Legal status of reiki masters: Russia, USA, Europe and red flags
Reiki in Russia is a gray area: the activity is technically illegal when claiming healing effects, but criminal prosecution rarely comes to court.We analyze the legal status by jurisdiction, the profiles of 12 international masters, and the classic technique of “borrowing authority.”
1. Profiles of international masters: who is who
The names of reputable international masters often appear on the websites of Russian schools as “marketing proof of legitimacy.”Let’s figure out who these people really are.
| Master | Country | Who is | Transmission line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyakuten Inamoto | Japan | Buddhist monk (Jodo-shu, ordained 1982), founder of Komyo ReikiDo (1998), one of the most respected Japanese masters | Usui → Japanese tradition |
| Johannes Reindl | Austria | Linear carrier of Usui Shiki Ryoho since 03/15/2019 (appointed to Phyllis Furumoto).Previously, teacher of sign language, University of Austria.Began Reiki in 1995, ordained as a master in Kyoto | Usui → Hayashi → Takita → Furumoto → Reindl |
| Robert Fueston | USA (Kentucky) | President of the Reiki Preservation Society.Reiki historian, researched 22 students of Takita.Author of «Reiki: Transmissions of Light» | Western tradition |
| Diana Stein | USA | Feminist, Wiccan, author.In 1995 she published Essential Reiki, the first book to reveal the secret symbols of Reiki.It drew sharp condemnation from traditionalists.Position: Reiki should be accessible to everyone, not cost $10,000 | Unconventional |
| Mikhail Moshenkov | Latvia | R. 1954, master since 1996 (7th spiritual line of the Japanese tradition).Director of the School of Light Reiki (reikilatvia.lv).Practices in the UK, France, Germany, Israel, Thailand, Japan | Japanese tradition |
| Johan Jonker | Netherlands | Dutch reiki master | Western tradition |
| Focke Brink | Netherlands | Dutch reiki master | Western tradition |
| Lad Horowitz | USA/Israel | Mentioned in reiki communities;detailed open data is minimal | — |
| Nita Mocanu | Romania | Romanian reiki master | — |
| Justin Stein | Canada | Academic Researcher of Japanese Religions, University of Toronto.Reiki history specialist.Non-practicing commercial master | Academic context |
| Mark Hosack | USA | American Reiki Master;detailed open data is minimal | — |
| Vladimir Koshlov | Russia | Russian reiki master | — |
2. Why do schools use these names?
Mentioning authoritative experts on the site is a classic info business technique calledauthority borrowing(“borrowing authority”).The logic is simple: “look, we are connected with recognized international masters.”
- Reindl— the linear carrier of the entire Western tradition of Reiki.Communication with him = maximum authority in the reiki world
- Inamoto— Japanese Buddhist monk = “real Japan”, “original source”
- Fueston / Justin Stein— historians and researchers = illusion of academic justification
- Moshenkov— “our”, Russian-speaking, works in neighboring countries = accessible reference point
Important:the very fact of mentioning these people on the school websitedoes not mean their approvalher program or diploma.The authority of the master and the commercial program that refers to him are two different things.
3. Legal status of reiki by jurisdiction
Russia
| Norm | The essence |
|---|---|
| Art.235 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation | Illegal medical practice — criminal liability for causing harm to health |
| Federal Law-323, Art.50 | Traditional medicine (healing) is allowed, but requires special permission from the executive authority of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation in the field of health protection |
| Without permission | Paid “healing” = illegal business activity (Article 171 of the Criminal Code) + risk of Art.235 in case of harm to health |
| Reiki in Russia | Classified as “folk healing”.Most practitioners work without permission — in a gray area |
Almost no Reiki master in Russia has permission to perform traditional healing.The activity is technically illegal when claiming medicinal effects and charging fees.It rarely comes to criminal prosecution — only when there is proven harm to health.
USA
| Situation | Details |
|---|---|
| Most states | Reiki is not regulated.The practice is legal in the absence of medical claims |
| Florida, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah | Requires a massage therapist license to touch a client |
| Federal level | No regulation.FTC and FDA Intervene on Disease Treatment Claims |
Conclusion for the USA:Reiki is legal provided: there are no claims to cure diseases;in “tangential” states, you need a massage therapist license.
Europe
| Country | Situation |
|---|---|
| Austria | Альтернативная медицина частично регулируется.Reindl works through the official Reiki Alliance — this provides reputation, but not legal protection.Gray area |
| Netherlands | CAM practices are unregulated.Legal in the absence of medical claims |
| Romania | Unregulated.Mocanu operates in a legal gray area |
| EU as a whole | The EU Consumer Rights Directive prohibits misleading statements.“Healing from diseases” — violation |
Japan (Inamoto)
Hyakuten Inamoto is a Buddhist monk.In Japan, it is an institutional form of legitimacy.Reiki in Japan is part of the Buddhist and Shinto traditions.There is no special law.One of the most legally clean on this list.
4. Universal red flags
The following signs are cause for caution regardless of the practitioner’s country and lineage:
| Problem | The essence |
|---|---|
| Medical claims | “Treating cancer/depression/diabetes” is illegal anywhere without a medical license |
| Remote initiations | Not legally regulated anywhere, ethically questionable |
| «International Master» | Does not have legal status in any country |
| Reiki Alliance License | Private organization, not recognized by the state |
| Diplomas from individual entrepreneurs | They do not have legal force as educational documents (FZ-273) |
5. Final table: legal status by master
| Master | Legal status of activity |
|---|---|
| Inamoto | ✅ Legal (Buddhist Institute, Japan) |
| Reindl | ✅ Legal (Austria, works through associations) |
| Fueston | ✅ Legal (USA, historian) |
| Justin Stein | ✅ Legal (Canada, academic) |
| Moshenkov | ✅/⚠️ Gray zone: in Latvia without medical statements — legal;in the Russian Federation without permission — no |
| Diana Stein | ✅ Legal (USA), controversial within the reiki community |
| Jonker, Brink, Mocanu | ⚠️ Gray area (unregulated markets) |
| Horowitz, Hosack, Koshlov | ❓ Insufficient data for assessment |
| Kozlova (RF) | ⚠️ Gray zone: no permission for healing, license for additional professional education is in question |
Sources
- Hyakuten Inamoto — Komyo ReikiDo International
- Johannes Reindl — NYC Reiki Center
- Reiki Alliance — Our Organization
- Robert Fueston — ZoomInfo
- Diane Stein — Dharmapedia
- Mikhail Moshenkov — Samopoznanie.ru
- School of Light Reiki Latvia
- Reiki and Legislation (USA) — reiki.org
- Criminal liability for healing in Russia
- reikitravel.ru/map — Map of masters
The material was prepared based on the results of web research.Part 4 of the report.Source date: 2026-06-15.