About Brian Brunius
Lineage Holder of Koshin Reiki (光心霊気)
Brian Brunius is a Reiki Master in the direct teaching lineage of Usui → Hayashi → Takata → John Harvey Gray, and the founder of Koshin Reiki. For more than thirty years, Brian has devoted his life to the study, preservation, and transmission of the original Usui Shiki Ryoho teachings.
He is the founder of NYC Reiki Center, one of the largest and most respected Reiki training centers in the United States. Through decades of daily practice, international teaching, and lineage preservation work, Brian has become a leading voice in restoring the clarity and integrity of Usui’s original system.
Lineage Transmission
Brian’s understanding of Reiki is grounded in close, long-term study with his teacher John Harvey Gray (1917–2011) — the longest-practicing Reiki Master in the West and one of the original 22 Takata Masters.
John taught Brian:
• the full Usui–Hayashi–Takata system
• the original Mental Treatment method
• Reiki Meditation (Hatsurei-hō)
• Scanning techniques (byosen)
• the Reiki Finish (a complete system for closing the treatment)
• the direct, hand-to-hand transmission he himself received from Takata
Most significantly, John passed to Brian a calligraphy drawn for him by Takata: 光心 — Koshin, the luminous heart. Its meaning would unfold in Brian’s life over the next three decades.
Brian’s path was also shaped by Elaine J. Abrams (1934–2024), whose clarity, devotion, and service remain part of the spirit of this lineage.
Pilgrimage to Japan
& the Realization of Koshin
Brian regularly leads students to Mount Kurama, the sacred site where Mikao Usui received satori after 21 days of fasting and meditation.
In 2024, while sitting inside Komyō Shinden (光明心殿) — the Hall of the Luminous Heart — Brian experienced a profound realization of the meaning behind the calligraphy Takata had given John.
The characters 光心 (Koshin) revealed themselves as:
the great light entering and purifying the kokoro (heart-mind), the essence of awakening at the heart of Reiki.
This moment became the foundation for naming the lineage Koshin Reiki (光心霊気).
Preservation of Original Teachings
Brian is committed to preserving and documenting early Reiki sources so that future generations can inherit the clarity of the original system.
Reiki: The Grey Book —
Preservation and republication of the Hayashi manual and Takata’s own writings found among her papers. (view)
The Kaiji Tomita Translation Project —
A major effort to bring one of the earliest Usui-era manuals into English. (view)
Archival & Oral History Work —
Documenting the teachings of John Harvey Gray and comparing them with Japanese sources.
Teaching, Community & Organizational Service
Brian has taught thousands of students through the NYC Reiki Center, with many going on to become teachers and lineage carriers worldwide.
Brian is also a long-standing member of The Reiki Alliance. He has served the organization in multiple leadership capacities:
Treasurer of The Reiki Alliance for six years
Member of the Board of Directors
Active participant in inter-lineage dialogue and cooperation
His service reflects his commitment to unity, integrity, and the long-term health of Usui Shiki Ryoho.
The Heart of the Work
Brian’s teaching is rooted in:
– clarity of technique
– integrity of lineage
– awakening through direct experience
– purification of the kokoro
– service through presence and touch
Koshin Reiki is the expression of this lifelong devotion — a lineage defined by recognition, dedication, and the luminous heart.
Where Brian Teaches
NYC Reiki Center — New York City
International trainings and lineage materials: