Gosh, where do I start? There are so many myths regarding Reiki that the list of myths and facts is extensive, so I will list some of the most pervasive:


MYTH - Reiki is ancient

FACT - Reiki was discovered in the early 1900s, which does not make it ancient. Palm or hand healing, however, is ancient. There are several Oriental systems of palm/hand healing, and Reiki is one of the newer ones.


MYTH - Mikao Usui was a Christian minister

FACT -  Mikao Usui was a Buddhist. Reiki teachers who do not keep current on Reiki history cannot be faulted too much for teaching this, because Hawayo Takata actually told a story that made Usui not only a Christian minister, but also a doctor. She knew the truth, but probably made up this story in order to have Reiki - a Japanese practice for spiritual development and healing - more acceptable to Americans shortly after WWII.


MYTH - Mikao Usui was a doctor / physician.

FACT -  Mikao Usui was a businessman, scholar, Buddhist working on  his own spiritual enlightenment. His son, however, is a physician.


MYTH - Mikao Usui studied in the United States (Univ of Chicago)

FACT - There is no proof of this. People have checked up on Takata's story, and unfortunately a lot of it regarding the man Usui is just plain fabrication.


MYTH - Remote attunements do not work.

FACT - Remote attunements do work, just like remote treatments work.


MYTH - You cannot treat a person with Reiki if they have a: broken bone, pacemaker, is pregnant, etc. etc. etc.

FACT - You can treat anyone with any condition with Reiki. Reiki works for the person's highest good, and is not so fast working in most  cases that you have to worry about bones healing before they are set, pacemakers stopping, etc. Babies that were given Reiki pre-natally do just fine, and in many cases are more healthy. I did, however, heal over a cut I had on my arm in 20 minutes - fully healed over.  Highest good, folks!  :o)


MYTH - Reiki died out in Japan.

FACT - Reiki has always been present in Japan, and the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai has been around since Usui. Reiki was not popular as the Gakkai was more of a secretive organization established for spiritual development - as Usui intended - not to teach a healing modality. Reiki is increasing in popularity as Western Reiki teachers are now teaching energy healing in Japan.


MYTH - Reiki is a religion

FACT - Reiki can be used for individual spritual practice if you like as it does include meditations, but it is not a religion. There is no dogma, no theological set of principles, no religious requirement, not even a requirement to believe in a Divine Being. An individual Reiki Master can be an ordained minister, but they would have to be ordained into something besides Reiki, as there is no religion or ordaining body. This is not Scientology, folks. Practicing Reiki will not make you a heretic from whatever religion you belong to or spiritual path you are on. If you are a member of an organized religious group, Reiki won't change that one iota, and will never require you to change anything regarding your religious beliefs.


MYTH - You have to use the Reiki symbols in order for Reiki to be effective

FACT - You don't have to use the symbols at all. Usui didn't use symbols, not even in his empowerments. This is something that Westerners seems to have a need for as this is something we just aren't used to doing in our society. Unfortunately, we also tend to make simple systems - such as Reiki - complicated because we think that the more complex it is, the better it is. This is entirely false, but does seem to be quite profitable for those who come up with their own Reiki systems and symbols. Hey, who can fault someone for trying to make a buck?  :o/