Dr Usui’s journey to Reiki
Post Views: 311 Mikao Usui was born into a Japanese Tendai Buddhist fam Mily on August 15, 1865. He was the eidest of three broth ers and two sisters. His father was a lower level noble, allied with the government of the military shogunate. But he was wise enough to foresee the imminent fall of the discredited regime. And sooner than later, crumble it did, thanks to the wisdom and well-laid out strategy of the Meiji emperor and his followers. Usul’s father was with the catalysts of change. A significant change it was, not only in the sense that the regime changed, but also in the sense that it heralded a new era-compassionate in the tradition of the Buddha and ready to embrace modern western science. In sum, it signified a major paradigm shift. Walking the legendary middle path of the Buddha, it sought to combine tradition and modernity. Until the middle of the 19th century, Japan usually looked towards China. And why not! China, in effect had been the source of inspiration in several fields like art, philosophy, lan guage, religion, etc. Confucius and Lao Tzu were as revered there as in China. But now, Japan was willing to embrace west ern science. It was natural therefore for people doctors, sci entists and Christian missionaries to start pouring into Japan. Dr Mikao Usui in his short autobiographical sketch has passed on information about his own professional and spiritual growth. Based on these several points one can easily construct a holis tic picture of Dr Usui that encompasses his attitude towards spirituality, science, tradition, modernity and the goal of human life. This picture makes him more humane, less mysterious and more worthy of emulation Mikao Usui was singularly lucky as he was among the first Japanese to have come in contact with the right Americans. Important among them was Dr Philips, a unique blend of reli gion, medicine and philosophy. Usui was attracted towards him, as in him he could have a glimpse of rare intelligence and humanism. Usui therefore was very keen to draw from the well of his knowledge as much as was possible for him to digest and integrate with his own worldview. Dr Philips acquainted him with the life and precepts of Jesus. At times, Usui would find in it an echo of the tenets of Buddhism, but he could not reconcile himself to the concept of the Christian god whom he found very punishing and heartless. Nor was the concept of one life, nothing preceding or following it, palatable to him. He therefore decided to learn less about Christianity and much more about medicine. It was no coincidence that around this time, quite a number of doctors and teachers arrived there from Princeton and Harvard universities of America. Mikao Usui studied with these eminent teachers, conse quent upon which under the decree of the Meiji emperor he was awarded the degree of medicine. He was also granted per mission to pursue the practical training work (internship) under their supervision and guidance. Very soon, guided by Dr Philips and Dr Kerngold, Usui learnt the finer points of surgery, having already mastered pharmacology and the treatment and diag nosis of disease. This is not without reason, therefore, for Usui to have referred to these two doctors and teachers with utmost reverence and gratitude on several occasions. When Usui was 27, the onslaught of cholera assumed the proportions of an epidemic in Japan. It afflicted him, too. Viewed in retrospect, what appeared as a calamity, in the final analysis changed the very course of his life and proved a blessing in disguise, because this marks the watershed in his life. Usui would not be/could not be the same Usui thereafter.At that point of time there was no standard treatment for cholera, except the tiny pills of opium which placed under the tongue would melt, much like the sorbitrate given for acute heart condition these days. These pills would slow the move ment of the lower intestine and thus save the patient from dehydration which if not checked proves fatal. The only other thing that was additionally administered was a mild mixture of salt water, potassium chloride coupled with fruit juice. This would no doubt prevent dehydration, but would also disrupt the sodium-potassium balance in the body. Maybe it was a consequence of the acuteness of the ail ment or the effect of those tiny opium pills, one afternoon Usui sank into unconsciousness. Or one could say he was in a state of semi-consciousness, unable to move the body and yet able to hear what others were saying to each other – a sort of invol untary registering of words. Dr Philips was telling his associ ates in a sad, subdued tone, as he later recalled, that Usui would not be able to survive the night. Dr Philips was making this prediction in view of the extremely low blood pressure and the like heart-beat. On hearing this those present there must naturally have felt sad for Usui. In that state of oscillation between unconsciousness and semi consciousness, Usui started chanting ‘Namo Amida Butso’, and he gradually dipped deeper and deeper into black ness of a dreamless, thoughtless state and suddenly he found he was ‘waking’ (in a figurative manner), not where he was, but in a place filled with light: beautiful golden light, a metaphor for the Pure Land of the Buddha. The scene and setting were awe some. He beheld Mahavairochana. To his right was Amida, to his left was Medicine King Buddha. Above the head of mahavi rochana was ‘our’ first teacher shakyamumi Buddha. Countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and their retinues surrounded them. Usui could have considered himself blessed, but he on the contrary, was a bit low and even apprehended punishmenton account of his having moved away from the faith and wed ded his allegiance to western medicine. But that didn’t happen because that
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