It makes perfect sense that kansha shite or “be filled with gratitude” (or, as Hawayo Takata phrased it, “Just for today, we shall count our blessings”) is situated in the center of the Gokai or Five Reiki Precepts. Once we begin the process of acknowledging and letting go of anger and worry, we have more energy to focus on the things that are important to us. Expressing gratitude orients you towards a truly spiritual life.

The real secret to both caring and taking responsibility for yourself is developing the ability to express gratitude in all aspects of your life – even the unwanted, stressful and painful ones. This practice can help keep you grounded and positive even in the face of challenges. Expressing gratitude mitigates the twin poison arrows of anger and worry by shifting your mind towards abundance, rather than lack.

The wonderful thing about being filled with gratitude and expressing it regularly is that this positive energy tends to attract more abundance into your life. Sometimes the good things that happen may be small, almost so small that if you weren’t being mindful you might let them slip by. And sometimes amazingly good things happen and you think it was a coincidence or you got lucky. In those moments, the universe is aligning with your Highest Good, which is manifesting through the expression of gratitude.

Counting your blessings has another benefit too – it’s good for your health! According to an article published in the Wall Street Journal:

A growing body of research suggests that maintaining an attitude of gratitude can improve psychological, emotional and physical well-being.

Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not, according to studies conducted over the past decade. They’re also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly and have greater resistance to viral infections.

Being filled with gratitude is central to what Mikao Usui described in the Precepts as the “miraculous medicine for all diseases.”

A natural outgrowth of your own Reiki practice can include expressing gratitude on a daily basis. It could be gratitude for something small someone did for you right after it happens. Or it could be a quiet moment in the morning or before bed where you give prayerful gratitude for all of the things you may have – your life, your health, people who love you, a job, a roof over your head, and even the challenges you face from time to time that allow you to grow emotionally and spiritually.

It may be helpful to keep a gratitude journal, or write a list that you can post where you can see it expressing the things you’re grateful for in your life. You will start to see a pattern emerge of goodness that surrounds you. A gratitude practice will help reorient your thinking patterns and give you something tangible to sustain you during difficult times. The German Christian mystic Meister Eckhart so wisely said, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

(Photo credit: image taken from the stunning “30 Days of Gratitude” photo set by aussiegal)