The Radiance Technique

REAL REIKI: THE RADIANCE TECHNIQUE
Copyright Š 2002/3 James Deacon

The Radiance Technique Ž (TRTŽ ), also known as: 'The Official Real Reiki' Ž, 'Authentic Reiki' Ž, 'The Official Reiki Program' Ž, 'Radiant Touch' Ž, & 'Real Reiki' Ž, is the system of Reiki presented by Barbara Ray (/Webber) Ph.D. - one of the 22 Reiki Masters trained by Takata-sensei.

TRT purportedly is - in contrast to other systems of Reiki - the "unpolluted" art/ science as developed by Usui-Sensei, in its entirety.

From 1978 - 1980, Barbara Ray studied Reiki extensively with Hawayo Takata at Takata-Sensei's home in Iowa, during which time, she maintains, Takata-Sensei instructed her in:

"... the entire, intact Seven Degrees of the Usui System of Natural Healing...", and passed,
"... the complete Keys..." to the system to her.

Barbara Ray is of the opinion that the only way to activate and transmit Reiki is through these: "...correct, intact and non-polluted Keys."

Barbara Ray began using the expression "The Radiance Technique" in 1986.

While TRT can not be said to be amongst the more 'popular' forms or styles of Reiki ( - in terms, I hasten to add, of discussion in the more prolific online newsgroups and communities, and for that matter, in terms of coverage on Reiki-Information websites), it is none-the-less of major significance in terms of the re-establishment of communication between Western Reiki traditions and those surviving in Japan.

TRT is the form of Reiki practiced by Mieko Mitsui, a New York- based journalist, who, in 1985, went back to Japan to see what she could discover about Reiki's origins.

While there, she began teaching TRT (though at the time it was apparently known as: 'Real Reiki') - and also translated Barbara Ray's book: "The Reiki Factor" into Japanese; and in the process, could be said to have been single-handedly responsible for sparking the revival of interest in Reiki as a medium for Healing and Spiritual Development in Japan.

It was Mieko Mitsui who first reported to the somewhat stunned 'Western' Reiki community that, contrary to the then accepted version of the 'History', the Art of Reiki had seemingly not died out in Japan at all.

[Interestingly, Mieko Mitsui - who apparently also received training from a Japanese lineage Reiki Master: Goro Myazaki - stated that 'Japanese' Reiki had (as is the case with Barbara Ray's system) more than the standard three Levels or Degrees found in familiar Usui Shiki Ryoho style of Reiki.]

One of the people to learn TRT from Mieko Mitsui, was Hiroshi Doi - who went on to found the Gendai Reiki Ho system.

However, due to the nature of the training structure utilised in TRT (see below), Mieko Mitsui was, at the time, only permitted to initiate practitioners to the Second Degree level (- apparently a contributing factor which led to Hiroshi Doi attempting to seek out a survival of the original Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai in an attempt to further his training).

Mieko is also said to have taught TRT to Toshitaka Mochizuki - founder of the Vortex school of Reiki in Yokohama*

The "Traditional Japanese Reiki" system (created in Canada in 1995 by Dave King) is based on Mochizuki's Vortex Reiki, which, as well as teachings from TRT, professes to also incorporate pre-existing Japanese practices.

[* However, I have a rare English translation of Mochizuki's 1995 book, iyashi no te, and in it there is no mention of this training - Mochizuki states his first encounter with Reiki was not until 1988 ]

TRT is a system of Reiki divided into seven Degree levels.

First Degree TRT is said to activate and expand the student's 'Radiant Power' - for healing, abundance, creativity, personal growth and transformation.

Training covers the following topics:
History of Reiki
The Reiki Precepts / Principles
12 Hand Positions for giving Reiki treatment
[- the first four cover: eyes, sinus tract, brain, pituitary & pineal glands, throat, thyroid gland; the next four cover: lungs, heart, liver, gall-bladder, stomach, spleen, pancreas, intestines, bladder, reproductive organs; the final four cover: heart, lungs, adrenals, kidneys, spinal cord, lower back, & intestines.]
On-the-spot stress release
Reiki first aid
Centering technique.
Four Attunements are given in the First Degree.

Second Degree TRT is said to increase and deepen the student's 'Inner Plane' (psychic) capacities.

Training covers the following topics:
The three Second Degree symbols
- how to draw them; and their significance*
Methods to transform anger & negative behavior patterns, expand intuition and creativity
Use of Positive Affirmations in conjunction with hand-positions for head-treatment (- compare with 'original Reiki technique' called 'Nentatsu Ho')
Distant healing
Healing Self, Others, & Relationships
- past, present and future
Breath-empowering process.
One Attunement is given in the Second Degree.

*[Unlike many other, later, reworkings of Usui Shiki Ryoho as taught by Takata-sensei, in TRT while the level two student is still introduced to the three Reiki symbols, the Japanese mantra-names of the symbols are not given at this level - the symbols are referred to as: Cosmic Symbol (or Cosmic Pattern) One [power symbol], Cosmic Symbol (/Pattern) Four [mental/emotional symbol] and Cosmic Symbol (/Pattern) Twenty-two [distance symbol].
The actual mantra-names are only given at a higher Degree level.
It is interesting, I feel, to note that later, when Hiroshi Doi (a TRT level two student) claimed to have made contact with a survival of the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai, he also claimed (for a time at least) that the Gakkai referred to the symbols, not by their mantra-names, but simply as Symbol 1, Symbol 2, etc...]

Third Degree TRT is said to bring increased Radiant Power, for Awakening to the Cosmic Symbols & for Expanded Service, Growth & Joy.

At the Third Degree level the student is taught a fourth 'Cosmic Symbol' ( the Usui Master Symbol) - again the Japanese mantra-name of the Symbol is not given at this level - and the student "... explores the radiance" of the symbol, and new ways to advance their service to "...self, the planet and all other living beings."

In TRT, the Third Degree is divided into three parts - 3, 3a & 3b.
With the Third Degree comes a dynamic increase in the student's Radiant Power - for transformation and stress management on multi-dimensional levels.

The Third Degree (3b) gives the student the capacity to use an Attunement to: "...co-create Light energy" [i.e. initiate students].

A Third (3b) Degree practitioner can teach First and Second Degree classes and pass initiations to these two levels; however they can not teach/initiate students to the three-part Third Degree itself.

A Fourth Degree practitioner can teach First, Second and Third Degree classes and pass initiations to these levels; but can not teach/initiate students to the Fourth Degree itself.

A Fifth Degree practitioner can teach First, Second, Third, and Fourth...

And so on, up to the Seventh Degree, which can teach every level.

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