Edited from a transcript of a tape recording of Mrs. Hawayo Takata.
The recording was made in 1979 when Takata was 78 years old.
Mrs. Hawayo Takata asked her teacher, “Dr. Hayashi, will you permit and consent that I have one class free for all the people that have helped me through this year of sorrow and illness. I would like to teach them and give them a free lesson in Reiki so that they may benefit.”
Dr. Hayashi responded, “Now that you are well, you can return your gratitude by giving them treatments when they need it, but I would not hold a class for them. They will never use it for it will have no value to them because they received it free.”
Having heard that she said to herself, “Well, I have to try.” And so she gave free lessons to her best friends and waited.
One day as she was hanging laundry one friend came by and said, “My daughter didn’t go to school today because she had a little stomach ache. So I brought her to you.”
Mrs. Takata asked, “Did you give her a treatment? Didn’t you even try?”
She said, “No, why should I? You’re the expert that lives next to me. It’s easier to bring her to you than to do it myself because I know she’ll get well.”
And so that was one disappointment.
And then on the other side of the town, another friend said, “My daughter has the flu and the teacher said go home because it’s contagious. So I brought my daughter; I want you to give her a treatment.”
Mrs. Takata asked, “Didn’t I teach you?”
She said, “Yes, but why should I use it when I have a car and can run to you? You’re the expert here, and when you do it I know she is going to get well.”
Mrs. Takata responded, “You never even tried to use it?”
She said “No.”
There wasn’t any gratitude whatsoever.
Mrs. Takata hid in her house and cried. And then she looked towards Japan, and bowed her head to Dr. Hayashi, and also towards Dr. Usui’s grave. She said, “Forgive me for being wrong. I did not help any person because they did not accept this gratefully and spiritually, because they didn’t spend a penny. It is very sad, but I will turn them down hereafter.
