Eastern and Western Reiki
USUI Mikao
USUI Makao learnt spiritual and martial arts, at a young age. He is said to have studied theosophical and philosophical systems and travelled widely. As an adult he worked, had a family and spent some time in monasteries ie. retreats as a lay practitioner. Decades later, he had a profound mystic experience after meditating, fasting and exposed to cold on a mountain top (Mt Kurama) for 3 weeks. He came down from the mountain and discovered that his significant spiritual experience had benefited his body, mind, spirit AND that he was able to help others down a similar path. Usui had not undergone any Reiki attunement ceremony, as do modern Reiki practitioners, before his major mystic experience. He was just a human meditating on top of a mountain. His is a powerful example of the path along which meditation and Reiki can take us. Particularly, if safe, sensible progression is built in. In any event, in 1922 Usui set up a Reiki School which might better be called Usui's Reiki Association.
Western Reiki (Takata Reiki that spread worldwide)
Most of the Reiki you see in Australia and all over the Western world comes from a Hawaiian lady who learnt Reiki in Japan before World War 2 and then returned to Hawaii. The Hawaiian Lady, TAKATA Hawayo, and her 20+ students taught many people and so "Takata Reiki" spread worldwide. During the process many "New Age" and other elements were added, emphasis changed, and some things were lost. Takata Reiki became different from the original Usui-Reiki-Association Reiki that remained in Japan. "Takata Reiki" is Western Reiki and is by far the most common type of Reiki practiced all over the world. Eventually, Western Reiki even went back to Japan.
Eastern Reiki (Usui Association Reiki that stayed in Japan)
At the time Takata learnt Reiki from one of Usui's students (HAYASHI Chujiro), the Usui Reiki Association had been conservative and secretive. Initially, they didn't want to let her learn as she was seen to be an outsider. Fortunately, this obstacle was overcome. After World War 2, the Reiki that stayed in Japan became a secret association. No one knew about the Reiki Secret Association, until a person practicing Western Reiki attended a training course in Tokyo. They partnered with another person who turned out to be an office bearer in the Reiki Secret Association. Since, then Eastern Reiki, the Reiki that stayed in Japan, has begun to spread.
Eastern Reiki has a lot in common with the Stillness Meditation system - both even included poetry. Owen's was fascinated by Eastern Reiki and its poetry and this led to a book, Reiki Gyosei Waka. Imperial Meditation Poetry.
At present, Owen offers Reiki therapy but is not accepting new Reiki Students for training.