Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Takata, Hawayo Kawamuri, 1900-1980
- Abstract:
- The collection includes the personal papers and belongings of Hawayo Takata, Reiki master, as well as material on Reiki practices throughout the 1930s to 1980s.
- Extent:
- 27.11 Linear Feet (2 cartons, 8 document boxes, 3 half-size document boxes, 16 flat boxes)
- Language:
- English Japanese
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], Hawayo Takata papers. ARC Mss 86. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection consists of personal belongings, Hawayo Takata's personal writings, publications on Reiki, certificates, correspondence, and photographs relating to the life of Hawayo Takata and Reiki practices.
- Biographical / historical:
-
In her diary, Hawayo Takata describes Reiki as an "unseen spiritual power that vibrates and all other powers fade into insignificance beside it." This power or force is believed to be within all of us, but those who study and apply it correctly can use it to heal. Dr. Mikao Usui introduced Reiki in Japan in 1922. Since that time, Reiki has become a popular alternative to medicine and a technique for stress reduction and relaxation. Practitioners practice healing mild and chronic, physical or mental ailments with energy transferred through their hands. In 1935, when Takata was 35 years old, she suffered from several illnesses and traveled to Japan for care. She entered a hospital in Tokyo for an operation and while there, she heard about Reiki and decided to try the therapy. While under the care of Reiki master Chujiro Hayashi for four months, Mrs. Takata recovered. She was so grateful that she asked to be taught the practice of Reiki. In February 1938, Hayashi Sensei initiated Hawayo Takata as a Reiki Master. She took everything that she had learned to Hawaii and would go on to train twenty-two masters. During the years of practicing Reiki in Hawaii, she acquired international and well-known clients, including Barbara Hutton and Doris Duke, and traveled to the United States mainland and other parts of the world teaching and giving treatments.
- Acquisition information:
- Donation, 2017
- Arrangement:
-
The collection is arranged into six series: Biographical materials, Correspondence, Certificates, Reiki writings, Photographs, and Memorabilia and artifacts.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
No reproductions permitted for certificates.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], Hawayo Takata papers. ARC Mss 86. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Location of this collection:
-
UC Santa Barbara LibrarySanta Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
- Contact:
- (805) 893-3062