Reiki energy was rediscovered, or more precisely reintroduced, in 1922 by Mikao Usui. There are several versions of how this happened; here we will share one of the most widely known accounts.
Dr. Mikao Usui was a Christian minister who taught at a boys’ Sunday school in Japan at the end of the 19th century.
The Story of Mikao Usui’s Discovery of Reiki Energy
One day his students asked him: “How did Jesus heal people?”
Dr. Usui could not answer this question. According to the traditions of that time, if a teacher could not answer a student’s question, he was expected to leave teaching and search for the answer. Dr. Usui decided to do exactly that.
He began searching in other world religions—Hinduism and Buddhism—because not only Jesus, but also Rama, Gautama Buddha, and Krishna were said to possess the ability to heal through words, gestures, looks, or touch.
For several years, Dr. Usui lived in a Zen monastery where monks translated ancient sutras into Japanese.
While studying the sutras written in Sanskrit, he discovered certain signs and symbols whose meaning he could not understand. Eventually, he turned to his teacher for guidance. His teacher advised him to go to the sacred Mount Kurama, fast, meditate, and ask for spiritual enlightenment.
Taking a container of water with him, Dr. Usui climbed the mountain. Near a stream under a pine tree, he sat down and placed twenty-one small stones beside him. He read sutras, prayed, sang, and meditated. At sunset each day he threw away one stone.
Before dawn on the twenty-first day, he finished his meditation, sadly thinking that this had been his last chance to find the answer he had been seeking for so many years.
Suddenly, a bright flash of light blinded him, and a powerful beam rushed toward him. Dr. Usui felt awe and wonder. He thought that if this was a test, he must face it with courage and dignity. The light touched his forehead, and he lost consciousness.
It seemed as if he were dying, but at sunrise he regained awareness. When he opened his eyes, he saw millions of rainbow-like bubbles dancing around him. Then a red light appeared, filling the sky, followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet light. The entire sky became a living rainbow.
After the final light faded, a white screen appeared before him. On it he saw familiar Sanskrit symbols glowing as if written in fire. One symbol appeared, then another, and another. As they moved before him, Dr. Usui gradually began to understand their meaning and how they could be used.
When he fully awakened, the sun was already high in the sky. When he closed his eyes, the fiery symbols still appeared clearly before him. This was considered the first miracle.
Dr. Usui stood up. Despite the long fast, he felt no exhaustion. Instead, he was filled with strength and vitality. This was the second miracle.
While walking down the mountain path, he stumbled on a sharp stone and tore the nail from his toe. Blood flowed and the pain was intense. Instinctively, he placed his hand on the wound. Soon he felt a pulsing sensation of energy, and the pain disappeared. When he removed his hand, he saw that the nail had reattached, leaving only a small trace of dried blood. This was the third miracle.
Continuing down the mountain, he saw a table covered with a red cloth by the roadside—an indication that travelers could stop for food and rest. Dr. Usui asked the owner for rice and plums. The man replied that since Usui had clearly been fasting on the sacred mountain, he should only eat soft rice porridge and drink tea.
The owner’s granddaughter brought the meal. Her face was tearful and her cheek was wrapped with a cloth. She had been suffering from a severe toothache for three days, and the nearest doctor was miles away.
Feeling compassion, Dr. Usui asked if he could place his hand on her cheek. After a short time, the girl happily said that the pain had disappeared. This was the fourth miracle.
Dr. Usui then ate a full breakfast of rice and plums. After such a long fast, he experienced no discomfort or indigestion. This was the fifth miracle.
The key had been found and the mystery revealed. However, Dr. Usui understood that he still needed to learn how to use this gift wisely.
He reasoned that wealthy people could afford doctors, but the poor had nowhere to turn. Therefore, he decided to dedicate himself to helping the poor.
From morning until evening he practiced Reiki with people living in poverty. Many were healed, found work, and even started families. Yet after some time, he noticed that many returned to the slums and continued begging.
When Dr. Usui asked why, they replied that working long hours was difficult, while begging was easier.
From this experience, Dr. Usui realized that many people could not fully appreciate the gift of Reiki when it was received without effort. They did not value what came freely and lacked a sense of gratitude.
The most important conclusion he drew from his three years of work was: first the spirit, then the body.
He eventually left the slums and returned to the monastery.
Reflecting on his experience, Dr. Usui wrote down the core principles that a Reiki practitioner should follow. These later became the philosophical foundation of his teaching.
