Chronological History of Reiki Page 4

History of Takata Sensei

1900 – December 25, Hawayo Kawamuru was born in Hanamaulu, Kauai, Hawaii. Mr. and Mrs. Otogoro Kawamuru, her parents, were sugar cane workers and immigrants. She was named after the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawayo worked as a sugar cane worker, soda fountain clerk, waitress/pantry girl and head of housekeeping for a wealthy family. She worked for this family for about 25 years. It was during her job as head of housekeeping that she met Saichi Takata.

1917 – March, Hawayo Kawamuru and Saichi Takata were married. Saichi and Hawayo were very happy together and had 2 daughters (one named Alice Takata-Furumoto, who later had a daughter named Phyllis Lei Furumoto).

1930 – Saichi Takata became very ill and went to Japan for treatment. While in Japan he made his transition (died) at age 34.

The next several years were very hard for Hawayo; she really pushed herself to cover her grief and worked many long hours to provide for her family. This took its toll on her health and she began experiencing abdominal pain. Her parents went to Japan for a yearlong visit.

1935 – Hayawo’s sister made her transition (died) and Hawayo decided to go to Japan to tell her parents and receive treatment for her asthma and abdominal pain. At the hospital in Japan she was ordered to rest, relax and eat lots of good food to regain her strength, before an operation could take place. For the next 3 weeks she relaxed and regained her strength. Just before her operation, she heard a voice say to her that the operation was not necessary; so she asked her doctor about alternatives to surgery. He told her about Hayashi’s Reiki Clinic where she went to received a treatment that very day. The daily treatments continued for the next 4 months, until she was completely cured. Takata wanted to learn Reiho to preserve her health.

1937 – Before Mrs. Takata left for Hawaii, she attended Hayashi’s Okuden level class. Right is a poor copy of a photo of a Reiki class with the title ‘Reiki Ryho ho Kai 1937’. The kanji at the bottom of the picture says, 'Reiki Ryoho Koushu Kai' (Reiki Ryoho Training Meeting 1937). A few weeks after Takata went back to Hawaii; Dr. Hayashi and his daughter arrived and stayed until February 1938. When asked about Mrs. Takata’s fee for mastership training, Helen Haberly, one of her students and author of ‘Reiki, Hawayo Takata’s Story’ responded, “Mrs. Takata had to put her house up for sale to pay for her Shinpiden training.” Note to the Reiki student: If you look closely at the photo you will notice that about half of the students are women.

1938 – February 21st, Hayashi Sensei officially conferred the title of Reiki Master to Mrs. Takata (Takata's certificate). She became a Reiki Teacher or Shinpiden. Note to the Reiki student: The title of Grand Master did not appear until after Takata Sensei made her transition. Phyllis Lei Furumoto (Takata-San’s granddaughter) was conferred the title 'Grand Master' by the Reiki Alliance. The words Shinpiden or Sensei are how a teacher of Reiki is referred to in Japan. The Japanese word 'Sensei' means, 'teacher, master, doctor' and is a word usually used by students out of respect for their teachers.

1940 – Takata Sensei received a telegraph from Hayashi Sensei requesting her to come to his estate immediately. On May 10th, in front of a small gathering of his Shinpiden students and family, Chujiro Hayashi took his own life. He said that he was a man of peace and could not go to war (WWII), which he intuited was about to begin.

Takata Sensei lived on Kauai, the big island (Hawaii) and Oahu. In 1955 she owned a health spa in La Jocinta, California which she sold and moved back to Hawaii. She also had a Reiki clinic on the big island, which she closed and it is believed she opened another one later on Oahu. She traveled throughout the US in the 1970's spreading Reiki teachings, which she referred to as Usui Reiki Ryoho but used 'Usui Shiki Ryoho' or (‘The Usui System of Natural Healing’) on her certificates . On a tape recording made during a class in 1979 Takata Sensei told the history of Reiki and said that she learned 'Usui Reiki Ryoho' from Dr. Hayashi, which is the same name that Usui Sensei called it. She also said that Hayashi Sensei taught her exactly what he learned from Usui Sensei and that is what she teaches, with no changes. In 1976 she charged $125 US for First Degree (Shoden), $400 US for Second Degree (Okuden) and $10,000 US for Teaching or Master Degree (Shinpiden). Note to the Reiki student: Not all of her master students paid the $10,000 fee. We recently heard of one who paid $1,000 plus sponsered a number of Mrs. Takata's classes in exchange for the balance of the fee. We also know that Virginia Samdahl, Ethel Lombardi and Barbara Weber (Ray) sponsered numerous classes for Mrs. Takata; perhaps in exchange for some or all of their Mastership fee.

1970(s) – Takata Sensei began to train Master students. Her first four Master students trained in 1976 were: Virgina Samdahl, Barbara McCullough, Ethel Lombardi and John Harvey Gray. It is not known when Mrs. Takata made her sister Kay a Reiki Master, our guess is sometime earlier.

1980 – December, Hawayo Takata made her transition. She trained a total of 22 Reiki Masters. Following is a list of those students: Dorothy Baba, Ursula Baylow, Rick Bockner, Patricia Bowling Ewing, Barbara Brown, Fran Brown, Phyllis Furumoto, Beth Gray, John Gray, Iris Ishikuro, Harry Kuboi, Ethel Lombardi, Barbara McCullough, Mary McFadyen, Paul Mitchell, Shinobu Saito, Bethel Phaigh, Virginia Samdahl, Wanja Twan, Barbara Weber Ray, Kay Yamashita, and George Araki.

Memorial of Usui Sensei's "Kudoku"(benevolence)

From Rick Rivard – following is a translation of the Memorial to Usui. All items in italic are notes or explanations regarding the text. Translation by Emiko Arai with corrections by Ms. M. Riggall and Mr. H. Doi.

It is called 'toku' which people experience by culture and training, and 'koh' which people practice teaching and the way to save people. ('koh' + 'toku'= 'kudoku).

Only the person who has high virtue and does good deeds can be called a great founder and leader. From ancient times, among wisemen, philosophers, geniuses and (a phrases that means - very straight and have the right kind of integrity), the founders of a new teaching or new religion are like that. We could say that Usui Sensei was one of them.

Usui "Sensei" (literally "he who comes before"; thus teacher, or respected person) newly started the method that would change mind and body for better by using universal power. People hearing of his reputation and wanting to learn the method, or who wanted to receive the therapy, gathered around from all over. It was truly prosperous.

Sensei's common name is Mikao and other name was Gyoho (perhaps his spiritual name). He was born in the Taniai-mura (village) in the Yamagata district of Gifu prefecture (Taniai is now part of Miyama Village). His ancestor's name is Tsunetane Chiba (a very famous Samurai from the 8th century). His father's name was Uzaemon. His mother's maiden name was Kawai.

Sensei was born in the first year of the Keio period, called Keio Gunnen (1865), on August 15th. From what is known, he was a talented and hard-working student. His ability was far superior. After he grew up, he traveled to Europe, America and China to study. He wanted to be a success in life, but couldn't achieve it; often he was unlucky and in need. But he didn't give up; he disciplined himself to study more and more.

One day he went to Kuramayama to start an asceticism (it says "shyu gyo" - a very strict process of spiritual training using meditation and fasting). On the beginning of the 21st day, suddenly he felt one large Reiki over his head and he comprehended the truth. At that moment he got Reiki "Ryoho" (healing method). When he first tried this on himself, then tried this on his family, good results manifested instantly. Sensei said that it is much better to share this pleasure with the public at large than to keep this knowledge to our family. So he moved his residence to Harajuku, Aoyama, Tokyo. There he founded "Gakkai" (a learning society) to teach and practice Reiki Ryoho in April of the 11th year of the Taisho period (1922). Many people came from far and wide and asked for the guidance and therapy, and even lined up outside of the building.

September of the twelfth year of the Taisho period (1923), there were many injured and sick people all over Tokyo because of the Kanto earthquake and fire. Sensei felt deep anxiety. Everyday he went around the city to treat them. It could not be counted how many people were treated and saved by him. During this and other emergency situations, his relief activity was that of reaching out his hands of love to suffering people.

After that, his learning place became too small. In February of the 14th year of the Taisho period (1925), he built and moved to a new one outside Tokyo in Nakano. (Nakano is now part of Tokyo). Because his fame had risen still more, he was often invited to many places in Japan. In answering those requests, he went to Kure, then to Hiroshima, to Saga and reached Fukuyama. It was during his stay in Fukuyama that he unexpectedly got sick and died. He was 62 years old. (The date of Usui san’s death is March 9, 1926).

His wife was from Suzuki family; her name was Sadako. They had a son and a daughter. The son's name was Fuji who carried on the Usui family (meaning the property, business, family name, etc. Born in 1907, at the time of his father's death Fuji was 19. It is known now that Fuji also taught Reiki in Taniai village).

Sensei was very mild, gentle and humble by nature. He was physically big and strong, yet he kept smiling all the time. However, when something happened, he prepared towards a solution with firmness and patience. He had many talents. He liked to read, and his knowledge was very deep of history, biographies, medicine, theological books like Buddhism Kyoten (Buddhist bible) and bibles (scriptures), psychology, jinsen no jitsu (god hermit technique), the science of direction, ju jitsu, incantations (the "spiritual way of removing sickness and evil from the body"), the science of divination, physiognomy (face reading) and the I Ching. I think that Sensei's training in these, and the culture which was based on this knowledge and experience, led to the key to perceiving Reiho (short for "Reiki Ryoho"). Everybody would agree with me.

Looking back, the main purpose of Reiho was not only to heal diseases, but also to have right mind and healthy body so that people would enjoy and experience happiness in life. Therefore, when it comes to teaching, first let the student understand well the Meiji Emperor's admonitory - that in the morning and in the evening, let them chant and have in mind the five precepts which are:

First we say, today don't get angry.
Secondly we say, don't worry.
Third we say, be thankful.
Fourth we say, endeavor your work.
Fifth we say, be kind to people.

This is truly a very important admonitory. This is the same way wisemen and saints disciplined themselves since ancient times. Sensei named these the "secret methods of inviting happiness"; "the spiritual medicine of many diseases" to clarify his purpose to teach. Moreover, his intention was that a teaching method should be as simple as possible and not difficult to understand. Every morning and every evening, sit still in silence with your hands in prayer and chant the precepts, then a pure and healthy mind will be nurtured. In its truest sense, practice and use this in daily life. This is the reason why Reiho became so popular.

Recently the world condition has been in transition. There is great change in people's thoughts. Fortunately, if Reiho can be spread throughout the world, it will be a big help for people who have a confused mind or who have little morality. Surely Reiho is useful for more than healing chronic diseases and bad habits.

The number of the students of Sensei's teaching reaches over 2,000 people already. Among them senior students who remained in Tokyo are carrying on Sensei's learning place (Dr. Hayashi took title to the school in November, 1926 and together with Mr. Taketomi and Mr. Gyuda, re-located it to Shinano Machi in 1926, and ran it as a hospice) and the others in different provinces also are trying to spread Reiki as much as possible. Although Sensei died, Reiho has to be spread and to be known by many people in the long future. Aha! What a great thing that Sensei has done’ having perceived this technique, to have shared this Reiho, with the people unsparingly.

Now many students converged at this time and decided to build this memorial at Saihoji Temple in the Toyotama district (boundaries have changed and the temple is now in Suginami district) to make clear his benevolence and to spread Reiho to the people in the future. I was asked to write these words. Because I deeply appreciate his work and I was honored to be a student of Sensei, I accepted this work instead of refusing it. I would sincerely hope that people would not forget looking up to Usui Sensei with respect.

Composed by "ju-san-i" ("subordinate third rank, the Junior Third Court (Rank) -- an honorary title), Doctor of Literature, Masayuki Okada.
Written (brush strokes) by Navy Rear Admiral, "ju-san-i kun-san-tou ko-yon-kyu" ("subordinate third rank, the Junior Third Court (Rank), 3rd order of merit, 4th class" -- again, an honorary title) Juzaburo Gyuda (also pronounced Ushida).

Second Year of Showa (1927), February

 

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