A Century of Reiki with Dr. Justin Stein
A five-part Zoom series following Reiki’s journey from Japanese therapy to global practice.
All proceeds from this Webinar series support the English translation of Kaiji Tomita’s 1933 Reiki and the Caring Art of Healing: The Tomita Method of Hands-on Therapy, a project of Reiki Centers of America, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Each one-hour session will consist of a forty-minute lecture followed by twenty minutes of Q&A. Tickets to the Webinars are being sold through Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/reiki-centers-of-america-30267721240
Webinar 1 : East Meets West: Varieties of Reiki Practice
Sunday, May 31, 2pm ET
In this introductory talk, Dr. Stein explores the commonalities of all Reiki practice. We’ll delve into what distinguishes Reiki from other healing modalities and spiritual paths, as well as examine the diverse practices that characterize what are sometimes called “Japanese” and “Western” forms of Reiki.
Webinar 2 : The Roots of Reiki: Spiritual Therapies in Usui’s Time
Sunday, June 28, 2pm ET
When Usui-sensei was asked if healing abilities could be learned or if they were limited to those with natural talents, he replied, “Every living being is endowed with myriad blessings, including the wonderful ability to heal.” But, Usui Reiki Therapy (Usui Reiki Ryōhō) was just one of hundreds of spiritual therapies being practiced in pre-war Japan. What did it share with these other practices and what made it distinct? Join Dr. Stein for an exploration of the historical context of Usui-sensei’s methods and the roots of what we practice today.
Webinar 3 : Going Overseas: Reiki Beyond Japan
Sunday, July 26, 2pm ET
Dr. Stein shares what is known about the Hayashi Reiki Research Association (Hayashi Reiki Kenkyūkai) in Japan and its extension to the Hawaiian Islands. Did Usui’s disciple, Hayashi Chūjirō, make changes to Usui’s teachings? How did he train Hawayo Takata, his most famous student, and support her in establishing the first branch of the Hayashi Reiki Research Association outside of Japan, in her home islands of Hawaii? Join us as we follow Reiki’s story into the 1930s and 40s.
Webinar 4 : Coming to America: One Woman’s Mission to Spread Reiki
Sunday, August 30, 2pm ET
Thanks to Mrs. Takata’s tireless teaching in the U.S. and Canada in the 1970s, Reiki became well-known around the world. Yet her first extensive teaching tour was much earlier, in 1951, when she traveled from Washington to Texas to New York promoting Reiki and initiating students. How much did the practice of Reiki change throughout this period and why did she attract a far larger following toward the end of her life? Dr. Stein examines Reiki’s transformation and spread in the post-war decades.
Webinar 5 : Unsolved Reiki Mysteries
Sunday, September 27, 2pm ET
In this final installment, Dr. Stein addresses some of the juiciest questions of Reiki research, from Usui and his teachings, to the succession of Reiki’s “Grandmasters,” to how treatments affect our bodies and minds. He will explore the evidence currently available, speculate what else may soon be brought to light, and consider what we might never know.
About Dr. Justin Stein
Justin B. Stein, PhD (University of Toronto, Study of Religion, 2017), is an historian of spiritual practices at sites of connection between Japan, Hawaii, and North America. His work on Reiki, including original translations of historical Japanese-language materials, has been published in peer-reviewed journals (including Asian Medicine and Japanese Religions) and has been translated into German, Japanese, and Romanian. Stein completed a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science International Research Fellowship under Ōtani Eiichi at Bukkyō University in Kyoto, Japan (2017–2019) and currently serves as Instructor in the Asian Studies Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. You can read some of his scholarship at https://justinstein.academia.edu/