For detailed history of Reiki read "Reiki, The Healing Touch", Rand, William. Southfield, MI: Vision Publications, 1991. One of the healing systems includes the Usui System of Reiki founded by Dr. Mikao Usui, of Japan. He was born on august 15, 1865 in Yago village of Yamagata district of Gifu prefecture. He is believed to be from a rich family because only the rich in Japan could afford school in those days.
Popularly known by the name "Usui Sensei" by his students, he was keen in academics and went to Europe and China for continuing education and later on became a successful businessman. He studied medicine, psychology and religion and became the secretary to the Mayor of Tokyo, Pei Gotoushin who was earlier the head of the department of health and welfare.
But it was not same all through. Usui began experiencing a decline in personal and business spheres around year 1914.
But being an avid spiritualist, he went to the holy mountain of Mt. Kurama and enrolled himself in the 21-day spiritual
enlightenment course, Isyu Guo.
The routine there involved fasting, meditation, chanting of prayers etc. Although, it is not known what exactly he did there
but it is held by Japanese Reiki Masters that he probably participated in meditation under a small waterfall where people go
there even now to meditate.
The process involves standing underneath the fall and allow the water to fall over the top of the head which is believed to
energize or activate the crown chakra. All this had a miraculous effect on him as he discovered that now he could impart
healing to others without experiencing a decline in his own energy levels.