The Spiritual Retreat
What Happened on Mount Kurama
Mount Kurama has been a spiritual site for over a thousand years. It is sacred to both Buddhism and Shinto. It is a place of pilgrimage, meditation, and healing.
In 1922, Mikao Usui climbed Mount Kurama. He was fifty-six years old. He found a spot near a waterfall. He gathered small stones and arranged them in a circle. He began a twenty-one day retreat. He fasted. He meditated. He prayed. He waited.
On the twenty-first morning, something happened. According to Reiki tradition, he saw a flash of light. He felt a shock wave of energy. He received Reiki. He came down the mountain with a healing system that would change the world.
The Mount Kurama Retreat
The progression of Usui's retreat.
Climb Mountain
Usui climbs Mount Kurama. Finds a spot near a waterfall.
21-Day Retreat
Fasting, meditation, and prayer for twenty-one days.
Awakening
On the final morning, a flash of light. Usui receives Reiki.
Reiki
Usui comes down the mountain with Reiki. The system is born.
The Retreat Timeline
- Usui climbs Mount Kurama. Begins his retreat.The journey begins.
- Usui fasts, meditates, and prays. He waits for a sign.The preparation for the awakening.
- According to Reiki tradition, Usui sees a flash of light and receives Reiki.The awakening.
- Usui comes down the mountain. He begins teaching Reiki.Reiki spreads.
The Twenty-One Days
Usui's Retreat on Mount Kurama
The retreat on Mount Kurama is the central event in Reiki history. According to Reiki tradition, Usui fasted, meditated, and prayed for twenty-one days. He sat near a waterfall. He gathered stones to make a circle. He waited.
The retreat was not easy. Fasting for twenty-one days is physically demanding. Meditation for twenty-one days is mentally demanding. Usui was fifty-six years old. He was determined.
On the final morning, according to Reiki tradition, he saw a flash of light. He felt a shock wave of energy. He received Reiki. He came down the mountain with a healing system.
The Flash of Light
Usui's Spiritual Awakening
The awakening is the most important moment in Reiki history. According to Reiki tradition, Usui saw a flash of light. The light entered his body. He felt a shock wave of energy. He understood everything at once.
What exactly happened? We do not know. Usui did not write about it. The story is passed down through oral tradition. Different accounts describe it differently.
What is clear is that Usui came down the mountain changed. He had Reiki. He began teaching. The system spread. The rest is history.
What We Know and What We Do Not Know
Usui climbed Mount Kurama alone.
We do not know if he was alone. Some accounts suggest he may have had students with him.
The exact spot where Usui meditated is known.
The exact spot is not definitively known. Several locations are traditionally associated with his retreat.
Usui saw symbols in the light.
Some accounts say he saw symbols. Others do not. The accounts vary.
Usui was the first person to meditate on Mount Kurama.
Mount Kurama has been a spiritual site for over a thousand years. Usui was one of many who meditated there.
On the twenty-first morning, he saw a flash of light. He felt a shock wave of energy. He received Reiki. The rest is history.
Key takeaways
The shortest useful version of this page.
Mikao Usui climbed Mount Kurama in 1922 for a 21-day retreat.
He fasted, meditated, and prayed for twenty-one days.
According to Reiki tradition, on the final morning, he experienced a spiritual awakening.
He saw a flash of light and received Reiki.
He came down the mountain with Reiki and began teaching.
Mount Kurama is considered the birthplace of Reiki.
Frequently asked questions
What happened on Mount Kurama?
According to Reiki tradition, Usui experienced a spiritual awakening and received Reiki after a 21-day retreat.
How long did Usui stay on Mount Kurama?
Twenty-one days. He fasted and meditated for the entire period.
What did Usui do on Mount Kurama?
He fasted, meditated, and prayed. He waited for a sign.
Did Usui see symbols on Mount Kurama?
Some accounts say he saw symbols. Others do not. The accounts vary.
Is Mount Kurama the birthplace of Reiki?
Yes. According to Reiki tradition, Mount Kurama is where Usui received Reiki.
Sources
- Frank Arjava Petter, Reiki Fire, 1997.
- Bronwen and Frans Stiene, The Reiki Sourcebook, 2003.
- Mount Kurama temple history.
- Traditional Usui Reiki teachings.
