Looking at Reiki Branch Lineage
The concept of lineage in Reiki means who taught whom. All Reiki students, practitioners, or teachers of Usui Reiki are linked to one another because all are connected to Mikao Usui. Tracing your Reiki lineage means looking back from teacher to teacher, going all the way back to Mikao Usui.
Lineage becomes important when you want to teach Reiki, join a Reiki organization, or get certified. There are now some organizations that offer help with tracing your Reiki lineage if you’re unsure (some are listed in Appendix A).
Information on branches of Reiki is always changing. This section lists the most well-known branches. Check out Appendix A for further information.
Japanese Usui Reiki branches
Japan has several major branches of Reiki. You can find website information for these branches in Appendix A. The lineage for each branch starts with Mikao Usui and continues to the current founder or teacher of that branch:
Gendai Reiki Ho: Lineage: Mikao Usui, Kanichi Taketomi, Kimiko Koyama, Hiroshi Doi. Founder: Hiroshi Doi.
Jikiden Reiki: Lineage: Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi, Chiyoko Yamaguchi, Tadao Yamaguchi. Founders: Chiyoko Yamaguchi and Tadao Yamaguchi.
Komyo Reiki Do: Lineage: Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi, Chiyoko Yamaguchi, Hyakuten Inamoto. Founder: Hyakuten Inamoto.
Usui Reiki Ryoho: Frans Stiene and Bronwen Logan (Stiene) have studied under the previous three lineages and incorporate them into their Japanese-style classes at International House of Reiki.
Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai: Lineage: Mikao Usui, Juzaburo Ushida, Kanichi Taketomi, Yoshiharu Watanabe, Toyoichi Wanami, Kimiko Koyama, Masaki Kondo, Ichita Takahashi. Founder: Mikao Usui. This organization seeks to preserve Mikao Usui’s teachings but has restricted membership.
Western Usui Reiki branches
The main branches of Western Reiki all derive from Hawayo Takata:
The Radiance Technique (Authentic Reiki): Lineage: Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi, Hawayo Takata, Barbara Weber Ray. Founder: Barbara Weber Ray, who claimed that she’s the sole successor to Hawayo Takata.
Usui Shiki Ryoho: Lineage: Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi, Hawayo Takata, Phyllis Lei Furumoto. The Reiki Alliance is a group that formed after Hawayo Takata died. Both the Reiki Alliance and Phyllis Lei Furumoto (who is Hawayo Takata’s granddaughter) claim that Furumoto is the true successor to Hawayo Takata.Many independent Reiki Masters (including me) have studied under this system but are not necessarily part of the Reiki Alliance.
Usui Reiki/Tibetan Reiki: Lineage: Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi, Hawayo Takata, Phyllis Lei Furumoto, Carrell Ann Farmer, Leah Smith, William Lee Rand. Founder: William Lee Rand (United States). This is my lineage for my Reiki Master training with one of William Rand’s students, Kathie Lipinski.
Choosing a Reiki Branch for Yourself
Check out what types of Reiki classes are available in your area.
Speak to Reiki practitioners you know. Ask them what they liked and disliked about their classes or teachers.
Try out a Reiki session with a teacher you’re considering (either a private session or a Reiki circle).
Go to a Reiki circle or share in your
