If you asked me about the differences between traditional Japanese Reiki (what I’m calling Eastern Reiki) and that studied in other countries (what I’m calling Western Reiki) when I first started to study Reiki here in Japan (about 10 years ago) I would have said the differences were night and day. However over the last 2 years or so things have changed dramatically and the boundaries have become somewhat blurred.

Traditional Reiki Healing didn’t incorporate things like aromatherapy, crystals, gemstones, smudging, dancing, drumming, chanting, or distance attunements… nor did it incorporate many of the wonderful (although fictitious) stories involving Dr. Usui, Dr. Hayashi and/or Mrs. Takata that have come to mean so much in the West. Heck, it didn’t even do much healing since it was regarded as primarily a spiritual endeavor. I don’t wish to demean Western understandings in regard to Reiki in any way, shape or form, they are fascinating stories and largely responsible for the spread of Reiki in the first place, and metaphorically speaking those stories are of immense value, even though most of them simply do not contain a shred of true. But again, the boundaries have been blurring and now I see those things being incorporated into many Reiki classes and Reiki shares here in Japan with little or no difference from the way things are done in the West.

5 years ago Reiki was still relatively unknown here in Japan… this is rather surprising since Japan is the birthplace of Reiki… it just never really caught on here, until recently. The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Dr. Usui’s Original Reiki Association) still meets in secret and if it were up to them they would be the only ones practicing Reiki… those that suggest it change are tagged as undesirables and so they continue their secret handshakes and mantras and regard the rest of the world’s Reiki as inferior. The younger generation (which in Japan includes anyone under 65) has taken a keen liking to Western Reiki and it is spreading. And if you ask me… its rather nice!!! 🙂

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!