Most modern Reiki practitioners know the ‘beggar story’ as a parable told by Hawayo Takata. Usuing Mikao Usui and his experience trying to help a beggar as an example she taught practitioners that Reiki must be paid for or it will not be respected.
Many teachers dispute this concept today and there exist groups of teachers and practitioners who offer Reiki treatments and Reiki courses for free. There is an account of the ‘beggar story’ in Living Reiki — Takata’s Teachings by Fran Brown.