In this interview-documentary, Phyllis Lei Furumoto answers questions about formative and tumultuous years of Reiki with astonishing openness. Her description of her role during these times, her acknowledgement of mistakes, and thus her contribution to reconciliation, is exemplary even beyond the Reiki community.
Reiki is a healing and spiritual practice, which was established in Japan early in the 20th century by Mikao Usui. His main successor, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, died in1941 and was succeeded by Furumoto’s grandmother, Hawayo Takata, a young Japanese-American woman, who took Reiki from Japan to America.
When Takata died, without declaring her successor, she left behind 22 Reiki Masters, baffled and without orientation. Furumoto was central to the dispute over Takata’s succession. She is one of the last and still active witnesses from this formative period of Reiki’s history.
Globally the expansion of Reiki began after Takata’s death in 1980. Furumoto, Takata’s granddaughter, played a pivotal role in it. Today, Reiki can be found everywhere: in families, hospitals, even in prisons.
Every Reiki-person should be aware of her moving insights and revelations shown in this film.
Go to reiki-conciliation.org for more information about our project.