The Secret Mirror
Think of a story reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark—only set in Japan and Israel. Ben Midland’s novel The Sacred Mirror features American professor William Sandwell’s quest to find a holy Japanese relic stolen by a religious fanatic. With the help of a half-Japanese, half-British archaeologist, Catherine Yamazaki, and Japanese police inspector Akio Yamashita, the trio scour Japan for Yata no Kagami, a 2,500 year-old bronze mirror the Japanese Imperial Family has protected and which is considered the divine origin of Japanese emperors.
A shocking discovery awaits them.
In many spiritual traditions the 5 elements of earth, water, fire, air and space are taught and used. This 5 week teleclass by Frans Stiene will explore the Japanese aspects of these elements - an excellent understanding for any Reiki practitioner and teacher interested in the Japanese influences of their practice.
Today’s article focuses on a single question: What is hands on healing, as practiced within the traditional Japanese system of Reiki? Throughout the article, we will be quoting Yanagi Sōetsu (1889 - 1961), a Japanese philosopher who, in the late 1920s, founded the folk craft movement (Jp. Mingei) in Japan. We believe that he cogently expresses a philosophy that underlies many traditional Japanese practices — such as tea ceremony, flower arranging , martial arts, and meditation — and is deeply embedded in everyday Japanese life.
USUI Mikao臼井甕男 (1865–1926) is celebrated as the founder of Reiki. While the story of his reception of reiki 霊気 (literally, “numinous energy”) is well-known, practitioners may be less aware of its resonance with Japan’s long history of mountain asceticism. Over a thousand years ago, religious itinerants began secluding themselves in the mountains in order to acquire special powers.
How my recent shugendo training has informed my understanding of the system of Reiki. As some of you might know I recently went to Japan to train with a Japanese Shingon priest, Takeda Hakusai Ajari, who was once a Tendai monk as a disciple of the great Sakai Dai Ajari, learning about Shinto, Shugendo, Tendai and Shingon. This training has brought me different insights into the system of Reiki and Mikao Usui.
As some of you know I just spent a week in Japan deepening my own personal spiritual practice with a Japanese Shingon priest, Takeda Hakusai Ajari, who was once a Tendai monk as a disciple of the great Sakai Dai Ajari, learning about Shinto, Shugendo, Tendai and Shingon.
my hands
