In today’s common language, the Japanese word Reiki also nominally references a mind/body regimen formally known as Usui Reiki Ryoho (臼井靈氣療法) or Usui Reiki Therapy. This method and regimen was formalized in the early 1920s by Mikao Usui. Early practitioners of Usui’s system of Reiki Ryoho expressed and practiced a holistic set of personal practices (such as breathing methods, mental training, etc.) taught in progressive levels, aimed to support healing and personal development.
According to words attributed to the system’s founder Mikao Usui himself:
My Usui Reiki Ryoho (Usui method for working with Reiki) is an original, there is nothing like this in the world. So I would like to release this method to the public for everyone’s benefit and hope for everyone’s happiness. My Reiki Ryoho is an original method based on intuitive power in the universe. By this power, the body gets healthy and enhances happiness of life and peaceful mind. Nowadays people need improvement and reconstruction inside and outside of life, so the reason for releasing my method to the public is to help people with illness of body and mind.
In modern times, Reiki Ryoho practitioners are traditionally taught in-person and are initiated into the system by a trained Reiki Ryoho Dai-Shihan (also colloquially dubbed “Master”). Typically, training is offered in-person with varying levels of instruction:
- Shoden (First Degree) – Basic (substantial) methods for improving the body and mind typically offered to the public.
- Okuden (Second Degree) – Advanced (insubstantial) methods for improving the mind and body, traditionally offered to devoted students at the teacher’s discretion.
- Shinpiden (Third Degree) – Teacher training for maintaining the system, upholding the lineage, and transmitting the teachings.
With each level, students are given instruction with how to work with one or more aspects of the system, including:
- Gokai (Precepts)
- Meiso (Meditations)
- Teate Ryoho (Palm healing / Hands-on healing)
- Reiju (Initiation / Empowerment / Spiritual Blessing)