The Flow Of Light: My Journey With Usui Reiki
There are times in life when the weight of the world presses so deeply into the soul that words, medicine, and even rest cannot seem to reach what aches within. It was during one of those quiet, unraveling seasons that Reiki found me — or perhaps, as I’ve come to believe, it remembered me.
The word Reiki comes from two Japanese characters:
“Rei”, meaning universal life or divine wisdom,
and “Ki”, meaning vital energy — the same energy that breathes life into all things.
Together, Reiki means “spiritually guided life force energy.” It is not bound by religion, time, or place; it is the current that runs through the trees, the oceans, the stars — and us.
The Origins Of Reiki
The practice of Reiki was rediscovered in Japan during the early 20th century by Dr. Mikao Usui (1865–1926), a scholar and spiritual seeker who longed to understand how ancient healers — including the Buddha and Jesus — could channel such divine healing energy through their hands.
Usui dedicated years of his life to meditation, study, and ascetic training, exploring Buddhist and Shinto traditions in search of an answer. His spiritual awakening came during a 21-day meditation and fast on Mount Kurama, a sacred mountain near Kyoto known for its deep spiritual energy.
It was there, upon the mountaintop, that Usui experienced a profound moment of enlightenment — a radiant white light struck him, and with it came an understanding of how to channel universal energy for healing. He called this discovery Reiki Ryoho — the Reiki Healing Method.
Dr. Usui spent the remainder of his life sharing Reiki, teaching that it was a gift meant for all who sought harmony, balance, and inner peace. One of his students, Chujiro Hayashi, further developed structured hand positions and healing protocols, eventually passing the teachings to Hawayo Takata, a Hawaiian woman who became instrumental in introducing Reiki to the Western world in the late 1930s.
Through this lineage — Usui → Hayashi → Takata — Reiki spread across continents, awakening healers, teachers, and seekers alike.
The Five Reiki Principles
Dr. Usui believed that physical healing must also be accompanied by emotional and spiritual growth. He shared five guiding principles that continue to resonate with practitioners around the world:
- Just for today, I will not be angry.
- Just for today, I will not worry.
- Just for today, I will be grateful.
- Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
- Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.
These principles serve as gentle reminders — a daily practice of mindfulness and compassion. They invite us to live in the moment, to let energy flow freely, and to meet life with gratitude rather than resistance.
Reiki And The Web Of Life
Reiki reminds us that everything in existence is energy — flowing, vibrating, and connecting. It teaches us that healing is not about “fixing” something broken but rather bringing the body, mind, and spirit back into alignment.
Many cultures throughout history have honored similar life force energies under different names:
- Chi in Chinese medicine
- Prana in Sanskrit traditions
- Mana in Polynesian beliefs
- Ruach in Hebrew mysticism
- Spiritus in Latin, meaning “breath”
Reiki is simply another expression of this universal truth — that energy is life, and life is sacred.
A Daily Practice Of Light
Each morning, I begin with a simple ritual: I place my palms over my heart and call in Reiki energy. I thank my teachers — Dr. Usui, Hayashi, Takata, and the unseen masters who continue to guide us. I visualize golden light expanding through my chest, flowing outward to bless the day, the people I meet, and even the challenges I may face.
Reiki is not limited to healing others — it’s also a tool for self-healing, grounding, and spiritual connection. It restores calm after chaos, softens emotional wounds, and helps the mind return to clarity.
Through Reiki, I’ve learned that healing doesn’t always mean “feeling better.” Sometimes it means releasing, grieving, forgiving, and transforming. It is energy in motion — constantly cleansing, balancing, and awakening us to the truth that we are not separate from the universe, but part of its endless rhythm.
The Reiki Prayer
“The secret art of inviting happiness,
The miraculous medicine for all diseases,
Just for today, do not anger,
Do not worry, and be filled with gratitude.
Devote yourself to your work.
Be kind to people.
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your heart,
And chant these words with your mouth.
Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind.”
My Journey To Becoming An Usui Reiki Master
My personal journey with Reiki began as a whisper — a quiet pull toward something I couldn’t yet explain. I had always felt energy around me, especially when I was in nature or helping others through emotional pain. There were moments when my hands would grow warm, tingling as if responding to something unseen. At the time, I didn’t have words for it.
When I began studying Reiki, I felt as though I was remembering something ancient. During my attunements — the sacred initiations where a Reiki Master opens your energy channels to align with the Universal Life Force — I felt waves of light move through me. It was both humbling and electrifying, as if centuries of ancestral healing wisdom were awakening in my veins.
Through study and practice, I progressed through Reiki I, where I learned to feel and trust energy; Reiki II, where I was introduced to the sacred symbols and distance healing; and finally, Reiki III — the Master level, where I became attuned to the Master symbol and learned to pass the gift of Reiki on to others.
Becoming an Usui Reiki Master was not simply about earning a title — it was a spiritual initiation, a deep remembering of my soul’s purpose. I began to notice how Reiki subtly transformed my daily life. My intuition grew stronger, my dreams became clearer, and my heart learned to rest in compassion.
When I place my hands upon someone — or even over my own heart — I no longer question whether the energy is “real.” I can feel it hum beneath the surface, like a song that has always been playing, waiting for us to listen.
Closing Reflection
Reiki has become a quiet companion on my spiritual path — a bridge between the physical and the unseen, between the healer and the healed. Becoming an Usui Reiki Master has been one of the most sacred chapters of my life, deepening my connection to the divine energy that moves through all things — from the pulse of the earth to the whisper of the stars.
When I share Reiki with others, I feel the same message that Dr. Usui received on Mount Kurama echo softly within me:
“The power to heal is already within you.”
By Candlelight,
HN Staples
