| In
Dr. Usui’s Handbook , Dr. Usui writes "In times
like these, the happiness of humanity is based on working
together and the desire for social progress." While it
sounds like he could be talking about now, what times was
he referring to?
Dr. Usui
also refers to keeping a system like Reiki secret "an
old-fashioned custom from the last century". What did
‘old-fashioned’ mean to a man who teaching in
1920’s Japan?
And who
was this Meiji emperor who originated the 5 Reiki Principles,
and why did Dr. Usui hold him in such high esteem.
And so
I began my quest to learn more about this time period in Japan
so I could put some of Dr. Usui’s life in context.
The Opening
of Japan
Japan’s ruling elite kept Japan closed to all foreigners
for two hundred years. In 1854, the Americans decided to force
the issue, by sending a naval fleet far superior to anything
feudal Japan had ever seen.
The result
of this event was a series of very unequal trade agreements
opening some of Japan’s ports. Tariffs and terms were
set by the Americans and other foreign governments, who also
gave themselves full immunity to local laws.
Because
of the widespread feelings of anger and humiliation caused
by these treaties In 1867, the Tokugawa shogun, the military
leader whose family of shoguns had ruled Japan for 250 years,
was forced to resign.
The Meiji
Emperor
In response, the 16 year old emperor Mutsuhito announced that
he had taken back his traditional powers from the shogun and
would rule Japan as emperor. He chose the name "Meiji"
for his reign which means "enlightened governement"
The Meiji
emperor, moved the imperial capital from Kyoto to Edo, which
he renamed Tokyo, and promptly instituted a far reaching modernization
effort. Railroads, telephones, and modern factories were all
built. A modern banking system was introduced, along with
private ownership of land, and subsidies to private enterprise.
Under the influence of these policies the economy grew. This
period of the Meiji restoration was the most prosperous time
period in Japan in its 2000 year history.
The intention
was to ‘catch up’ with the western nations technologically,
yet retain Japanese values and morality. To diminish the extreme
class orientation of society to give rights to all, yet reinforce
the role of the emperor as divine ruler.
Universal
education would have made a huge difference in going from
a feudal class oriented society, into one where ‘peasants’
were considered important members of society.
Mikao
Usui would have been 7 years old, when compulsory universal
education was instituted in 1872, making him among the first
groups of Japanese children to benefit from this system. He
grew up in a time where it was believed that progress could
make a radical difference in bettering people’s lives.
In addition
to running a successful family business, Dr. Usui also worked
in government.
His interests in health, spirituality and personal morality
that later led him to Reiki would have served him well in
his work for the department of health and welfare.
Travel
to the west was encouraged, but always with the agenda of
bringing benefit back to Japan. Dr. Usui is likely to have
done his world travel during this time period.
Japan
was not a peaceful nation. Rapid modernization made Japan
the most powerful nation in Asia by the 1890’s. Japan
sought to expand its territory through its economic and military
power by fighting wars with China (1894-1895) and Russia (1904-1905)
and annexing Korea in 1910. Over the course of a single lifetime,
Japan had gone from a feudal backwater to a recognized world
power.
Death
of the Emperor: Times of uncertainty
The next piece we know about Dr. Usui, was that his personal
and business life went downhill around 1914, and that this
led to the experiences that led him to Reiki.
The Meiji
emperor died in 1912 , and his successor son Yoshihito (the
Taisho emperor), soon showed signs of mental instability,
but was not replaced (by the Crown Prince Hirohito) until
1921.
This would
have been very traumatic for Dr. Usui who idolized the emperor,
and the change in government might also have affected his
career directly or indirectly. 1912 was also the year of the
sinking of the Titanic, when the world began to realize that
technology had its limitations.
Dr. Usui
chose to return to the Buddhist training of his youth for
answers. It was during the 21 day life-training course he
attended on Mt Kurama-yama that he received his Reiki experience.
Changing
Times
During the early 1920’s, while Dr. Usui was teaching
Reiki and seeing great need was a time of great strife. The
police conducted hunts for ‘red students’ and
raided their meeting places. Just across the water, Russia
had become communist in 1917, and China had acquired a vigorous
communist party. Military officers were assigned to all secondary
schools and universities to supervise not only military training,
but also ‘patriotic spirit’ at the schools.
Japan
also began to encounter severe economic problems. Economic
development was slowing, agriculture reached a plateau, and
rice imports had to be increased.
It was
during this time, in 1923 that the devastating Kanto earthquake
struck, in which thousands were killed, injured or took sick.
Dr. Usui took the hard times and used them as proof of the
need for his system which he taught widely, training 2000
practitioners in a period of about 4 years (1922-1926)
The words
on his memorial speak directly to the needs of that time,
and this "Philosophical paradigms are changing the world
round. If Reiki can be spread thoughout the world it will
touch the human heart and the morals of society. It will be
helpful for many people, and will not only heal disease, but
also the earth as a whole"
©
1999 Jessica Miller, Printed with Permission |
