Reiki is a beautiful thing to add to your life, but it is more than that
Reiki can become a huge part of the way you live your life
It isn’t just learning to use energy to heal, it is changing the way that you look at life
The 5 Reiki principles that we live by are do not worry, do not be angry, be humble, be honest, and love every living thing. These principles may seem obvious, but very few people live by them. When you add them to your life foundation, incredible things start happening. The difference is amazing
Even though the Reiki principles are simple, they are really hard to live by
But keep reading so you know what that means
Statements like “don’t be angry” can make you feel like anger is a bad emotion that you should never feel
That is not true
These statements talk about you at your core
What are the 5 Reiki principles?
The 5 Reiki principles are
- Just for today, do not worry
- Just for today, don’t be angry
- Just for today, be humble
- Just for today, be honest
- Just for today, love every living thing
I also like to call them “Core principles”
Because they aren’t talking about a moment, they are talking about you at your core
Who you are as a person
I have known people that are constant liars
They lie even when they don’t need to
There is a difference between that person and someone that lies sometimes when they are scared
Once is part of who the person is and the other is an action caused by an emotion
These principles are the same way
You can get angry without being an angry person
You can worry without being an anxious person
The difference is that you don’t let that action take root and become part of who you are
Just for today, do not worry
This is a really hard one for me
I was diagnosed with anxiety when I was 20 years old
It was bad
But I have taken steps and made progress that I am so proud of
But I still find myself constantly doing things because I am worried about the future
It is a good thing to plan and think ahead, but I get obsessive when I am not careful
I will think about every possible thing that could happen and create four plans for each scenario
It is a good thing to think ahead and plan for the future, but don’t get stuck there
If you spend too much time worrying about the future, you will miss what is happening now and live with anxiety
That is what anxiety is… living in the future instead of in the present
Just for today, don’t be angry
Anger is a natural and healthy emotion
And one of the most powerful
But it will eat you alive if you allow it to take root in your being
Feel the emotion, then let it go
I find that I need to feel and let go before I take action
Most actions done in anger are not the best choice
You know your situation and your life
How has reacting in anger ended in the past?
Just don’t push it away
The more you bottle it up, the bigger the explosion later
Energy cannot be created or destroyed
When your body shifts energy to anger, that anger will come out someday
Feel the emotion, validate it, and let it go
Don’t let it take root and become all that you think about
Just for today, be humble
Once again, it is not bad to be proud of yourself
Just don’t let it become part of your being
Do you know those people who feel like they are too good for everything and everyone?
That is what this principle is against
Because you cannot be kind and loving to living things that you think are below you
Even if you try, there will be energies there that are not kind
Like pity
Sympathy is good, but pity doesn’t help anyone
So look at your accomplishments with pride, but don’t start being a toxic proud person
Just for today, be honest
Just like my example above, being honest is part of your being
There are people that try always to be honest and mess up sometimes
And there are people who will lie just because they can
It isn’t the end of the world if you tell a lie, but don’t let it become something normal to you
You can tell if it is normal by how you feel after lying
When I tell I lie, I feel terrible and get sick to my stomach
That’s how I know that I have not accepted dishonestly as part of my being
Just for today, love every living thing
Something shifts when you learn Reiki
The way that you see life and all living things is just different
You see more beauty and light in the world around you
It is an amazing thing to experience
Loving every living thing looks a little different
For some, they become vegan
For others, like me, I take the time to thank the creatures that I am consuming
When we go hunting and fishing, we make a point to be respectful and thankful
And we use everything possible
Same thing when I take from my garden or forage
Give back when you can, show gratitude, and show respect
Why is the “Just for today” added?
Adding “just for today” helps people that have to change things in their life to follow these principles
It can be overwhelming
But it is less overwhelming to just focus on today
So instead of thinking of these principles and trying to think of your life
Think about today and just focus on that
It also helps Reiki practitioners stay in the present
Don’t think about the failures of yesterday or worry about tomorrow
Just think about today and think about now
How can you use them in your life?
In addition to just trying to focus on following these principles for the day, there are three other ways to use them
- Use them as mantras
- Post them around your home
- Go through them every morning and night
Each has their own use
But all of them can help you stay mindful throughout your day
Use them as mantras
A mantra is a statement that you repeat to yourself often and use in your life
It becomes a part of your identity
You can use the 5 Reiki principles as mantras for your life
Tell yourself things like “I do not worry about things that are outside my control”, “I choose to let my anger go for my own health”
Whatever you want to live your life by
Create a statement, or a few, and remind yourself often of that statement until it becomes part of who you are
Post them around your home
Another fun way to remind yourself of the 5 Reiki principles is by putting them around your home
You can do this with fun posters or you can use sticky notes
Whatever works for you!
Have with this
The point of this is to see these principles many times throughout the day so your brain learns them faster
You can put them in your bedroom, bathroom, living room, or anywhere else you go several times a day
Go through them every morning and night
I like to do Reiki healings on myself, practice gratitude, and state my goals every morning and every night
Adding these principles in ‘I am’ statements is an excellent addition to that practice
For example, tell yourself “I am honest with myself and the people I love”
This is a form of affirmation
That means repeating a statement as an ‘I am’ statement to teach your brain that the statement is true and important to you
You can form the statements any way you want, but ‘I am’ statements are very powerful
Adding it to the morning sets the mood for the day
And telling yourself at night helps your brain think about it and learn it while you sleep