The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine of all diseases
Just for today, do not anger
Do not worry and be filled with gratitude
Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people.
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your heart
and chant these words with your mouth
Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind. – the founder, Usui Mikao
The Gokai (sometimes referred to as the Reiki Ideals or Reiki Principles) are one of the five pillars of Reiki practice. At their heart, the Gokai are the foundation of the system of Reiki. The Precepts are guidelines to aid students in creating a spiritually connected life. Living in accordance with these ideals is more than just practicing Reiki; it is being Reiki.
The first two lines describe what Reiki is: the source for bringing happiness and harmony into our lives and curing what ails us. The next five lines focus on specific imperatives or instructions we should focus on each day as practitioners and people concerned with spiritual development. The last four lines describe how we should observe the ideals as part of our daily practice. The founder of the system of Reiki, Mikao Usui, recommended that we make time to meditate twice daily, chanting and reflecting on the meaning of the Precepts in order to connect with their deeper meaning in our lives.
A student of mine asked recently if I thought Usui Sensei ever got angry. We have a tendency to think we have “failed” if we can’t always follow through on the Precepts – or any other spiritual practice – perfectly every day. The Precepts simply encourage us to cultivate awareness of our actions and learn how to live fully in the present moment. By doing so, we will eventually manifest the Precepts’ positive benefits for ourselves and others. Committing to any spiritual path is a lifelong journey of recognizing, embracing and living out our authentic self. Expecting instant perfection sets us up for disillusionment and frustration. Each time we return to our practice with intention and positive effort – letting go of blame, guilt or worry – the more surely we walk the path towards realization of wholeness.
When Usui Sensei says, “Just for today” (sometimes translated as “For today only”) he was reminding us that we can only influence our lives as we are experiencing it from moment to moment. We can’t change the past and we can’t control or predict the future. However, we can be present now, and make mindful choices with regard to our responses and actions. This is the intention behind the imperative “just for today.” We learn to trust the process; that it will provide us with the tools and support for walking the path with a sure footing and open heart.
Does that mean we will never experience negative emotions or self-limiting thoughts? We’re human and these emotions naturally arise as a result of being in relationship to the world. The Precepts remind us to return to the moment and observe what we’re thinking or feeling without blame or criticism. Doing so gives us pause, providing us with the opportunity to ask, “What is really happening here?” Often, we find that we’re subconsciously reacting due to emotional patterns imprinted on us from past experiences or we are unnecessarily taking on someone else’s emotional energy or issues.
At that point, we have a choice as to how we will proceed. For Reiki practitioners, this is the perfect moment to reflect on the Precepts and spend a few minutes giving a self-treatment to help with energetic balance and wholeness. We may find ourselves surprised at how these feelings that felt so powerful and impenetrable suddenly begin shifting to something we can either release or transform into something more positive in nature.
The practice of Reiki is one of endless abundance, a way to give freely without fear of loss. Reiki promotes compassion for oneself and others, leading to a more positive state of being and interconnectedness on a level deeper than what we can experience with the limited confines of the body. As Usui Sensei himself said, “The mission of Usui Reiki Ryoho is to enhance mutual well-being for oneself and others, on one hand, by fulfilling a peaceful and joyful life mentally and physically and, on the other, healing the sick.” Living the Reiki Precepts allows us to invite happiness into our lives and as such, experience fully what Usui Sensei declared the “miraculous medicine of all diseases.”
Hear my teacher, Hyakuten Inamoto, reciting the Gokai in Japanese.
December 1st, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Struggling with the “work hard” one this week. I recognize that I sometimes can waste a lot of energy thinking of reasons why not to do things. “Im too tired” “Im sick” “I dont like the way she asked me, or how much work Im doing for her.”
Even something I have committed to doing, a barter or volunteer work Ive said I would do.
I struggle with thinking Im lazy if I dont do these things, or a failure, or someone who lets people down constantly.
Many times I rebel against things I “should” do, or things that feel like “shoulds” but, tehre are times in life when we *have* to do things we *should* do. How to balance honoring commitments but still not giving away too much of ourselves. And letting ourselves be imperfect.
December 7th, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Thank you for your comments, Christine!
It may help to remember that Usui reminds us to “devote ourselves to our work”, not necessarily “work hard.” Working hard seems to me to be akin to “being productive”, which can be useful if one is being measured against a goal. But that’s not what devotion to our work is about. He is encouraging us to be mindful, to give ourselves completely and be present with our work, whether that is doing chores around the house, volunteering to help others or working in an office.
If you’re feeling aversion or avoidance of doing these activities, it can be useful to ask yourself why. Maybe you’re not taking sufficient time for yourself and feel overwhelmed by the extra energy you have to sustain for work or other activity. Perhaps you didn’t know how to say no to someone who asked for your help. And finally, consider what it is you think you “should” be doing?
I’ve also heard that it can be useful to rephrase “I should” to “I get to” or “I choose to.” In other words, instead of saying, “I should go and make good on my barter arrangement”, you can try saying, “I choose to make good on my barter arrangement.” It puts you in the position owning your experience and commitments.
The idea of devotion to our work has its roots in the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path, which advises us to seek “right” or “correct” livelihood. If we are pursuing a livelihood that is incompatible with our core values, is strictly for personal gain, or is directly or indirectly harmful to others, then we’re not living in accordance with compassion or the path of the Bodhisattva (to take the Buddhist view; we can also take this same concept and apply it to other religious or spiritual paths.) Devotion to our work not only means putting all of yourself mindfully into what you do, but also seeking the livelihood that enables you to do so with minimal spiritual conflict. A greater challenge may be for those who do work in a field where they feel some conflict, but consciously vow to improve conditions so that others can eventually receive benefit.
The great thing about the Reiki Precepts is that it continually encourages us to be present each day with the circumstances of our lives and seek the balance necessary for fulfilling a peaceful and joyful life. Part of that process requires not engaging in self-blame, but simply remaining open to the possibilities of greater self-awareness and spiritual growth.
Blessings,
Dana