Mikao Usui's Mountain

Mount Kurama is a sacred mountain. It 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.

The mountain has a famous temple, Kurama-dera. It was founded in the 8th century. It is one of the most important temples in the region. The temple is dedicated to the god Maoson, a deity of protection and healing.

There is something about the mountain. People who climb it report a particular quality of air, a particular silence, a particular sense of being held. It is a place where the veil between worlds feels thin.

In 1922, 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 to fast. He meditated. He waited.

The retreat lasted twenty-one days. Usui did not eat. He drank only water. He meditated continuously. He prayed. He waited for a sign.

On the twenty-first morning, he saw a flash of light. According to Reiki tradition, he felt a shock wave of energy. He saw symbols in the light. He understood everything at once. He came down the mountain with Reiki.