Reiki, the system of the natural healing, was rediscovered by Dr. Mikao Usui. He named this harmonizing, exhaustive energy Reiki.

REI KI = universal energy

He called this energy universal, because he had noticed that while giving a Reiki treatment one’s own energy is not reduced or even used. This is a special characteristic of Reiki.
There are many legends surrounding the discovery of Reiki which we do not want to report here in any detail. Proven facts are that Dr. Usui lived from 1862 to 1926 in Japan. After he had discovered Reiki, he worked with this energy in the slums of Kyoto and there he came to the realization that it is important to give the possibility of direct responsibility to people. It was not sufficient only to treat people with Reiki: it was important to give them Reiki as an instrument in their own hands. He developed the Reiki seminars, in which he taught people to Reiki. He systematized these seminars in Level 1, Level 2 and Master Level. From then on he travelled all over Japan and gave Reiki seminars.
He emphasised the importance of taking direct responsibility for oneself: Reiki means independence. He brought a tool to the people to treat themselves with Reiki.
During his work he met Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, a retired Japanese admiral. This man became one of the most faithful followers of Mr. Usui and eventually his successor. Dr. Hayashi founded and led a Reiki hospital in Tokyo.
To the hospital came Hawayo Takata, a young widow from Hawaii, who was very ill. Reiki blessed her so well that she could finally convince Dr. Hayashi to train her to become a Reiki Master. She would continue the work of Mr. Hayashi. The Second World War prevented her from staying on in the hospital in Tokyo. So Mrs. Takata took Reiki to the USA and started its spreading over the world. From 1960 to 1980 she trained 22-28 Reiki Masters.