Dr Hayashi

The legend is difficult to separate from the facts. Legend has it that Dr Hayashi met Mr Usui while the latter was holding a lit torch in a Japanese village to attract participants to his evening lecture on Reiki. Dr Hayashi was deeply impressed by Mr Usui and his practices. When invited to travel and work with Mr Usui he accepted. When Mr Usui died, Dr Hayashi established his own Reiki clinic in Tokyo.

Dr Hayashi was a Commander in the Japanese Naval Reserve. He died on May 10, 1940. Before he did so he passed his Reiki teachings on to Mrs Hawayo Takata of Hawaii to preserve Reiki from whatever fate Japan might suffer in the war. However Reiki continues to be taught and practiced in Japan by students and practitioners trained by Mr Usui's successors.