Text theme introduction.
Honoring Chujiro Hayashi
At the Reiki Festival Oct. 19, 2024.
By Fred and Edna and Rolf and Li-Li.

ROLF:
How important is a picture?
When I saw the beautiful picture of Mikao Usui with the word Reiki in the spiritual magazine Weeds in 1985, I knew immediately: this is what I’m going to do.
I felt called. Pretty soon after that, Li-Li and I had done the first degree with Inger Droog.
In that class I first saw the picture of Chujiro Hayashi and, of course, Hawayo Takata and her granddaughter Phyllis Furumoto.
We name and honor them as the individuals in the Lineage of Usui Shiki Ryoho.
Usui brought things to life in my life.
Takata became alive through the stories of Inger and later of Phyllis, the Grandmaster.
Phyllis was still among us then.
We always mentioned again the name of that second man Chujiro Hayashi. He was just part of it.
Later we heard and understood how important he actually was.
At the last Reiki Festivals, which we have been organizing since 1996, we have specifically given honor to Mikao Usui, to Hawayo Takata and in 2019 to Phyllis Lei Furumoto. But never specifically to the second man in the Lineage.
Therefore, it is with reverence and gratitude that I mention his name, Chujiro Hayashi, we thank you for your visionary outlook, your care and taking responsibility for the survival of Reiki in the world. That is why we stand here now.

EDNA: Chujiro Hayashi was born in Tokyo, Japan, on Sept. 15, 1880.

A retired naval officer, he came in contact with Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki, in the early 1920s. Hayashi was initiated by him, became closely involved in the practice of Reiki and became a devoted student of Mikao Usui. As a physician, he soon became one of Usui’s prominent students.

When Usui’s life came to an end, he instructed Chujiro Hayashi to keep the essence of his teachings intact.

FRED: Hayashi established a clinic in Tokyo where Reiki treatments were given and where people could learn Reiki. Twenty Reiki practitioners were present here, working at ten treatment tables; two practitioners per client. The clinic’s practitioners also came to people’s homes if they could not come to the clinic. Hayashi documented everything about his patients, kept records of their illnesses and what hand positions worked for each of them.

LI-LI: It is said, Usui had people sit on a chair and treat one patient at a time. Hayashi decided to put his patients on a treatment table and have several practitioners give Reiki to them. This had never been done before. Today in the Reiki world it is widely used in this way.

ROLF: Hayashi left notes showing that Reiki finds the cause of the physical symptom, provides the need for vibration or energy, and heals the body. He actively promoted Reiki throughout Japan and held seminars to teach Reiki to a large number of people.

EDNA: One day in 1935, a young woman from Hawaii came to the Reiki Clinic, receiving treatments. Her name was Hawayo Takata and she asked to participate in a course. Thanks to Mr. Hayashi’s openness, Mrs. Takata, the first from outside Japan, was allowed to learn Reiki.

FRED: Mrs. Takata returned to Hawaii, where she had a thriving practice and taught many people Reiki. In late 1937, Mr. Hayashi came to Hawaii, where, together with Mrs. Takata, he gave many lectures and courses. In February 1938, Mr. Hayashi ordained Mrs. Takata as a Reiki Master. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Japan.

LI-LI: The following is part of Chujiro Hayashi’s farewell speech before he returns home.

ROLF: ‘I am Chujiro Hayashi of Usui Reiki Ryoho. Reiki Ryoho works through a force called Reiki, which comes naturally from the human body.’
(Incidentally, the original Japanese word used in this newspaper article is ‘Ryoku’ – which refers more to ‘force’ than to, as some might expect, ‘energy.’)

EDNA: The quote continues, “It requires no equipment or difficult training, and works to cure diseases. It restores health, of course, not only for yourself, but also for others. All that is required is to undergo training for five or six days, three hours a day. And attendees are amazed, that the effects are noticeable from the beginning.

LI-LI: The quote continues: Anyone, from about twelve or thirteen years of age, male or female, without distinction, can easily learn it. They are people who do not speak Japanese: the residents of different origins in Hawaii, but they have all understood it and are happy to cure a variety of diseases.

FRED: And Hayashi said:In closing this speech, I would like to wish everyone health and happiness. Goodbye everyone…. Goodbye.’ So much for Hayashi’s quote.

Mrs. Takata saw in a dream that she had to go to Japan again, to visit Mr. Hayashi. Once there, he told her, a war was imminent. As a former naval officer, he could not reconcile himself with the thought of being involved in a war, now that he was so dedicated to Reiki.

ROLF: On May 11, 1940, he was 59 years old, Hayashi called his family and Reiki masters together. He speaks his last words and acknowledges Mrs. Takata as his successor in Reiki. Then he bids farewell, closes his eyes and leaves his body.

EDNA: Chujiro Hayashi, we thank you for daring to initiate a woman, the first woman, Hawayo Takata, in Hawaii to become a Reiki Master.

FRED: Chujiro Hayashi , we thank you for daring to bring Reiki outside Japan.

LI-LI: Chujiro Hayashi, we thank you for skillfully guiding Hawayo Takata in her Reiki early days in Hawaii. So that we can still reap the healing benefits of that.

ROLF: Chujiro Hayashi, Hawayo Takata asked you, just before your death; What will you do after your transition? You replied, “There is nothing like death, it’s just a big change.

EDNA: You said, “After I have passed over, I will continue the same work on the other side…

LI-LI: … and fix things from there.’ As written in Helen Haberly’s book, “The Story of Hawayo Takata.

ROLF: Chujiro Hayashi sensei, this day is in your honor. Thank you on behalf of all here present.