Interview with Don Alexander

October 2001

Oliver Klatt:
You are meeting with people who knew Dr. Usui, Dr. Hayashi or Hawayo Takata. You are exploring the sources of Reiki. What did you find out? What was your motivation?

Don Alexander:
I'll begin with my motivation. It is simply that ever since I first experienced Reiki in 1983 I felt a profound resonance with something deeply moving. Something that was important. Not only for my clients (at that time I was practising as a psychotherapist using, among other techniques, Buddhist meditation) but for my own inner development. It took two years before I could "import" a Reiki Master from the USA to England to lead a 1st Degree training seminar. For the 2nd degree I needed to take time to go to San Diego, California. There, I was shown some symbols which I had expected to be Sanskrit. But whatever they were, they were clearly not Sanskrit. However, equally clearly, they "worked". After years of training as a Bhikkhu, a Buddhist monk, I was very familiar with Pali and so already had a 'feeling' for Sanskrit. The two languages are closely related. I had hoped that when I undertook training in 1987 as a Reiki master I might learn the secret of the missing Sanskrit symbols. But no. Only more questions! Well, questions are healthy - especially when they are driving questions...
My researches and discoveries became the basis of my "Symbols Seminar" which I have taught internationally for over ten years. But there were still questions which fired my search. Recently, Chris Marsh, a friend who has lived and practiced Martial Arts in Japan for a great many years, told me about his meetings with two elderly but still radiantly alive people who had known and trained with Mikao Usui back in the days when neither the word Reiki nor the so-called symbols of Reiki were used. Slowly, at an appropriate pace, my questions are just now being answered.

Oliver Klatt:
Ruth Dehmke-Langhammer mentioned that you were hoping to meet with one of these early Japanese students and colleagues of Usui. Did you already meet her? Would you like to say something about that?

Don Alexander:
A little while ago, someone thoughtlessly posted some information about one of these remarkable people on the Internet. In no time at all, it seemed as if a stream of "Reiki tourists" would beat a path to her door. She is lively but being well over 100 years of age, is very frail. Her friends and students felt shocked at the impropriety of many of these approaches and moved quickly to protect her. It is now much more difficult to gain access to her directly. And for my part I no longer have any personal wish or desire to go to meet her or anyone else of that early generation. The practice in the East is simply to practise. To practise until it is the "Right Time" for the Master (or the Opportunity) to appear.

Oliver Klatt:
What is the essence of your insights concerning the Reiki symbols and mantras?

Don Alexander:
Reiki, as it has come to be known, sprang from both ancient Buddhist and Shinto roots. And it had intimate connections with Traditional Japanese Medicine and the Martial Arts. All of these involve disciplines which are at once both spiritual and physical. In fact, in the traditions of the East mind, body and spirit have never been regarded as separate - except in the language we use. In both India and Japan there developed, from the most ancient of times, practices involving the chanting of sacred sounds.
Language, and especially sound patterns which were not yet verbal, were used energetically. By that I mean that sounds, syllables and combinations of these were used to dynamically alter experience of the world. Think of the "Logos" in Christianity and incantations such as "Abracadabra" and you will have some idea of an enormous diversity of meaning and resonance within Western traditions as well. One element of Reiki grew from this. Visual symbols came later. They make it easier, perhaps, for those either not willing or unable to undertake the sometimes arduous training of 21 day fasts and meditation retreats on and around sacred mountains. It seems, by the way, that Dr Usui undertook a great many of these trainings and not only on Kurayama. Tendai Buddhism which he and his family followed, has its base on Mount Hiei. Quite apart from purely Tantric techniques, the practice of shamatha and vipashyana (Pali: samatha and vipassana) were central to his training.

Oliver Klatt:
You are exploring the combination of Reiki with acupressure and meridian points. Did you come to any conclusions?

Don Alexander:
From earlier years of my life I found that sometimes both my voice and my eyes could have a healing influence. So when I discovered Reiki (or Reiki discovered me whichever the case may be) it was natural to incorporate these faculties into my practice. So, as you can imagine, I was electrified when not so long ago I read in translations of notes taken by Usui-san's students that he employed "looking" and "tapping" and "chanting" among the practices he taught. It would take a book to develop my exploration along these avenues. So my answer to this question will have to wait a little.

Oliver Klatt:
Did you already meet with Phyllis Furumoto?

Don Alexander:
Yes. I have had the pleasure of meeting with Phyllis more than once. And I have to say that I am deeply moved by all she has done for the cause of Reiki and healing in the world. I admire her and I admire her dedication. It is dedication at this level that inspired, and was required of, the earliest students of Dr Usui. However, because I come from a Buddhist background, I have always sought greater understanding and experience of that aspect of Usui-san's teaching and practice. My search for a profound connection with Sanskrit symbols and actual meditation practices which Usui both undertook and taught to his students have taken me along a slightly different but perhaps parallel path.

Oliver Klatt:
You are teaching Reiki meditations and Reiki exercises for everyday. Could you say something about this?

Don Alexander:
In the lifetime of Dr. Usui few were initiated into Okuden, the 2nd Degree, and far fewer into Shinpiden, the 3rd Degree. Students, especially in the early days, were expected to meditate and demonstrate their application and dedication to their own spiritual development. This was not considered as separate from their practice of Reiki. It is this that interests me and is the basis of what I teach. But since Dr. Usui taught only what was suitable at a particular level and according to the readiness of his students, it is not appropriate to give more information here at this time.

Oliver Klatt:
Don, thank you for the interview.


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Not only for my clients (at that time I was practising as a psychotherapist using, among other techniques, Buddhist meditation) but for my own inner development. It took two years before I could "import" a Reiki Master from the USA to England to lead a 1st Degree training seminar. For the 2nd degree I needed to take time to go to San Diego, California. There, I was shown some symbols which I had expected to be Sanskrit. But whatever they were, they were clearly not Sanskrit. However, equally clearly, they "worked". After years of training as a Bhikkhu, a Buddhist monk, I was very familiar with Pali and so already had a 'feeling' for Sanskrit. The two languages are closely related. I had hoped that when I undertook training in 1987 as a Reiki master I might learn the secret of the missing Sanskrit symbols. But no. Only more questions! Well, questions are healthy - especially when they are driving questions... My researches and discoveries became the basis of my "Symbols Seminar" which I have taught internationally for over ten years. But there were still questions which fired my search. Recently, Chris Marsh, a friend who has lived and practiced Martial Arts in Japan for a great many years, told me about his meetings with two elderly but still radiantly alive people who had known and trained with Mikao Usui back in the days when neither the word Reiki nor the so-called symbols of Reiki were used. Slowly, at an appropriate pace, my questions are just now being answered. Oliver Klatt: Ruth Dehmke-Langhammer mentioned that you were hoping to meet with one of these early Japanese students and colleagues of Usui. Did you already meet her? Would you like to say something about that? Don Alexander: A little while ago, someone thoughtlessly posted some information about one of these remarkable people on the Internet. In no time at all, it seemed as if a stream of "Reiki tourists" would beat a path to her door. She is lively but being well over 100 years of age, is very frail. Her friends and students felt shocked at the impropriety of many of these approaches and moved quickly to protect her. It is now much more difficult to gain access to her directly. And for my part I no longer have any personal wish or desire to go to meet her or anyone else of that early generation. The practice in the East is simply to practise. To practise until it is the "Right Time" for the Master (or the Opportunity) to appear. Oliver Klatt: What is the essence of your insights concerning the Reiki symbols and mantras? Don Alexander: Reiki, as it has come to be known, sprang from both ancient Buddhist and Shinto roots. And it had intimate connections with Traditional Japanese Medicine and the Martial Arts. All of these involve disciplines which are at once both spiritual and physical. In fact, in the traditions of the East mind, body and spirit have never been regarded as separate - except in the language we use. In both India and Japan there developed, from the most ancient of times, practices involving the chanting of sacred sounds. Language, and especially sound patterns which were not yet verbal, were used energetically. By that I mean that sounds, syllables and combinations of these were used to dynamically alter experience of the world. Think of the "Logos" in Christianity and incantations such as "Abracadabra" and you will have some idea of an enormous diversity of meaning and resonance within Western traditions as well. One element of Reiki grew from this. Visual symbols came later. They make it easier, perhaps, for those either not willing or unable to undertake the sometimes arduous training of 21 day fasts and meditation retreats on and around sacred mountains. It seems, by the way, that Dr Usui undertook a great many of these trainings and not only on Kurayama. Tendai Buddhism which he and his family followed, has its base on Mount Hiei. Quite apart from purely Tantric techniques, the practice of shamatha and vipashyana (Pali: samatha and vipassana) were central to his training. Oliver Klatt: You are exploring the combination of Reiki with acupressure and meridian points. Did you come to any conclusions? Don Alexander: From earlier years of my life I found that sometimes both my voice and my eyes could have a healing influence. So when I discovered Reiki (or Reiki discovered me whichever the case may be) it was natural to incorporate these faculties into my practice. So, as you can imagine, I was electrified when not so long ago I read in translations of notes taken by Usui-san's students that he employed "looking" and "tapping" and "chanting" among the practices he taught. It would take a book to develop my exploration along these avenues. So my answer to this question will have to wait a little. Oliver Klatt: Did you already meet with Phyllis Furumoto? Don Alexander: Yes. I have had the pleasure of meeting with Phyllis more than once. And I have to say that I am deeply moved by all she has done for the cause of Reiki and healing in the world. I admire her and I admire her dedication. It is dedication at this level that inspired, and was required of, the earliest students of Dr Usui. However, because I come from a Buddhist background, I have always sought greater understanding and experience of that aspect of Usui-san's teaching and practice. My search for a profound connection with Sanskrit symbols and actual meditation practices which Usui both undertook and taught to his students have taken me along a slightly different but perhaps parallel path. Oliver Klatt: You are teaching Reiki meditations and Reiki exercises for everyday. Could you say something about this? Don Alexander: In the lifetime of Dr. Usui few were initiated into Okuden, the 2nd Degree, and far fewer into Shinpiden, the 3rd Degree. Students, especially in the early days, were expected to meditate and demonstrate their application and dedication to their own spiritual development. This was not considered as separate from their practice of Reiki. It is this that interests me and is the basis of what I teach. But since Dr. Usui taught only what was suitable at a particular level and according to the readiness of his students, it is not appropriate to give more information here at this time. Oliver Klatt: Don, thank you for the interview.