In April 1922, Usui moved to Tokyo and founded the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Usui Reiki Healing Society).
Usui was an admirer of the literary works of Emperor
Meiji, and, in the process of developing his Reiki system, summarised some
of the emperor's works into a set of ethical principles, which later became
known as the Reiki Principles. Many Reiki teachers and practitioners aim to
abide by these five principles, one translation of which is:
"The secret method of inviting good fortune.
The marvelous medicine for all sickness.
Just for today:
Do not be angry
Do not be worried
Be grateful
Work hard (on improving yourself)
Be kind to others.
Every morning and every night, sit in the Gassho position (hands held palm-to-palm)
and speak these words out loud in your heart.
For the evolution of body and soul, Usui Reiki Ryoho" - Mikao Usui, the
founder.
Usui taught over 2000 students to use Reiki. 16 of his students continued their training to reach the Shinpiden level, equivalent to the Western third degree, or master level.
Usui died in 1926.
Early development:-
After Usui's death, Chujiro Hayashi a former student of Usui left the Usui
Reiki Ryoho Gakkai and formed his own association. Hayashi simplified the
Reiki teachings, stressing physical healing and using a more codified and
simpler set of Reiki techniques.
Hayashi initiated and trained Hawayo Takata, who travelled widely in the USA, practising Reiki and teaching the first two levels to others.
Takata stressed the importance of charging money for Reiki treatments and teachings. In 1976, Takata began teaching the Shinpiden stage and introduced the term Reiki master for this level. She also fixed a price of $10,000 for the master training.
Takata died in 1979 by which time she had trained 22
Reiki masters. Almost all Reiki taught outside Japan has followed from her
work. Shortly before the death of Hawayo
Takata in December 1980, Mrs. Takata and Dr. Barbara Ray founded the American
Reiki Association (ARA) which later became the AIRA and is now The Radiance
Technique International Association Inc. (TRTIA). The organization differentiates
its teachings from those of other Reiki masters and organizations, considering
itself to be the one true continuation of Takata's heritage.
Soon after the founding of the ARA, Phyllis Furumoto, a granddaughter of Takata,
founded The Reiki Alliance. Since 1988, the Alliance has accepted Reiki Masters
from a wide range of backgrounds as members.
Another Takata student, Iris Ishikuro, abandoned the practice of charging $10,000 for Reiki Master training, allowing Reiki to spread more widely.
A great deal of generic New Age content is now often taught either as an adjunct to Reiki or even as an integral part of the system, and numerous schools of thought now exist, some being freely offered and some proprietary.
The Reiki Network was formed as an organization to promote a standardized teaching of traditional Reiki. In addition to the teaching organizations, whose members are Reiki masters, many communities of Reiki practitioners have formed.
Reiki practitioners operate in over 100 hospitals,
medical clinics and hospices in the USA.
