Jikiden Reiki

Japanese and western Reiki practioners

When I asked our master, Nishina Masaki  that how can I learn more from the spiritualty of Reiki, He answered this: "if you learn more from the Japanese spirituality". I took his advice so firstly I have read the book of Tadao Yamaguchi: Light on the Origins of Reiki. In this book the author dwell long upon the difference between the western and Japanese view.

He starts with that fact, that he started to teach Reiki in his country in 1999, where there was only Japanese people. Next year there were some foreign people too. After some years he was called upon to spread Jikiden Reiki in abroad, so Mr. Yamaguchi could experience the differences and similarity of view of disciples who lives outside of Japan.

He had very interesting revelation. Beside he profess that in our deep soul we are not differ from each other. It is natural for Japanese people. With the work of western Reiki practitioners he discovered how the western Reiki had been transformed to different way when it spread to all over the world.

The most amazing fact was for Tadao Yamaguchi and his mother that how many question was asked by western Reiki practitioners. The Jikiden Reiki teachers basically teach the same curriculum for both the foreigners and for both Japanese students. They use lot of Japanese expression and chant Gokai (5 life principle) in Japanese too. This is not easy for the foreigners, but when the students understand the meaning of Japanese words, they can accept these things.

Some Japanese Reiki practitioner is so much interested in what happens in Reiki class for foreigners that, they participate on these courses as an "observer". That time they are very astonished because the foreigner Reiki practitioners took several questions. At same time they feel shame because they do not show so much emotion, enthusiasm like western Reiki practitioners.

It is fact that that Reiki classes for Japanese people are much more silent. It is often happened that nobody dare to ask questions until the teacher give permission. There are (Japanese) Reiki classes where there are not asked any question.

Mr. Yamaguchi tells us that foreigner students are interrupting each other cut when they asking questions in Reiki class. Of course it is an astonishing contrast, but it gives a chance to him to pay attention to that details which Japanese students never would have queried. In his opinion that is why asking foreign students so much because they would like to know a very different culture from them.

All we know the Japanese system which is very formal and authoritarian. For Japanese people it is not important that children could tell their opinion. The teaching is not interactive - While the teacher is explaining, the students are listening. Because of this nobody teach the assertive behaviour to Japanese people. This is the cause why Japanese people show less enthusiasm and enquiry.

The other reason why Japanese people so silent is because of their master-disciple relationship. In the old times if somebody was learning material art, he/she must have be obedient to his master. It was inconceivable that time, that somebody ask from his/her master or call back.
The disciples learnt from what the master did or, what they was told. There was a saying that "Move backwards three step for fear of that do not pace to your master's shadow.

Despite this there was a strong relationship between the master and the student and they stayed connected for whole life. Even after when the disciple became master and towered above his master.

Mikao Usui and his students also had such a formal relationship, especially if they came from the ranks of the Navy, as Hayashi Sensei, since there is a greater emphasis on discipline.
Dr. Hayashi so much revered his teacher that he never ever has changed anything which he had learnt from Usui sensei. He just complemented with his medical knowledge.

Hayashi sensei was honoured in the same way by his students, and Tadao Yamaguchi and his mother Chiyoko never have queried anything what they had learned from Dr. Hayashi. It is so true that when Mr. Tadao Yamaguchi is being asked why it should do like this, Sometimes he simply says: "Because Hayashi sensei said this!"

In Japan today, this behaviour is hardly found, except in some traditional areas. However Japanese people is still kept in mind this behaviour.
This article was written by Melegné Tóth Judit by virtue of book Tadao Yamaguchi: Light on the Origins of Reiki.