. However, there are cases in which an aramitama and a nigimitama, though considered a pair, are enshrined separately.
The nigimitama is a force for stability and peace, but not stasis. Kami are fundamentally concerned with growth, so even the nigimitama is in favour of growth and development in peacefull way. However, that growth and development happens within the boundaries that are already set. The nigimitama favours the status quo, and wants to keep things the way they are. This could be a single power, but we like Kami and soul to be more distinct than that, so we will split it into four separate powers. The nigimitama has the powers of wisdom, healing, protection, and prosperity.
The first power of nigimitama is knowledge and wisdom. This means understanding the way that things are, and allows the Kami or the soul to both comprehend things for herself, and to grant knowledge to people who ask for it.
The second power of nigimitama is healing. This does cover curing diseases and injuries, but it is more general. It is the ability to restore the status quo when it has been damaged, so it would cover repairing items and relationships as well as simply medical issues. When a Kami or a soul uses healing power the way things are right now is not the status quo, and that is why the status quo needs to be restored.
The third power of nigimitama is protection. Protection stops the status quo from changing and destructions, primarily by resisting outside influences, but also by restricting internal changes.
The final power of nigimitama is prosperity. Prosperity is growth and development within the constraints of the status quo. Becoming a better worker or game player as you practice is a form of prosperity, but so is a good harvest, or a good year of sales from a business. Starting a new business is not, however, covered by prosperity, because that changes the status quo.
The most Kami (Sacred Spirits) and souls prefer things the way they are in natural way, for the most part, which means that the Kami and souls are normally called upon to operate through the nigimitama, and generally prefer to do so.
Nigi-mitama (Gentle or Harmonious Soul): its essence is shin (affinity), and its features are hei (peace), shu (discipline), sei (order), chi (governance), and koh (association). Nigi-mitama: its commandment is kuiru (to repent). Nigi-mitama degenerates into aku-kon (wicked soul), so all wicked (evil or morally wrong) tendencies have to be cut. White means West (Nigi Mitama). Fully awakened and developed nigimitama is an aim of the Second Degree Reiki (Okuden Koe Ki, Chuden) long term practice with its free initiations grades connected with three shirushi (symbols) Reiki energies.
Ara-mitama and nigi-mitama relations
These two souls are usually considered opposites, and Motoori Norinaga believed the other two to be no more than aspects of the nigi-mitama. Ara-mitama and nigi-mitama are in any case independent agents, so much so that they can sometimes be enshrined separately in different locations and different shintai. For example, Sumiyoshi Shrine in Shimonoseki enshrines the ara-mitama of the Sumiyoshi kami, while Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka enshrines its nigi-mitama. Ise Shrine has a sub-shrine called Aramatsuri-no-miya enshrining Amaterasu's ara-mitama. Atsuta-jingū has a sessha called Ichi-no-misaki Jinja for her ara-mitama and a massha called Toosu-no-yashiro for her nigi-mitama. No separate enshrinement of the mitama of a Kami (Sacred Spirits) has taken place since the rationalization and systematization of Shinto actuated by the Meiji restoration.
Kami (Sacred Spirits) and human beings traditionally have two aspects, called the aramitama and the nigimitama. “Mitama” means spirit or soul, while “ara” means wild and violent, and “nigi” means calm and peaceful. “Aramitama” could be translated as “wild spirit”, and “nigimitama” as “calm spirit”. As kami are often thought of as spirits, angels or archangels or gods, it might look as though the aramitama and nigimitama are almost separate kami. Indeed, they are sometimes treated that way. At the Naiku of Jingu in Ise, for example, there are separate jinja for the nigimitama and aramitama aspects of Amaterasu. The main jinja enshrines her nigimitama, while Aramatsuri no Miya enshrines her Goddess aramitama (warrior aspect). Jinja that enshrine the nigimitama and aramitama aspects of Kami separately are, however, the exception, rather than the rule.
The nigimitama is the peaceful aspect of the Kami, bringing blessings to people, while the aramitama is violent and active. Some matsuri directed at the aramitama have the goal of calming it down, and returning the Kami to her nigimitama. However, sometimes violent action against devil forces is necessary, and in those cases a matsuri would be directed to the aramitama. Because people do not, in general, want their lives to be violently disrupted, the nigimitama is generally more popular, and regarded as the main aspect of the Kami - for peacefull time.
The eight powers defined in aramitama and nigimitama aspects will determine the number of dice that Kami or soul (higher self) get to keep when intervening in the world in a supernatural way. Every Kami or soul has her/his own interests, and is more likely to help in that area, in mechanical terms, this works well as a source for the number of dice to roll. A more powerful kami, with higher scores in the powers of her aramitama and nigimitama, is able to benefit you more in any area, but you might be better off going to a slightly weaker kami with more interest in that area. If two kami have the same power, then you definitely want to go to the one with more interest.
First, all Kami or soul (higher self) have an interest in the keidai, the grounds of their jinja. This allows them to act to defend or transform that area. It also allows them to act on anyone who is within the keidai, even if there is no other applicable interest. In this case, however, the effect only remains as long as the person is within the keidai, because that is how they have been linked to the power. This will be useful in stories, as it allows kami to act very flexibly when personae are on the kami’s home territory.
Second, almost all kami have an interest in their ujiko, and the area where their ujiko live. Ujiko is parishner - an inhabitant of a parish, especially one who belongs to or attends a particular jinja. This interest can be used to do anything to the ujiko, or to the area. Ujiko who stop living in the area lose this connection, but simply working outside, or going on holiday, does not break it. Consistently working in the area covered by a jinja may also qualify someone as an ujiko for the life game purposes.
For most kami, the interest in their keidai should be their highest general interest, and for those kami who have ujiko, that should be the second highest, or at least no lower than any other general interest. This has the effect that it almost always makes sense for ujiko to go to their local kami, no matter what the subject of their request, which fits with actual Shinto or Koshinto practice.
A third kind of interest is a personal relationship with an individual. This is what a sūkeisha relies on. The one who worships a tutelary god without living around its shrine is called 'sukeisha' (worshipper), who together with ujiko, are collectively called 'ujiko-sukeisha' (parishners and worshippers). These personal relationships could potentially be higher than the interest in the ujiko or keidai. While sūkeisha are most likely to find it necessary to build such a relationship, there is nothing to stop an ujiko, or even shinshoku, from building a personal relationship that is stronger than the general bond to the ujiko.
When two or more interests apply to a use of a power, the kami uses the highest to determine how many dice to roll. Therefore, an ujiko with a strong personal relationship would use that relationship, rather than the general ujiko relationship, to determine how many dice the kami rolls to grant requests, or interfere in her life. There is a Japanese saying that “Kami you do not touch, do not curse you”. If you have nothing to do with a particular Kami or magical soul, she or he has neither reason nor ability to use her supernatural powers on you.
The other possible interests of a kami are very diverse. Types of natural phenomena, areas of human endeavour, healing from particular diseases, support business prosperity, passing exams: these are all examples found among actual Kami or mature higher souls. There should be no limit on personal relationships and every persona should be able to have a relationship with every Kami in the life game.
The aramitama and nigimitama are refered as manifested souls and during Reiki practical training on the First and the Second Level, during all seven disciplehood initiations these two souls are cleansing and reawakening. The sachimitama and kushimitama are refered as hidden souls for much deeper Okuden and Shinhiden (Hiden) Levels.
Saki-mitama or saki-hi-mitama (sachi-mitama)
This is the soul of blessing and prosperity, body of fire element and astro-mental body or subtle body. In a scene of the Nihon Shoki, kami Ōnamuchi is described in conversation with his own saki-mitama and kushi-mitama. Within Shinto also exists the idea that this the soul which brings good harvests and catches. Motoori Norinaga and others however believe this to be no more than a function of the nigi-mitama. Saki Mitama is a part of the soul or Kami (Sacred Spirits) that brings good fortune, happiness and blessings. It is said to bring prosperity in hunting, fishing and harvests, however some believe this is actually the purpose of Nigi Mitama. Saki Mitama is heavily resistant to damage, but is vulnerable to Almighty attacks, unlike the other Mitamas. Saki Mitama can only be obtained through fusion. One of the four aspects of Shinto thought, it brings great bounty from the hunt. It is said to aid in love, profit, and growth, and can create new paths.
Saki or sachi-mitama (Luck Soul): its essence is ai (love), and its features are eki (benefit), zoh (creation), sei (production), ka (evolution), and iku (nurture). Sachi-mitama: its commandment is osoreru (to revere). Sachi-mitama degenerates into gyaku-kon (rebellious soul). Red means South (Sachi Mitama). Much more on cleansing and awakening this third kind of soul (deeper selves) known as sakimitama or sachimitama is on the Master Level called the Third Level of Reiki with DKM shirushi.
Kushi-mitama
Body of kushimitama is of air element and light or causal body. The "wondrous soul" which appears together with the saki-mitama, the providing soul, which is the power behind the harvest. It is believed to have mysterious powers, to cause transformations and to be able to cure illnesses. The wondrous soul. Within conceptions of the soul, the kushimitama is a type of soul that brings about mysterious manifestations in human beings through supernatural power. It appears in conjunction with the sakimitama, the providing soul, which is the power behind the harvest. In the first volume of the Nihongi, these two souls appeared before Ōnamuchi and jointly became the kami Ōmiwa (Ōmononushi). The kushimitama is considered to have a medical function, curing illness and restoring people to health.
Kushi Mitama is an aspect of the human soul known as the "wondrous soul," which appears together with Saki Mitama, the providing soul, which is the power behind the harvest. It is believed to be have mysterious powers, to cause transformations and to be able to cure illnesses, as according to Shinto belief. Kushi Mitama is largely resistant to most damage types, but vulnerable to physical attack and gun skills. Almighty damage is virtually nulled. One of the four aspects of Shinto thought, it uses its power to bring good omens. It is said to aid in one's wisdom, observation, and skill, and can mend fractured paths.
Kushi-mitama (Wondrous Spirit): its essence is chi (wisdom), and its features are koh (skill), kan (sensibility), satsu (observation), kaku (awareness), and go (enlightenment). Kushi-mitama: its commandment is satoru (to awaken to truth). Kushi-mitama degenerates into kyoh-kon (insane soul). Blue-green means East (Kushi Mitama). When kushimitama is weak, there is a lose or lack of willpower and the capacity for coherent thought and action. To support kushimitama involves the development of the mind through intense concentration and of a mentality of gratitude, openness and generosity of spirit. To awakening and sublimation of kushimitama is the Shinhiden (Hiden) long term training - in original Usui Gakkai it is the most long time part called master teacher training (long singing Gyosei, several 21 days of Reiki retreats on the mountains, to assists for the master-teacher and so on). There is no one original Reiki Master-Teacher (Shinpiden) who do not reach kushimitama soul.
Ichi-Rei (Nao-Hi)
The “Naohi-no-mitama” is the one spirit that acts as kind of a container for the four souls of Shikon. It is great coincidence that the term Reiki is similar to the Japanese word Reikon, which refers to the spirit of the individual and that of the Kami (Sacred Spirits). Additionally, knowing that the initiatory practices of Reiki also involve the use of four symbols, it seems very likely that Usui-Sensei’s fasts and meditations on Mount Kurama, the home of the mythical Sojobo, were in effort to understand the synthesis of what is known in certain circles of Shinto as Ichirei Shikon. The “four souls” of the Ichirei Shikon model are represented by the four symbols in the Usui-Sensei’s system of Reiki. The “one spirit,” or Reikon, represents the Reiki practitioner. The science of Ichirei Shikon is an integral part of Koshinto, which the Art of Ninzuwu is a part.
It may also be written as 直毘、直備 naohi or naobi. The concept of naobi is thought to demonstrate the ethical consciousness of the Japanese people. Naobi means to correct something abnormal, bad, or distorted, and to restore it to its normal or original condition. Naobi also refers to the wondrous spirit that rectifies wrong. In the Kiki (Kojiki and Nihongi) and in liturgical prayers (norito), this spirit is denoted by such names as Kannaobi no mikoto (Divine Naobi), or Ōnaobi no mikoto (Great Naobi). During the early modern period, scholars of "national learning" (kokugaku) used the word in book titles to signify the elimination of Chinese ways of thinking, or the demonstration of correct meaning and original values.
In Koshintō, the present world or utsushiyo is put in contrast to the eternal world or tokoyo. All individuals possess a tamashii, meaning a mind, heart, or soul. A tamashii without a body is called a mitama. Those whose tamashii has the nature of kami are called mikoto. In the Age of the Kami, or Kamiyo, the Earth was ruled by kami, whose forms were akin to humans, but had pure hearts and spoke in the language of kotodama. During Usui-Sensei’s time, there existed many Shinto-derived new religions, the most popular being Oomoto. A popular follower of the Oomoto philosophy was Morihei Ueshiba, who taught that “Ichirei Shikon Sangen Hachiriki” (“One Spirit, Four Souls, Three Origins, Eight Powers”) represented the basic structure of the Universe, and the basic structure of Aikido. The system of Reiki developed by Mikao Usui, had aims similar to that of the Oomoto philosophy, which was the unification of man with the divine. The alchemy of “one spirit, four souls” appears in Reiki by the practitioner’s use of the four symbols in adherence to the Five Reiki Principles. The use of Reiki as a healing system is true to its purpose, but it is a principle used in many Shinto-derived new mystical traditions.
According to Shinto belief, humans and kami all have a soul known as mitama. A mitama is divided into four separate spirits, or tamashii, which oppose each other. These are controlled by another spirit, calling a naohi, which forms a connection between heaven and earth. The four tamashii are aramitama, nigimitama, sakimitama, and kushimitama. Aramitama is the spirit of courage, perseverance, and extroversion. Nigimitama is the spirit of peace, harmony, and cooperation. Sakimitama is the spirit of happiness, love, and affection. Kushimitama is the spirit of wisdom, observation, and analysis. Aramitama and nigimitama oppose each other, while sakimitama and kushimitama are considered to be aspects of based on the nigimitama. All four of these spirits are controlled by the naohi - the oversoul - and they work together to form one soul.
When dealing with spirit summoning, it is important to know which tamashii you are dealing with. Nigimitama manifest as benevolent and helpful spirits. Aramitama manifest as raging, wild, dangerous spirits. These opposing tamashii differ so much - even within the same kami - that they can seem to be two separate beings. Much of Shinto is based on the concept of pacifying the aggressive aramitama and bringing forth the peaceful nigimitama. Helpful prayers and songs are normally directed to the nigimitama of the kami in order to bring out its benevolence. Dark summoning and spells meant to harm others invoke the much more dangerous aramitama. The art of controlling a shikigami is, of course, the art of speaking to the correct part of the spirit and avoiding invoking the wrath of the wrong part.
IchiRei ShiKon is an ancient, Japanese, spiritual concept. Soul “Rei ” oversees the Four Spirits “Tamashii” and functions to nurture and build the mind-heart “Kokoro.” IchiRei is called NAOHI, the soul with which everybody was born. It is pure in nature, straightforward and without flaws. The Four Spirits are ARAMITAMA, NIGIITAMA, SACHIMITAMA (sometimes, also referred to as SAKIMITAMA), and KUSHIMITAMA.
Ichirei is a direct portion of the Kami called nao-hi (choku-rei). Nao-hi as the quintessential soul of the highest good and beauty, nao-hi intuitively judges good and evil and guides a person in the right direction. Just like the "hub" of a wheel, nao-hi governs the four souls (akin to "spokes"). Nao-hi: its commandment is kaerimiru (to examine oneself). Nao-hi degenerates into maga-hi (evil spirit, gremlin, demon, devil).
The spirit of humans and animals is specially termed sei-rei (sophisticated spirit), and it differs from the rei (spirit) of plants and minerals. Similarly, the sei-rei of humans differs from that of animals because the former has the same attributes as the Kami (gods, angels) and the latter doesn't. This is why humans are often called "living shrines of the Kami." Yellow means the sacred Center (Nao-Hi sun rays).
Naohi-no-mitama is for enlightenment beings, true spiritual masters of Gokuikaiden Level, very rarely experienced and closely conneted with Mikao Usui and Reiki Gakkai Presidents.
Kurama Mountain - jap. Kurama Yama (鞍馬山) Horse Saddle Mountain - is a sacred mountain due north of Japan’s old imperial capital Kyoto. In the twelve centuries of its existence, the temple complex has become a rich tapestry of legend, tradition history and natural unique beauty. Kurama Mountain is extinct volcano. Up until about fifty-five million years ago this area was a shallow, ancient, seabed alive with trilobites, corals and other Cambrian-era creatures. Emperors have meditated here, warriors have trained here, Gods have visited here, thousand of people come here to pray meditate or hike, there are flowering trees and foliage, ancient sea fossils from beginning of life on the planet. Kurama Mountain is extinct volcano. Kurama temple’s religion is based on Sonten, the divine force behind the cosmos. Sonten is seen as the being made up of a trinity of three of the deities that have been part of Kurama Mountain since its beginning: Mao-son (the ‘Great King of the Conquerors of Evil and the Spirit of the Earth’), Senju Kannon and Bishamonten are the symbols of the universal soul, forming a Trinity known as “Sonten” or the “Supreme deity”. Sonten is the “Living Soul of the Universe”, the “Glorious Light”, and the “Activity of the Soul”. These three are the symbols of power, love and light. “We trust in Sonten for all things.” Sonten is the creator of the Universe, and cultivates the development of everything all over the earth. It rests deep in our individual minds, and causes the “Great Self” or “Atman” (Ichi-Rei) to wake up within our hearts, it gives us new power and glorious light.
Sonten 尊天 symbolizing all things. Mao-son, Bishamon-ten, and Senju-kannon are the symbols of the universal soul, forming a Trinity known as "Sonten" or the "Supreme Deity". Sonten is the "Living Soul", the "Supreme Soul of the universe", the "Glorious Light", and the "Activity of the Soul". These three are the symbols of power, light, and love. We worship Sonten as the composite of all three. "We trust in Sonten for all things." Sonten is the Creator of the Universe, and cultivates the development of everything all over the Earth. He rests deeps in our individual minds, and causes the "Great Self" or "Atman" to wake up within our hearts. He gives us new power and glorious light. Sonten is the DKM energy source.
1. Bishamonten (毘沙門天王) - Bishamonten-ō or Tamonten symbolizes light and the sun (in the center); the CR energy source;
2. Senju Kannon (千手観世音菩薩) - Kannon symabolizes love and the moon; the SH energy source
3. Gohoo Maoo Son (護法魔王尊) - Goho Mao Son (Go-hou Ma-ou Son) symbolizes power and the earth; the HZN energy source.
Goho Mao Son, the Great King of the conquerors of evil and the spirit of the earth, looks almost like a tengu himself. Legend says he came to earth from Venus more than 6.500.000 years ago. He is shown as a male of the age 16 and remains young for ever. He is a special secret esoteric Great Kami (or Buddha), The Enlightment Being of Kurama temple. More than six and a half million years ago, Mao-son (Maou-son, the great king of the conquerors of evil and the spirit of the earth) descended upon Mt. Kurama from Venus, with the great mission of the salvation of mankind. Since then, Mao-son's powerful spirit governing the development and the evolution not only of mankind but of all living things on Earth has been emanating from Mt. Kurama, and a priest named Gantei received the spiritual transmission and many after Him, like Mikao Usui Sensei.
Kurama no Hana Kuyoo 鞍馬の花供養 - Flower Ceremony at Kurama used to be for five days from April 18 till 22, but sometimes it is for seven days till 24. At the temple Kuramadera flowers are offered and prayers of repentance (senboo) are spoken. During this period,the main deity, Tamonten (Bishamonten), which is usually hidden (hibutsu), is shown to the public. Small children in court robes form a procession and throw artificial blossoms for the visitors. There are performances of dance, kyogen, songs, tea ceremonies and more by the believers of Bishamonten. Every day there is something else to enjoy. Kurama is a mountain region in the North-West of Kyoto. Legend tells us it is the home of Sojobo, (Sōjōbō 僧正坊), a master king of the long-nosed tengu, who taught swordsmanship to the young Ushiwaka-maru or Shanao, later named Minamoto no Yoshitsune. The old Japanese calendar, instead of using the seven days of the week, used twelve different zodiac animals to symbolize each day. So, in a sense, today's 'seven day' week, was once a 'twelve day' period. The Tiger hour is about 3-5 am. Tiger Month is January and Tiger day comes up every 12 days. The temple Kurama in Kyoto is especially closely related to this day - the First Day of the Tiger (hatsu tora). Gantei dreamed that he climbed up Mt. Kurama led by a white horse at four o’clock in the morning on January 4, 770. Then a demon attacked him, but a dead tree fell down on the demon and smashed it. The next morning, a statue of Bishamonten, one of the four heavenly kings in Buddhism, was found under the fallen tree. Gantei then built a temple to worship the statue. The date and time of the dream was related to the tiger in Japanese zodiac signs, so there are two tigers placed as messengers of Bishamonten in Kurama temple. Only someone born in the tiger time may be the good keeper of Kurama Yama traditions.
Kurama philosophy book: ”The energy and understanding of Sonten that people have received on Kurama has led some people to start new religions, both recently and during early times. Others founded big enterprises…Without knowing they are doing so, many people come to Kurama for pilgrimage and are given the energy. From Kurama Mountain this wonderful power radiated and you should take this power without hesitation.” There are several stories as to how Maoson – a deity unique to the Kurama Temple, became associated with Kurama Mountain. In one legend, told by the famous Kuki Family, Mao-son appeared when a meteorite landed from the Planet Venus. A piece of this meteorite is now enshrined on Kurama Mountain. Another story refers to the vision of a warrior God from Venus descending to earth in a fiery chariot six millions years ago. He landed at a spot called “Okunoin”. Mao-son is thought to be a guardian and guide for both the physical and spiritual evolution of mankind. He is seen as the conqueror of evil, whose mission is the salvation of mankind and all living things. All three of Kurama’s deities, Bishamonten, Senju Kannon and Mao-son are emanations from the divine Source called Sonten. Kurama Temple is actually a little older than Kyoto, which was founded in 794. It is interesting that the temple is due not of Kyoto’s imperial palace, as it seems logical for Kurama to be the northern guardian of Kyoto, since Bishamonten guarded the north side of the Enlightment World.
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| Goho Mao-son - WIzerunek z Góry Kurama |
Regarding Mt. Kurama’s brochure, the story of the Kurama Temple and its Major Deities tells the following story: “In the first year of Hoki (A.D. 770), Gantei, who was the best pupil of Hight Priest Ganjin, the founder of the Toshodaiji Temple in Nara , led by a white horse, climbed up to this holy place. His soul was enlightened with the realization of Bishamon-Ten or Vishamon-Ten (the protector of the northern quarter of the Enlightment heaven and the spirit of the sun). Following, the founder the Temple on Mt. Kurama. Later, in the 15th year of Enryaku (A.D.796), the chief officer in charge of the construction of Toji temple saw a vision of the Senju-Kannon (The Thousand - armed Senju Kannon and the spirit of the moon) and build temples and pagodas on the mountain. Further research into the history of the temple has verified the essential details of the story. Ganjin’s student, Gantei, had two visions which led to the founding of Kurama Temple. In the first vision, he was told to leave Nara and search for sacred mountain near to what later became Kyoto. He had his second vision while he was on his journey. In this vision, he saw horse with a saddle, which held treasure, a traditional reference to the white horse that carried the Sutras. When he awoke and looked around, he saw the twin-peakes of Kurama Mountain and the saddle between them, and he knew he had been guided there. The name “kurama” comes from combination of two words: “kura” - which means horse saddle, “yama” - which means mountain. Even in the eighth century, Kurama had the reputation go being a powerful energy spot. After having been led to the mountain, Gantei meditatad and “…his soul was enlightened with the realization of Bishamonten.”
Another account of Gantei’s vision describes how he was attacked by she-demon and rescued by Bishamonten at the hour of the tiger on the day the tiger, in the month of the tiger, which is on the first day of the new year. In the Lotus Sutra, Bishamonten is the guardian of the northern guarantee of Enlightment heaven. He has vowed to protect the Enlightment Beings from harm. In gratitude for his rescue, Gantei ofunded Kurama Temple, dedicating it to the God Bishamonten. By the end of the tenth century Kurama Temple was one of the most widely known and visited Kannon sites of this time were Ishiyama, Kiyomizudera, Hasedera, Tsubosakadera and Kokawader. Other temples were added to this group in the eleventh and twelfth centuries to make a total of thirty-tree. For many centuries Shinto and Buddhism were practiced side-by-side. Typically each Buddhist temple had a Shinto shrine on its ground and each Shinto shrine similarly had a Buddhist temple on its grounds. In the English brochure of Kurama Mountain main nine festivals are mentioned with the best-known festival on Kurama Mountain – is the Kurama Fire Festival. In this evening festival, the man Kurama village carry torches and portable shrines through the streets. The torches are carried to guide the bad spirits go hell through the human realms. This festival began when the Emperor first began the annual tradition of sending torch-bearers to the village, back in 794.
Shinto divided into Great and Little Traditions, which relate to different areas of life. The Great Tradition of Shinto concerns the Emperor and his history as the living descendent of an unbroken chain of emperors, originating from the offspring of the Great Sun Goddess, Amaterasu Omnikami. Japan’s sense of itself as a divine land under a divine ruler came from legend. The Great Tradition of Shinto was used by the state starting in the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912), to unify Japan under the divine rule of the Emperor, as both spiritual and worldly leader. The Little Tradition of Shinto refers to all other aspects of this religion that are not part of the Great Tradition. The Little Tradition of Shinto is visible in numerous paces on Kurama. Shinto Little Tradition includes Nature worship, polytheism and shamanism, ancestor worship, and healing, agricultureal and fertility rites. Shinto derives from the people’s faith and practices that are handed-down over time. There is no unifying structure or theology in Shinto. Many rituals and deities are connected to particular locales. In designating what is worthy of worship, Shinto makes no sharp distinctions between kami (gods, angels) and people. Anything that excellent, awe – inspiring, impressive or striking can be kami. This can include heroes, emperors, rocks, streams, mountains, buildings. The goal of Shinto is to provide one with appreciation and sense of awe in the face of mysteries of life. Shinto believes that nature is intrinsically good, beautiful and valuable for itself. This belief has strongly influenced much of Japanese Art and Culture.
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| Mao-den Kurama Yama |
On Kurama Yama there are a wide variety of kami, a number of very large trees are considered to be kami, as well as springs,and even the stone cover of the crypt which once housed the sacred writings. Kami are considered to be typically good, requiring only proper attention and respect as shown by prayers and offerings rice, sake or other food items, even money. Prayers ask kami to grant petitions (often good luck or success) and thank kami for the blessing they have bestowed. Shinto deities are not typically anthropomorphic. The are numerous kami all over Kurama, indicated by spirit ropes. Spirit ropes indicate what areas are scared. The spirit rope dangling rope tassels and folded paper thunderbolts. Purification is an essential element of Shinto. Outer purification is symbolized by rinsing the hands and the mouth at the purification shrines. Inner purification is achieved through prayer and meditation. Disease, bleeding and wrongdoing are considered to be pollutants which must be cleansed to restore harmony. This emphasis is visible in Japan’s focus on bathing, and on using purification salt before some wrestling matches and after funerals.There are a number of purification basins on Kurama, some are simple puddle, formed by a spring, and others are elaborate, roofed structures.
Kurama and its main shrine is a magical place that gains a lot of its power from its brilliant natural setting. Kurama has been independent since 1949, describing its own brand of Buddhism as Kurama-kyo. Along the ascent to Kurama-dera stands Yuki Jinja, a shrine famous for its Fire Festival (Kurama Hi Matsuri), held annually on October 22. At the top, you can take a brief detour across the ridge to Osugi-gongen, a quiet shrine in a grove of trees. Behind the temple’s main building, the hiking trail continues through the forest to Kibune, a small town in the neighboring valley. The hike from Kurama-dera to Kibune is steep at times and takes about one hour. On the way down are two mountain shrines, Sojo-ga-dani Fudo-do and Okuno-in Mao-den, which make pleasant rest stops. The Great King of the Conquerors of Evil and the Spirit of the Earth descended as a meteorite from Venus some 6 million years ago and landed at Kurama Yama and have the stones known as Mao-son no kami. While Mao-son gives divine protection to the one who worships him, he destroys those who oppose him hence the fearful name. Along the way on Kurama Yama, springs and natural stones are coloured with stories of the historical Yoshitsune or the legendary Mao-son or the mythical Tengu. In a quiet room of the mein Kurama shrine, the statue of the temple’s main deity Bishamon-ten stands alongside Thousand-Armed Kannon and Mao-son. Okuoin Mao-den (the Palace of Mao-son) is a small little temple shaded under an old cedar tree in which the spirit of Mao-son is believed to reside.
THE FOUR SOULS - INNER REIKI SHINHIDEN LEVEL TEACHINGS
The Soul (or the Higher Self) in many spiritual, religious and mythological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing. There were found no one nation nor tribe that hadn't any spiritual views about the soul. In the national spiritual traditions of Japan - Shinto or Koshinto - the «vital soul» or tama is not concentrated in one thing or person but it is spread everywhere and gives a life, penetrating in nature things. Tama gives its holder vital energy but not a personality. When tama leaves a body, a man gets sick or die. In Shinto there is an idea about four souls which is like different manifestations of a man or Kami (sacred spirits) that are ara-mitama (rude soul), the nigi-mitama (harmonious soul), the saki-mitama (happy and prosperous soul) and the kushi-mitama (wondrous soul). According to the teachings, each of the four souls making up the spirit has a character and a function of its own; they all exist at the same time, complementing each other.
Tama, formally mitama, in Japanese mystical traditions, is a soul or a divine or semidivine spirit; also an aspect of a spirit. Several mitama are recognized in Shintō, Koshinto and traditional folk religions and spiritual movements. Among them are the ara-mitama (with the power of ruling), the nigi-mitama (with the power of unifying and harmonizing), the saki-mitama (with the power of blessing) and the kushi-mitama (with the power of transforming into higher being). Some shrines pay homage to a particular mitama of a deity, such as the separate shrines dedicated to the ara-mitama and the nigi-mitama of the divine light goddess Amaterasu.
The four souls described are from the shinto philosophy of Naohi, Naobi or Choku-Rei (in Japanese: 直霊): Aramitama (in Japanese: 荒魂, Courage), Nigimitama (in Japanese: 和魂, Friendship), Sakimitama (幸魂, Love, Friendship) and Kushimitama (in Japanese: 奇魂, Wisdom). When a person contains these four spirits at their maximum, such as Enlightment Ones or Kami (sacred spirits), they unite to form a really strong and powerful balance within the soul that can be used for higher good and against evil. Ichirei shikon - literally, "one spirit, four souls", and according to Shintō doctrine, the spirit (reikon) of both kami (sacred spirits) and human beings is made up of one spirit and four souls. The spirit is called naobi or naohi (choku rei), and the four souls are the turbulent (aramitama), the tranquil (nigimitama), the propitious (sakimitama) and the wondrous, miraculous, or salubrious (kushimitama). Various theories exist to explain the nature of each of the four souls and the process of the historical development of the concept. The distinctive feature of the ichirei shikon theory, however, is that while each of the four souls has its own particular character and function, they exist in parallel, acting together in a complementary fashion.
Motoori Norinaga's tanka (poem) says “Japan's soul is the blossoming of mountain sakura, fragranting at sunrise”. Japanese think that beauty purifies a man's heart, soul and consiousness. All the traditional arts of the way (dou) (the way of tea (chyadou), the way of flower (ikebana-dou), the way of brush (shodou) etc.) make the heart of man beautiful. In Japanese tradition kokoro is rather more connected with traditional Japanese arts as tea ceremony, ikebana, poetry, calligraphic – all that can be called aesthetic knowledge of the world. Japanese people say “Chyado wa nihon no kokoro” (Tea ceremony is the Japan soul).
In Shinto and Koshinto, similarly to Daoist, it is believed that every person, place and thing has a soul. Furthermore, those souls can be broken into four distinct parts. The soul itself is always comprised of each of these spirits, but which side is in control at the moment depends on external factors. The four spirits are as follows:
1. The ara-mitama (harsh soul, courage soul) is the counterpart to the next one, the nigi and it is driven by pure savage and violent instinct. People tap into it whenever they are faced with adversity or a dire threat.
2. The nigi-mitama (harmonious soul) is a soul's natural state - the way a being behaves when things are calm and relaxed. Nigi mitama is a persona of the temperance arcana (abstinence from alcoholic drink and drugs). It specializes in recovery. It is associated with gentleness.
3. The saki-mitama (happy soul, prosperous soul) is loosely defined as prosperity and good luck. It's sometimes also considered one of the nigi-mitama's secondary functions.
4. The kushi-mitama (wondrous soul) is the counterpart to the saki-mitama and is prosperity itself. It causes various transformations and cures wounds and illness. Like the saki-mitama, some consider it another function of the nigi-mitama.
This practical belief system creates a very advanced version of "karman". The highest duty of a living person is to live an honorable and noble life so that they can leave behind a positive spirit. However, if someone dies with unfinished business, or with malevolence and dishonor, their ara-mitama is left behind and brings dishonor, calamity and misfortune to everyone. The nigi-mitama if not so much developed is essentially the root of all evil and misfortune. It is thus the duty of the living to return an ara-mitama to the nigi-mitama level of harmony and peace. This is usually done by overcoming the curse and misfortune through humility and sacrifice (as the original person was supposed to do in the first place).
The Japanese word mitama (御魂・御霊・神霊, honorable spirit) refers to the spirit of a Kami (Sacred Spirits, Angels, Gods) or the soul of a dead person. It is composed of two characters, the first of which, mi (御, honorable), is a simply an honorific. The second, tama (魂・霊) means "spirit". The character pair 神霊, also read mitama, is used exclusively to refer to a kami's spirit. Significantly, the term mitamashiro (御魂代, mitama representative) is a synonym of shintai, the object which in a Shinto shrine houses the enshrined Kami (Sacred Spirits). Early Japanese definitions of the mitama, developed later by many thinkers like Motoori Norinaga, maintain it consists of several "souls", relatively independent one from the other. The most developed is the ichirei shikon (一霊四魂), a Shinto teachings according to which the spirit (霊魂 reikon) of both Kami (Sacred Spirits) and human beings consists of one spirit and four souls. The four souls are the ara-mitama (荒御霊・荒御魂, rude soul, rough, wild, unruly, gross), the nigi-mitama (和御霊・和御魂, harmonious soul), the saki-mitama (幸御魂, happy and prosperous soul) and the kushi-mitama (奇御霊・奇御魂, wondrous soul, mysterious, magical, powerfull). According to the teachings, each of the souls making up the spirit has a character and a function of its own; they all exist at the same time, complementing each other. In the Nihon Shoki, kami Ōnamuchi actually meets his kushi-mitama and shiki-mitama, but does not even recognize them. The four seem moreover to have a different importance, and different thinkers have described their interaction differently.
Shikon no Tama and Magatama
Shikon, is formed from the Japanese words, 'shi' meaning four, and 'kon' meaning soul. Kanji 四 (in Chinese writing system (ancestoral to Japanese) means four (shi). Kanji 魂 (in Chinese writing system (as well as Japanese) means soul (kon). Kanji 玉 (in Chinese and Japanese) Jade or royal stone (tama). The Shikon Jewel, also known as the Sacred Jewel or Jewel of Four Souls, is a mystical powerful marble-sized jewel which grants whoever possesses it with immense power. Physically, it is a sphere that appears to be made of some sort of crystalline material prior to the accident that shattered it. When purified, the jewel is a soft pink color, however the more tainted the soul and wishes of the person holding it, the more the color turns to a lurid black-violet. It is somewhere between a marble and a ping-pong ball in size when complete, but the shards of the Jewel of Four Souls are irregular in size and shape. It was created to be held by a priest, priestess or monk with exceedingly strong and powerful spiritual powers.
According to Japanese legends, the magatama jewel had been a gift to the sun goddess Amaterasu from her father, the supreme deity Izanagi, and together with the sword and mirror, she gave it to her grandson, who came down from the heavens to conquer and rule the islands. It is the only item of the three regalia that has remained in its original form and it is kept safe at the Kashiko-dokoro (賢所), the central shrine of the Three Palace Sanctuaries at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. It is used in the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor of Japan. The name of the most important magatama is Yasakani no magatama, and it is one of the Imperial Regalia. According to legends, a human soul is locked in the magatama and can be passed on. In other words, the strength, power, and authority of the soul are passed on to the heir. Since the very first magatama was a gift to the sun goddess Amaterasu from her father, the supreme deity Izanagi, and contained Izanagi’s own soul, and the goddess passed it on to her own grandson who became the great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor, the power of the emperors are inherited directly from the gods.
The origins of wearing magatama jewels dates from the Jomon period (14,000 BC- 300 BC). The magatama beads have several possible origins. It is believed that they developed from hunters wearing animal parts such as claws, teeth, bones from their game as mementos. Another explanation is that the form represents the waxing moon or a human embryo. Some of the earliest mystical and shamanic traditions uses of magatama beads were in Japanese shamanic practices. They were used as tools to draw a god’s spirit into a shaman, who would serve as a medium between celestial beings and humans. Today magatama medallions are used to keep evil spirits away, and to bring good luck and fortune to its owner. If you ever get the chance to visit Japan, it is truly recommend obtaining a magatama talisman for good luck and for a long and happy life because energized through Reiki masters or miko shamans.
Ara-mitama
The ara-mitama is the rough and violent side of a spirit, an earth element, physical body. A kami's first appearance is as an ara-mitama, which must be pacified with appropriate pacification rites and worship so that the nigi-mitama can appear. The ara-mitama soul appears in times of war, conflict or natural disasters. The aramitama state of soul favours change and strugle. The change doesn’t have to be instant, but it goes beyond what was expected and predicted. This change disrupts the established order, makes plans impossible to carry out, and creates new options. Most people want to avoid too much unexpected change. It is hard and stressful to deal with, even if it is ultimately good. The rulers of a country like unexpected change even less, as it almost always reduces their power. Further, many of the obvious examples of unexpected change are negative: natural disasters, plagues, wars and deaths. It is obvious that, sometimes, the aramitama’s intervention is what you want or need. The aramitama is concerned with change, disrupting the way that things are. As discussed in the last post, something counts as a change if the Kami (Sacred Spirits) or a man thinks that it disrupts the way things normally are. Aramitama kami or soul has the powers of inspiration, destruction, creation, and transformation.
The first power of aramitama is inspiration. Wisdom is about the way things are, while inspiration is about the way things could be, but are not. It could be artistic or creative inspiration, but it equally covers political inspiration, or new ideas for ways to organise your own life. Inspiration is about new ideas, but they do not have to be absolutely new. They just have to be ideas that change the current situation. The idea that women should be equal to men could have been suggested thousands of times by aramitama throughout history, because it has always been a change.
The second power of aramitama is destruction. Destroying something in a situation changes that situation. This power is the one most often regarded negatively, and it often causes genuinely negative effects. An earthquake or typhoon would fall under destruction, as would a plague. However, destruction could also remove hatred or prejudice, or a disease that had become normal.
The third power of aramitama is creation. Adding something new to a situation changes it just as surely as removing something. This brings up a point in which the game will differ from normal Shinto practice. In the game, if you want a baby, you have to ask the aramitama, because a new baby is a change. Once a woman is pregnant, she should ask the nigimitama for a safe pregnancy and childbirth, because the situation then falls under protection and prosperity, but a woman who is not pregnant and wants to be should ask the aramitama. The same applies to requests for a good relationship; it is something new, so it is under the purview of the aramitama. Improving an existing relationship, on the other hand, falls under prosperity.
The final power of the aramitama is transformation something in the situation changes. This is different from a combination of destruction and creation. When a Kami or the soul uses destruction followed by creation, something is destroyed, and then something new is added. Transformation, on the other hand, changes something that already existed in the situation. When stupid one is changed into wise one, this is transformation power, no one is killed or destroyed. Some cases, however, are not so clear. Consider changing a relationship of hatred into one of friendship. Is that a transformation of a single relationship, or only the destruction of the hatred and the creation of the friendship. A change is transformation by default, with destruction or creation being used when transformation is clearly not a useful description of what happens, so the relationship change would be transformation.
Ara-mitama (Rough Soul): its essence is yu (audacity), and its features are shin (willingness), ka (resolve), fun (perseverance), ben (diligence), and koku (fortitude). Ara-mitama: its commandment is hajiru (to feel ashamed). Ara-mitama degenerates into soh-kon (hostile soul), so all hostile (unfriendly, antagonistic) tendencies have to be cut. Black purple or amethyst means North (Ara Mitama). Fully cleanced and developed ara-mitama (self-governing) aspect or part of human soul is a subject of the First Degree Reiki (Shoden) long term practice consisted with four small circles or degrees of initiation.
Nigi-mitama
The nigi-mitama as peacefull and harmonious soul of water element, etheric or energetical body, and is the normal state of the Kami (Sacred Spirits) and man, its functional side. The Nigi Mitama is the calm and functional state of a person's soul, or kami, which is considered to be the opposite of Ara Mitama. The Ara Mitama must first be pacified with rituals, rites and worship before the Nigi Mitama will really appear. The term denotes the functional working of a spirit. Nigimitama refers to the peaceful and calming aspect of a spirit, whereas aramitama refers to its harsh and raging aspect. A spirit appears first as an aramitama but is transformed into a nigimitama by pacification and worship. Aramitama and nigimitama came to be understood as alternative aspects of the same spirit. However, there are cases in which an aramitama and a nigimitama, though considered a pair, are enshrined separately.
The nigimitama is a force for stability and peace, but not stasis. Kami are fundamentally concerned with growth, so even the nigimitama is in favour of growth and development in peacefull way. However, that growth and development happens within the boundaries that are already set. The nigimitama favours the status quo, and wants to keep things the way they are. This could be a single power, but we like Kami and soul to be more distinct than that, so we will split it into four separate powers. The nigimitama has the powers of wisdom, healing, protection, and prosperity.
The first power of nigimitama is knowledge and wisdom. This means understanding the way that things are, and allows the Kami or the soul to both comprehend things for herself, and to grant knowledge to people who ask for it.
The second power of nigimitama is healing. This does cover curing diseases and injuries, but it is more general. It is the ability to restore the status quo when it has been damaged, so it would cover repairing items and relationships as well as simply medical issues. When a Kami or a soul uses healing power the way things are right now is not the status quo, and that is why the status quo needs to be restored.
The third power of nigimitama is protection. Protection stops the status quo from changing and destructions, primarily by resisting outside influences, but also by restricting internal changes.
The final power of nigimitama is prosperity. Prosperity is growth and development within the constraints of the status quo. Becoming a better worker or game player as you practice is a form of prosperity, but so is a good harvest, or a good year of sales from a business. Starting a new business is not, however, covered by prosperity, because that changes the status quo.
The most Kami (Sacred Spirits) and souls prefer things the way they are in natural way, for the most part, which means that the Kami and souls are normally called upon to operate through the nigimitama, and generally prefer to do so.
Nigi-mitama (Gentle or Harmonious Soul): its essence is shin (affinity), and its features are hei (peace), shu (discipline), sei (order), chi (governance), and koh (association). Nigi-mitama: its commandment is kuiru (to repent). Nigi-mitama degenerates into aku-kon (wicked soul), so all wicked (evil or morally wrong) tendencies have to be cut. White means West (Nigi Mitama). Fully awakened and developed nigimitama is an aim of the Second Degree Reiki (Okuden Koe Ki, Chuden) long term practice with its free initiations grades connected with three shirushi (symbols) Reiki energies.
Ara-mitama and nigi-mitama relations
These two souls are usually considered opposites, and Motoori Norinaga believed the other two to be no more than aspects of the nigi-mitama. Ara-mitama and nigi-mitama are in any case independent agents, so much so that they can sometimes be enshrined separately in different locations and different shintai. For example, Sumiyoshi Shrine in Shimonoseki enshrines the ara-mitama of the Sumiyoshi kami, while Sumiyoshi Taisha in Osaka enshrines its nigi-mitama. Ise Shrine has a sub-shrine called Aramatsuri-no-miya enshrining Amaterasu's ara-mitama. Atsuta-jingū has a sessha called Ichi-no-misaki Jinja for her ara-mitama and a massha called Toosu-no-yashiro for her nigi-mitama. No separate enshrinement of the mitama of a Kami (Sacred Spirits) has taken place since the rationalization and systematization of Shinto actuated by the Meiji restoration.
Kami (Sacred Spirits) and human beings traditionally have two aspects, called the aramitama and the nigimitama. “Mitama” means spirit or soul, while “ara” means wild and violent, and “nigi” means calm and peaceful. “Aramitama” could be translated as “wild spirit”, and “nigimitama” as “calm spirit”. As kami are often thought of as spirits, angels or archangels or gods, it might look as though the aramitama and nigimitama are almost separate kami. Indeed, they are sometimes treated that way. At the Naiku of Jingu in Ise, for example, there are separate jinja for the nigimitama and aramitama aspects of Amaterasu. The main jinja enshrines her nigimitama, while Aramatsuri no Miya enshrines her Goddess aramitama (warrior aspect). Jinja that enshrine the nigimitama and aramitama aspects of Kami separately are, however, the exception, rather than the rule.
The nigimitama is the peaceful aspect of the Kami, bringing blessings to people, while the aramitama is violent and active. Some matsuri directed at the aramitama have the goal of calming it down, and returning the Kami to her nigimitama. However, sometimes violent action against devil forces is necessary, and in those cases a matsuri would be directed to the aramitama. Because people do not, in general, want their lives to be violently disrupted, the nigimitama is generally more popular, and regarded as the main aspect of the Kami - for peacefull time.
The eight powers defined in aramitama and nigimitama aspects will determine the number of dice that Kami or soul (higher self) get to keep when intervening in the world in a supernatural way. Every Kami or soul has her/his own interests, and is more likely to help in that area, in mechanical terms, this works well as a source for the number of dice to roll. A more powerful kami, with higher scores in the powers of her aramitama and nigimitama, is able to benefit you more in any area, but you might be better off going to a slightly weaker kami with more interest in that area. If two kami have the same power, then you definitely want to go to the one with more interest.
First, all Kami or soul (higher self) have an interest in the keidai, the grounds of their jinja. This allows them to act to defend or transform that area. It also allows them to act on anyone who is within the keidai, even if there is no other applicable interest. In this case, however, the effect only remains as long as the person is within the keidai, because that is how they have been linked to the power. This will be useful in stories, as it allows kami to act very flexibly when personae are on the kami’s home territory.
Second, almost all kami have an interest in their ujiko, and the area where their ujiko live. Ujiko is parishner - an inhabitant of a parish, especially one who belongs to or attends a particular jinja. This interest can be used to do anything to the ujiko, or to the area. Ujiko who stop living in the area lose this connection, but simply working outside, or going on holiday, does not break it. Consistently working in the area covered by a jinja may also qualify someone as an ujiko for the life game purposes.
For most kami, the interest in their keidai should be their highest general interest, and for those kami who have ujiko, that should be the second highest, or at least no lower than any other general interest. This has the effect that it almost always makes sense for ujiko to go to their local kami, no matter what the subject of their request, which fits with actual Shinto or Koshinto practice.
A third kind of interest is a personal relationship with an individual. This is what a sūkeisha relies on. The one who worships a tutelary god without living around its shrine is called 'sukeisha' (worshipper), who together with ujiko, are collectively called 'ujiko-sukeisha' (parishners and worshippers). These personal relationships could potentially be higher than the interest in the ujiko or keidai. While sūkeisha are most likely to find it necessary to build such a relationship, there is nothing to stop an ujiko, or even shinshoku, from building a personal relationship that is stronger than the general bond to the ujiko.
When two or more interests apply to a use of a power, the kami uses the highest to determine how many dice to roll. Therefore, an ujiko with a strong personal relationship would use that relationship, rather than the general ujiko relationship, to determine how many dice the kami rolls to grant requests, or interfere in her life. There is a Japanese saying that “Kami you do not touch, do not curse you”. If you have nothing to do with a particular Kami or magical soul, she or he has neither reason nor ability to use her supernatural powers on you.
The other possible interests of a kami are very diverse. Types of natural phenomena, areas of human endeavour, healing from particular diseases, support business prosperity, passing exams: these are all examples found among actual Kami or mature higher souls. There should be no limit on personal relationships and every persona should be able to have a relationship with every Kami in the life game.
The aramitama and nigimitama are refered as manifested souls and during Reiki practical training on the First and the Second Level, during all seven disciplehood initiations these two souls are cleansing and reawakening. The sachimitama and kushimitama are refered as hidden souls for much deeper Okuden and Shinhiden (Hiden) Levels.
Saki-mitama or saki-hi-mitama (sachi-mitama)
This is the soul of blessing and prosperity, body of fire element and astro-mental body or subtle body. In a scene of the Nihon Shoki, kami Ōnamuchi is described in conversation with his own saki-mitama and kushi-mitama. Within Shinto also exists the idea that this the soul which brings good harvests and catches. Motoori Norinaga and others however believe this to be no more than a function of the nigi-mitama. Saki Mitama is a part of the soul or Kami (Sacred Spirits) that brings good fortune, happiness and blessings. It is said to bring prosperity in hunting, fishing and harvests, however some believe this is actually the purpose of Nigi Mitama. Saki Mitama is heavily resistant to damage, but is vulnerable to Almighty attacks, unlike the other Mitamas. Saki Mitama can only be obtained through fusion. One of the four aspects of Shinto thought, it brings great bounty from the hunt. It is said to aid in love, profit, and growth, and can create new paths.
Saki or sachi-mitama (Luck Soul): its essence is ai (love), and its features are eki (benefit), zoh (creation), sei (production), ka (evolution), and iku (nurture). Sachi-mitama: its commandment is osoreru (to revere). Sachi-mitama degenerates into gyaku-kon (rebellious soul). Red means South (Sachi Mitama). Much more on cleansing and awakening this third kind of soul (deeper selves) known as sakimitama or sachimitama is on the Master Level called the Third Level of Reiki with DKM shirushi.
Kushi-mitama
Body of kushimitama is of air element and light or causal body. The "wondrous soul" which appears together with the saki-mitama, the providing soul, which is the power behind the harvest. It is believed to have mysterious powers, to cause transformations and to be able to cure illnesses. The wondrous soul. Within conceptions of the soul, the kushimitama is a type of soul that brings about mysterious manifestations in human beings through supernatural power. It appears in conjunction with the sakimitama, the providing soul, which is the power behind the harvest. In the first volume of the Nihongi, these two souls appeared before Ōnamuchi and jointly became the kami Ōmiwa (Ōmononushi). The kushimitama is considered to have a medical function, curing illness and restoring people to health.
Kushi Mitama is an aspect of the human soul known as the "wondrous soul," which appears together with Saki Mitama, the providing soul, which is the power behind the harvest. It is believed to be have mysterious powers, to cause transformations and to be able to cure illnesses, as according to Shinto belief. Kushi Mitama is largely resistant to most damage types, but vulnerable to physical attack and gun skills. Almighty damage is virtually nulled. One of the four aspects of Shinto thought, it uses its power to bring good omens. It is said to aid in one's wisdom, observation, and skill, and can mend fractured paths.
Kushi-mitama (Wondrous Spirit): its essence is chi (wisdom), and its features are koh (skill), kan (sensibility), satsu (observation), kaku (awareness), and go (enlightenment). Kushi-mitama: its commandment is satoru (to awaken to truth). Kushi-mitama degenerates into kyoh-kon (insane soul). Blue-green means East (Kushi Mitama). When kushimitama is weak, there is a lose or lack of willpower and the capacity for coherent thought and action. To support kushimitama involves the development of the mind through intense concentration and of a mentality of gratitude, openness and generosity of spirit. To awakening and sublimation of kushimitama is the Shinhiden (Hiden) long term training - in original Usui Gakkai it is the most long time part called master teacher training (long singing Gyosei, several 21 days of Reiki retreats on the mountains, to assists for the master-teacher and so on). There is no one original Reiki Master-Teacher (Shinpiden) who do not reach kushimitama soul.
Ichi-Rei (Nao-Hi)
The “Naohi-no-mitama” is the one spirit that acts as kind of a container for the four souls of Shikon. It is great coincidence that the term Reiki is similar to the Japanese word Reikon, which refers to the spirit of the individual and that of the Kami (Sacred Spirits). Additionally, knowing that the initiatory practices of Reiki also involve the use of four symbols, it seems very likely that Usui-Sensei’s fasts and meditations on Mount Kurama, the home of the mythical Sojobo, were in effort to understand the synthesis of what is known in certain circles of Shinto as Ichirei Shikon. The “four souls” of the Ichirei Shikon model are represented by the four symbols in the Usui-Sensei’s system of Reiki. The “one spirit,” or Reikon, represents the Reiki practitioner. The science of Ichirei Shikon is an integral part of Koshinto, which the Art of Ninzuwu is a part.
It may also be written as 直毘、直備 naohi or naobi. The concept of naobi is thought to demonstrate the ethical consciousness of the Japanese people. Naobi means to correct something abnormal, bad, or distorted, and to restore it to its normal or original condition. Naobi also refers to the wondrous spirit that rectifies wrong. In the Kiki (Kojiki and Nihongi) and in liturgical prayers (norito), this spirit is denoted by such names as Kannaobi no mikoto (Divine Naobi), or Ōnaobi no mikoto (Great Naobi). During the early modern period, scholars of "national learning" (kokugaku) used the word in book titles to signify the elimination of Chinese ways of thinking, or the demonstration of correct meaning and original values.
In Koshintō, the present world or utsushiyo is put in contrast to the eternal world or tokoyo. All individuals possess a tamashii, meaning a mind, heart, or soul. A tamashii without a body is called a mitama. Those whose tamashii has the nature of kami are called mikoto. In the Age of the Kami, or Kamiyo, the Earth was ruled by kami, whose forms were akin to humans, but had pure hearts and spoke in the language of kotodama. During Usui-Sensei’s time, there existed many Shinto-derived new religions, the most popular being Oomoto. A popular follower of the Oomoto philosophy was Morihei Ueshiba, who taught that “Ichirei Shikon Sangen Hachiriki” (“One Spirit, Four Souls, Three Origins, Eight Powers”) represented the basic structure of the Universe, and the basic structure of Aikido. The system of Reiki developed by Mikao Usui, had aims similar to that of the Oomoto philosophy, which was the unification of man with the divine. The alchemy of “one spirit, four souls” appears in Reiki by the practitioner’s use of the four symbols in adherence to the Five Reiki Principles. The use of Reiki as a healing system is true to its purpose, but it is a principle used in many Shinto-derived new mystical traditions.
According to Shinto belief, humans and kami all have a soul known as mitama. A mitama is divided into four separate spirits, or tamashii, which oppose each other. These are controlled by another spirit, calling a naohi, which forms a connection between heaven and earth. The four tamashii are aramitama, nigimitama, sakimitama, and kushimitama. Aramitama is the spirit of courage, perseverance, and extroversion. Nigimitama is the spirit of peace, harmony, and cooperation. Sakimitama is the spirit of happiness, love, and affection. Kushimitama is the spirit of wisdom, observation, and analysis. Aramitama and nigimitama oppose each other, while sakimitama and kushimitama are considered to be aspects of based on the nigimitama. All four of these spirits are controlled by the naohi - the oversoul - and they work together to form one soul.
When dealing with spirit summoning, it is important to know which tamashii you are dealing with. Nigimitama manifest as benevolent and helpful spirits. Aramitama manifest as raging, wild, dangerous spirits. These opposing tamashii differ so much - even within the same kami - that they can seem to be two separate beings. Much of Shinto is based on the concept of pacifying the aggressive aramitama and bringing forth the peaceful nigimitama. Helpful prayers and songs are normally directed to the nigimitama of the kami in order to bring out its benevolence. Dark summoning and spells meant to harm others invoke the much more dangerous aramitama. The art of controlling a shikigami is, of course, the art of speaking to the correct part of the spirit and avoiding invoking the wrath of the wrong part.
IchiRei ShiKon is an ancient, Japanese, spiritual concept. Soul “Rei ” oversees the Four Spirits “Tamashii” and functions to nurture and build the mind-heart “Kokoro.” IchiRei is called NAOHI, the soul with which everybody was born. It is pure in nature, straightforward and without flaws. The Four Spirits are ARAMITAMA, NIGIITAMA, SACHIMITAMA (sometimes, also referred to as SAKIMITAMA), and KUSHIMITAMA.
Ichirei is a direct portion of the Kami called nao-hi (choku-rei). Nao-hi as the quintessential soul of the highest good and beauty, nao-hi intuitively judges good and evil and guides a person in the right direction. Just like the "hub" of a wheel, nao-hi governs the four souls (akin to "spokes"). Nao-hi: its commandment is kaerimiru (to examine oneself). Nao-hi degenerates into maga-hi (evil spirit, gremlin, demon, devil).
The spirit of humans and animals is specially termed sei-rei (sophisticated spirit), and it differs from the rei (spirit) of plants and minerals. Similarly, the sei-rei of humans differs from that of animals because the former has the same attributes as the Kami (gods, angels) and the latter doesn't. This is why humans are often called "living shrines of the Kami." Yellow means the sacred Center (Nao-Hi sun rays).
Naohi-no-mitama is for enlightenment beings, true spiritual masters of Gokuikaiden Level, very rarely experienced and closely conneted with Mikao Usui and Reiki Gakkai Presidents.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM THE 'HIKKEI
Its an old tradition that if someone discovers a secret art, they keep it within the family to secure a future for their heirs and descendants. It is not shared with others. But this is an old-fashioned custom from the old century. In this modern era human happiness is based on living and working together and a desire for social development. For this reason, I wont allow it to just be kept within the family. Our method is something completely original, there is nothing like it in the whole world. Therefore, I want to share it with the public for the benefit of all humanity. Everyone has the potential to receive the spiritual gift, uniting body and soul, a divine blessing. Our method is an original one, based on the spiritual power of the universe. By this power, first a person becomes healthy, then the mind becomes calm and life becomes more joyous. Nowadays, we need to restructure and improve our lives within and without, that we may free our fellow beings from emotional and physical suffering. This is why I make these teachings public.
What is Usui Reiki Ryoho?
Gratefully we have received the Meiji Emperor's precepts. That humanity may discover its proper path, we must live according to these precepts. We must learn to improve body and heart-spirit [kokoro]. First we heal the heart-spirit, then we make the body healthy. When the heart-spirit finds the healthy, righteous path, the body will automatically become healthy. Thus heart-spirit and body are in harmony and our life is joyous and peaceful. We heal of ourselves and others and deepen the happiness of ourselves and others. This is the aim of Usui Reiki Ryoho.
Is Usui Reiki Ryoho like hypnosis, kiai jutsu treatment*, shinko ryoho (religious healing) or similar, just under a different name? [* Using the voice to express and direct concentrated ki]
No, no. There is no similarity to any of these methods. After many years of rigorous spiritual discipline, I discovered a spiritual secret: a method of freeing the body and soul [rei].
Is it a spiritual healing method [shinrei ryoho]?
Yes, you could call it that. But it is also a physical healing method as ki and light radiate from the body of the practitioner - particularly from their hands, eyes and mouth. So if they focus the eyes, breathe on, or stroke the affected area, pain such as toothache, headache, neuralgia, colic, stomach-ache, cuts, bruises, burns, etc. will be gone. However, chronic disorders are not that easy to treat - they take time. But even one treatment will bring signs of improvement. How can medical science explain this phenomenon? Well, the reality is more impressive than fiction. If you observed the results for yourself you would agree. Even those who don't want to believe cannot ignore the results.
Is belief in Usui Reiki Ryoho necessary for healing to be effective?
No, it isn't a psychological method like psychotherapy or hypnosis. As it is not based on suggestion, faith and acquiescence are not required. It doesn't matter if a person doubts or flatly refuses to believe in it. For example, it works just as well with small children and those who are seriously ill and unconscious. Perhaps one in ten has faith in our method before treatment, but after that first treatment most people feel the benefits and then their faith develops.
What can be cured by Usui Reiki Ryoho?
All disorders, whether psychological or organic in origin can be treated by this method.
Does Usui Reiki Ryoho only heal physical illnesses/diseases?
No, it not only heals physical problems - it can also heal bad habits and psychological disorders such as despair, weakness (of character), timidity, indecisiveness and nervousness. Through this method the heart-spirit identifies with the divine nature and we desire to heal others. This is how we achieve happiness.
How does Usui Reiki Ryoho work?
I did not receive this method from anyone else. Nor did I train or study to develop supernatural powers. While fasting, I had a mystical experience - I felt an intense energy - and with it, the realization that I had received the spiritual gift of healing. So, even though I am the founder of this method, I find it hard to explain it clearly. Physicians and scholars have been researching such phenomena, but as yet, it has been difficult to reach a scientific explanation. One day, there will be a scientific explanation.
Does Usui Reiki Ryoho use medicines and are there any side effects?
It does not use medicines or medical equipment. Only focussing the eyes, blowing, laying on of hands, tapping, and stroking. This is how it heals.
In order to use Usui Reiki Ryoho does one need medical knowledge?
Our method is a spiritual one, it transcends medical science - it is not based on it. The desired effect is achieved by focussing with the eyes, blowing on, touching or stroking the affected area. For example, for brain problems, give treatment to the head; for stomach problems, the stomach; for eye disorders, treat the eyes. There is no need for bitter medicines or burning moxa treatments, yet within a short time you will be returned to health. This is why our spiritual method [reiho] is quite original.
What do well-known medical practitioners think about it?
The well-known medical practitioners seem fair in their assessments. Nowadays, western-style physicians are very critical of over-prescription of medicines. Dr Sen Nagai from Teikoku Medical University said: "As physicians, we know how to diagnose, record and understand illness, but we don't really know how to treat it". DR Kondo said:"It is arrogant to claim that medical science has made great progress, as it fails to address the psychological/spiritual aspect of the patient. This is its biggest shortcoming." DR Hara said:"It is wrong to treat humans, possessing spiritual wisdom, like animals. It is my belief that in the future we can expect a great transformation in the therapeutic field." DR Kuga said:"The fact is that therapists who are not trained physicians have achieved higher levels of success than medical doctors because their therapies take into account the character and personal symptoms of the patient and utilize many different methods of treatment. It would be very narrow-minded for the medical establishment to blindly reject these therapists or attempt to impede their practice." (from the medical journal: 'Japanese Medical News'). Doctors and pharmacists often recognize this fact and come to receive training (in our method).
What does the government think?
On February 6th 1922, Parliamentary Representative Teiji Matsushita, asked the Budget Committee about the government's position on therapists practicing spiritual and psycho-therapy without a medical practitioner's licence. Mr Ushio, a Committee member replied "Little more than a decade ago hypnosis and similar practices were considered demonic, but nowadays, after proper research these practices are effectively used to treat psychiatric patients. It is difficult to try to solve all human problems with medical science. Physicians adhere to scientific medical practices in order to treat disease. The Medical Faculty does not consider touch therapy or electro-therapy to be medical practices." This is why our method is subject to neither those regulations governing medical practitioners, nor those governing acupuncture or moxa heat therapy.
Surely such healing abilities only come to those who are spiritually evolved, rather than through training?
No, not so. Every living, breathing being possesses the spiritual ability to heal. This is true of plants, animals, fish and insects, but it is humans - the culmination of creation - who possess the greatest power. Our method is a practical manifestation of this power.
Can anyone receive initiation into Usui Reiki Ryoho?
Of course. Men and women, old or young, educated and uneducated - anyone with natural (moral?) sense can certainly receive the ability in a short time to treat themselves and others. I have taught more than a thousand people and not one has failed to have the desired result. Even those who have only learned shoden have gained the ability to treat illnesses. Thinking about it it seems strange that we can gain the ability to heal in such a short time - something so difficult for people to do. But this is the thing about our spiritual method - that we can learn to do something so difficult in a simple way.
So, I can heal other people with it, but can I also heal myself? If we can't heal our own disorders, how could we heal others?
How can I receive the second degree (Okuden) - what does it involve?
Okuden consists of several methods - hatsu rei ho; patting, stroking and pressing hands; distance treatment; healing of habits/propensities; etc. We will give okuden to enthusiastic shoden students who bring good results, are of good character, and behave properly.
Is there still more beyond Okuden?
Yes, there is Shinpiden level. [pron: 'shim-pe-den']
During an Initiation (Sotsugyo-Shiki, Denju) You have to sit in Seiza sitting position with hands in Gassho (prayer position before the heart). Generally there is no other sitting position then Seiza for Initiation (Sotsugyo-Shiki, Denju) and Reiju (Sotsugyo Wa).
At the beginning and at the end of the Initiation, the teacher will stand before You and exchange with You the bow (tachi rei, za rei). There is no Initiation ritual (Shiki) without bowing between teacher and disciple.
Very important points from Mikao Usui times...
During an Initiation (Sotsugyo-Shiki, Denju) You have to sit in Seiza sitting position with hands in Gassho (prayer position before the heart). Generally there is no other sitting position then Seiza for Initiation (Sotsugyo-Shiki, Denju) and Reiju (Sotsugyo Wa).
At the beginning and at the end of the Initiation, the teacher will stand before You and exchange with You the bow (tachi rei, za rei). There is no Initiation ritual (Shiki) without bowing between teacher and disciple.
USUI REIKI RYOHO GAKKAI PRESIDENTS
Juzaburo Ushida Sensei (1865-1935) - the second Gakkai President
The Second President, Juzaburo Ushida-sensei (Navy rear Admiral, 1865-1935), born in Kyoto, had repeatedly been told by Usui Sensei that Reiki Ryoho was a spiritual, moral cultivation and the method of curing illness via the personality. He trained many disciples. He wrote the letters of the memorial of Reiki Founder Usui Sensei’s Benevolence. In addition, a Doctor of Literature, Masayuki Okada was a famous scholar who drafted the epitaph. This evidence proved that the intellectuals accepted Usui Sensei and the Reiki Ryoho at the time. the reason for Reiki being wide spread in Japan before the Second World War was that Ushida-sensei greatly supported Usui Sensei through his personal connections and society since the middle of August of 1902 - when Usui accomplished His long term three years retreat on Kurama mountain.
The president of the society in 1926 was the very influential retired rear admiral Juzaburo Ushida. Ushida was about the same age as Usui Sensei and they was closed friend from childhood. He come back after two years of navy servis in the Usui dojo in November 1925 along with retired rear admiral Kani'ichi Taketomi and 17 other junior officers of the navy. It is not known what enticed them to attend the dojo, but it is possible they had learned of the experiments of senior Usui students with applying high energy Ki (attributed to Usui Sensei) to non students acting as patients. Ushida took charge in the dojo right away. She said that Usui Sensei did not protest much as the navy's attendance was helping to pay the bills. However, from time to time he did express some concerns over ideas presented in the dojo, such as when the navy people began chanting the Gainen over and over while sitting on the sides of the dojo.
When Ushida and the others graduated with the new Shinpiden level, there was great celebration and sake. It is reported that about 22 people attained this level around this time. The students who completed this training in January 1926 and thereafter until Usui Sensei's passing (March 9), considered themselves permitted to teach. However, later on in the URR Gakkai, the ability to teach (Shihan) was limited to others as this part was split from Shinpiden. They also would have attributed Usui as their Sensei since he was the head of the dojo.
In January 1926, Ushida Sensei had influenced a new course version of Usui Teàte or Usui Reiki Ryoho for special intensive training for medicin doctors and medical staff of Japanese navy. The levels were renamed Shoden, Chuden, Okuden and Kaiden, and much of the spiritual and esoterical material taught beyond the old nidan and kaiden gata levels was left out for the last level of study. Each level required 5 days (10 hours for each day) to be completed, but Kai-den required 15 days and special three days preparation. That means that shorten intensive the First Level (Shoden) for medical staff and medicine doctors of navy have 5 days training with 10 hours learning and practice (50 hours cours, 40 hours training and 10 hours for Initiations and receiving Reiju) - and normally it is only for professional medicine workers (marines hospital etc). The Second and the Third Levels similarly, each one is 50 hours during five days intensive Reiki training.
1905.8.5 Captain, class of honor 4 - Commander of Akitsu,
1905.12.29 Sernior Adjutant of Naval General Staff
1908.2.20 Commander of Okishima,
1908.4.7 Commander of Nisshin,
1908.11.20 Commander of Asahi,
1910.12.1 Sernior Adjutant of Naval General Staff,
1911(Taisho 1). 12.1 The Chief of Staff,
1911.12.1 Special Commander ("Tokumei" in Japanese),
1911.12.1 (Meiji 44) - Rear-Admiral (Shoujou),
1912.5.31 Reservist of Military Admiral Staff ("Yobi" in Japanese).
Kanichi Taketomi Sensei (1878-1960) - the third Gakkai President
1918.12.1 Captain
1918.12.1 The Chief of Staff of Ohminato Harbor,
1919.12.2 Inspector of Kure,
1923.1.20 Captain of Settsu,
1923.10.1 Captain of Settsu Special Service Vessel,
1923.12.1 (Taisho 12) Rear-Admiral (Shoujou),
1923.12.10 Special Commander ("Tokumei" in Japanese),
1924.2.25 Reservist of Military Admiral Staff ("Yobi" in Japanese).
Yoshiharu Watanabe Sensei (1880-1960) - the fourth Gakkai President
Hoichi Wanami Sensei (1883-1975) - the fifth Gakkai President
The Fifth President, Hoichi Wanami-sensei (Navy Vice Admiral, 1883- January 2, 1975) was truly mild and generous. He was soft smiling, had many acquaintances, and introduced Reiki Ryoho at many places. After coming to an advanced age, the Sixth President, Koyama-sensei took over his patients’ treatments. He studied about keeping good health, especially about seniors’ health, and often gave lectures at many different circles. Also, he was so fit that he could climb Mt. Fuji at the age of ninety. From the middle of Showa 30 nen (1950s) to the beginning of Showa 40 nen (1960s), he actively traveled for teaching to branches across Japan, since there were many local branches that were inactive.
1923.12.1 Submarine ("sensuikou" in Japanese) School Head Teacher / Submarine Commander,
1926.8.1 Chief of Kure Submarine Equipment,
1926.12.1 Submarine School Head Teacher,
1927.11.15 Captain of Jingei,
1928.12.10 Submarine Staff,
1931.12.1 Captain
1931.12.1 5th Team Leader of Submarine,
1932.11.15 Vice Commander of Submarine,
1934.11.15 President of Submarine School,
1935.11.15 (Showa 10) Vice-Admiral (Chujou - grade up than Shoujou),
1936.3.16 Special Commander ("Tokumei" in Japanese),
1936.3.30 Reservist of Military Admiral Staff ("Yobi" in Japanese).
Kimiko Koyama Sensei (1906-1999) - the six Gakkai President
The Sixth President from 1975 to 1998, Kimiko Koyama Sensei (1906-1999) held workshops four times a month. The number of Gakkai members reached over 600 people because of sensei’s extraordinary teaching skills and personality. Also, the number of branches grew to 13 and those members reached 250. Koyama Sensei left some important journals by publishing bulletins and books (not for sale).
Masayoshi Kondo Sensei - the seventh Gakkai President
The Seventh President, Masayoshi Kondo Sensei (born 1933) became President in 1998 and leads to the January 2010. By the way, under Masaki Kondoh (近藤 正基) joining the Usui Ryoho Gakkai was more difficult unless a person has been introduced by a Gakkai member. He was Wanami and Koyama disciple, Medical University of Kyoto professor.
Ichita Takahashi Sensei - the eighth Gakkai President
Mr. Ichita Takahashi (高橋) born 1936, a retired businessman is the 8th president since January 2010. He was long term Kimiko Koyama Sensei and Masaki Kondo assistant and a Reiki Master with whom King Dave was talking about 1996/97 known as Mr Takahashi from the Gakkai...
NOTES
力 'Ryoku' (also pronounced: Chikara) - it speaks more of 'force' or 'power' rather than, as some might expect: 'energy'.
Reiki in Russian is РЭЙКИ...
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