What Is My Reiki Lineage? How to Trace Your Reiki Roots

Your Reiki Roots

Understanding Your Reiki Lineage

Main takeaway

Understanding Your Reiki Lineage

Your Reiki lineage is the line of teachers from your Reiki master back to Mikao Usui. It is your connection to the source.

INSIGHTWhy it matters

Every Reiki practitioner has a lineage. It connects you to Usui, to Hayashi, to Takata, to your teacher.

OBSERVEWhat to notice

To find your lineage, ask your Reiki master for their lineage chart.

Checklist

How to Trace Your Lineage

Steps to find your Reiki lineage.

Ask your Reiki master
Ask your master for their lineage chart. They should be able to trace their lineage back to Usui.
Look for a chart
Many masters have a lineage chart they show their students.
Follow the line
The chart should show the line of teachers from Usui to your master.
Check the names
Look for Usui, Hayashi, Takata. These are the key names in the lineage.
Record it
Write down your lineage. It connects you to the tradition.

Keep in mind

Before you go further

All lineages trace back to Usui.
Some lineages have different names depending on the tradition.
Your master should be able to provide your lineage.

Typical Reiki Lineage

The line from Usui to you.

1

Mikao Usui

Founder. Developed Reiki in 1922.

2

Chujiro Hayashi

Systematized Reiki. Trained Takata.

3

Hawayo Takata

Brought Reiki to West. Trained 22 masters.

4

Your Master

Your teacher. Trained by Takata or one of her students.

5

You

The student. Your lineage connects you to Usui.

Your Reiki lineage is the line of teachers from your master back to Usui.
Ask your Reiki master for their lineage chart.
Typical lineage: Usui -> Hayashi -> Takata -> your master -> you.
Lineage connects you to the tradition.
All lineages trace back to Usui.
Respect your lineage and other lineages.

Frequently asked questions

What is my Reiki lineage?

Ask your Reiki master. They should be able to trace their lineage back to Mikao Usui.

How do I find my Reiki lineage?

Ask your Reiki master for their lineage chart. They should be able to provide it.

Why is Reiki lineage important?

It connects you to the tradition and the source of Reiki.

Does every Reiki practitioner have a lineage?

Yes. Every Reiki practitioner has a lineage. It traces back to Mikao Usui.

What if my master does not know their lineage?

They should know. If they do not, it is a concern. Ask them to find out.

People also explore

The Many BranchesWhat Are the Different Reiki Lineages?Two TraditionsWhat Is the Difference Between Eastern and Western Reiki?Two SystemsWhat Is the Difference Between Usui Reiki and Angelic Reiki?The Final Teaching TripHow Did Mikao Usui Died?The Final ChapterHow Old Was Mikao Usui When He Died?Origins of the SymbolsAre Reiki Symbols Japanese?

The Many BranchesWhat Are the Different Reiki Lineages?The main Reiki lineages include: Usui Reiki (the original from Mikao Usui), Hayashi Reiki (the systematized version by Chujiro Hayashi),...Two TraditionsWhat Is the Difference Between Eastern and Western Reiki?The main differences between Eastern (Japanese) and Western Reiki are: focus (Eastern emphasizes self-healing, Western emphasizes healing...Two SystemsWhat Is the Difference Between Usui Reiki and Angelic Reiki?Usui Reiki is the traditional Reiki developed by Mikao Usui in Japan in 1922. It uses four main symbols and focuses on universal life ene...The Training LineWhat Is the Lineage of Reiki Training?Reiki training lineage is the line of teachers from Mikao Usui to your teacher to you. The most common Western lineage is: Mikao Usui ->...The Adapted TraditionWhat Is Western Reiki?Western Reiki is the adaptation of Usui Reiki brought to the West by Hawayo Takata in the 1970s and 1980s. It is the most common form of...The Grand Master QuestionWho Is the Reiki Grand Master?There is no single Reiki grand master. Mikao Usui was the founder. Chujiro Hayashi succeeded him after Usui's death. After Hayashi, the l...The Succession QuestionWho Was the First Reiki Master?Mikao Usui was the founder, not the first master. The first people trained to the master level were Usui's senior students, including Chu...

How Did Mikao Usui Died?How Old Was Mikao Usui When He Died?Mikao Usui Cause of Death

Are Reiki Symbols Japanese?Are Reiki Symbols Sanskrit?Can Anyone Use Reiki Symbols?

Did Reiki Exist Before Usui?Do Japanese People Practice Reiki?How Did Mikao Usui Discover Reiki?

Sources

Frank Arjava Petter, Reiki Fire, 1997.
Bronwen and Frans Stiene, The Reiki Sourcebook, 2003.
Traditional Usui Reiki teachings.

What Is My Reiki Lineage?

Fast facts