Reiki history has changed over the years as new information is uncovered. Plus, there's a lot of theories about where Reiki came from, but there has been little confirmation of most of these theories. Reiki healing techniques are common to many ancient cultures - Tibetan, Chinese, Roman, Egyptian, Greek, and Indian. The Reiki now commonly used is thought to come from Tibet, then found its way to Japan. The healing modality was lost, rediscovered in the 1800s, then spread around the world.

According to esoteric Japanese history, Sonten or Sanat Kumara was the first teacher on earth of the laying-on-of-hands healing system known as 'Reiki.' Legend states that Sonten/Sanat Kumara arrived on Mt. Kurama in Japan approximately six million years ago and many believe his spirit still dwells within the mountain. Today, high upon Mt. Kurama, a shrine dedicated to Sonten is daily revered by Buddhist priests and his dedicated Japanese worshippers.

Reiki was "re-discovered" in the late 1800s by Mikao Usui, a Japanese educator, who was one of Sonten's regular worshippers. A Japanese Buddhist, Dr. Mikao Usui went fasting and meditating for 21 days on the holy mount, Kurama, in 1914. During this period he experienced a satori, a realization of enlightenment, and Reiki was re-discovered and his teachings unfolded.

The system of Reiki Healing that evolved from Dr. Usui's method is called the Usui System of Natural Healing or Usui Reiki Ryoho. One of Usui's students, Hawayo Takata (1900-1980), a woman whose illnesses healed following Reiki therapy in Japan in 1935, eventually came to the United States and was responsible for teaching Reiki masters now living in North America, which helped to spread the practice of Reiki throughout the world.