Mikao Usui
15/8/1865 – 9/3/1926

It was Dr Mikao Usui’s re-discovery of Reiki and his dedication and commitment on the implementation of this method that brought forth this Healing Art which would otherwise have probably remained lost.
Born on the 15th of August 1865, in the village of ‘Taniai-mura’ in the Yamagata district of Gifu, Japan, Mikao Usui had from an early age dedicated his life to self-mastery.  It is speculated that because of his education and business positions he held before discovering Reiki, that Usui came from a wealthy family. However, it seems that no-one knows for sure.
What triggered his quest, according to researchers, was that as a young person he had studied Kiko, the Japanese version of Qi Gong, but as he had to build up his own energy only to have it depleted when treating others, he wondered if there was any other way that healing could occur. 
It was in March of 1922, while on a 21 day fast he had taken upon Mt. Kurama, Japan, that his quest was finally concluded and Usui re-discovered Reiki. 
No one knows exactly why Usui went to meditate upon Mt. Kurama, but research  suggests that it was because he felt his life was failing and as an avid Spiritual seeker, he wanted to meditate on his life’s purpose.
After re-discovering Reiki he moved to Tokyo, in 1922, opened his first clinic and begun treating others. At that time there was already a great deal of poverty and depression in Japan, due to the on-going war and a year later, in 1923, Kanto earthquake hit leaving more than 140,000 people dead, many others homeless and  sick and over half of the houses destroyed. 
It is said that he felt a great deal of compassion to help people, and that he would go out every morning to heal the wounded and sick and, as it was a great amount of work, he began to teach others Reiki in order to help with the devastation.
In 1925 the demand for Reiki had become so great that he opened a bigger clinic in Nakano, outside of Tokyo Japan, and his reputation as a healer would spread through-out his country. He began to travel through-out Japan to teach others about Reiki and trained more than 2000 students on all Reiki levels in these travels. 
Sadly, while travelling to Fukuyama, he suffered a stroke and died on March 9, 1926.  Juzaburo Ushida, one of the students trained by Dr Usui to Reiki Mastery, took over the Presidency of Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai.
Before his death Usui was given the Kun San To award from the Japanese Government for his dedication to helping the people of Japan.

CHUJIRO HAYASHI
15/9/1878 – 9/5/1940

Dr. Hayashi was born in Tokyo Japan and was an experienced Naval Physician.  He began his training with Mikao Usui in 1925 and, contrary to what many believe, he did not become Usui’s successor after his passing in 1926.  However, it was Dr Usui who convinced him to open his own clinic and to heal others with Reiki.
Dr Hayashi left the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai after Dr Usui’s death and named his clinic Hayashi Reiki Kenkyukai.  He kept medical records of all patients who were treated and developed a systematic method of hand positions, customized for each patient. Dr Hayashi also made some changes to the original Usui system of healing, some of them being having several practitioners giving a treatment at once (instead of only one) or having the patient laying down on a treatment table (unlike Dr Usui, who had them sit in a chair).  
His development of the Usui Reiki Ryoho has become what the majority of Reiki Teachers and practitioners now know as Usui Reiki.
Hawayo Takata, a woman who was diagnosed with a life threatening tumour and one of Dr Hayashi’s patients (later on his last Reiki Master/Teacher), would be the one responsible for spreading Reiki in the West.  As she was from Hawaii, Dr. Hayashi and his daughter would travel to Hawaii to tour and spread the awareness of Reiki and also help Mrs. Takata establish Reiki in the West.
Because of this trip to Hawaii from 1937-38, prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, Dr. Hayashi was asked by the Japanese Military to provide information about warehouses and military targets in Honolulu. When Hayashi refused to reveal this information, he was labelled a traitor.
Because this would bring dishonour to his family name and would ostracizing his family from the Japanese Society, he performed seppuku (ritual suicide), which he carried out. He died on May 11, 1940 with Honour.  Mrs. Takata would be the last Master Dr. Hayashi would ever teach.

Hawayo Takata
24/12/1900 – 11/12/1980

Mrs. Takata is the one who we can accredit to bringing Usui Reiki to the West. Born to Japanese parents, Takata grew up on the Hawaii Island of Kauai where her father worked in the sugar cane fields. After the 2nd or 3rd grade she left school to work in the Plantation house. As she grew older she would take on more responsibilities at her work, eventually becoming the head of household staff.
At the age of 17 she was married to Saichi Takata, the bookkeeper of the plantation where she was employed and had two children but when her husband passed away in October of 1930 from lung cancer, she was left to care for the children on her own. This brought a great deal of stress into her life, and eventually with the passing of her sister, she became very ill. When she travelled to Japan to notify her parents of her sister’s death, she was introduced to Dr. Chujiro Hayashi and ultimately the treatment that saved her life.
Having been diagnosed with a tumour and gallstones, she decided against surgery moments before her operation, asking the head surgeon about non-surgical alternatives.  She was given the address to Hayashi’s clinic and after four months of receiving daily Reiki treatments from Hayashi, she was completely cured from all of her ailments.
Having been quite impressed with the results, she wanted to learn this method of healing. According to her story, she was told that it could not be taught to someone from outside of Japan, and that Reiki must stay in its home country. This however did not stop her (many of Mrs Takata students describe her as very dynamic!).  She became very persistant, asking the Head Surgeon to convince Hayashi to allow her to be his student. Hayashi, having only taught one other woman (his wife), thought she should be the one to learn Reiki, and agreed with her request.
Takata learned her first degree of Reiki in the Spring of 1936 and studied for a whole year with Hayashi before obtaining her second degree. In 1937 she returned to Hawaii and set up a very successful Reiki Business with Dr. Hayashi travelling to Hawaii to help promote the Art of Reiki.
Mrs. Takata received her Master’s degree in the Winter of 1938. She was the thirteen Master and the last that Hayashi would ever teach. She passed away on December 11 of 1980.

Phyllis Lei Furumoto
22/8/1948 – 31/3/2019

Phyllis Lei Furumoto was born on August 22, 1948, in Dallas, Texas into a Japanese American family. She grew up in the USA and travelled the world teaching Reiki and being of service to the Reiki community.  
Phyllis Furumoto-Sensei was a Master, Grand Master, and during the time she was the Lineage Bearer for Usui Shiki Ryoho she brought Reiki to students in the wider world as Reiki began to spread globally.
Phyllis learned Reiki from her grandmother, Hawayo Takata, who taught this Japanese healing practice in Hawaii, the mainland US, Puerto Rico and Canada. Phyllis joined her grandmother traveling and teaching Reiki in the late 1970’s.
After Hawayo Takata’s death, a group of Masters initiated by both Hawayo Takata and Phyllis came together in Hawaii and found a kindred community: people who understood and shared their path and dedication. By the end of the week, they had recognized Phyllis as Hawayo Takata’s successor.
When the group of Masters met again this led to the formation of The Reiki Alliance: an international community of Reiki Masters practicing and teaching Usui Shiki Ryoho, dedicated to continuing the practice that Phyllis’ grandmother, Hawayo Takata had taught. The purpose of The Reiki Alliance was also for us Reiki Masters to support each other living and practicing Usui Shiki Ryoho, in our personal lives, in The Reiki Alliance community, and in the world.
At the close of the Spain conference in 1992, the Alliance formally asked Phyllis to define the Usui System of Natural Healing, as Usui Shiki Ryoho was called at the time. Together with Paul David Mitchell, she brought clarity to the form of the practice through the Nine Elements and expressed the philosophy and understanding of the system in the Four Aspects.
Phyllis had the unique ability to see everyone’s potential and she challenged her students, friends, and colleagues to realize their own potential.  She often said that “Reiki was a partnership,” and she embodied this concept whether she was teaching, singing, cooking, dancing or sailing. She encouraged people to find this partnership within their own lives. As a woman of deep conviction and spiritual grounding she lived her life authentically, and in the process she often pushed people’s edges and gave them the opportunity for deep self-examination.
“Reiki comes first!” These words from Hawayo Takata were true in Phyllis’ life. Reiki did come first and supported her in the abundant universe that she shared so generously with others. She was a hard taskmaster but had a soft soul that opened to others and gave the gift of hearing and seeing people like few others could. She taught Reiki as a bridge to connect cultures. Phyllis had many ideas and was eager to learn new things and try out concepts and integrate them into a deeper understanding of Reiki.
Phyllis Lei Furumoto transitioned from her earthly life in Green Valley, Arizona on March 31, 2019. Two weeks prior to her transition, Phyllis acknowledged Johannes Reindl as her successor. Phyllis Lei Furumoto left an indelible mark on the world and in the heart of many Reiki students, friends, and colleagues.

Johannes Reindl

Johannes Reindl, continues to carry on Ph. Furumoto’s inspiring work. Johannes lives in Austria, learned Reiki in 1995 and met Phyllis in Germany in 2001. Eventually he became Phyllis' student and was initiated by her as a master in Japan in 2017.
 "The teachings I received from Phyllis Furumoto in my training as a master never included a conversation or a teaching about distant initiation. It was always communicated very clearly that the initiation is the ritual that is practiced by masters in the physical presence of the student. I initiate in person, on four consecutive days for first Degree, one initiation for second Degree, and one initiation for Masters. As her successor, I honor and hold the practice I received from my master.  I am not changing this and continue to teach classes and initiate students only in their physical presence".