There are some people who question whether Sensei Hiroshi Doi really is a member of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. I guess from western eyes, there are a few reasons to be skeptical about his claims. But western eyes are the last thing to use when considering a Japanese organization like the Gakkai.
The Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai was formed by Mikao Usui before his death. After World War 2, the Gakkai was driven underground by the American military occupation. The Americans were still stinging over World War 2, and they did not understand the Japanese people. So much of the Japanese culture was banned, as were any group gatherings.
Even when the military started relaxing these rules, former Japanese military personnel were still not allowed to gather in groups. Several of the members of the Gakkai were former military, so they had to continue to operate in secret.
“That was years ago”, you might say. “Why don’t they just open their doors now?”
Well, tradition is a very powerful driving force in Japan, especially in the older population. When a sempai (senior member) tells a kōhai (junior member) that something is done a certain way, they are not questioned. No matter what the subject, the sempai is not questioned.
Eventually, the kōhai becomes a sempai, and he does as he was taught. So after two or three generations, a system is in place that nobody remembers why it is done that way.
From western eyes, this seems crazy and simple to fix. But there are so many layers of complexity to this attitude, that westerners have little chance of understanding it.
So if it is a secret, closed society, why has Sensei Doi been allowed to reveal Usui Reiki Ryoho techniques? That is an equally complex question – and one I can only speculate on. Maybe some of the members recognize that they need to be more open or they will eventually dwindle away due to attrition.
Maybe they hope this will reduce the requests by other Reiki practitioners for more information. Maybe the techniques that Sensi Doi is teaching are some of the least important ones to the system. Maybe it is something I can not conceive of.
Or maybe, Hiroshi Doi is making it all up. I don’t believe he is.
I chose to practice Sensei Doi’s Gendai Reiki system because I like the system. I believe in it on many levels. I feel it is the right blend of healing techniques and self development that makes the complete system that I spent six years looking for. I didn’t select it for the pedigree.
Many people question a lot of the various Reiki masters who have trained with Reiki masters in Japan. These trainings are often in private, and there is no way to confirm they took place. And to be honest, some people have lied in the past. I think the lesson here is that people should focus on whether the training is right for them, and not look for an “authentic” pedigree.