Through his studies, he became well acquainted with the
stories which recounted healings performed by religious leaders.
This perplexed him and he quickly sought the
counsel of a fellow religious scholar who encouraged Dr. Usui to take a
retreat in order to discover the secret behind the healing arts.
Dr. Usui
followed the advice of his friend and ascended a mountain near Kyoto,
Japan. He fasted and meditated for 21 days. He marked the
passage of time by throwing stones over a cliff every morning at
dawn. On the morning of the 21st day, Dr. Usui was beginning to
become frustrated with his situation. As he was about to give up
and leave, Dr. Usui was greeted by a religious vision which ultimately
left him with the ability to transmit Reiki and also teach Reiki.
The story
follows that as Dr. Usui descended the mountain, he stubbed his
toe. It began to bleed, but as he clutched the toe in his hand, the
bleeding and pain stopped. This served as proof to him that he had
gained the ability to transmit healing energies.
He stopped
at an inn at the bottom of the mountain and ate a full meal. He
noticed that the daughter of the innkeeper had a toothache and he asked
if he may place his hands on her and see if he could help. The
girl agreed and Dr. Usui was able to heal her toothache.
Dr. Usui
then went to the city of Kyoto. There he practiced Reiki, giving
it liberally to any who needed it, and many people who lived in the
slums of Kyoto. Over time, Dr. Usui saw some people to whom he had
previously given Reiki returning to the slums. He asked one of
them why he returned after being healed. The man replied that he did not want
to live a
life of responsibility and that it was simply easier to live in the
slums.
This led Dr.
Usui to a realization that Reiki could only truly benefit those who
could embrace a life of complete healing. He made a decision that
those who wanted to partake in Reiki ought to be willing to make a
mental commitment to healing as well as a physical commitment. As
a result, he developed the following principles:
Just for
today, I release all worry.
Just for
today, I release all anger.
Just for
today, I shall earn my living with integrity.
Just for
today, I will be kind to every living thing.
Just for
today, I will give thanks for all my many blessings.
Dr.
Usui continued with his dedication toward healing people.
Eventually, he opened a clinic in Tokyo. While working in this
clinic, he began teaching others how to gain access to the Reiki
energies and how to teach Reiki to others.