The 5 Reiki Principles
Reiki, a Japanese healing technique that works with the body’s energy to promote physical and emotional healing, is very powerful. It was founded in 1865 by Mikao Usui. His methods have been passed down generation by generation, and it is becoming increasingly popular in the Western world.
Dr. Mikao Usui created what he called the Five Principles. They are to be used as a guideline for all who practice Reiki, to help them in their daily life and allow one to fully embody Reiki’s healing energy.
1 – Just for today, I will not be angry
When you are angry with yourself, others, or about anything, you create serious blocks in your energy. Anger is insidious, as it accumulates in your physical body, as well as in your emotional one. Built up anger can create all kinds of health problems if left unchecked.
Think about how often during the day you react with anger. Do you yell at your children if they aren’t ready for school on time? Do you scream at the drivers on the road on your way to work? Do you get angry with your co-workers on a regular basis? Living this way can have a serious impact on your body and mind. It also makes you difficult to be around.
Reiki is an excellent way to rid the body of anger and the resulting blockages. But if you keep looking at the world through the lens of anger, it will keep returning to your energy field. Remember this principle, and repeat it daily, so that you can release your angry tendencies permanently. Only then can you have true peace of mind.
2 – Just for today, I will not worry
Just as anger deals with past and present events, worry is concerned with future ones. Worry is a form of fear – fear of things that haven’t happened yet, and may never happen. Stress is a large, and very common issue in the daily lives for many of us.
Constantly filling your head with worries has a serious emotional impact. Endlessly worrying begins to break down your soul, and then your health begins to suffer. It’s heavy energy spreads throughout your entire body. When you worry, your body releases stress chemicals, just as it does when there is an actual threat. Over time, this has a very negative impact on your well-being.
When you find yourself full of worried thoughts, take a deep breath, and on each exhale envision the dense energy of worry leaving your body. Let go of worry as often as you need to during the day, until it becomes a habit.
3 – Just for today, I will be grateful
It’s easy to get caught up in looking around you and seeing what isn’t there – the things that you want that aren’t present in your life. This principle asks you to remember what you do have, and to be grateful for it. The car that takes you where you need to go, the roof over your head, the food in your belly. Be grateful for the little things too – the warm hug from your child, the warmth of the sun, the smell of the fresh cut grass. When you shift your focus to one of gratitude, your energy lightens.
Gratitude is a heart expanding energy. Not only does it feel good, when you tune in to the energy of gratitude, more things to be grateful for tend to show up in your life. It’s a simple shift that can bring enormous rewards. When you find yourself feeling jealous of what someone else has, find one thing you’re grateful for, and feel how much better your body feels in that moment.
4 – Just for today, I will do my work honestly
This principle asks that you support yourself and your family respectably, and in a way that doesn’t harm others. Doing work that is honorable and feels purposeful leads to personal fulfillment and happiness.
When you are fulfilled in your work, and doing work that doesn’t harm others, you are contributing to the good of all humanity. If you feel personal satisfaction about your work, then you will radiate a lighter, happier energy. This helps you, your family, and anyone you come into contact with.
This doesn’t mean you have to love every second of your job, but do your best to find work that makes you feel good. If you’re not in a place where that is possible, look for small things to be grateful for in it, while being open to other possibilities for the future.
5 – Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing
Practice kindness toward every living thing – even people and things you find distasteful. The energy that you give to the world is also the energy you receive back. We all crave love and kindness, even if we don’t always deserve it.
Kindness brings light into a world that sorely needs it. Be that person that sends love to someone else, even if it’s just for a moment.
Where do you start? Anywhere.
Practicing these 5 principles every day will have a profound effect on your life. It will shift your energy, and your life. I understand it can seem overwhelming to tackle all of them at once though. If that’s the case, start with one. When you have incorporated it fully, add another. Be easy on yourself. Changing your energy and your life can take time. The important part is that you start, and stay consistent. Your body, mind, and soul will thank you for your dedication.
