22. After Hawayo Takata's Death – Discrepancies and Struggle for Succession
Original 22 masters, The Reiki Alliance and 'All masters are equal in the oneness of Reiki'
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Alice Takata Furumoto informs Reiki community slowly of her mother’s death on December 11th, 1980.
Many Masters called saying, “You’re your grandmother's successor, now what are you going to do?” I couldn’t really answer.
1981: Barbara Weber (Ray) claims to be Takata's successor. Phyllis Furumoto visits her; Weber declines cooperation.
The masters had not been able to mourn their teacher … so I organized this meeting in Hawaii in (mid) 1982.
This first ever group uncovers that Takata’s teaching varied among students. And they discuss Weber’s claim. Virginia Samdahl's daughter who feels loyal to Barbara Weber was the first one to articulate the difference between “initiation lineage” and “spiritual lineage”.
In 1983 The Reiki Alliance is founded. Some express their recognition of Phyllis as Takata’s successor in ways befitting an Indian guru. The meeting in '84 gives birth to the “Blue Book” stating the Alliance's values and identity.
These statements have great foresight and also a great challenge. One of them says “we recognize all masters as equal in the oneness of Reiki” … It doesn’t mean we are the same… it was very important for me that this thought was a founding stone, a cornerstone of the Reiki Alliance because I didn’t want anyone to feel “they were better than”.