One of the keys to mastering Reiki is following the Five Principles. These principles have a lot to teach us--not just about morality but about the way we live daily. Through the practice of following and meditating on the principles, I learned about gratitude. Until I discovered Reiki, I had never thought much about gratitude and the way it works in our lives. As I began to learn the power of gratitude, I began to see more opportunity--more potential--open up in my life. As I became grateful for the little things, I began to see the big things show up. At first, I didn't realize that I had so much to be grateful for. So, I just started by saying "Thank you! Thank you for all of the good things in my life." Slowly, I began to see more "good things" show up. I didn't know how to list them; but, I sure knew them when I saw them. I, also, started to get clear on what was good for me and what wasn't. Thus, I was able to make wiser choices--choices about the opportunities that my gratitude was creating.
Just for Today--I will be grateful
Another gift given to me by my Reiki attunement was the gift of a daily spiritual practice. As I learned more about spirituality and mindfulness, I began to include Reiki in my meditation time. I began to just sit with the energy. Eventually, I found other masters and practitioners who practiced Reiki in different ways and I began to learn those as well. However, I always relied on the energy of Reiki to "guide" me to what was next. Over the course of 20 years of practice, It am still learning and using Reiki meditation as the foundation for my daily spiritual practice. So, I teach that Reiki isn't just a healing modality, it's a spiritual practice. It has a daily practice of mindfulness built right into the system. It is through this process that I learned to listen. As, I practiced daily, I began to find clarity surrounding my life. Through meditating with Reiki I found a strong daily practice that guides me to clarity and I still practice it today.
In stillness, we find direction.
Furthermore, Reiki taught me about self-care. My Reiki Master taught that you should give yourself Reiki everyday. This, of course, folds seamlessly into a daily practice. However, if it is the only part of your daily practice that you get for the day, make it happen. Five minutes of Reiki is better than no minutes of Reiki. Once you develop a routine for this, it becomes easy to slip into your day. I, sometimes, Reiki myself to sleep if I've missed my regular full self-treatment. Life gets busy. A sound spiritual practice should be about lifting you up. Not oppressing you, or making you feel guilty or pressured. In Reiki, self-care can involve meditation practices or it can be as simple as putting your hands on your heart and breathing.
If you are to care for others, you must learn to care for yourself first.
One of the joys of Reiki is that the energy always works for the highest good. Reiki just knows where to go and what to do. As my practice of Reiki grew, I started seeing shifts in my attitude. Old hurts and resentments began to disappear. Feelings of anxiousness surrounding past events, old relationships and old behaviors--all of it began to disappear. I would only realize later when the issue came up that there was no longer an emotional charge surrounding the story. For example, I no longer felt paralyzed by certain fears or jealousy or old traumas. I began to understand forgiveness. When you let Reiki into your life and begin to pursue it as a spiritual practice, you become filled with a sense of compassion--compassion for others and yourself. Through this, we can find forgiveness for ourselves and others as well. Holding on to old hurts doesn't serve anyone. It only decreases the joy we feel in our lives. So, it is through my daily Reiki practice that I found the power of forgiveness.
Compassion leads to understanding. Understanding leads to forgiveness.
Finally, Reiki helped me to cultivate a vision. By practicing Reiki everyday, by learning self-care, and trying to live by the Reiki Principles, I began to find clarity. I began to realize that Reiki was pointing me to my vision--my purpose. My calling began to manifest. I realized that I am a healer and teacher. As my life became more joy filled and I learned to make better choices, I chose opportunities that lead me to finding myself and my purpose. I found training and classes that furthered my knowledge and skills as both healer and teacher. Ultimately, all of these came together to form the crux of the work I do today which is helping others find their own truth through teaching, healing, and transformational life coaching.
Cultivate and feed your vision daily.
I can honestly say, without these five gifts: gratitude, a daily spiritual practice, self-care, forgiveness, and a vision, the chaos that was my life would never have turned into the calm that I feel today. Not only is my life less chaotic today, but I have the tools I need to handle it when chaos and crisis happens. Furthermore, I get to help others do the same.
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