After his experience on Mount Kurama and the definition of ethical principles, Mikao Usui faced a new challenge: how to bring this knowledge to as many people as possible in an organized way?

In 1922, he founded in Tokyo the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Society of Usui’s Reiki Healing Method).

This step was crucial. By creating a “Gakkai” (society or association), Usui established that Reiki was not just an individual practice, but a mission of public health and social well-being.

Reiki at the Heart of Crisis

The true test of the system came in September 1923, after the Great Kanto Earthquake, which devastated Tokyo.

Thousands of people were injured and left homeless. Mikao Usui and his students went into the streets to offer Reiki to the survivors.

This historical event demonstrated the practical effectiveness of the method in situations of crisis and extreme suffering. It was here that Usui’s reputation spread throughout Japan — not as an isolated mystic, but as a benefactor who brought immediate relief and hope through his hands.

The Teaching Structure

Within the Gakkai, teaching was organized into levels, allowing students to gradually mature in their practice.

Usui trained around 20 masters (Shihans), ensuring that the method would survive beyond him. He believed Reiki should be accessible, but taught with the seriousness of a traditional Japanese discipline.

By looking at the original Gakkai, we understand that the purpose of Mundo Reiki today remains the same:
to preserve the structure and respect for the method, ensuring that its essence is not lost in its translation to modern times.

About the Author

Ruy Fernando Morelli is a Reiki Master and founder of Mundo Reiki, a platform dedicated to the structured study of the Usui System. His work seeks to integrate history, method, ethics, and practice, promoting a deep and technical understanding of Reiki in the contemporary context.