The most common Reiki story in the western world comes from Hawayo Takatas teachings. Dr Usai was teaching in a Christian university in Kyoto in the mid 1800's when his students began to ask him if he believed that Jesus could heal as in the bible. Dr Usai could not show his students how this was done as he didn't know how. He set out on a quest to learn the methods of healing with your hands. He traveled through Japan and China, eventually arriving back in Japan.

Dr Usui had failed in his quest so he climbed Mt. Kurama for a 21 day meditation and fasting ritual. At the end of the 21 days when Usui was about to leave he saw a great light approaching him from the distance. The light struck him in the forehead (third eye). This knocked him unconscious, but on awaking he saw millions of small glowing bubbles and the Reiki symbols were shown individually to him. the meaning and application of each Reiki symbol what then apparent to him.

Dr Usai was te supposed to have healed his toe on the way down the mountain as well as a girl, and then eaten a full meal after his 21 day fast. He began healing beggars in the slums of Kyoto. he found that those that he had healed would return again for treatment of the same illnesses. Usui found that many of the people held their illnesses and disease because they served them as useful. It was then that Dr Usai felt that treatment must include not only the physical, but also the emotional and spiritual. Dr. Usui also decided not to give Reiki away for free as there must be an energy exchange for it to be valued.