The Five Reiki Principles Sound Simple. Living Them Is Another Story.

Five sentences. How hard could it be?

These are the words I use when practicing the Reiki Principles. I invite you to read my previous blog on why I use this wording.

Living them? That’s the practice.

Just for today

I’m at peace.

I’m happy.

I’m thankful for my many blessings.

I work honestly.

I show gratitude, compassion, and love.

Beautiful. Put them on a wall. Print them on a journal. Read them every morning.

And then somebody pisses you off before 9:00 a.m.

Now what?

Because reading the Reiki Principles is easy. Living them is where the real practice begins.

Years ago, in my Living on Purpose mentoring work, I taught a simple process called the 3 A’s.

Awareness.

Acceptance.

Awakening.

First, become aware of where you are and what’s happening around you.

Then, accept where you are without judging the hell out of yourself for being there.

Lastly, awaken to the fact that you have a choice about what happens next.

That approach fits beautifully with the way I live the Reiki Principles.

They aren’t about pretending I’m peaceful, happy, grateful and loving every minute of the day.

They give me somewhere to come back to.

Just for today, I’m at peace.

This doesn’t mean nothing bothers me.

Oh, things bother me.

And people really bother me.

And traffic, construction, delays, and waiting in line bother me even more.

For me, this principle is about noticing when I’m fighting with what is and asking, where do I have a choice here?

Some days, finding peace takes more time. That’s part of the practice too.

I can’t change what happened. I can’t change another person. I can’t change traffic or construction.

I can, however, accept what is.

Sometimes peace is simply deciding I’m not going to spend the rest of the day arguing with something that already happened.

First awareness.

Then acceptance.

And then awaken to the beauty of choice.

Just for today, I’m happy.

I’m not talking about forcing yourself to be happy when you aren’t. That’s not the point.

For me, this principle is an invitation to notice what is available.

What could I be happy about today if I chose to notice it?

Maybe it’s a hot beverage in my favourite mug. Maybe the sun is out. Maybe I’m taking in the beauty of nature. Maybe a friend checked in on me. Maybe I’m watching my dog Floki play joyfully.

Remember, happiness often comes in moments or pockets during the day. Happiness doesn’t have to mean your entire life is perfect.

Just for today, I’m thankful for my many blessings.

Gratitude has been part of my work for years.

And when someone tells me they’re struggling to list many things to be grateful for, I’ll share this:

Imagine that when you woke up tomorrow morning, the only things you still had were the things you gave gratitude for today.

Would you have running water?

A toilet that flushes?

Food?

A toothbrush?

Someone you love?

A roof over your head?

Suddenly the list may look a little different.

Gratitude doesn’t mean denying what’s difficult. It means being willing to notice what is already here.

And sometimes noticing what you already have changes your state far more than chasing the next thing you think you need.

Just for today, I work honestly.

This one has always been about integrity for me.

• Work honestly.

• Do what you said you would do.

• Follow through.

• Be accountable.

• Give an honest effort.

• Own it when you screw something up.

• Say you don’t know when you don’t know.

• And choose what is right rather than what happens to be easiest in the moment.

That applies to paid work, certainly. And it also applies to the work we do on ourselves.

• Am I being honest about what I want?

• Am I being honest about the choices I’m making?

• Am I keeping the commitments I make to myself?

Integrity isn’t complicated. It’s just not always convenient. And it’s rarely easy.

Just for today, I show gratitude, compassion, and love.

This one takes me straight to the heart.

Gratitude, compassion and love begin with how we relate to ourselves, and then extend outward to other people, animals, nature and the world around us.

If I see a lilac tree in full bloom, I can cut every branch because I love lilacs and want those flowers in my house.

Or I can stand there, breathe them in, appreciate how beautiful they are, and leave the tree exactly as it is.

That, to me, is a form of love.

The same is true with people.

I can care about someone without deciding I know what is best for them.

I can have compassion for what they’re going through without taking responsibility for fixing it.

I can love someone and still respect their choices, their boundaries, and their free will.

And I can offer that same compassion to myself.

Maybe today I’m tired. Maybe I got something wrong. Maybe I reacted in a way I’m not proud of.

Compassion gives me room to notice that without turning it into a character assassination.

Then I get to choose what happens next.

And tomorrow, I begin again.

The Reiki Principles aren’t asking us to get our shit together permanently.

They say, Just for today.

Start where you are.