Episode #163 Justin B.Stein Reiki Through Time: A Scholar's Journey into Japanese Healing Traditions

Ready Set Reiki

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The enigmatic history of Reiki unfolds through the meticulous research of scholar and practitioner Dr. Justin B. Stein in this illuminating conversation. As a Japanese religion specialist and author of "Alternate Currents: Reiki Circulation in the 20th Century North Pacific," Dr. Stein brings unprecedented clarity to the origins of this healing practice that has captivated millions worldwide.
Far from being purely Japanese, Reiki emerged during a period of profound cultural exchange. Dr. Stein reveals how Mikao Usui created a spiritual technology that ingeniously bridged Eastern and Western healing philosophies at a pivotal historical moment. Recently discovered documents show that Usui actually studied psychology in America and worked at the San Francisco Custom House around 1898—facts that dramatically reshape our understanding of Reiki's development as a transnational practice.
The conversation explores fascinating perspectives on Hawayo Takata's crucial role in transforming Reiki from a Japanese healing art into a global phenomenon. Dr. Stein provides nuanced insights into her famous $10,000 master training fee (equivalent to nearly $100,000 today), explaining how it reflected Japanese values of reciprocity while incorporating flexibility for sincere students of limited means. These cultural adaptations helped make Reiki both accessible to Westerners and true to its Japanese essence.
For practitioners and curious newcomers alike, Dr. Stein recommends essential reading materials that deepen understanding, including recently translated Japanese texts from the 1930s that offer rare glimpses into early Reiki practices. His scholarly yet approachable perspective helps distinguish between historically accurate information and the well-meaning but sometimes misleading narratives that have developed through decades of oral transmission.
As Reiki continues its journey into mainstream awareness, Dr. Stein emphasizes the importance of balancing respect for tradition with openness to authentic evolution. Whether you're a seasoned Reiki master or simply curious about energy healing, this conversation offers profound insights into how a Japanese spiritual practice became a global healing movement that continues to transform lives a century after its creation.

Justin B. Stein is a scholar of Japanese religion and spirituality in transnational perspective. He is currently chair of the Asian Studies Program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia, Canada. He is the author of Alternate Currents: Reiki's Circulation in the Twentieth-Century North Pacific (University of Hawaii Press, 2023), which uses the life and work of Hawayo Takata as a frame through which to look at how Reiki developed and evolved in Japan, Hawaii, and North America between the 1920s and 1980s. He has also written several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on Reiki, Buddhism, and Aikido, and is the co-editor of The Routledge Handbook of Religion, Medicine, and Health (Routledge, 2022). He has been a Reiki practitioner since 2001 and has studied in Takata lineages as well as Japanese lineages. In addition to Reiki, he loves the outdoors, music, cycling, and skiing.

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Chapters

1. Episode #163 Justin B.Stein Reiki Through Time: A Scholar's Journey into Japanese Healing Traditions (00:00:00)

2. Welcome to Ready Set Reiki (00:00:22)

3. Meet Dr. Justin B. Stein (00:01:38)

4. Personal Journey into Reiki (00:03:36)

5. Reiki's Eastern and Western Influences (00:09:18)

6. Common Misconceptions About Reiki (00:13:47)

7. Essential Books for Reiki Practitioners (00:20:27)

8. The Takata Legacy and Money (00:32:40)

9. The Future of Reiki Practice (00:52:30)

10. Closing Thoughts and Resources (00:57:45)

171 episodes

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