On Friday, March 16, Inamoto is giving a public talk on Reiki open to both Reiki practitioners and non-practitioners. He will talk about the history of Reiki, present a slideshow of sites in Japan associated with its development, and answer questions.
Anyone who is interested in learning more about Reiki is welcome to attend! This is a unique opportunity to hear someone talk about Reiki from the perspective of a person of Japanese descent.
Inamoto is the founder of Komyo Reiki Kai, which presents Reiki as it was understood and commonly practiced in the 1930’s in Japan. This system places emphasis on spiritual unfoldment through the practice of Reiki Ryoho, aiming for “satori” or enlightenment.
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.
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)
“Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles…it empties today of its strength.” – Corrie Ten Boom
A while back, I began a discussion on my Facebook page to gain feedback from other Reiki practitioners on what the Precepts mean to them and how they are integrated into their daily life and practice. In this post, we examine the precept “Do not worry” (Shinpai suna.)
I received this very insightful comment:
I was brought up to believe that worrying is what one is supposed to do and that it even somehow will help a situation. It was only due to self-Reiki, and serious contemplation of the Precepts, that it dawned on me that worry was destroying my peace of mind and burdening those about whom I worried the most (who, of course, were those I loved the most). I have gradually reduced my need to control that which is out of my control…
Engaging in worry about the “what ifs”, “when” or “what” robs the people, places and situations around us of our presence and energy. There are times when we do need to feel concern, or engage in future planning, but those should result in positive action, rather than ruminating over the same issues without resolution. Quite often, we tend to worry about things we have no control over, or events that may never come to pass. Another favorite quote of mine is “Worrying is like a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.” (Glenn Turner) That can end up being a big waste of energy! Sometimes a situation that seemed more complicated or dire at first turns out to be far more manageable.
Worrying can lead to sickness. I’ve seen people experience symptoms that mimicked a heart attack and neurological dysfunction (stroke-like symptoms, numbness in limbs, etc) from internalizing worry. For people with mood disorders, worry can become emotionally crippling. It can trigger chronic pain episodes, like back pain or migraines. Keeping worry in check by maintaining a calm, clear perspective in the midst of uncertainty can help minimize stress and maintain a better state of health.
Shinpai suna suggests more than “do not worry.” It also implies, as Reiki Teacher (Shihan) Gisela Stewart of Simply Jikiden Reiki and I recently observed, having patience. We want what we want when we want it, which is now. And we fret when we don’t get it. Patience is how we express trust in the innate wisdom of the universe to guide and steady us. Patience creates the space for us to receive what we truly need – which may be different from what we want – and gain the insight needed for our personal and spiritual development.
When giving or receiving Reiki treatment, we should also release our worry about what it will do or how effective it will be. It is instinctive for us to want to help others feel better, but our role is simply to be present and observe the flow of Reiki as the recipient begins the process of bringing the body back into balance. As my teacher, Hyakuten Inamoto says, “Reiki does a fine job of healing, not you.” Worrying about whether or not the treatment worked or if the recipient is feeling better places the burden of responsibility for someone else’s healing on us and also falsely identifies our ego with the outcome.
Similarly, when receiving Reiki treatment, we should let go and allow our body (both the subtle and physical aspects) to utilize Reiki in whatever way is needed to bring us back into balance. This is not a process we can force, but we can find ways mentally, emotionally and physically to support it.
Observing Shinpai suna provides us with the trust in Reiki practice to actualize the pure, innate nature it represents, and releases us from fear of what the future may bring. We can welcome life moment to moment and know that we are being supported.
The 5 Reiki Precepts (Gokai) are a deceptively simple set of guidelines for living a balanced and spiritually connected life. Without the Precepts, our practice is like a ship without a rudder, struggling to stay on course.
I began a discussion on my Facebook page to gain feedback from other Reiki practitioners on what the Precepts mean to them and how they are integrated into their daily life and practice. In this post, we examine the precept “Today only, do not anger (Kyo dake wa/Ikaru na)”.
A couple of comments I received were:
I think of it more as “I release anger” because sometimes anger will arise, and when it does, I’ll release it without identifying with it, taking it personally or becoming attached to it.
I think this precept invites us not to hold on to anger (making ourselves ill in the process) or to unleash it on others, hurting them and hurting ourselves, but instead to notice: Wow, I’m angry right now. What might be the reason for that? And how could I respond to the situation that’s causing me to feel like this in a constructive way? From a centred place, it is so much easier to act deliberately rather than reactively. Handled in this way, our anger may help us realise that perhaps we need clearer boundaries, or we need to find a way to stand up for our own needs, etc.
The first Precept “Do not anger” tends to be an emotionally charged one for Reiki practitioners. In my Reiki I (Shoden) classes, students spend a lot of time reflecting on what “Do not anger” means to them, as well as the resistance they feel at this directive. Usui Sensei was smart to list “do not anger” first, because as humans, it is the hardest emotion for us to work with. We feel entitled to our anger about how we were treated by our family of origin, by a former lover or spouse, a scheming coworker, or the person who rudely cuts us off in traffic. Anger is a sword we turn on ourselves. It cuts us more deeply than it does the person or situation to which we direct it. Anger keeps us from seeing the Oneness we share with others.
Anger can be a useful tool. It lets us know there is an issue, an imbalance or a wrong that needs to be addressed. However, all too often we bury, subvert or wallow in anger. It festers and causes illness, dysfunction and emotional separation. It’s unrealistic to think we can simply banish our feelings by reciting “Today only, do not anger”. But as the second comment above advises, we can stop and observe what we are feeling when the emotion arises instead of blindly reacting. Stopping and observing is where our practice truly begins. It’s when we’re able to drop our defenses and be receptive to the message we need to hear.
Sometimes that moment when we stop and observe may be enough to let go of the anger. For example, you may realize the person who cut you off in traffic actually didn’t see you. (It happens!) Or it may remind you of times you were aggressive in traffic because you were in a hurry or momentarily distracted. That pause allows you to see the other person as being probably not that much different than you.
Overstepping boundaries is a common cause of anger and misunderstanding in relationships between people. In close relationships, one person may not realize they are doing it (usually it’s because they have an unmet need they’re subconsciously trying to fill) and it is up to us to identify where the boundary has been crossed, and find a way to constructively address and reestablish a boundary that feels safe without creating additional conflict. Reiki practice can give us enough breathing space to step back from our anger to find a way to approach the other person and address the issue firmly yet with compassion.
During a conflict with family or partner, it may occur to you the tension you’re holding, or other physical symptoms you’re feeling (back or stomach pain, for instance) are deep-seated anger from something in your past you have internalized. Deep-seated issues did not develop in one day, nor should be expect them to be resolved emotionally right away. But with awareness and the tools of our practice (Reiki self-treatment, Sei Heki healing and Gassho meditation) we can directly, mindfully and gently address those emotions and begin to release them in a safe, productive way.
The practice of “Do not anger” is one we must learn to do it without self-judgment. Anger is a natural human emotion, but we don’t have to be helplessly chained to it. If we feel anger arise, we should acknowledge it, but not berate ourselves for what we’re feeling. When we release attachment to our anger (identifying with it, or allowing ourselves to be a victim) we can finally begin to let go of its stranglehold on us.
The imperative “Today only” is a lifelong practice. The Reiki Precepts are designed to bring more awareness to your daily life and facilitate mind/body/spirit balance. As Usui Sensei himself said: “If the mind is healthy, conforming to a path of integrity,then the body becomes sturdy of its own accord.” Anger is a sign that something needs to change, so use the opportunity to deepen your awareness of what may be triggering your anger to bring about healthy change and restore energetic and emotional balance.
As a Reiki teacher, I believe it is very important to accurately relay the facts we know about the history and development of the system of Reiki (Usui Reiki Ryoho.) The founder of Komyo Reiki Kai and my teacher, Hyakuten Inamoto, continually stressed in his training that we should only provide information we know to be true about Reiki history and practice. That means saying, “I don’t know” when confronted with a question about the history that is, as of yet, unanswerable.
It is not necessary to know the history in order to technically perform hands-on healing or other spiritual practices associated with the system of Reiki. It is simply a matter of respect for its founder and to have proper historical and spiritual context where these practices originally derived. To do any less is a disservice to Mikao Usui and other influential teachers – Chujiro Hayashi, Hawayo Takata and Chiyoko Yamaguchi - responsible for furthering the system of Reiki and making it more widely available.
Just recently, I opened up a copy of a local wellness magazine and saw a featured promotion for a Reiki class being taught by a colleague. It contained the following description: “Reiki is an ancient Japanese science, documented in 2,500-year-old Sanskrit sutras.” With all due respect to my colleague, this is not correct. Reiki is a modern practice. Usui Reiki Ryoho was developed roughly a century ago by Mikao Usui. He synthesized a number of different spiritual practices derived from Japanese Buddhist, Shinto and related folk/esoteric traditions well-known in his day, combined with his own mystical experience on Kurama-yama (Mt. Kurama) in 1922.
There is no evidence to support that Usui “re-discovered” the system of Reiki from other ancient spiritual traditions. There is also no evidence to support if Usui was intimately familiar with other spiritual practices outside of Japan. To be specific, the modality of hands-on healing is an ancient practice present within many cultures and religious traditions. However, Usui Reiki Ryoho is a relatively new practice, and one inspired by a profound spiritual event.
In the Reiki Ryoho Hikkei (workbook given by Usui to his students), there is a Q&A section with statements made by Usui regarding how his practice works. He emphasizes:
I have not been taught this art of healing by anyone under the heavens, not have I studied in order to obtain this mysterious ability to heal. I accidentally realized that I was given this mysterious healing ability when I felt the great power and was inspired by the mystery during a period of fasting. Therefore, even as the founder, I find it difficult to give a sure explanation.
It should also be noted that chakras, meridians, crystals, angels or other practices, including the addition of symbols/mantras are also not traditionally associated with the practice of Usui Reiki Ryoho. They were added in during the past few decades by practitioners from the West who were familiar with other “New Age” spiritual/energetic practices. Use of any of these additional practices is a personal choice, but reputable Reiki teachers should be sure to let their students know that they are not part of the original system taught by Mikao Usui, Chujiro Hayashi or Hawayo Takata.
There are still many things we do not know about the history of Reiki. Scant written evidence exists, aside from the Reiki Ryoho Hikkei and the Reiho Choso Usui Sensei Kudoko No Hi (Memorial of the merits of Usui Sensei.) A number of Reiki teachers, including Frank Arjava Petter, William Lee Rand, and particularly Bronwen and Frans Stiene, have done an incredible job of unearthing and verifying facts and information from a few remaining students and practitioners taught by Usui and Hyashi in Japan. Their efforts have helped us bridge the gap between what Usui originally taught and how the system evolved with Hayashi’s and Takata’s teachings.
We may never know everything with regard to Usui’s spiritual practices and motivation, and we have to be able to sit with not knowing by maintaining a degree of equanimity and acceptance. Adding in unverifiable “facts” does not help us understand the practice. It only occludes what we do know and makes it harder for new practitioners to synthesize basic concepts. A practice does not have to be “ancient” to be valuable. It just has to be of benefit to others and able to adapt to changing times. Usui Reiki Ryoho has done both.
For more information on Reiki history and practice, see the International House of Reiki’s article, “What is (and isn’t) Reiki?“
Dana Young | 
03 1st, 2012| 
Komyo Reiki founder Hyakuten Inamoto will be in Atlanta in mid-March to teach Komyo Reiki Shinpiden (Teacher’s Training.)
