Reiki system
Usui Shiki Ryōhō
Founded by Hawayo Takata
1938 · United States
The Western lineage of Usui Reiki, carried from Japan to Hawaii and then to the world.
History
Hawayo Takata learned Reiki in Japan and practised in Hawaii from the 1930s, training the masters who spread the Western form of the practice. This is the lineage most Western Reiki schools descend from.
Practice
Taught in three or four levels, with a master level that can attune others. Most Western Reiki training follows this structure.
Evidence
Reiki is a spiritual practice. Clinical research has not shown it, or any Reiki system, to be effective as a treatment for any medical condition, and there is no evidence for the universal energy it describes. It is generally low-risk, but it is not a substitute for evidence-based care.
Sources
- [B]Reiki (2026) · article