Review of Book Modern Reiki Method for Healing by Hiroshi Doi

I just finished reading the revised edition of Modern Reiki Method for Healing by Hiroshi Doi about the system of Reiki and Mikao Usui. Although I think it has its flaws, it is still one of the better Reiki books around. This is mainly because Hiroshi Doi is a member of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai and therefore has some unique insights into their way of teaching. It is also a wonderful book for people who are interested in reading about some of the Japanese techniques and Hiroshi Doi’s branch of the system, Gendai Reiki.

The personal highlights for me, however, are related to his information about Mikao Usui’s spiritual way of teaching. Doi-san has gotten his hands on some notes from a student/s of Mikao Usui which are gems. Here is one of them

The training according to the Natural Law of this whole world develops human’s spirituality. When you are convinced of this Truth, your committed training actualises the unification with the Universe. The word you speak and the action you take becomes One with the Universe and they effortlessly work as the absolute limitlessness. This is in other words, the true nature of the human.

From Doi-san’s research it seems that Mikao Usui’s aim was to guide his students into a state of mind of Anshin Ritsumei, enlightenment. He states,

So the old Gakkai members said that Usui Sensei taught the way to Satori very intensely to those who had achieved a certain level.

What I also like about this book is that Doi-san is not shying away from openly saying things he has rediscovered in his research, many Reiki books are not that open to in this kind of manner. For example:

But I could find signs that he [Chujiro Hayashi] had already converted the “Usui method” into the “Hayashi method” even before he taught Takata Sensei. He seemed to try modernizing Reiki-ho based on his medical knowledge and experience as a practical therapist.

Next, although Hayashi Sensei advertised to the public that he taught “Usui” Reiki Ryoho after he had become independent of the Gakkai, he actually taught “Hayashi” Reiki. He adopted his own theories and techniques aimed at curing disease.

Dento Reiki as it was practiced by members of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai before Usui sensei’s death drastically changed after his passing and even more after the end of Word War II.

Nevertheless, I would have loved to read more about the spiritual teachings of Mikao Usui. The included notes are great, but I would love to know what it was he was teaching and how he taught. Perhaps this is shrouded in the mist of history, only to be learned through the direct experience of his methods.

I would like to finish with a quote from one of Doi-san’s own teachers and a former Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai president, Mrs Koyama

Photos and documents are important of course, but what truly matters is to practice Reiki following Usui Sensei’s philosophy and to become happy.

You can order this book at http://www.reiki.org

Frans Stiene

Based in Holland, Frans Stiene teaches in North America, Europe, UK, Australia and Asia.
Frans is also the author of Reiki Insights, it is the continuation of his previous book The Inner Heart of Reiki, taking your personal practice and understanding of the system of Reiki yet another step deeper.

ihreiki.com/about/reiki_teachers/frans_stiene/