USUI SHIKI RYOHO
Usui System of Reiki Healing

Dr. Mikao Usui is honored as the founder of Usui Shiki Ryoho, the Usui System of Natural Healing, which originated in Japan in the late 1800s. His discovery and development of this sacred hands-on healing method came through years of spiritual study, meditation, and personal insight. He devoted his life to practicing and teaching Reiki, sharing it with individuals from all walks of life.

Reiki, as taught by Dr. Usui, facilitates the flow of universal life force energy—supporting the body’s natural ability to release energetic blockages caused by stress, unhealthy habits, or emotional strain. This healing practice helps bring harmony to all aspects of the self: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Dr. Usui believed deeply in the power of this energy to awaken a person’s innate healing potential and restore a sense of wholeness. Through gentle touch and intention, Reiki encourages a shift toward balance and inner peace.

Before his passing, Dr. Usui acknowledged Dr. Chujiro Hayashi as the Second Grand Master of the system, entrusting him to carry forward and preserve the integrity of this healing lineage.

​​​Dr. Chujiro Hayashi was a former naval officer and medical doctor in Japan who became one of Mikao Usui’s most devoted students. After retiring from military service, he dedicated himself to the study and practice of Reiki, eventually receiving full teaching credentials from Usui. With his combined background in medicine and discipline, Hayashi became instrumental in shaping how Reiki was practiced and passed on.

He went on to establish the Hayashi Reiki Institute in Tokyo, where he treated clients and trained practitioners in a structured clinic setting. His systematic approach introduced standardized hand positions and multi-person treatments, laying the foundation for Reiki as a repeatable and teachable healing method. Hayashi’s efforts helped Reiki gain credibility as both a spiritual and therapeutic practice.

One of Hayashi’s most notable students was Hawayo Takata, a Japanese-American woman who received treatment at his clinic and later trained under his guidance. Recognizing her deep connection to the work, Hayashi entrusted her to carry Reiki to the West. This moment became a turning point in Reiki history, as Takata would later become the Third Grand Master and bring the practice to international communities.

Dr. Hayashi passed away in 1940 during a turbulent time in Japan’s history. Though his life was cut short, the clinical precision and integrity he brought to Reiki continue to influence the practice today. His contributions helped bridge ancient tradition with modern application, ensuring Reiki could be shared globally while maintaining its roots.

The Introduction of Reiki to the West

Hawayo Takata, the Third Grand Master and Lineage Bearer of Usui Shiki Ryoho, was a Japanese-American born in a sugarcane plantation camp on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. Facing serious health challenges, she traveled to Japan in search of non-surgical healing options. There, she discovered the Usui Shiki Ryoho clinic, where Reiki treatments helped her recover and regain vitality.

Moved by the profound healing she experienced, Mrs. Takata recognized Reiki’s potential to benefit people of all ages and backgrounds. She committed herself fully to the practice and study of Reiki under Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, who later designated her as the Third Lineage Bearer before his passing.

In 1936, Hawayo Takata returned to Hawaii and established the first Reiki practice outside of Japan. Over the following decades, she shared Reiki extensively through treatments and trainings, becoming instrumental in bringing Reiki Natural Healing to the Western world.

Before her own passing in 1980, she recognized her granddaughter, Phyllis Lei Furumoto, as the Fourth Grand Master of Usui Shiki Ryoho.

Reiki in Modern Healthcare

Hawayo Takata taught Reiki at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and, in 1974, helped gain approval for Reiki to be practiced in Hawaii hospitals. Her efforts opened the door for Reiki to be recognized within integrative healthcare systems.

Today, many physicians support the inclusion of Reiki in clinical settings. Dr. George Remisovsky has stated, “Reiki energy medicine is a fine introduction to a technique which can truly enhance our capacity to make our patients well. I wholeheartedly recommend it.” Dr. Larry Dossey, a pioneer in integrative medicine, affirms, “Reiki is increasingly being incorporated into modern medicine because of one compelling reason: It works.”

Phyllis Lei Furumoto was the granddaughter of Hawayo Takata, who brought Reiki from Japan to the West. After experiencing the practice firsthand and studying directly under her grandmother, Phyllis became the Fourth Lineage Bearer and Grand Master of Usui Shiki Ryoho. Her leadership helped shape the global understanding of Reiki, and she devoted her life to sharing its teachings across cultures and generations.

Phyllis co-founded The Reiki Alliance and worked to articulate the system through what became known as the Four Aspects and Nine Elements—guiding principles that preserve the integrity and depth of the Reiki tradition. Her teachings emphasized not only technique but also personal growth, spiritual connection, and the sacred relationship between student and master.

Before her passing, Phyllis named Johannes Reindl as her successor. Johannes, from Austria, began his journey with Reiki as a teenager and later became Phyllis’s student and translator. After years of mentorship and deep spiritual preparation, he was initiated as a Reiki Master and, eventually, recognized as the Fifth Lineage Bearer of Usui Shiki Ryoho.

Today, Johannes continues the work of preserving and evolving the practice. With humility and clarity, he carries forward the lineage, offering Reiki as both a personal path and a healing art. His stewardship ensures that the spirit of Reiki—rooted in tradition and alive in present-day practice—remains accessible and relevant for future generations.

My Heartfelt Gratitude goes out to my Reiki Master, Shalanda Abbey,​ with whom I began this wonderful  ReikiNatural Healing journey from day one to the present. 

This precious gift of Reiki has future healing potential for ourselves our families, our communities and the entire world.