A Key To Living From The Reiki Principles
Every day Reiki practitioner is encouraged to sit in meditation with their hands in Gassho (Anjali Mudra/ Prayer Position) and recite the Reiki Principles aloud or to themselves.
Just For Today…
Do not be angry
Do not be worried
Respect your teachers
Do your work diligently
Be Grateful
Be Kind
There is much inspiration for alchemy within this passage, whether or not one is a Reiki practitioner. These principles passed down through the Reiki lineage allow the practitioner to reflect on their state of mind each day, so they may be an effective channel for Reiki with the principles alive in their own life.
Some of the phrases in the passage are triggering for me, which is always a good indicator that here is some ego driven pattern or unacknowledged wound for me to pour more self love upon. For example, do not be angry. My mind races immediately. “How am I supposed not to be angry?” quips my ego. “There is so much to be angry about like corrupt politicians, the rich getting richer and poor getting poorer (thank you corrupt politicians), people abusing the environment, unhealed people in power.” I can notice from the thoughts that spring up in my meditation that there is much need for gentle transmutation of my ego’s angry judgements. As a healer it is OK to be angry and acknowledge our anger because these reactions and aversions are a guide to point us in the direction of eliciting change, while also healing our own wounds, these wounds which lie underneath our triggers.
For me though, there is a hidden gem within the Reiki Principles, one which is often overlooked. A phrase which is wonderfully helpful in growth and healing….Just For Today. This phase is frequently skipped over as just the segway into the more instructional principles, however I find this phrase’s rather deceptive simplicity the most helpful yet challenging. More challenging than its direct sounding friend do not be angry.
How often I find my thoughts wandering into the future; the planning, the what ifs, the dream, the frustrations and attachment to goals. Just For Today is a remedy to all of this future based anxiety. It’s a reminder for us to stay present in the here and now….because that is all we have. That day, that afternoon, the rest of that morning, the next hour, the next thirty minutes, the next five minutes, this right now. This. Right. Now.
This.
The future does not exist. It is just an object of the mind. A pattern of thought that we fall into and become distracted.
Just For Today can either gently remind us to come home to the now, or jolt us back into the present. As well as being a gold nugget piece of wisdom in the Reiki Principles, Just For Today makes a key and frequent appearance in the wise words of the Twelve Step Recovery Programs ( Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Sex Addicts Anonymous to name a tiny sprinkling of the amazing and massively effective recovery fellowships out there). Just For Today I will choose sobriety because today is all I have. I comforted myself with this phrase many a time while coming off cocaine. Three years clean, I still do. It works. Just For Today removes the ridiculously intimidating worry of staying clean/sober/not acting out for the rest of one’s life, by bring it back to a choice for today. Not always an easy choice.
I hope Just For Today brings peace and comfort to you….how about these prompts for journaling or pondering….
Just For Today how can I show compassion for myself or another?
Just For Today can I make a healthier choice for my body?
Just For Today what can I be grateful for?
Just For Today can I stay present in this moment?
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