By Kelly Battese
As a practicing and teaching Reiki Master there are basic fundamentals I teach my students.
The most common are the Five Reiki Principles made by Dr. Usui. These should be understood and applied when servicing others or for application in our day to day lives.
For those of you who are not familiar with Reiki, it is a form of healing energy work originating from Japan by Mrs. Hawayo Takata, Dr. Hayashi’s first student, in 1937. She taught it in North America until her passing in 1980. She was very strict about teaching Reiki, just as how she was taught by Dr. Hayashi.
She made sure the five principles were passed on to her students who became teachers so they could pass them along to their students, remaining as close to Dr. Usui’s teaching as possible. But the beauty of these principles is that you do not have to practice or even believe in Reiki to apply them to your daily life.
Simply reading them and taking to heart what they have to offer is a profound experience in itself.
The 5 principles of Reiki are:
1. Just for today, I will not be angry. This is simple and easy, but yet so effective. Say this out loud to yourself while looking in the mirror in the morning. Tell yourself you are not allowing anger to be a part of your day and that it is not needed or warranted in your day—just for today.
2. Just for today, I will not worry. Worry is a feeling we manifest due to our fear of not being enough or having enough. Once you realize you are enough and have everything you need, worry will disappear, even if just for today.
3. Just for today, I will be grateful. Being thankful for what you have and what you are able to give is something we tend to forget. We lose track of how much we have and focus on things we don’t or think we should have. Remember how good things are now and how abundant your life is, if just for today.
4. Just for today, I will do my work honestly. We tend to cut corners, skimp on things to get the project done in time or save a penny or two here and there. In the grand scheme, this thinking might not be the most honest way possible. We keep convincing our selves it’s okay just this one time or no one will know if I do it just this once. Do not fall for that thought or notion, if just for today.
6. Just for today I will be kind to every living thing. In Buddhism we believe in reincarnation, and that all creatures could have been our mothers in a previous life, so therefore we treat all living creatures in this life time with the kindness and respect we show our mother in this life time. If you really understand that simple but strong thought you will treat all mankind with the same kindness and respect shown to your mother, if just for today.
These are five simple principles to live this life one day at a time, yet they incorporate great wisdom and care for yourself and all those you interact with, even for just one day—today.
Photo: (source)
Editor: Dana Gornall
Comments
- Teamwork, Buddhism style. - April 1, 2015
- Just for Today: Applying the 5 Principles of Reiki. - March 13, 2015
- Walking the Path. - March 9, 2015
This may be a simple typo, but since there is often so much confusion around the history of Reiki, I thought it important to point out that Mrs. Takata wasn’t actually Mikao Usui’s student. She was Dr. Hayashi’s student. Usui had already transitioned (in 1926) when Mrs. Takata began her training. It is accurate to say that the principles are from Mikao Usui’s original teachings. Thank you for sharing Reiki.
I apologize, that was a mistake in my notes. It is being corrected, thank you