by William Lee Rand
In the past several issues of the Reiki News and on this web site, we have been following the attempt by Phyllis Furumoto to trademark the Reiki names including Usui Shiki Ryoho and Usui System.
On December 17, 1997 the trademark office rejected her applications based on the fact that her proposed marks do not function as a trademark because they do not identify or distinguish her goods from those of others, nor do they indicate their source.
All those who sent in protest letters to the trademark office are to be congratulated as this helped in part to bring about this outcome. However, the issue is not closed yet as she has until June 17 to file a response to this action. Therefore, it is important that you continue to send protest letters to the trademark office. It is possible that Phyllis will claim that she has the right to trademark the Reiki names based on the idea that she is the Grandmaster of Reiki and therefore the heir to the Reiki names.
Our research indicates this claim to be false. It is important when sending your protest letters that you include factual proof including supporting documentation that your claims are true.
Send protest letters to: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Patent and Trademark Office, Asst. Commissioner for Trademarks, 2900 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va. 22202-3513 Use these serial numbers to identify the trademark applications being protested: Usui System #75-29069 by Furumoto Inc., and Usui Shiki Ryoho #75290071 by Furumoto Inc. and Usui Shiki Ryoho #75-344256 by Phyllis Lei Furumoto and Usui System #75-34257 by Phyllis Lei Furumoto.
