REIKI LINEAGE

A lineage is a list of Reiki Master Teachers, starting with your own Reiki Master and then going back, teacher by teacher to Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki.  A teacher’s lineage reflects what they have been taught and the teachings that will be passed on to their students.

Different lineages will have different techniques, philosophies and understandings of working with the system of Reiki. That is not to say that the traditions of Mikao Usui will not be taught, but it is natural that over time for people to put their own personal beliefs and methods into the teachings. Here at the Navitas Centre we keep it as simple as it was originally taught, simplicity is in fact the beauty of Reiki.

Since Reiki began in the early 1900s and was brought to the West in 1938 by Hawayo Takata, there have been various histories and understandings about the system of Reiki. Since Hawayo Takata died in 1980 there have been a number of people who have created their own lineages. So it is important that you check the Reiki Masters Lineage before proceeding with your Reiki course.

Lineages that follow a Western teaching will always have the following people at the beginning of the lineage:

  • Mikao Usui
  • Chujiro Hayashi
  • Hawayo Takata

All lineages from Mrs. Takata would include at least one of the following masters as they were the 22 taught by her.

  • George Araki
  • Dorothy Baba (deceased)
  • Ursula Baylow (deceased)
  • Rick Bockner
  • Patricia Bowling
  • Barbara Brown
  • Frank Brown
  • Phyllis Furumoto (grand-daughter of Mrs. Takata)
  • Beth Gray
  • John Gray
  • Iris Ishikuro (deceased)
  • Harry Kuboi
  • Ethel Lombardi
  • Barbara McCullough
  • Mary McFayden
  • Paul Mitchell
  • Bethel Phaigh (deceased)
  • Shinobu Saito
  • Virginia Samdahl (deceased)
  • Wanja Twan
  • Barbara Weber Ray
  • Kay Yamashita (sister of Mrs. Takata)

If your Reiki master is in the Takata lineage, and their lineage does not include one of those names listed above, you should ask the Reiki Master for verification that you will be attuned to the Mikao Usui traditional way of Reiki.

There are also Japanese Reiki lineages, which are in keeping with the traditional esoteric aspects of Reiki such as Usui Reiki Ryoho and Komyo Reiki Kai. See our Reiki Lineage for more information.

All Reiki Associations have a lineage checking service that will verify if you have been taught Reiki. Reiki Associations will not allow membership without a genuine Reiki lineage.