Reiki (or Reiki Usui Shiki Ryoho) is a method of personality development more than a therapeutic method.
Before discussing the five principles of Reiki, which fundamentally represent its philosophy, we will go through its history and its origins. Listed as the basic rules of this method, the 5 principles discussed below will help you to understand the Universe with mindfulness.
Origins and History
The word "Reiki" comes from the Japanese meaning " Universal Life Energy ". The "rei" refers to vital spiritual energy and universal spiritual energy and the "ki" is life-force energy, the energy that is in every living being.
Reiki balances all aspects of the Human Being: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.
The universe is created by this Life Force Energy, which has different names according to various traditions:
• In Chinese, this is the Chi as in Tai Chi or the energy present in acupuncture
• For Hindus, it is the Shakti, the Kundalini energy, the Prana.
• For other esoteric schools, it is the Cosmic Force
• Others may call it universal consciousness, the breath of life...
It was Mikao Usui who formulated the basics of Reiki in Japan in the early twentieth century. Some believe he was a Christian theologian teaching at a university and that his students asked him what exactly the healing technique was that Jesus Christ used, to perform the miracles related in the Gospels. He spent many years studying the healing miracles of the great spiritual masters in the history of mankind. He also learned of an ancient Buddhist Sanskrit manuscript and after spending many years of study in various monasteries, he founded the Usui Reiki System of Natural Healing and devoted the rest of his life to teaching.
Chujiro Hayashi, was born in Tokyo in 1880, joined Mikao Usui’s clinic in 1925 and continued after the Master’s death. He then went on to form his own Clinic and Spiritual Energy School. In 1937, Reiki was introduced to the West, firstly in Hawaii by Hawayo Takata, who had treatment in the Hayashi clinic (which had opened in Tokyo) in order to get treatment for respiratory and abdominal problems. Delighted with the results, she studied the technique under Hayashi, then opened her own clinic. She created 22 Reiki Masters. The technique then began to spread into many Western countries. Nowadays, there are several schools of thought in Reiki. Some claim to be under the purest esoteric tradition, others advocate a more open way of thinking and even reveal the secret symbols in mainstream books.
The 5 principles of Reiki in detail
Mikao Usui developed five principles. These rules aim to guide life followers of Reiki.Here is the little formula easy to remember in order to always be in the here and now in harmony with all things with benevolence and serenity. It is:
• Just for today, don't get angry
• Just for today, don't worry
• Just for today, express your gratitude to others.
• Just for today, work and live honestly.
• Be kind to all living things
Do not get angry
When we experience anger, we often refuse to accept that its origin is within us, preferring an external "culprit" to blame it on. Thus, we maintain the role of the "poor victim" with all the advantages that this entails. Anger maintained, fed and "ruminated upon" is at the origin of many diseases. So, what is the trigger for this anger inside you? It only has a meaning if it brings us to discover this wounded part in us, to then heal and release it..
Do not worry
Worry and fretting are related to fear. Let us not let fear rule our lives. Fear is sterile, it blocks and prevents us from moving forwards. Worrying is useless and changes nothing. It only feeds the negativity of a situation. Realizing this is already part of the path to liberation.
Express your gratitude to others
To welcome in the blessings of life, without judgment, just by opening the heart, that is gratitude. Let us be thankful for each being, each situation, each thing for what it brings us as experiences. There is always something to learn from everyone. It's up to us to choose the best elements and make these a concrete factor in our lives
Work and live honestly
Living with honesty means being aware that each of our actions affects others. If we create harmony within ourselves, we are helping to create harmony in the world. So in a way, honesty is contagious. We do not encourage, neither by laws, religions or political parties, but by example.
Be kind to all living things
All forms of life are interconnected in the universe. Respecting and honoring all living things, comes first of all from respecting oneself, to recognize this unity. It is impossible to win if someone has to lose for it. This win/lose concept that reigns in our society reveals a profound imbalance. Kindness towards others is therefore the best way to attract the graces of life to us.
Stephanie Lance explains that Reiki is neither a belief nor a religion and can be practiced by everyone because it is part of a logic of spirituality such as meditation and Buddhist tantra. Reiki is both a meditation by the imposition of hands on the body and an inner transformation by the initiatory way of a practitioner or a Reiki Master.
Now want to learn Reiki yourself, read our article on How to practice Reiki
