Is Jikiden Reiki exclusive or thorough ?

Sometime, I see a comment about the Jikiden Reiki like this,,, 


"Jikiden Reiki can be exclusive, because everyone has to learn from Shoden (Level 1) class even the Reiki Masters with 20 years of experience if they want to learn with
Jikiden Reiki." 


It is true that experienced Reiki practitioners can't just jump in to take the Shihankaku course (teacher course) without learning Jikiden Reiki Shoden & Okuden (Level 1 & 2) courses. 
 
But I don't see it as "exclusive", but it is rather "thorough", if I may put in a better word.


There is a Japanese culture called "Iemoto" (ee-eh-moh-toh) system. "Iemoto" means the head of a school, top authority, top leader or a grand master. Teachers teach the way they were taught by Iemoto, and the students practice only the way they were taught.  This established custom is deeply absorbed into Japanese people, so we see the similar way of teaching not only in the traditional art (Sado-tea ceremony, Kado-flower arrangement, Shodo-calligraphy, traditional music etc), but also in modern music, and even in sports training.



Iemoto system is varied between the each teaching, so it is hard to say what is the regulation as Iemoto system. But there are some similarities in each school.


1. Keep the teaching the way you were taught.
2. Iemoto as a top authority and operate the teaching.
3. Iemoto has the authority to issue certificates.
4. Iemoto's life is unseparatable from his private life.
5. Without the long dedicated practice, one can not be a teacher.
6. There is only one Iemoto in each school.



I see the Iemoto system in Japanese Reiki teaching as well. As much as I know, only traditional Reiki school exist in Japan are Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai and Jikiden Reiki Institute. "Traditional" doesn't necessary mean better than other, but it is simply kept the same way in the original teaching.  Those Reiki schools described above don't call the founder as a "Iemoto", but I can see it is natural to adopt the Iemoto system in those Reiki schools, because Usui Reiki Ryoho is an old Japanese healing art. 


When Mr.Usui was teaching Reiki, he was the only one who could issue certificates in Usui Reiki Ryoho(Ryoho means treatment technique).


I see the same way in Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. There is always one president and I am sure the president is the only one who can issue the certificates in Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai where they are teaching Usui Reiki Ryoho.


When Mr.Hayashi was teaching, it was the same way as well.  Mr.Hayashi was the only one who could issued the certificates in Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai where he was teaching Usui Reiki Ryoho. 


It is natural for Jikiden Reiki Institute to operate this Reiki school with the Iemoto style, because of its pure Japanese background. 
Tadao Yamaguchi (The founder of Jikiden Reiki Institute) has been teaching Reiki as the same way that his mother, Chiyoko Yamaguchi, had been teaching, he is the only top leader and operating Jikiden Reiki Institute, he has the authority to issue the certificates, and his life can not be separated from his life. Teachers must have a long dedicated practice hours to be able to take the teacher class.  Its naturally falls into Iemoto style. 
Yamaguchi family didn't have any connection with different cultures, so there was simply no opportunity to change its teaching style. Thus Reiki in Yamaguchi's family has been kept as original as it could be. 

This is one of the reason that I feel at home with Jikiden Reiki, simply because I am a Japanese.

Although, as a Japanese who lives in Canada, I can see Iemoto system can be too strict and inflexible to fit in this western culture. Iemoto system is great for keeping the traditional style and holding the regulation, but on the other side, it might prevent from being creative and improving.  I can see the benefits and predicaments in both cultures. 


I see the importance in the Western culture to be creative and continue to experiment something new to get the best out of the individuals. I see the importance in the Japanese culture to keep the way it was taught when it comes to the traditional teaching, creativities are allowed only within the teaching. 



Whether Reiki is creatively evolved or kept traditional, both are a healing modality to help oneself and each other, and that is much needed skills in this world...



That's all that matters, doesn't it? 

Reiki Myth, "Was Hayashi-sensei a medical doctor?"

It has been so long since I had written in this blog!  
2013 became a busy year for me, and I had to drop some of my tasks. Writing a blog was one of the task that I had to leave for a while.

Certainly, clicking "like" and "share", and write a short comment of the day on the Facebook is easy for me to continue ! 


However, I would like to bring myself back to write more about Reiki, my true passion.


I continue to read and learn about the history of Reiki but I sometime see articles that written by people who don't have any access to research Japanese history, and often
the information is misleading.



As I live in Canada, I still don't have full access to the Japanese library,
material and historian, but I still do my best to go on researching whatever
I want to know about Reiki.


Recently, I was asked by one of the Jikiden Reiki friend and her question was
"I saw a comment and it says Hayashi was not a medical doctor.What is your thought?" 

I was taught that Hayashi-sensei was a medical doctor, so I had no doubt. Thus,
I have never look into the evidence. 
I also know that my teacher, Tadao Yamaguchi, will not write nor teach any information 
that doesn't have support material (evidence), so I knew Yamaguchi-sensei will 
have an answer, so I talked to him on the phone.


Here is the answer from Tadao Yamaguchi. 

Hayashi-sensei joined Naval School in 1899 (he was 20 years old), 
and graduated in 1902. 

Back then in Naval school, there were many different departments (or faculties) 
includes Soldiers Department (infantry, artillery, cavalry, etc), and Sanitation Department (army/naval surgeon, pharmacist, dentist, hygienist etc ) to name a few.


After the graduation, Hayashi-sensei experienced the Russo-Japanese War as 
a Naval Officer, also was on a Naval duty as a Chief of Navel Operations for Ominato Port Guard District on 1918. By the time he learned Reiki from Mikao Usui in 1925, he was retired from the Navy, and was starting to operate a Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai at Shinano-machi, Tokyo as a medical doctor and offered Reiki treatments instead of medicine. 


Yamaguchi-sensei believes that Hayashi-sensei obtained the training as a naval surgeon during the time he was attending the Navel School from 1899 to 1902, however, despite the on going research, no one has found the evidence that Hayashi-sensei graduated from Naval Medical School. Thus, if oral tradition is a good enough evidence for the world, I still believe that Hayashi-sensei was a Gun-i (Naval surgeon) as I know Yamaguchi's family all know he was a Gun-i. But if the world needs a written evidence to prove if Hayashi-sensei was a Gun-i, so far, we haven't been able to find an evidence.  However, there is a written official material that shows Hayahi-sensei was a medical doctor.

Here are few reasons that we can say Hayashi-sensei was a medical doctor.

1. Tadao Yamaguchi has a copy of the tax payer list that he found at the Tokyo Imperial Library. This official paper shows that the income tax return was filed by Hayashi Chujiro as a medical doctor, and the address in the file was for Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai, Shinano-Machi, Tokyo. (This fact was shared by Yamaguchi-sensei)

2.Hayashi-sensei was using a humans anatomy chart that was used by medical professionals during the Reiki classes. (This opinion was shared by Mr. Masaki Nishina, well known Reiki Master, and also Jikiden Reiki Dai Shihan)

3.Hayashi-sensei used a scalpel surgical knife when he took his life. This type of knife is only available for medical surgeons. (This opinion is my own perspective.)


There is another fact about the Medical training in Japan. 


In Meiji era (1868~1912), there were many evolutions and upheavals in medical industry in Japan and the types of medical school and trainings during this period were varied and not standardized. Between 1906 and 1916, people who had a medical training in a past were able to obtain the medical license by taking National Examination for the License of Medical Doctor. Once people passed the exam, they were entitled to open a practice as a medical doctor. That means, until Meiji era, people were not necessary went to a University and trained for 6 years to be able to become a medical doctor.

This is my guess that Hayashi-sensei was able to take this examination based on his training at the Naval School and as a high rank officier in the Navy. He passed the examination and obtained the title as a medical doctor. Thus, he was operating the Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai and offering Reiki treatments and paying income tax as a medical doctor. 


I also found a section in a book and the author talks about Hayashi Sensei.

"日本と霊気、そしてレイキ” (Nihon to Reiki, soshite Reiki - Japan and Reiki (in kanji), and Reiki (in katakana) ) by Masaki Nishina.
Mr.Masaki Nishina is a well known Reiki Master in Japan, and he is also a Dai Shihan (Grand Teacher) of Jikiden Reiki. He has published 3 books related to Reiki, and he continues to spend an eternal effort for researching about the history of Reiki. 
What I like about his book is that he doesn't write anything without support materials. 
If he writes about something that he is not sure, he clearly mentions that this is just his guess, and he doesn't pretend he knows everything.

Here is a small excerpt from his book, 
"There are many people who is doubting that Hayashi sensei wasn't a Naval Doctor, because no one has found evidence. To tell what I know, there is a person who went on researching about this matter and he visited a Japanese parliament library and checked the list of tax payers. This official record shows that Hayashi-sensei was paying income tax as a medical doctor and the address was the Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai in Shinano-machi, Tokyo. "  

In my opinion, there is no way that Japanese public office would allow a person to file an income tax as a medical doctor while he wasn't officially a medical doctor. 

I am convinced that Hayashi-sensei WAS a medical doctor. 


What is your thought ?

August 9th, for my town, Nagasaki

August 9th

I am recalling my past blog about the same topic.

I thought,

"How do the world think of August 9th."

I googled it.

Surprisingly, I did not find the information that I was looking for.

Every year, August 9th, 11:02am, entire town of Nagasaki stand in silence.  

Not only the radio, but every fire places turn the siren on, VERY LOUD SIREN that every people can hear inside and outside of the building.

Why 11:02am?   

It is the time when the atomic bomb hit the city of Nagasaki.

One of the display in the Peace Park Museum that stays in my memory is that every clock in the display are stopped at the 11:02.

By the time I was born, 1971, Nagasaki had already recovered. Japan actually became one of the fastest growing country.

I only heard about how awful it was during the war from grand parents.  

For me, its in a past.  But for people who went through the awful time, they still remember clearly. 

But I remember in my childhood, maybe around 1981, we were playing hide-and -seek.  We were actually using "bokugo", the hiding cave as a hiding spot. 

When American fighter airplane flew over the town,

people ran into these kind of cave.

I also remember when I had a check up with Homeopath doctor, and she said

" You have awfully large amount of radiation in your body. Just the X-Rays here and there from hospital or dentist check ups would not create this amount of radiation. What happened?"

I said,

"I have not done so much X-rays. SO I don't know why."

She checked up all my medical history and said'

"Oh, you are from Nagasaki, that makes sense, because of the atomic bomb."

I said,

"It can not be.  My family moved to Nagasaki in 1976 and the war had been over 30years before. It is now 2004, so it has been over 60 years."

But I researched about it.

Amazingly, what I found out was that unlikely Hiroshima, the radiation from the atomic bomb could not evaporate from the land because of the shape of Nagasaki city being surrounded by mountains.  People live on the land can absorb the radiation from the land.

Even 60 years later!!!

Please do not feel offensive about I am bringing up this subject.

But what I wanted to tell to the world is that,

The scars from the history can pass down emotionally 

and also physically to generation after generation.

If we can stop hurting each other right now, 

stop the small fights between friends, 

stop the big wars between countries, 

and be kind to each other,

we can create more peaceful world in 30years.

I teach Jikiden Reiki.

The most important teaching in Reiki is

to live in Gokai, the five principle.

Kyo dake wa

Ikaruna

shin pie suna

kansha shite

gyo o hageme

hitoni shinsetsu ni

Just for today,

do not be angry,

do not worry,

be grateful,

do your duties fully,

be kind to others.

 I really think the world peace is THAT simple.


Praying for Nagasaki.

Back to Japan, many synchronism

Take a break from the Hospice series for a while and I will be writing 

stories from the trip back to Japan, my home country.

I have been back to Japan every two years, but this time was the best trip!

In 2008, I took all my three children (2yrs, 4yrs and 6yrs) by myself and I was

exhausted at the end.

- - - I promised to myself that I would never to that again.

Then, in 2010, I took all my three children (4yrs, 6yrs and 8yrs) by myself again, and

I was VERY exhausted at the end.

- - - "Didn't I promise to myself that I wouldn't do this again ~~~ ?"

As if women forget the pain of the baby birth, I forget the pain of the trip with

3 kids by myself.  So I asked people around me,

"PLEASE stop me next time if I plan a trip to Japan with 3 kids, 

and remind me the pain ~ ! "

This time, 2013. My children are 7years, 9years and 11years old. I was pretty sure

they will be OK, they are pretty much independent, so I took them to Japan,

again by myself.

It was AWSOME !  It was FUN ! 

Well, I will write the story of the trip next time, but I really would like to 

share the story of the many synchronism that happened while I was taking
a further training of Jikiden Reiki in Kyoto.

Kyoto is the birth place of Reiki. Jikiden Reiki main office is located in Kyoto

as well, and I was there to review the entire seminars (Shoden, Okuden, Shihankaku

and Shihan course) in Japanese with Yamaguchi-sensei.

First Synchronism

I heard an older man speaking at the reception area and I thought,

   " Hummm, his dialect sounds familiar to me... He must be from 
    Kyushu Island, or maybe from Nagasaki?(my home town)" 

Before I introduced myself to him, I asked him a direct question,

 "Good morning! How do you do? Are you from Kyushu Island? 

Your dialect sounds familier to me!" 

He said,

  "Yah, I am from Omura-city, Nagasaki. I do my best to speak without my dialect, 

   but it is impossible to speak without it. " (As he is trying to speak without the dialect,
   the strong dialect was already seeping out from his mouth.) 

I said,

  "Oh wow, I am from Nagasaki, too! I live in different place now, 
   but how rare to  meet a person from Nagasaki!"

I thought,

  This is a good sign! 

The Universe is giving me a confirmation that

    "I am in a right path."

The next day、the second synchronism.

There was a lady from Kunitachi, Tokyo in this class. I really wanted to talk

to her when there is a chance.

Accidentally, I sat beside her at the lunch time, so I started a conversation. 

"I remember you are from Kunitachi, Tokyo !  I used to live around the Kunitachi area when I was in a college, and I walked around the town in a training suit. " 

Then conversation continued,

She: " Oh! You were in a training suit?"

Me: "Yes, I was in a Physical Education College."

She: "What ! You mean, Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education?" 

Me: "Yes, that's it. Do you know the college?"

She: "Yes, of course! My daughter goes to the high school that is connected to

        your college!"

Me : "Oh wow, what a surprise! It is rare to meet a person who is connected

        to this college! Your daughter and I could be a senior and junior relationship!" 

She : "My daughter was training so hard in competitive gymnastics there." 

Me : " What? Gymnastics, the one with balance beam and floor etc? I used to train

         gymnastics as well!" 

She : "No kidding!"  

Me : "You daughter must be about 20 years younger than me, but it is really officially

        we are the graduate from the same school, wouldn't we?  What a rare thing! " 

In my heart,

(This is gooooooood !  Again, this is the sign from the Universe! I am so glad I came

  to Kyoto! ) 

The third day、The third synchronism.

I went to the class a bit early and stand around the reception area, and I heard 

a conversation said,

"Excuse me, Is a lady name 'Ms.Mari Okazaki' here today?" 

（Humm, that's my name. Who is this person, and why this person is looking for me? ）

The thought went by in a second. 

I turn around and said, 

"Well, that's me." 

There was a gentleman with smile, and he said,

"Hi! We know each other through a Facebook! My name is Ichie." 

（Ahhhh!、Ichie-san, the medical doctor who practice Reiki ! 
   I know him, I know him ! ）

"I had no idea you would be here today! We met in a Facebook, but I am glad

to meet you in person! " 

There it is, there it is again ! Synchronisity! Another sign from the Universe! It keeps

telling me "Welcome to Kyoto, you are in a right path! " 

I am an optimistic person, am I.

The 4th day、The 4th synchronism.

When we were doing group practice at the end, I noticed that there was a different person who is speaking with a Nagasaki dialect again..

I thought,
 "Hummmm, she said she was from Nagoya. Would Nagoya dialect and Nagasaki dialect
be similar each other? No. Those are completely different... But she sure is speaking
with Nagasaki dialect..."

We continued a conversation and finally she said,
"Oh, I AM from Nagoya, but I was born and raised in Nagasaki ~ ! " 

There it is again ! The Nagasaki connection! 

Another sign from the Universe! 

Then after the class, I was speaking with a lady who has an ability to see
aura and energy field. 

She told me,
"I was watching how you give reiki. Your aura was so beautiful when you are doing reiki, and I could really see you truly love doing reiki! " 

It is a rare opportunity to receive this kind of unique compliment as most of the people can not see energy field with physical eyes, but she can.

I took it as a message from the Universe, again.  :) 

The 5th day、Another synchronism !

I am already expecting something good will happen from the morning.

At a lunch time, I wanted to talk to a younger lady who is from Yokohama-city.
This is the same city where my sister lives, so I thought she might be 
the "connection of the day" .

I did my best to sit beside her, but somewhat, it didn't work. 

She sat far far away, and in a different room ! So, I wasn't able to talk 
to her a bit :(  But that is OK.  Things happen for reasons. 

But the seat I picked was the one in front of the older lady from Nagasaki and an interesting man who works for a weather forecast company. Also beside a young
lady who has a severe buckwheat allergy. 

She said, she ate a chocolate that contains grains of buckwheat by accident. As the
allergy reaction started to happen, a person did reiki treatment right away, and 
the reaction calmed right down.

That is the reason this young lady wants to learn Reiki. 

Anyways, I was starting to talk with a lady who was sitting beside me, on the other side of the buckwheat lady, and she started to ask me some questions.

She : "What made you decide to go to Canada?"
Me : "I was teaching gymnastics for the 1st year in Canada." 

She : "Gymnastics? I used to compete Rhythmic Gymnastics !" 
Me : "Oh!  If you used to compete Rhythmic Gymnastics, you must know my college!"

     By the way, my college is very famous of Rhythmic Gymnastics. Many Olympic
     Rhythmic Gymnasts are graduating from this college.
She : "Which college is it?" 
Me : "I graduated from Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education." 
She : "wwwwwWhat?"
Me : "What about, 'wwwwWhat?' " 
She : "Me too." 

Together："Noooo Waaaay ?!?!"

We were so surprised !

This college is a smaller college, and specialized in Health and Physical Education. Many high performance athletes, P.E. teachers, personal trainers etc will graduate from
this college, and VERY rare to meet a graduate.

We found out that she is only two years younger than me. The training centre for
gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics are in a same building, so we were sure that
we must have passed by each other over 20 years ago, without knowing we would
have a lunch beside each other in 2013 !

I live in Chilliwack, BC, Canada and I visited Kyoto for only 5 days from May 15 ~ 19, 2013.


Those people who came to Kyoto were also from far away within Japan.


It is a miracle that we were at the same place at the same time and have things
in common!  



And, people who I meet through Jikiden Reiki are all so genuine, truly kind, amazingly positive and optimistic people!

The doctor who I met through Facebook. He waited for 1 hour to my children to
arrive in Kyoto, and kindly checked the fresh scar on my son's cheek after a dog bite.
I rarely see a kind doctor like him nowadays,,,,. They are all business like, and
seem to me, they really don't care about people's health, but money.

I really wish there will be more doctors like him, who put their heart for the patients, and really cares about people's health...

So,  my 5 days in Kyoto was filled with miracle, to me, and it was such a joy
to treasure hunt the miracle !




The end.