| In 2006 one of my Japanese
students, was
traveling back to Japan and I asked her to purchase some copies of
certain
Japanese Reiki books for me. One was a re-publication of the book
"Teno Hira Ryoji" written in 1930 by Koshi Mitsui, a student of
Toshihiro Eguchi. According to Usui student Tenon-in,
Eguchi-sensei
was a student of Usui Sensei from 1921 to 1926 and was one of only 2
people
to complete the original Usui-Do system.
In Dave King's recent book titled
"O-Sensei:
A View of Mikao Usui" he
quotes
an anecdote that Tenon-in wrote for Dave's 2002 URRI conference
presentation
(in Toronto):
"Eguchi
returned
(to
the Usui dojo) in 1923 with his own
te-no-hira
system that used parts of O-Sensei’s work. It was almost a religion and
part of this system was a ceremony that Eguchi had obtained from a
friend
named Nishida in which a form of blessing was
offered
to each doka. This displeased Usui a great deal but eventually Eguchi
was
permitted to come and teach at Usui’s centre twice a week and even do
the
ceremony but not chant the Komyo Kagan" (a
form
of prayer).
This ceremony appears to be the
forerunner
of what was known as Denju in Eguchi- sensei's school, and Reiju in the
Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai. It most likely also influenced the reiju
or attunement ceremonies used by Dr. Hayashi.
Tenon-in explained to Dave that
Usui Sensei
would rent out his dojo (training hall) some evenings so that others
could
give presentations. Apparently his fees were expensive.
Eguchi-sensei
had followed Sensei to Tokyo from Kyoto and was able to secure a
position
teaching at a local high school. His work in the dojo led to the
healing
system that became known as Usui Reiki Ryoho.
The current version of the book "Teno
Hira Ryoji" was republished in 2000 by Vortex Reiki school owner Toshitaka
Mochizuki and is available (in Japanese) at the Vortex
web site. The following is from an insert he placed within
the
book. It explains the source of the book and the fact that
Mochizuki-san
re-wrote the book in modern Japanese text so it could be more easily
understood.
|
Teno
Hira Ryoji
You must read this
(these attached pages included
with this
book)
– from Toshitaka Mochizuki
This book was first
published by Arusu
(a publishing firm) in Kanda, Tokyo in 1930 and became a best
seller.
At the time, by putting the advertisement of all aspects in the
newspaper,
several ten thousand copies were sold at one stroke.
I am pleased to re-publish
such a historic
document that made it possible to expand further the growing popularity
of ‘Teno Hira Ryoji - Hands on Healing.’
I had shown this original
book to some
Reiki teachers and people who had interests in healing methods.
Everyone
asked to borrow the book. However, because this was an important
document, I always turned down these requests.
Although it was published
seventy years
ago, the original book still seems important for us. So, this
time,
I decided to re-publish this book.
The Author Koshi
Mitsui
and the Founder of Teno
Hira Ryoji,
Toshihiro Eguchi
I shall briefly introduce
the author, Koshi
Mitsui-sensei. Koshi Mitsui-sensei- (1883-1953) succeeded to
Shiki
Masaoka (a poet) and had interests in literature. He published
literary
magazines such as Akane and Life and Expression. Throughout his life,
he
sought to establish literary based on every day life. He was
rated
as a person who tried to put those Japanese traditions to good use in
the
modern era.
Toshihiro Eguchi-sensei
(1873-1946) taught
‘Teno Hira Ryoji’ to Mitsui-sensei. Successively holding various
posts in Nagano prefecture, Eguchi-sensei obtained a new post as
Principal
of Kofu High School in Yamanashi prefecture. He then became a
member
of Usui Reiki Ryoho. From 1924 to 1926, he studied as a member
under
Usui Sensei. Later, he started an independent school, ‘Teno Hira
Ryoji.’
Koshi Mitsui-sensei,
Yasukiyo Eguchi-sensei
and Goro Miyazaki-sensei travelled the whole country together to teach
the method of ‘Teno Hira Ryoji’. Before the war, several hundred
thousand people learned and practiced ‘Teno Hira Ryoji.’ His
personality
and the great aspects of ‘Teno Hira Ryoji’ influenced people.
The reason for the book
becoming a best
seller was not only its wonderful contents, but also the influence of
the
mass media.
In 1929, Seikyosha (a
publishing
firm) published a special edition of the June issue of "Japan and
Japanese"
in which about 80 pages were about ‘Teno Hira Ryoji.’ Also,
Mitsui-sensei
contributed 890 articles regarding ‘Teno Hira Ryoji’ to "Japan and
Japanese."
Other publications
regarding ‘Teno Hira
Ryoji’:
-
An Introduction to Teno
Hira Ryoji, Toshihiro
Eguchi and Koshi Mitsui, published by Arusu in 1930.
-
A Reading of Teno Hira
Ryoji, Toshihiro Eguchi
and Seiroku Nemoto, published by Kaiko sha.
-
Manual of Practice Teno
Hira Ryoji, Koshi
Mitsui and Goro Miyazaki, edited by Teno Hira Kenkyukai.
-
Talk About Teno Hira Ryoi,
edited by Teno
Hira Kenkyukai in 1954.
-
Study of Tanasue no Michi,
the Teno Hira Ryoji
Manual, Setsuo Nakakura and Goro Miyazaki, edited by Teno Hira
Kenkyukai.
-
Hands-on Miracle, Goro
Miyazaki, published
by Kasumigaseki shobo.
Attention
-
The text is translated
into the modern Japanese
so as to easily read it. For the Gyosei of Meiji Emperor and waka
poems of Koshi Mitsui, the translation is faithful to the original.
.
- The author referred to
treatment. In
the present time, treatment is the task of medical care, so a person
who
doesn’t have a licence of medical doctor cannot use the word,
treatment.
.
- Toshihiro Eguchi-sensei
had once belonged
Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, then he established ‘Teno Hira Ryoji’ as a new
group. As a result, there were several differences between
them.
|
According to Hiroshi Doi-sensei
in his
book "Gendai Iyashino Reiki Ho", Eguchi-sensei was known to have taught
at least 500,000 people. The system seemed to have greater recognition
before the war than Usui Reiki Ryoho. Mochizuki-san's comments
above
explain how this was possible as Eguchi seemed to allow advertising of
his system and therefore it received widespread publicizing.
As far as I know, the book "Teno
Hira Ryoji"
has not been published in English. Short excerpts are usually
permitted
to be presented in most works these days as long as credit is given to
all sources, so I will share a few here. Perhaps Mochizuki-san
might
be interested in the work my student and I have done thus far.
The following are some excerpts
(in the
boxes) that I thought you might find interesting.
|
What is ‘Teno
Hira Ryoho?
 ‘Teno
Hira Ryoho’ is a national, spiritual service ceremony. In
classical
Japanese, it is Tanasue no Michi of Shikishima no Michi. This is
a ceremony of greeting among people and a ceremony of salutation
between
god and human. It is a ceremony of the service that we should be
humble. The god of whom we worship is a god who is read of in the
Meiji Emperor Gyoshu.
Consequently, we read the Gyosei
of Meiji Emperor and worship the Meiji Shrine. Keeping in
mind,
we feel the protection of god in our hands and transmit our view to
others.
This is called ‘Teno Hira Ryoji.’
|
There is a lot of Gyosei in the
book. These
are the inspirational waka poems written by the Japanese emperor Meiji,
who was considered to be psychic as well. He was known to have written
over 90,000 of these. One book containing 125 of his poems ended
up being copied into the Reiki Ryoho
Hikkei,
perhaps by Eguchi-sensei, as he seemed to be the main Usui student who
promoted the use of these poems. Tenon-in had reported that Usui
Sensei was not a Meiji supporter and did not use the Gyosei in his
dojo.
The Hikkei is still given out today in the URR Gakkai to their
entry
level students
The following passage is
Eguchi-sensei's
own explanation of his system of healing.
The
Meaning of ‘Teno Hira Ryoji no Kai‘
(December 1928, Toshihiro
Eguchi)
Most middle class people
face some difficulties
with enjoying modern medical methods. Fortunately, we have
recently
found for certain the easiest method of treatment of diseases.
‘Teno
Hira Ryoji’ can cure any kinds of disease by just putting the hand on
the
body.
Human hands have a function
of curing sickness
as well as cats and dogs licking wounds. Only some specific
people,
such as inter cultural or priests, had practiced the hands on
healing.
It tended to be a superstitious thought even in this modern time.
We, however, have practiced
the hands on
healing. Everyone can emanate a sort of power. Also, we
found
that we could cure an injury by putting the hand on the affected
area.
This method of treatment doesn’t require taking medicine nor having
specific
medical knowledge. Furthermore, it is easy and sure for everybody
to obtain the energy. We must practice it 30-40 minutes each day
to emanate the efficient energy for treatment.
It is possible to teach the
method of emanating
the energy to 20-30 people at a time. Our aim with this technique
is for it to be in wide spread use all over the country so that people
can make up for any lack of efficiency of the modern medical technique,
and it will be helpful to cover medical expenses in average
families.
As well as the effective use of ‘Teno Hira Ryoji’, it is good to live
in
harmony. There are many methods of treatment, but most groups are
very strict. People cannot become members of them, and they
require
difficult practices. So, we decided to develop the easiest and
surest
method and to teach many people this method.
|
Note that it has been reported
that Eguchi-sensei
left the URR Gakkai in 1927 after disagreements with it's president,
Admiral
Ushida. I don't doubt that in that last paragraph he is referring
to the Gakkai as one of those groups mentioned.
In the following passage
Mitsui-san explains
what sounds like a Denju or Reiju process. A modern Japanese
dictionary
explains "michibiki" as "guidance".
| Giving another person the
ability of emanating
the healing energy is called ‘Michibiki.’ Also, it is an action
to
make power that everybody originally has and to begin to work.
Originally,
its power depends on each person, either strong or weak, but more use
of
the energy strengthens its power.
‘Michibiki’ is very
easy. While closing
a person's eyes and doing Gassho, a well experienced teacher gives a
student
a ceremony. It needs 30-40 minutes each time for
‘Michibiki’.
Most people become confident after receiving a continuous 3 day
lesson.
This healing method is
effective for a
various diseases.
|
Keeping that explanation in mind,
read
the following passage which gives one person's account of his healing
experiences
with Eguchi-sensei, as well as his receiving of Denju from him.
An Experience
with Teno Hira Ryoji
(by Junichi Tashiro)
“I was diagnosed with
vertebra caries in
March 1928 and was expecting 3 years to recover. I had worked as
a teacher. Because of a hard teaching job, I decided to change my
work to a writer for studying ‘Shikishima no Michi’ and establishing a
new spirituality. Chanting the Meiji Emperor's Gyosei and reading
Kojiki (an old style Japanese poem book) should
be
included in the modern standard life of Japanese.
“At the time, my body
got weaker
and weaker so that I couldn't walk by myself. However, I never
lost
my oath of loyalty to my country, Japan.
“Within less than 6
months of a complete
rest, I could return to a teaching job in September 1928.
“Nobody had expected my
great recovery.
I had practiced ‘Teno Hira Ryoji’ since September 1928. I
received
a Denju from Mrs. Mitsui on September 29, 1928. And on September
30, I received a treatment and a Denju.
“Eguchi-sensei came to my
house one time.
For preparation, he took off his outer clothes. Only dressed in
his
underwear, he began with a treatment on my head. Placing his hand
on the forehead, temples, and then under the head, he spent 30
minutes.
Then I lay on my face and he gave a treatment to the entire
spine.
In particular, he did it for an hour on the affected area.
“After the treatment,
I received
a Denju. Eguchi-sensei placed his hand on my head and then blew
strongly
on the top of the head. He touched my Gassho hands and seemed to
pray something. He repeated this on me within 15 minutes.
He
told me that when I received Denju for 3 continuous days, I would be
capable
of giving Denju to others. After giving me a Denju, Eguchi-sensei
told me that I had to practice this method and give treatment to
others,
as many as possible; otherwise, the effectiveness of the method would
disappear.”
|
The Denju ceremony described is
very similar
to one demonstrated by Hiroshi Doi-sensei at the URRI 2002 conference I
organised with Tom
Rigler
in Toronto, 2002. The blowing towards the head dantien is also
part
of a 1930 Hayashi Reiju ceremony. I find it very interesting to
note
Eguchi's instructions concerning the new practitioner's ability to give
Denju to others in a relatively short time. I wonder what the
effect
of teaching the original Usui-Do symbols, especially the 4th symbol,
would
have had on the energy potential of Eguchi's students, as this seems to
be the heart of potential within the Reiki systems.
A good portion of the remainder
of "Teno
Hira Ryoji" deals with healing situations and a lot of it looks similar
to that I have seen in URR gakkai related publications like Fumio
Ogawa's
1986 self published book "Reiki wa Darenidemo Deru." I hope to be
able to obtain copies of other works by Eguchi-sensei and his students
and get an even better picture of the early practices of one of Usui
Sensei's
senior students.
|
