Day of Remembrance - February 19th

Today, February 19th, is known as the Day of Remembrance. It marks the day in 1942 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order authorizing the forced relocation and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans and immigrants into concentration camps during World War II. This was a tragic violation of human rights and a horrific stain on U.S. history that resulted in nearly two thousand deaths, and decades of discrimination & generational trauma for the Japanese American community.

As a Reiki practitioner practicing in the Japanese tradition, it is especially important to me to never forget this sad time in history, and the context in which the original system of Reiki must always be remembered. Many folks know that Reiki originated in Japan, but many do not realize that the practice was brought to the U.S. during the time of WWII, when it was extremely dangerous to do such a thing. Two of Reiki's honored founders, Mrs. Hawayo Takata and Dr. Chujiro Hayashi risked their lives to bring Reiki to the Western world. And as a result, Dr. Hayashi paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The fact that Reiki in the West was born during this dark time in history is a miracle in itself. Today, the Day of Remembrance, is a reminder that we must never forget the historical significance of our past-- so that we can learn from it and honor those who suffered. Given the similar events currently happening in our country, we must remember to never, ever look away from injustice.. and do everything in our power to stand on the right side of history.

National Day of Remembrance