My unpublished and only one book in the world "Just the way you are."

Easter weekend is over, so I was doing a major clean up in my house (while kids

are gone), and I found two books that I made for my children when they were really young !  

My unpublished and the only one book in the world 

"Just the way you are."

My first son was born in 2002 January, and the book was written in 2003, so I must have

wrote it for him when he became old enough to understand the words.

Back then, I didn't have any access to Japanese children book, so I wrote it

in Japanese and in English. It is made of white stock paper, pages were cut

out by scissors and unevenly, that brought a nice and warm "handmade" taste :) . 

My intention back then was to keep writing a small book for my kids, but

I asked my sister to set up a monthly subscription of children book from Japan, 

so I never continued to make another books.  (Maybe I should have !!!)

Here is my little story, Enjoy ! 

Title : "Just the way you are" 

Three fish brothers are living in the river.

They are talking about their future.

The big brother thinks 

"I want to be a strong shark!"

The middle brother thinks,

"I want to be a eagle, so I can fly anywhere I want."

And I think,

"I want to be a turtle, because there is always a home to live." 

"Well, let's try!!"

"Oh, no... Something is wrong..."

"It is the best that Just the way we are !" 

"2003. January 10th" 

I'm not sure if my kids remember this little book, but I am going to show

them when they are back from the school today ! 

National Siblings Day, April 10

I didn't know there is such a special day as 

"National Siblings Day"

I have two older sisters, one is 6 years older, another one is 4 years older. I do not remember we had a sibling fight at all as we grew up because of the age gap with 
my older sister, and my other sister is a Down's syndrome. We had disagreements, but never turned into a fight.

Both of my sisters are pretty special and incredible people in my life, and

I always have a great respect to both of them !  

Today, I would like to write about Yuki, my sister who has Down's Syndrome.

She is 4 years older than me, but her mental age has been younger than me for the
most of my life. So my role as a youngest sibling become a bit different than
other family structure. I am the youngest, but I am not the youngest.

Yuki and myself

I remember often I would protect her from teasing from others at school, 
holding my arms wide open and telling other kids,
"Don't tease her! This is my sister you are talking to!"


I often carried her on my back when we went up the stairs coming back from 
the school. Because she had (still has) a weak heart and the stairs made her
heart pump too much.  It would be when I was in Grade 2.

I would run up the stairs and put my back pack down at the top of the stairs,
and come down to get her, and piggy back her and walked up the stairs.  

It sounds very nice of me,,, but the reason that I wanted to carry her up the stairs
were that I wanted to go home and have snack as soon as possible. But my mom had
told me not to leave Yuki behind, so I had to wait or walk slowly for her.  The only way to get home faster was to piggy back her...


Down's syndrome children might have some delay in physical and mental development,
but once they found their favourite things to do, they appear to be SUPER good at it.


My sister's favourite thing was "stitching".  She created so many patchwork art,
wall hangings, baby blankets, Christmas ornaments.

This is one of the most famous creation by her.

Many of my relatives and friends owns one of these

Christmas Wreath made by Yuki.

This is another Christmas ornament. She made only one of this as it was

confusing for her to put triangles together.

 

This bear is something she made after our mom passed away and 

she moved to the nursery home where she lives now. 

The care takers at the nursery home quickly realized that she is good at

stitching, so they gave her more tasks and she created bags. 

 

 

Now she doesn't do too much stitching as it requires 

lots of preparations and finishing work for other people.

I meet her when I go back to Japan once every 2 years or so. That is my dilemma, I should be living close to her, but I already established my life in Canada.... What can I do when I am so far away ...  

 

But I will be there when you need me to. 

I love my sister Yuki.

Mom trying to give me a Silver Lining

I woke up this morning with tears running down on my face.


This is one Friday morning, and I don't have any plan today, so I decided to sleep in.



Then dream started.



It was somewhat related what had happen few days ago in my Reiki practice. A male
came to receive my session, but he had very much inappropriate attitude,
and I had to decline his request to make another appointment.



This never happened to me, and it didn't feel good. But I was relieved that 
he wouldn't come here again. I thought I moved on, but I guess my mind was stuck.



Anyways, the dream was somewhat related to this incident, and 
I was very hurt in my dream.


In my dream, I cried and cried in my room up stairs in my old house 
where I used to live with my mom.


I finally went down the stairs, still crying, and looked for my mom
so I could talk to her.
 (By the way, my mom had passed away 17 years ago. I knew in 
my dream that I wouldn't find her, but I looked for her.)


Here she was standing in a kitchen, chatting with one of my cousin who is
like my big brother sometime, and they both found me crying.

I simply walked up to her and she simply gave me a big hug. We didn't say
anything, but I was so comfortable and safe in her arms. 


It was warm, safe, and felt like everything was OK. The sad crying turned
into a joy crying to meet my mom again.


As much as I really didn't like the experience with the inappropriate customer,
I got to meet my mom in my dream. 


It was a dream, but it was so real.  I miss you, mama.

Sliver Lining. 

Teacher who walks his talk

This is a little thank you note to my Reiki teacher, Yamaguchi sensei.

With Yamaguchi sensei in my Reiki Room in Chilliwack, BC, Canada

 I learned Jikiden Reiki with Yamaguchi sensei in 2006 for the first time. 


Jikiden Reiki was my first connection with him, but I have been learning so much more than just Reiki, but about "life" since I met him.  As I don't have parents to ask any advice, he became to be one of my important mentor for my life.



I feel honour to spend more time with him, and have more opportunity to know about him as a person, not only as my Reiki teacher, since I have started to be his translator in 2008, and organize the annual Jikiden Reiki Vancouver
seminar to invite people from all over in North America. 


I can say with my heart, he is such a casual person who has a great sense of humour but serious at the same time, down to earth and very spiritual, gentle but strict, very very caring, honest but easy going. 


I love the way he is because has no egoistic nor arrogant attitude which often happens in a teaching community. He is a person who deeply care about other people with respect and he has a deep honesty to unseen spirit world. 


Also, of course, he has deep dedication and integrity to Reiki. 

Anyways, this is what happened to my oldest son. 

His nose was starting to stuffed up, so his ears couldn't pop

when we were coming down from the ski hill.

By the time when we arrived to the town to have a dinner, my son's ear 

was hurting so bad, and he was feeling sick.

Yamaguchi sensei happened to sit beside him, and gently talked to him,

"Is your ear hurting?"

As he talked, his hand was already looking for a spot to place his hand 

on my son's head.

Yamaguchi sensei gives Reiki for my son's ear ache.

I already ordered his favourite beer. Usually, when beer comes to the table,

Yamaguchi sensei starts enjoying his drink, but it wasn't the case this time.

As my son sat upright, Yamaguchi sensei continues to
place his hand on my son's head.

Yamaguchi sensei continues to place his hand on my son's head, 

and eventually my son start to feel a bit better and was able to enjoy 

the last few bites of Sushi and some miso soup. 

Yamaguchi sensei is definitely a teacher who walks his talk.

I am so grateful to learn with him....

山口先生、ありがとうございます！

Yamaguchi sensei, Arigato gozaimasu

Japanese style certification

In the last post, I wrote about Iemoto system for Japanese traditional art.


I was thinking back about the time when I was learning Sado (Tea Ceremony), 
and dug out few certificates that were given by my Sado teacher.



Back then when I received these certificates, it was sort of "normal" to 
receive it in this traditional way.   


I failed to see its beauty then, but as I am looking at the Japanese culture 
from outside of Japan, now I realize that the Japanese traditional way to give 
a certificate is just so beautiful and also meaningful !!! 



So,,, here are the certificates that I received from my Sado teacher.

***I asked my Sado teacher if I can show my certificates to the people who are enjoying 

    my Reiki writing and she gave me a permission. 

    

From right, Nyumon certificate (entering level), Konarai certificate (beginner level), Chuden certificate (middle level), then Chabako certificate (tea ceremony set in a carry box --- well, put simply, a picnic tea ceremony).

 Each certificate is wrapped in a Japanese washi paper.

Unwrap the wrapping, and you will find a folded certificate.

Everything is beautifully hand calligraphied on washi paper.
Here are what's written in this certificate above.
From the right
     Certificate of entering level

     We have recognized that you have been learning Tea Ceremony

     with passion and earnestness, and here we certify you as a Entering Level

     Tea Ceremony practitioner. (something like that in old Japanese writing)

     Dai Nippon Chado Gakkai Honbu (Head of Japan Association of the Tea Ceremony)
     Founder Sen-ou Tanaka
     Date Heisei 8th year (1996), February, Good day
     Issued to Ms. Mari Okazaki


I am sure that Jikiden Reiki followers have noticed that there is a definite similarity in this beautiful way of giving certificates. 

    -The soft, strong, beautiful, creamy coloured Japanese washi paper.
    -Hand calligraphy with properly ground ink-cake.
    -Orangy red colour stamps 
    -Thin papers to prevent from the stamp ink to transfer
    -Folded in few section
    -Issued and mailed from the head office to teachers, and teachers give to the student

I would say Jikiden Reiki isn't JUST a Reiki school, but it has the Japanese culture deeply woven into the Reiki teaching. That's what I really like about ... 

  Although, usually, a certificate is just a paper work that recognize that one     

  accomplished the certain level of practice. Beautiful certificate doesn't make 

  you a better person and it doesn't mean that one can't practice without 

  the certificate. 

   However, I think it is wonderful to receive a certificate in this beautiful  

   and respectful manner.... It shows the teachers respect to the students and their

   commitment to the teaching by spending extra effort to the each process.    

   Because of this respect in the each process, the spirit and the passion of the 

   teaching in both teachers and students can be a long lasting , if not, forever.... 

   I think...

By the way,,,,
The Tea Ceremony style that I had learned called 

Dai Nippon Chado Gakkai (Japan Association of the Tea Ceremony). 

There are many schools of Sado, but this particular school is a very innovative and open minded school. Unlikely the strict style with Iemoto system which often see in the Sado world, this school is one of the only Sado school which is very open to the public to be more accessible to Japanese people without being restricted. They believe that Japanese people need to have better access to the Sado culture, and learn the true Japanese spirit through the Sado. 

They have 5C mottos as a Chajin (tea ceremony practitioner) and teach the practitioners to bring this motto to the daily life.  

   1. Courtesy - Be sincere and polite in any situation as a Chajin.
   2. Cooperation - Be willing to work as a team with Chajin spirits.
   3. Communication - Keep smiling, listen and answer with heart.
   4. Challenge - Be creative, and don't be afraid of the challenge.
   5. Cultivation - Always aim to the one step forward, and polish ourselves.


We as Reiki lovers are taught to live with the five principle in daily life.

   Just for today  
   Do not be angry 
   Do not worry
   Be grateful
   Do your duties fully
   Be kind to others




These 10 teachings between Sado and Reiki have such a important essence 
to be a good human being! 

Well, I shall do my BEST ! 

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 ?