Reiki refers to the universal life-force energy we all share; every living thing on Earth shares the same life-force energy, therefore we are all connected in this way. In the early 20th century, a Japanese man named Dr. Mikao Usui is credited for rediscovering meditation methods that help an individual remember their Oneness and tap into the universal life-force energy within us all.
Today there are many different styles and systems of reiki practiced around the world. Some come directly from Japan, others from the west, and some systems are a combination of both. Usui Reiki Ryoho is a Japanese system where the lineage of teachers goes through the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai - the organization set up to preserve Dr. Usui's teaching in the 1920's, through the lineage of Kan'ichi Taketomi and Kimiko Koyama, as well as through Hiroshi Doï's Gendai Reiki organization.
"The earlier teachings consider the system [of reiki] not just to be a hands-on healing practice, but one that also focuses on a student's spiritual path." - International House of Reiki
Reiki is a form of energy healing therapy. It was developed in Japan by Mikao Usui in the 1920s. In Japanese, “reiki” means universal life energy.