First of all, Bronwen, thank you very much for creating this opportunity for us to speak again. I am truly grateful.

The response to our last interview surprised even me. What pleased me most was that my words reached people who had never known me before, sparking their interest in what the Usui-kai臼井会 actually is.

Many people could not hide their surprise at the fact that there is no keitō-zu系統図 (lineage chart) in the Usui-kai. Furthermore, the practice of transitioning seamlessly into a treatment right after performing Hatsurei-hō発霊法 (a method to invoke spiritual energy) seemed to be a fresh surprise for many readers. Seeing these reactions, I realized once again that the Reiki霊気 of the Usui-kai is fundamentally different from the various forms of Reiki in the West.

As I have mentioned before, the difference in how a shihan師範 (master instructor) in the Usui-kai and a “Teacher” in the West are viewed also became very clear through this response.

A shihan in the Usui-kai works strictly within the Usui-kai, taking on the role of cultivating members. They do not give reiju霊授 (spiritual energy transmission) privately to individuals, nor do they become independent. Naturally, they do not make money from it either. Because the responsibility is so heavy, there are actually people who say they do not want to become a shihan.

On the other hand, I hear that in Western Reiki, when someone becomes a Teacher, they can become independent, have their own clinic or school, and recruit students. And then they are incorporated into a keitō-zu themselves, aren’t they? Comparing these two, I feel that there is indeed something fundamentally different.

With all this in mind, let’s have another enjoyable conversation today. I am really looking forward to it.

First of all, as always, please note that this is not the official view of the Usui-kai臼井会, nor am I a spokesperson for the organization. I am simply sharing my own experiences and personal thoughts based on my learning within the Usui-kai.

First, let me explain the terminology. We have a kenkyūkai研究会 (training gathering) twice a month, and at this kenkyūkai, we always receive reiju霊授 (spiritual energy transmission) from a shihan師範 (master instructor). It takes a very short time, only about one to one and a half minutes.

On the other hand, there is a reiju-shō靈授証 (reiju certificate). In the past, this reiju-shō recorded the date the reiju was received and the name of the reijusha霊授者 (the person who gives reiju). However, the modern format uses the word denju伝授 (initiation or transmission). What used to be written on the certificate as “giving reiju” is now written as denju, and it lists the name of the shihan in charge at that time as the person from whom you received the denju. The shihan whose name is written is simply the one who happened to be in charge of the denju at that particular time.

Now, in the Usui-kai, we differentiate between the reiju received from a shihan at every kenkyūkai and the denju that takes place whenever one advances to a higher rank.

This denju is probably close in nuance to what is called an “attunement” in Western Reiki. However, it differs from Western Reiki in that there is almost no ritual involved. For example, when you are simply advancing in rank, your rank goes up just by attending that kenkyūkai.

At the level of Okuden奥伝 (inner teachings), you are taught the shirushiおしるし (symbols). In some cases, you receive a transmission of them, and you are taught their meaning and how to use them. That is all there is to it. The regular reiju is not performed here, so in a sense, I believe the word denju is used to mean the act of being taught these things.

Bronwen, here is my answer to your question.

In the Usui Reiki Ryōhō Gakkai, becoming a shihan師範 is not a certification for personal achievement or a tool for business. It is a lifelong duty of service.

The heaviest part of this responsibility is the absolute preservation of the teachings. A shihan must pass down Usui Sensei’s exact methods without adding personal interpretations or mixing them with other practices.

A shihan is also required to dedicate a massive amount of their personal time to the Gakkai. In addition to guiding members and performing reiju霊授, they also provide teate手当て (hands-on healing) and enkaku遠隔 (distant healing) when requested by members. Furthermore, branch shihans are responsible for booking venues and making all other preparations for the kenkyūkai研究会 (study meetings) held a few times a year when the President visits from Headquarters. This is all done entirely on a volunteer basis with no financial reward. They cannot use the title to market themselves or seek fame.

There is also a crucial difference from Western Reiki: a shihan does not have “their own students.” We are all strictly taught by the Gakkai itself.

It requires setting aside personal ego and making sacrifices for the sake of the tradition. Because this strict adherence and the burden of responsibility are so heavy, many dedicated members prefer to remain regular practitioners rather than take on the role of shihan.

I do not know exactly when it changed, but at the very least, when Mr. Doi joined as a rokutō6等 (6th rank) in 1993, the word denju伝授 was already being used. And the person giving it was listed as the denju-sha伝授者 (the person who gives denju).

Furthermore, my reiju-shō靈授証 is different from Mr. Doi’s. His did not have a column for Shinpiden神秘伝 (mystery teachings, the highest level), but my version does. Also, instead of the denju-sha stamping their personal seal, there is only a signature.

However, I heard that there were discussions about changing the format of the certificate prior to 2014, so it must have been updated by the time I joined.

I showed you my reiju-shō before. It has the words “to give denju” at the top, and in the section below, there are columns from rokutō up to Shinpiden. Each has the signature of the denju-sha. In the past, there was no row for the denju-sha at the bottom. It seems that a new certificate was given every time someone advanced a rank. Things change with the times, don’t they?

Although I do not know the specific reason why they made this change, as I mentioned in my previous answer, it is possible that they wanted to clarify the distinction between reiju霊授 and denju伝授. Unfortunately, since there are no records explaining the reason for this change, I cannot say for certain.

Reiju霊授 is a separate matter. Since it is performed every time, it is completely different from the one-time “attunement” in Western Reiki. Furthermore, there is no ritual involved in denju伝授.

You are simply gathered in a corner, shown the shape of the shirushiしるし (symbols), and taught how to use them.

In some cases, you receive a nentatsu念達 (a method of sending Reiki by imbuing it with one’s intention and symbols).

Therefore, it is separate from what is called an “attunement” in Western Reiki. It is very simple and understated.

In my understanding, the “attunement” was something created later on.

According to records, in the past, attending a reiju-kai霊授会 (Reiki transmission gathering) meant that one would advance by one rank. Furthermore, there are old records stating that this reiju-kai was held for five consecutive days, although we do not do that now. In other words, in the past, one had to attend the reiju-kai for five consecutive days to advance by one rank. And in those days, it seems that shihan師範 or daishihan大師範 (grand master instructor) from the Tokyo headquarters would travel to regional areas as the reijusha霊授者 (the person who gives reiju).

That is the real dilemma, isn’t it?

When you trace what actually happened — the burned records, the rewritten certificates, the shift to oral teachings — it is obvious that an exact, point-for-point replica of what Usui-sensei did is practically impossible.

That is why I do not see a shihan’s duty as blindly copying outer forms. It is more about chasing the core spirit while accepting the reality of change. We aim for the ideal, knowing we have to adapt, and the real value is in keeping that core alive honestly.

However, we have almost no original records left to look back on.

That is precisely why we must look back now. What was there in the beginning? This is also a journey to find our origins. Of course, some members and shihans are not interested in such things, but a few of us care deeply, so we choose to examine our roots.

At the very least, there is no “attunement” in the Usui-kai臼井会. However, for Reiki that has gone overseas, there is an “attunement”. This suggests that it was created either when it left the Usui-kai or as it was being taken abroad. I do not know when or by whom it was created.

Regarding reiju霊授 in the Usui-kai, Reiki itself flows through everyone. We are taught that we receive reiju simply to improve its flow.

There are various methods in Western Reiki, and I do not know what their system is like, but if I may speak my mind, it is never revoked or lost. Reiki is constantly flowing. Once it begins to flow, it is never cancelled. I myself have not attended the reiju-kai霊授会 (Reiki transmission gathering) for a long time, but I have never even thought that my Reiki might be revoked. What matters more is to practice Hatsurei-hō発霊法 (a method to invoke and strengthen spiritual energy) repeatedly and actively perform teate手当て (hands-on healing) to cultivate oneself.

There is no need to worry. Also, reiju is simply something beneficial to have. When you think about it, did Usui-sensei臼井先生 himself receive reiju?

That is a very insightful question. I have heard the same from my shihan師範:

Reiki flows through everyone from birth. However, receiving reiju霊授 strengthens that flow. It is a simple mechanism where Reiki flows as long as one is alive, and reiju enhances it. The flow only ceases when life ends.

On the other hand, Tomita Kaiji富田魁二 of Tomita Reiki富田霊気 (a system proposed by Tomita, student of Usui) proposed a different theory. He suggested that once Reiki is taken into the body, its state depends on the individual’s physical condition, and it can be depleted through use. Therefore, he argued that it is necessary to replenish it, and that the fukujin副腎 (adrenal glands) and jinzō腎臓 (kidneys) are the parts of the body responsible for producing Reiki.

My personal view is different; I believe Reiki is not something that is produced or depleted within the individual body, but rather something that constantly fills the world. Tomita-sensei’s theory seems to approach Reiki more like a physical energy that must be managed within the human body.

When Tomita Kaiji冨田魁二 published his first book, Reiki to Jinjutsu: Tomita-ryū Teate Ryōhō霊気と仁術 冨田流手あて療法 (Reiki and the Benevolent Art — Tomita-Style Hands-on Therapy), his method of shuyō修養 (self-cultivation) truly retained the vestiges of early Usui Reiki臼井靈氣. However, by the time the second edition was released, Tomita had developed his own original ideas. He began to emphasize the importance of the fukujin副腎 (adrenal glands). This is where his unique “Tomita flavor” became prominent. But since his roots are in Usui Reiki, his work is still very useful as a reference.

What can we learn from the books of Tomita and Eguchi Toshihiro江口俊博? The reason we read their books is that they both originally belonged to the Usui-kai臼井会 and later became independent from it. Their early methods seem to strongly reflect the exact practices of the Usui-kai.

The reason we study their methods is that the early practices of the Usui-kai have not survived. Because they are lost, we have to look from the periphery and deduce, “It was probably like this”. We can presume that what is common to their methods is likely the practice of early Usui Reiki臼井靈氣.

The methods that remain in the Usui-kai today, along with Tomita Reiki冨田霊気, Eguchi Reiki江口霊気, and what I call “Yoshida Reiki吉田霊気” — the methods of Yoshida Hiromu吉田弘 who wrote about Te no Myōyō手の妙用 (The Miraculous Use of Hands) — are all highly valuable references.

There are no historical materials from 1922 until Usui-sensei’s passing in 1926. It is said that the headquarters burned down during the Great Tokyo Air Raids, and all the documents were lost at that time. However, I believe that not every daishihan大師範 or shihan師範‘s house burned down, so as long as they haven’t been thrown away, some documents must still exist somewhere. But since it seems the teachings were primarily passed down through kuden口伝 (oral transmission), it makes finding written materials even more difficult.

One of my goals is to discover the origin of the current methods used by the Usui-kai.

For the Usui-kai臼井会, the o-shirushiおしるし (symbols) are like tools. They do not have powerful names like kotodama言霊 (words endowed with spiritual power). They simply have the name of the o-shirushi and its shape. You are shown a sample, you practice drawing it, you are taught its meaning, and you are taught when to use it.

However, the o-shirushi is not absolute. It is merely a tool.

Also, when nentatsu念達 (transmitting thought or intention) is performed, I believe it is done so that the o-shirushi is firmly engraved in the mind.

When is nentatsu performed and when is it not? They probably do it all the time. However, when things are busy and hectic, they might not have the time to get around to doing nentatsu.

By the way, regarding how to perform nentatsu, if you look at very early documents, it states that nentatsu is considered a kuden口伝 (oral transmission). Since nentatsu is just nentatsu, I do not understand why it is specifically referred to as a “kuden”. Whether there was some secret method or not, this is something that actually appears in the very early documents of the Usui-kai. This is another mystery that I must solve.

These o-shirushi, as tools, are all used entirely for treatment. They are tools for healing.

Furthermore, the person who passes on the techniques is called the sōke宗家 (head master of the art). Usually, the president concurrently serves as the sōke, but sometimes a person who is not the president becomes the sōke. Such a person sometimes performs teate手当て (hands-on healing) without using the o-shirushi at all. It is very simple.

As for hibikiヒビキ (the sensation or resonance of a block or illness), they said that instead of actually placing their hands on the body, they can tell where the hibiki is just by standing in front of the person and moving their hands slightly.

The president and the sōke of the Usui-kai take the initiative to perform teate themselves. The shihan師範 also perform distant healing for the members. This is how the Usui-kai continues its healing practices. Of course, they aim for spiritual elevation, and they believe that attaining happiness for oneself and others through healing is what is truly important.

To answer your clarification: nentatsu念達 is something the practitioner is taught how to perform themselves, rather than a ritual performed on them by the shihan師範.

Actually, I was taught nentatsu regardless of whether I was at the Okuden奥伝 level or not. In essence, it is simply one of the treatment methods.

Since nentatsu literally means conveying one’s thoughts or intentions, we perform it by sending Reiki infused with a specific wish. For example, during tanden chiryō丹田治療 (tanden treatment), we send Reiki with the clear intention and thought, “May this illness heal.”

In Western Reiki, I understand it is generally taught that you should not mix your own intentions with the Reiki energy, though I have heard that there are some lineages within Western Reiki that also utilize this nentatsu method.

In the traditional Usui-kai臼井会, this wasn’t presented as a strict, level-dependent secret. Instead, I was taught this method naturally by the shihan during our regular, everyday hands-on healing practice sessions.

First, let me clarify the definition of the words. The Japanese word denju伝授 traditionally means “to transmit or pass down (den伝)” and “to grant or bestow (ju授)” teachings and secrets from a master to a student. In the Usui-kai, this word is specifically used to mean the bestowal of a rank, such as granting the 6th Kyu or Okuden Zenki. Regardless of whether a ritual is involved, it is easier to understand denju simply as bestowing a rank. Anything other than that is called reiju霊授. Reiju is a practice conducted every time at our kenkyūkai研究会 to improve the flow of Reiki.

Now, regarding Mr. Doi. To me, he is not so much a teacher as he is a dear fellow student who studied side-by-side with me in the Usui-kai. I have the utmost respect for his wonderful achievements in spreading Reiki to the world.

However, regarding the story you asked about — that Usui Sensei taught one-on-one in the early days — the historical facts are a bit different. The truth is, there are absolutely no records remaining from 1922 to 1926. Even in the book Reiki Ai no Hikari霊気 愛の光 (The Light of Reiki Love), compiled during Koyama Sensei’s time, which contains accounts from people directly taught by Usui Sensei, there is no mention of such a thing.

Therefore, if Mr. Doi did say that, I myself am very curious to know what sources he based it on, and I would love to see them if they exist. That is how completely absent those historical records are, even within the Usui-kai. I was genuinely surprised to hear this story for the first time through your question.

I often feel that in the West, fragments of Mr. Doi’s words are taken out of context and take on a life of their own. I wonder if his true intentions were misunderstood, or if something he stated as a hypothesis was passed along as a “fact.” Currently, Mr. Doi is not in a position to speak directly to everyone and explain things himself. For that very reason, I feel it is not his true intention to have his fragmented words treated and spread as absolute truths. After all, we are all human, and memory lapses or miscommunications can happen to anyone.

As a fellow member who studied in the Usui-kai, I just wanted to be fair and make the facts clear. Think about it: if there were any surviving records of how reiju was performed while Usui Sensei was alive, can you imagine how overjoyed everyone in the Usui-kai would be? But no one has ever seen such a record.

That is the answer.

Regarding Mr. Yoshida, I first learned about him through an acquaintance while I was researching old documents on Reiki therapy. When I finally obtained a copy of his book, Te no Myōyō手の妙用 (The Wondrous Use of Hands), I was amazed by what I found. It describes methods identical to those of the Usui-kai臼井会, detailing his treatment techniques and clinical experiences. Privacy was not much of a concern in those days, so he actually published the real names of the people he healed.

He was a highly educated man who graduated from Kyoto Imperial University (now Kyoto University) and had many connections, including politicians. As you can see from his book, his approach involves placing the hands facing downwards to heal. He also writes very clearly and thoroughly about how to feel hibiki響き (sensations or resonance).

One slight difference from the Usui-kai is his method of drawing the hibiki into his own hands and then dissolving it. Although this differs from the Usui-kai’s exact approach, I was already aware that this type of technique existed among hand-healing practices of that era.

Furthermore, the book states a very important fact: hands-on healing can be performed without the need for symbols (shirushi印) or reiju霊授 (attunements).

The book outlines training methods, which are strikingly similar to those of Usui Reiki臼井霊気. While Mr. Yoshida doesn’t explicitly state where he learned his techniques, it is highly likely that he studied Usui Reiki or something very closely related to it. As I mentioned, he was a well-educated man with a wide network, and since he was born and raised in Gifu Prefecture — the same as Usui Sensei — I am certain he knew of him.

There was a time when I actively researched the connection between Usui Sensei and Mr. Yoshida to understand how he acquired these methods. I even visited the temple where Mr. Yoshida once lived (where I believe his descendants still reside), but unfortunately, the head priest was away, and I couldn’t speak with anyone.

Perhaps because I have spoken highly of this book in various places, Te no Myōyō is now quite difficult to find and trades at very high prices on the antiquarian market. Nevertheless, it is a book I strongly recommend.

Since you mentioned Eguchi and Tomita, I would like to add a few things.

In my impression, Eguchi Reiki江口霊気 (Toshihiro Eguchi) later leaned quite heavily towards State Shinto. However, his method, Tenohira Ryōji手のひら療治, eventually went global as “Palm Healing” through the Macrobiotics network.

As for Mr. Tomita (Kaiji Tomita), his methods are no longer passed down today. I actually visited the site where his house used to be, but the house was gone, and there was only a parking lot. Today, there are no clues left about him other than his writings. If you are going to read Tomita’s work, I highly recommend the 2nd Edition that was published later, rather than the versions currently available overseas. That 2nd Edition is the true masterpiece of Tomita Reiki. I pray that it will be translated soon so that it can reach all of you.

I do not believe that Usui-sensei received reiju霊授 from any specific person. According to legend, Usui-sensei underwent a twenty-one-day fasting meditation on Kurama-yama鞍馬山 (Mount Kurama). It is said that on the final day, he felt an intense energy, attained enlightenment, and simultaneously acquired the healing ability. Or perhaps he came into contact with the dai reiki大霊気 (the great spiritual energy) mentioned in the legends, and that is how he acquired such power. I do not know for sure.

However, if Reiki is something that inherently flows through everyone, Usui-sensei must have completely resonated the Reiki within himself with the Reiki of the universe, opening his own channel through his severe, life-risking shuyō修養 (self-cultivation). This is my view.

We had a very meaningful exchange of ideas today.