| In this article I thought I would set down ten things | | | | We do not force Reiki and we do not force a fierce |
| that you can do – ten principles to take account | | | | practice on ourselves. |
| of – to benefit your practice of Reiki. This is not | | | | Reiki is rather like a flowing stream of water, and we |
| something that has come from Japan, or from early | | | | are a rough rock sitting in that stream. The rock will |
| practitioners of Reiki: it is just something that I have | | | | become smooth, of course, but this will be achieved |
| put together myself. I hope that this article will be of | | | | gently, through having the water flow consistently, |
| interest to people at all Reiki levels. | | | | and this will be done in its own time. |
| (1) Reiki is all about you | | | | We might read about some of the experiences that |
| Although Reiki is sometimes presented in the West | | | | other Reiki people might have when working on |
| as a sort of complementary therapy, a hands-on | | | | themselves, or receiving attunements |
| treatment technique, or a form of Japanese spiritual | | | | empowerments, or treating others (seeing colours, |
| healing, that is not what Reiki is all about. If your | | | | feeling particular things) and we may not notice all |
| practice of Reiki consists mainly of treating other | | | | these things ourselves; we may notice very little. We |
| people then you are missing the point because Reiki | | | | may then think that if only we tried a bit harder then |
| is all about you! Reiki is a personal practice for your | | | | we would notice these things and then we would |
| self-healing and your spiritual and self-development. | | | | then be ‘doing it properly’. |
| You are the priority here. | | | | But trying hard and trying to force things is the best |
| In Usui’s time the treatment of others was not | | | | way there is to put a great big block on your |
| focused upon or emphasised, in fact treatments | | | | progress. You will progress fastest when you give up |
| were a bit of a distraction from the main thrust of | | | | trying and just be. Stand aside (metaphorically), do |
| his teachings, which Usui Sensei referred to as a | | | | the exercises, treat people, and don’t think or |
| “system to achieve personal perfection”. | | | | worry about what you do or do not experience. Be a |
| Right from the start, the system was about personal | | | | bystander, be neutral and empty, have no |
| development, not working on others. | | | | expectations. That is the best approach, the |
| So to gain the greatest benefits for yourself through | | | | approach that will lead you to progress at the right |
| Reiki, you need to establish a decent routine of | | | | speed for you. |
| working on yourself in whatever way that you were | | | | (7) You don’t need to be perfect |
| taught. If you were taught Western-style then do | | | | Along with the need to be relaxed and laid-back and |
| your hands-on self-treatment regularly, if you know | | | | light-hearted about your practice, you should also |
| about Japanese-style Reiki then practise your | | | | make sure that you are not beating yourself up for |
| Hatsurei ho; if you know about Usui Sensei’s | | | | not being perfect! You do not have to be perfect in |
| original system then add his self-treatment meditation | | | | order to obtain benefits for yourself through Reiki, or |
| to your regular Hatsurei. | | | | to treat other people successfully. No-one else is |
| I know that some people seem to have the view | | | | perfect, so you don’t have to be either. |
| that working on yourself is in some way | | | | So perhaps your mind wanders when you do a |
| ‘selfish’, but if you cannot look after | | | | treatment or work on yourself. So what? This |
| yourself properly then how can you help other | | | | happens to everybody else. Don’t worry about it |
| people? By working on yourself regularly you make | | | | (there is something in the precepts about worrying). |
| yourself a better channel and more effective at | | | | It you make a big thing about it and try through |
| what you do in terms of treatments, so there are | | | | ‘force of will’ to have an empty mind, you |
| plus points all round for those who make themselves | | | | have just made things worse: now you have two |
| their Reiki priority. | | | | lots of thoughts… the first thoughts and then all the |
| (2) Base your practice on the precepts | | | | new thoughts about getting rid of the first lot of |
| Usui Sensei established a simple spiritual system that | | | | thoughts! Don’t worry. Pay the thoughts no |
| was rooted in his precepts, his ‘rules to live | | | | attention. Let them go. Bring your attention gently |
| by’. Rather than being an interesting set of | | | | back to what you were doing. Feel the energy |
| instructions to read on a course and put to one side, | | | | flowing through you; imagine yourself merging with |
| Usui’s precepts are at the very heart of his | | | | the person on the treatment table. Over time your |
| system, and it was said that as much spiritual | | | | mind will settle, and you’ll spend more of your |
| development could come through following the | | | | time in a nice empty meditative state, but thoughts |
| precepts as would come through doing any of the | | | | may well intrude again, and some days will probably |
| energy work. If we are consider ourselves as | | | | be better than others. That’s ok. You’re |
| ‘practising Reiki’ then we will follow the | | | | human. It will sort itself out with time. |
| precepts. | | | | (8) Don’t keep trying to puzzle out |
| So we need to think deeply about the precepts and | | | | ‘why’ |
| how they affect our lives. We need to consider each | | | | To get the best out of your Reiki I recommend that |
| precept in turn and reflect on how that precept | | | | you don’t spend too much time trying to puzzle |
| might impinge upon and guide our thoughts and | | | | out why you are - or are not – experiencing a |
| behaviour and relationships and priorities. And we | | | | particular thing. Don’t keep trying to work out |
| need to do this regularly, using the precepts as an | | | | what a particular colour that you or the recipient saw |
| ongoing source of guidance, the effects of which will | | | | during a treatment means, or ponder the significance |
| make a real difference to us, and the people around | | | | of a colour that you saw when self-treating. |
| us, over time. | | | | Don’t keep wondering what a particular |
| The precepts are something that you we drip-feed | | | | sensation in your hand means or why you felt a lot |
| into our lives, something that we refer to regularly | | | | of energy flowing into a particular area of |
| and reflect on regularly, for our own benefit and for | | | | someone’s body, or why you didn’t feel any |
| the benefit of the people with whom we come into | | | | energy flowing into a particular place. It doesn’t |
| contact. | | | | matter. |
| (3) Practise mindfulness | | | | Your head can really mess up your experience of |
| Although not referred to on most Reiki courses, the | | | | Reiki if you keep on frantically thinking about, |
| practise of mindfulness was as important part of Usui | | | | analysing and questioning things. Don’t think! Just |
| Sensei’s system as were the precepts, and in | | | | be. Empty your mind, merge with the energy, if you |
| fact mindfulness is hidden in the precepts! Mindfulness | | | | are treating someone then merge with the recipient, |
| is a form of meditation that one can perform at any | | | | and let it happen. Follow the flow of energy when |
| time, when carrying out ordinary, mundane activities | | | | you are treating, yes, and allow your hands to stay |
| like walking somewhere or washing dishes or sipping | | | | for longer in areas where more energy is coming |
| tea, and involves becoming consciously and fully | | | | through, but don’t start frantically trying to |
| aware of your thoughts and actions in the present | | | | puzzle out what is going on: Reiki works on lots of |
| moment, non-judgmentally, existing in the moment. | | | | levels and you won’t know what’s |
| When you are living ‘in the moment’, fully | | | | happening so you may as well give up thinking about |
| engaged in what you are doing, fully aware of the | | | | it and let go: enjoy the process, enjoy your |
| present moment, then you are existing in a state | | | | treatments and give up the mental effort! It makes it |
| where there is no anger and there is no worry. By | | | | so much easier that way! |
| not dwelling on the past or speculating about the | | | | (9) Trust your intuition |
| future, by embracing fully the present moment, you | | | | Along with not questioning everything that you feel |
| are living the precepts, and mindfulness brings with it | | | | or don’t feel, you should also not keep on |
| humility, honesty, compassion and forgiveness. | | | | doubting the things that you are feeling and noticing. |
| So mindfulness is a way of experiencing Mikao | | | | If you feel something, you feel it: you are not making |
| Usui’s spiritual principles. | | | | it up. You cannot make yourself feel something. |
| (4) Work on yourself daily | | | | So if you notice that energy is flowing into you more |
| Reiki isn’t something that you can pick up once | | | | strongly in a particular area when you are |
| in a while, play around with for a bit, and then drop | | | | self-treating, accept that and go with it, self-treating |
| again… not if you are looking to receive the many | | | | for longer there than in other positions. The same |
| benefits that are available from the system, anyway. | | | | applies when treating someone else: if you feel that |
| If you are looking for consistent benefits then you | | | | there is a ‘hot spot’ or ‘fizzy area’ |
| need a consistent practice. The precepts say | | | | then accept the sensations and treat for longer |
| “just for today”, and that is a good starting | | | | there. You are not making it up. |
| point: just do something with Reiki today. You can | | | | Neither are you making it up if you feel strangely |
| manage that. It doesn’t have to be hours and | | | | drawn to a particular area of the body. You are |
| hour’s worth. Just do something for 10 minutes: | | | | intuitive and you can work intuitively straight away. |
| you have ten minutes. Do something for 20 minutes. | | | | All you need to do is to stop second-guessing and |
| And if you don’t have ten minutes, get up 10 | | | | doubting yourself, be still, and simply accept what |
| minutes earlier: problem solved. | | | | comes to you. It doesn’t need to make sense. |
| Don’t worry about what you will do tomorrow: | | | | Don’t try and puzzle it out: just accept it and |
| just focus on today. | | | | treat in the way that feels appropriate. |
| When tomorrow comes, do the same. Just do | | | | (10) Ignore silly rules and restrictions |
| something with Reiki, even for ten minutes. | | | | While we are making sure that we are not cluttering |
| Don’t worry about tomorrow: just do something | | | | our practice with endless thoughts, questions and |
| today. | | | | doubts, we should also thrown out as unnecessary |
| (5) Commitment is the key | | | | the various rules, regulations and restrictions that we |
| There are spectacular benefits to be enjoyed | | | | may have been taught. Reiki does not need to be |
| through practising Reiki, and all you need to do is to | | | | controlled, blunted and restricted by man-made rules |
| work with the energy consistently, focus on the | | | | that have no basis. Reiki is safe and Reiki is simple, |
| precepts and practise mindfulness. The benefits build | | | | and simple approaches are usually the most effective. |
| up cumulatively, you see, and sporadic and occasional | | | | So we do not have to slavishly follow a prescribed |
| practice isn’t enough if you want the very best | | | | set of hand positions when treating ourselves or |
| out of your Reiki. You will get out of the system | | | | other people and we do not need to say a set form |
| what you are prepared to put into it, so Reiki | | | | of words for our Reiki to work. We do not need to |
| deserves a little of your time each day. You need to | | | | follow ritualised sets of hand and body movements in |
| plug away at a few simple things, a few simple | | | | a particular sequence to be able to treat someone |
| exercises or routines, and make them a regular part | | | | and we do not need to refrain from treating people |
| of your day, as regular a part of your routine as | | | | with various medical conditions. Reiki is safe and Reiki |
| brushing your teeth or your hair. | | | | is adaptable. It allows many different ways of |
| And once you have established a regular habit of | | | | working that are all valid. There is no ‘one’ |
| working on yourself with Reiki then you will find that | | | | way that Reiki has to be used, and we should ignore |
| it is difficult to stop: you will find that you really miss | | | | admonitions that we should ‘always’, or |
| your hatsurei session or your self-treatment if you | | | | ‘never’, do a particular thing. |
| miss a day. That is the sort of position you are | | | | So, to get the most out of your Reiki, I recommend |
| looking to get yourself into and by committing | | | | that you make a commitment to yourself to work |
| yourself to working with Reiki each day, even if it is | | | | on yourself each day as your top priority, but not |
| a little inconvenient, you will reach that point. | | | | beating yourself up if you miss the occasional day. |
| (6) Don’t try too hard | | | | Use Hatsurei ho and self-treat, focus on the precepts |
| While we do need to commit ourselves and establish | | | | and drip-feed mindfulness into more and more of |
| a decent routine of working on ourselves in order to | | | | your daily activities. Don’t try too hard though: |
| obtain the many benefits that are available to us | | | | be light-hearted and forgiving towards yourself |
| through Reiki, we should at the same time make sure | | | | because you don’t have to be perfect. Try not |
| that we do not try too hard, work for too long, or | | | | to clutter your mind with lots of thoughts and doubts |
| take our practice too seriously. Reiki is best enjoyed | | | | and questions: just be neutral, have no expectations, |
| in a gentle, laid-back and light-hearted fashion rather | | | | be empty and content. And make sure you keep it |
| than in a fists-clenched, furrowed-brow, tense, | | | | simple. |
| ‘ready for a lot of hard work’ sort of way. | | | | |