The source of the Reiki system of healing that has come to the West had originated through a Japanese healer, Mikao Usui (1865-1926). Many of the Western Reiki practitioners had suspected that this powerful system of healing had Buddhist origins, especially as the name of one of the symbols used in the empowerments occurs in Zen Buddhism to refer to the Buddha-nature or Clear Light Mind. Mikao Usui, himself, came from a Buddhist family background in the esoteric Tendai tradition.

It is now accepted that our absolute source of these teachings dates back to the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama (566-486 or 563-483 B.C.E).

Even though there were other influences, Reiki appears to have been based principally on the Tantric (system of Buddhist Yoga) level of Buddhist teachings, known as the Vajrayana (Sanskrit for 'Diamond Vehicle', also referred to as the 'Adamantine Path'); or Mikkyo ('The Secret Teaching') in Japan. Siddhartha's original discourses could be assimilated at several levels, and he taught different practices according to the mentality of the people within each assembly he faced. It was at the great Nalanda University in northern India, from approximately the 2nd century AD, that three distinct 'vehicles' (or levels) of Buddhist teachings and practices were established. This is not to say that one must choose between these vehicles for one's personal study, as all three together complete the Buddha's teachings and have been designed to advance one toward enlightenment, when followed diligently.

The first vehicle of Buddhist practice was known as Hinayana, or 'Small Vehicle', and is now more widely known as Theravada, meaning 'teaching of the elders of the order'. In this system one works toward one's own enlightenment and liberation from samsara (the cycle of birth and death and rebirth), becoming an Arhat ('worthy one') who does not return after this life. The Theravada covers all the basic, essential teachings of the Buddha (such as the Noble Eight-Fold Path, Four Noble Truths, and Dependent Origination, etc.) and is the foundation for the more complex levels.

The next level, the Mahayana ('Great Vehicle'), focuses on the Bodhisattva Path. This places an emphasis on compassion whereby, unlike the arhat, the bodhisattva vows to return for countless lives, to assist all other beings to find liberation. This vow represents the ultimate detachment from our clinging to a 'self'. The Mahayana is a natural extension of the Hinayana teachings, and involves the practices of the Six Paramitas (also known as the 'Six Perfections'), being trainings in higher virtues (for very brief descriptions, see the Bodhisattva Path flower essence formulas on the Flower Essence Formulas page of this site).

Chinese marble statue of Kuan-yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion (Sanskrit: Avalokiteshvara; Tibetan: Chenrezig). Private collection. Photo © Kerrie Redgate 2005.

Finally, the Vajrayana (sometimes also known as Mantrayana, due to the use of mantras, employing sacred syllables and phrases - Tantric teachings and methods, being the essence of Vajrayana) is the crowning glory of the Mahayana teachings, and is considered the 'quick path' to enlightenment (once one has spent lifetimes practising Mahayana disciplines!). It involves mystical ritual practices of the highest psychological and spiritual value. In fact, it is from the meditations of Buddhist Tantra that the New Age Movement borrowed the concept of 'creative visualisation' to alter one's mind-set.

However, not all Buddhists practise the Vajrayana path. Due to the profound power of the Vajrayana (which entails working with the mind in extraordinary ways, and also with the subtle energy channels of the body), these teachings had necessarily remained hidden and were offered to advanced initiates only. This was to both safeguard their integrity from egoistic abuse, and to prevent damage to minds that were not yet ready for the profound shift in consciousness one must encounter in order to assimilate these teachings - shifts that may, ironically, perhaps be a little easier to achieve in the West, due to our own revelations (albeit intellectual) regarding quantum theory and the energy/matter/consciousness interchange.

Not long before these Tantric teachings had almost completely disappeared from India, they took root in Tibet (largely due to the powerful influence of Padmasambhava, the great 8th century Kashmiri siddha); and also in China, where they were preserved for over a thousand years before the recent Chinese Communist Revolution had wiped them from 'the Motherland'. The new Communist Government of China had attempted to do the same in Tibet through its invasion and subsequent occupation of the Tibetan Plateaux, from 1950 to the present time.

8th century Tantric adept, Padmasambhava ('Lotus-Born One'),
'Guru Rinpoche'. Private collection. Photo © Kerrie Redgate 2007.

There were two main schools of esoteric Buddhism in ancient China, the first being founded in the 6th century under the title T'ien-t'ai ('School of the Celestial Platform'), based principally on the doctrine from the Lotus Sutra and Nagarjuna's teachings on 'emptiness' (Sanskrit: shunyata), while synthesising many of Buddha's doctrines within the one school. The other esoteric school was founded in the 8th century and named Mi-tsung ('School of Secrets'), based on the Mahavairocana Sutra, and utilised mantras, mudras, and mandalas. The Mi-tsung also employed more complex empowerment ceremonies (Sanskrit: abisheka, literally 'anointing' or 'sprinkling' of water; Japanese: kaji, meaning 'mystic power'; Tibetan: angkur, literally 'communication of power').

In 804 CE, two Japanese monks travelled on separate ships to T'ang China to study, and to bring sacred Buddhist texts (originally translated from Sanskrit Indian sutras and tantras) back to Japan. One of these monks was Kukai (posthumously known as Kobo Daishi, 774-835 C.E.) who established the Shingon Tantric school of Buddhism in Japan, from the teachings of the Mi-tsung in China. The other Japanese monk was Saicho (767-822, known posthumously as Dengyo Daishi) who arrived in China in 804 and later established a Japanese branch of the Chinese T'ien-t'ai school of Buddhism under the Japanese rendition Tendai, also incorporating aspects of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and Japanese Shinto. It is from the teachings within these two Tantric level schools that the Reiki system of healing is thought to have evolved. These sects are still in existence in Japan today. (Read more on the history of these two historic figures by Shinichi Yanagawa at buddhistchannel.tv.)

Mikao Usui and his family are known to have been Tendai Buddhists. Reiki Master Frank Arjava Petter has found Usui's gravestone and memorial stone in Japan, with the Tendai inscription; and some of Usui's original students are still alive today and are telling their stories finally to Western Reiki Masters, such as Bronwen and Frans Stiene. (See suggested books below.)

There can be no doubt of Usui's background in esoteric Buddhism, and of the Buddhist references contained within the four Reiki 'symbols' used in the Reiki empowerments today. Especially due to the use of mantra (recitation of sacred phrases or sacred names), mudras (symbolic hand gestures), and empowerment ceremonies, it has been speculated that Mikao Usui was also involved in Shingon Buddhism. There are also reportedly aspects of Shintoism in certain kotodama (sacred sounds carrying spiritual power) that were used in empowerments. Such mixing of devotional religious styles is common in Japan where many ceremonies may be part Buddhist and part Shinto.

It has also been discovered that originally the empowerments did not involve the four Reiki symbols at all, and that these were added by Usui sensei for the benefit of certain Japanese Navy Admirals who wanted to study Reiki for its gifts in war-time encounters. Though, seed syllables have always been a major part of Tibetan Buddhist initiations at the Vajrayana level.

Buddhist Tantric empowerments have always been offered only by a qualified Buddhist Lama or Bonze. Should lay practitioners, then, be performing Reiki empowerments for others?

This has been a difficult issue for me, personally, as Usui's Reiki system has its roots in the Tantric Buddhist teachings, and while I have taken Buddhist vows within the Tibetan Tantric system, I am not an ordained member of the Buddhist sangha (community of monks or nuns). Mikao Usui was himself a lay practitioner of Buddhism, having been married with at least one daughter, though recent reports state he may have been a Buddhist lay priest at one time. However, we do not know as yet what guidance he had received in putting together his spiritual system of Reiki. Certainly, his motivation was due to his great compassion as a healer, especially in the difficult times Japan was facing during the early 20th century.

After much consideration, I finally came to the conclusion that, for the sake of those who are genuinely drawn to the Buddhist philosophy, it would seem more appropriate that practicing and committed Buddhists were teaching Reiki rather than it being presented without the respect for, and acknowledgement of, its sacred Buddhist roots. It is also important for Reiki students to have immediate access to at least a humble introduction of the teachings involved.

I have always encouraged my Reiki students to study Buddhist teachings with a qualified Lama or Bonze or Roshi, and am happy to offer any guidance in the direction of available teachers from various lineages of Buddhism, not only in the Tibetan traditions, but also including Zen and Theravada.

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Reiki, Healing & Consciousness

What is it that essentially heals us? Why is it that Western methods of Medicine, as astonishing as they can be, may yield a return of the same or a similar disease years later? Why is healing not permanent?

The answer to the first question is that it is consciousness, and only consciousness, that has the capacity to completely heal us of our ills (be they mental, emotional, or physical). Western Medicine deals with symptoms in the moment, sometimes giving us blessed relief from pain and incapacity. However, allopathic medicine does not recognise the role of consciousness in the healing process.

Any disease state comes about due to our ignorance regarding a particular circumstance of life: our resentment or anger towards someone (past or present), our unconscious concepts and motivations regarding the nature of reality, our self-security habit patterns that are actually killing us.

When we become aware of the places within our mind that do not resonate with compassion for self and others, we can observe a corresponding area of the body where our immune system responses have become weakened.

Reiki was originally developed as a spiritual system, a means by which higher consciousness could be stimulated. It accompanied the Buddhist teachings on 'mind' and our 'deluded view of reality'. The physical healing that often takes place through the practice of Reiki is a by-product of our own awakening through being connected to the Reiki energy of the cosmos.

Does this mean one needs to become a Buddhist to access the healing power of Reiki attunements? Not at all. All of the great religions and positive philosophies of the world have acknowledged that Compassion is vital for the development of the highest human potentials, and for successful human communities at large.

However, anyone who is serious about Reiki, especially as a profession or service to others, would be well advised to also receive a Medicine Buddha Empowerment from a suitable Buddhist Lama, and to embrace the Mahayana Buddhist teachings and practices in order to develop skill and compassion in alleviating the suffering of others.

Reiki Empowerments

Through its popularisation in the West, Reiki empowerments have often been viewed (inevitably through the lens of the ego) as a short-cut path to spiritual maturity, or taken as a validation of one's development. This is NOT the purpose of Reiki. There are no short-cuts to spiritual growth. One must feel ready for each level of the Reiki empowerments, as when one's healing power is increased, one's spiritual lessons are also quickened. This is a (karmic) Universal Principle which ensures that healers develop personal responsibility through Self-Mastery.

We each possess a degree of healing energy that emanates from our hands. This is why we hold our injuries to soothe the pain. This universal energy enters our system via the Crown chakra and works through the Heart. Without it we would not survive. It is the life-force itself - the essence of spiritual energy (also known as ch'i [Qi], ki, baraka, and prana in various Eastern languages). This is the pure consciousness of the cosmos. Some individuals have the natural capacity to transmit greater intensities - or higher frequencies - of this energy to others, through their prior development in former lives. We are all capable of accessing this same ability now through the grace of the Reiki system.

Reiki attunements balance and stimulate our entire chakra and meridian systems to empower us to safely channel this healing frequency for the benefit of both others and ourselves, while also inspiring higher levels of Mind and Consciousness.

Reiki can be quite different to other systems of 'hands-on' healing, such as that which may develop through some forms of kundalini yoga, as Reiki does not utilise one's own subtle-energy reserves to produce the healing effect. The Reiki energy is abundantly available in the universe, and is drawn into the Crown from above, not stimulated from one's own kundalini at the base of the spine (which must be gradually developed through a purification of each successive chakra/level-of-awareness, especially with the help of long-term teachers to awaken one's consciousness in stages - for example, with the Tibetan system of tum-mo, 'inner heat'). This is a significant difference, as Reiki bypasses our own emotional states of mind so that we do not pass on our subtle negativities to others. (Though, it is strengthened over time through our own meditation and spiritual practices.) It is even possible to fall asleep while giving another being Reiki healing, with the energy continuing to flow beautifully. Plants, animals, people, and even bugs love and respond well to Reiki!

BEFORE

Above is a kirlian photograph (taken 19th November 1989) of Kerrie's hands BEFORE activating the Reiki energy. She sat to wait for 10 minutes before the procedure, so deliberately did not touch anything to get as 'empty' an impression as possible. Though, of course, Reiki began to flow as soon as her hands touched the photographic plate, though this was for a very brief moment only. This was deemed a very healthy imprint by the photographer, due to the evenness of the radiation emitting from each finger. You can see the difference in the next photograph.
This and the following kirlian photograph were taken at the Mind Body Spirit Festival in Sydney Australia in 1989.

AFTER

The above is a kirlian photograph (taken 16th November 1989) of Kerrie's hands AFTER 10 minutes of Reiki activation with her hands together. (Kerrie had been a 2nd level Reiki channel for 3 years at that time.) Kerrie's 'human' field (as in the top image) is overwhelmed here by the Reiki emanation. The personal field has almost completely vanished. The photographer had had little experience of such phenomena as Reiki and thought the print was so bad an impression that Kerrie must surely be close to death!!

In 1987, Kirlian photographs of the hands of Australian spiritual healer, Chris Cole, were published as 'directly after channelling' (mostly white space) and 'after resting' (a clear hand imprint) in Southern Crossings magazine, Sydney (no longer in publication), in an article by Patti Burke. The two differing imprints of Chris Cole's hands were closely identical to Kerrie's, above.

One of the major benefits of receiving a Reiki empowerment is that this energy is then permanently flowing through us, and will even be available to us in our future lives! It cannot be taken away. However, its potency may fluctuate a little from time to time with our alternating states of consciousness, especially if we allow ourselves to lapse into periods of negative and self-centred behavioural patterns. Though, the quality of the Reiki energy emanating from our hands is never diminished, only its immediate potency. All we need do is redirect the energy back into ourselves through prolonged touch to the head and heart, and the powerful flow is restored, as is our higher awareness. Working with the energy consciously on a daily basis (as will be instructed in the courses), as well as engaging in regular meditation practice, will actually increase its potency and also lead to vast improvements within every area of our lives.

It is a significant point to contemplate that a Reiki Empowerment is not actually giving us anything we do not already possess. The Reiki Master is simply activating what has been dormant within us. It offers us the chance to identify with our pure Wisdom-Energy, our Clear Light Mind, rather than our ego-centred mind of misery.

Reiki works on every level of our being. Because it opens our heart, revealing our inherent compassion, it naturally speeds the development of our spiritual awareness. This then may stimulate dramatic advances in our physical healing. Though, it must be said that without inner realizations taking place, Reiki can never negate one's personal karma, being the 'cause and effect' principle within our consciousness. However, Reiki can lead to a greater awareness of the processes causing our dilemmas, under which we have been subconsciously operating, thus alleviating the need for the negative karmic results.

If one is suffering from a 'terminal illness', again a karmic effect in the mind-stream, the Reiki energy may bring about a physical healing; or alternatively, it may bring about a peaceful death. In fact, Reiki has often been used successfully and compassionately in hospice situations to assist the dying. It is important to appreciate, though, that Reiki will not advance the deterioration of the physical body towards death, but works on the subtle mind of the patient, thereby bringing about a more peaceful decision regarding life or death.

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For a serious study of Medicine Buddha healing (taken from the Chinese texts) see:
'The Healing Buddha' by Raoul Birnbaum
(Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc, revised edition 2003;
ISBN 1-57062-612-X)

And from the Tibetan perspective:
'Medicine Buddha Teachings' by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
(Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2004;
ISBN 1-55939-216-9)

For an excellent and highly accessible overview of Buddhist Tantra:
'Secret of the Vajra World: The Tantric Buddhism of Tibet' by Reginald A Ray
(Boston: Shambhala Publications, Inc, 2001;
ISBN 1-57062-917-X)

'The Japanese Art of Reiki: The First Practical Reiki Book from the Traditional Japanese Perspective', by
Bronwen and Frans Stiene
(Hants: O Books, 2005; ISBN 1 905047 02-9)

'The Reiki Sourcebook', by Bronwen and Frans Stiene
(Hants: O Books, revised edition 2008;
ISBN 978-1-84694-181-8)

'Reiki Healer: A Complete Guide to the Path and Practice of Reiki', by Lawrence Ellyard
(Wisconsin: Lotus Press, 2004;
ISBN 0-940985-64-0)

'Reiki Satsang: Over 200 Questions and Answers', by Lawrence Ellyard
(Fremantle: Healing Traditions Press, 2004;
ISBN 0-9752493-0-4)

To secure a place in any of Kerrie's
Bodhi-mind Reiki Courses
Please see the
Reiki Courses Booking Form

And for all inquiries regarding the
Bodhi-mind Reiki Courses
please contact Kerrie directly.

Medicine Buddha (non-traditional) pastel artwork
© Kerrie Redgate 1995
The Medicine Buddha is considered to represent the combined healing powers of all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the Three Times (Past, Present, & Future)

Yoga is a Sanskrit term literally meaning 'yoke', to 'yoke oneself to God or the Divine'; it denotes the mystical experience of unity, which the yogi or yogini seeks to achieve

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This page last revised Friday January 20 2012.