While no two legends seem to agree exactly, on the history of  Usui Reiki (though mostly differ in the minutiae) the one I was taught and enjoy to share is:

Mikao Usui (Usui Sensei) was known as the ‘Father of Reiki.’
(though the Japanese word ‘reiki’ had been used long before)

He was a successful business man, with a strong interest in the metaphysical and passionate about the search for the peace that comes from knowing and serving one’s true Life Purpose and attaining Ultimate Enlightenment for the good of all.

In the Spring of 1922, with the encouragement of his Zen Master, he embarked upon a very difficult retreat to discover this elusive
Ultimate Enlightenment.

Finally, in the dark of night, on the verge of death, in his 21st day of fasting atop Mt. Kurama, in Japan,
Mikao Usui spontaneously experienced, as like a flash of lightening,
‘A Brilliant Light’.

It entered his mind through the top of his head and at this, he fell unconscious.

When he awakened the next morning,  he was truly ‘Awakened.’

In his mind, he experienced a much higher level of consciousness/awareness.

  Where he’d suffered pain, weariness, it was no more.

In fact, not only did he ‘feel’ a new Vitality, he was ‘Vitality’!

Not just Enlightened, he ‘was’ Enlightenment!

He not only found what he’d been looking for, but
became all he had been searching for.

Ecstatic from the experience, he hurried down the mountain, stumbling along the way.

He went to rub the toe he stubbed, and with this action, found this Universal Healing Energy could now flow through his hands and he healed his wound.

Amazed at this, he realized he had also been given the gift of Healing.

He went forth, practiced, developed and further honed his new skills.

He healed his family members.
From there, seeing the great, good effect it produced, he moved his family to the city of Tokyo and opened a Healing Center there.

Knowing, as just one man, he could never heal all who needed his help, he  began to teach and attuned students there, calling his new method of healing,
‘The Usui Reiki Healing Method’.

Once he attuned them, he taught till his students became ‘Masters’ and then they went out and taught and attuned Masters and so went his lineage.

In 2003,  “I”
became a Reiki Master/Teacher
from the direct Lineage of
Master Mikao Usui Sensei

Reiki Energy has no boundaries or limits of space and time and can be sent anywhere in the Universe by an attuned Reiki Master.

The only stipulation is that the one receiving it, must be willing to receive it’s healing energies.

“The Laying on of Hands” has been acknowledged  and practiced in all cultures by all peoples since time began.