Reiki (and other cool things) for Ordinary Life

Using Reiki and complementary self-care tools in everyday life without overcomplicating things

You take care of a lot. Making a little room for you can keep sliding down the list while you get one more thing done.

If you’ve learned Reiki, it can become part of ordinary life. A few minutes of self-Reiki, coming back to the Reiki Principles, or noticing when you need to stop and reset.

What if you haven't learned Reiki?

You can still explore the ideas and self-care tools that complement Reiki such as meditation, journaling, time outside, or reflecting on the Reiki Principles.

You don't need to do all of these things.

You don't need a complicated routine.

It is simpler than that.

If you've learned Reiki, use it

It’s surprisingly easy to learn Reiki and then become too busy to practice it.

If you have five minutes, use five minutes. That’s a little room for you, right there.

Put your hands somewhere comfortable and receive Reiki. Practice before you get out of bed, on the couch, or before you go to sleep.

No treatment table, special music or ceremonial rearranging of the living room required.

Come back to the Reiki Principles

The Five Reiki Principles are part of Reiki. You don't need to have completed Reiki training to think about what they mean in your own life.

They invite us to pay attention to things we all experience; anger, worry, gratitude, how we approach our work, and how we treat ourselves and others.

The goal isn't perfection.

We're human.

Is worry running the show today?

Are your choices lining up with what matters to you?

Some days you’ll recognize the reminder you need. Other days you’ll realize you’ve wandered a considerable distance from all five.

You can come back.

Pay attention to how you're feeling

You don't need to analyze every feeling or turn every difficult day into an energetic mystery.

Sometimes you're tired because you're tired.

When do you feel settled?

When do you feel scattered, depleted or overstimulated?

What would taking care of you look like today?

Maybe you need quiet, movement, food, a shower or ten minutes without your phone.

If you’ve learned Reiki, this may be your reminder to practice.

The point isn't to diagnose your energy.

It's to notice yourself.

Grounding doesn't have to be complicated

Feel your feet on the floor.

Notice your breathing.

Look around the room, or step outside and notice the temperature, the ground underneath you and what you can hear.

You don't have to make it a spiritual event.

And in Calgary, sometimes connecting with nature means accepting that you may need sunscreen, a tank top, a winter coat and an umbrella during the same walk.

Make meditation smaller

Meditation doesn’t require an empty mind or an hour of perfect stillness.

Start with a few minutes.

Notice your breathing. Listen to a guided meditation. Focus on a sound. Sit outside and pay attention to what's around you.

Your mind will likely wander. It has seventeen (or ninety-two) tabs open.

Notice it and come back.

Five useful minutes still count.

Write things down

Journaling doesn't have to begin with "Dear Diary," and you don't have to commit to writing three pages every morning.

Consider writing down what’s worrying you. Or doodle your thoughts.

Record something that went well, jot down a question or notice a pattern.

If you're Reiki-trained, journal what you noticed during your Reiki practice or questions you want to remember to ask.

Looking back at what you wrote weeks or months ago can help you notice changes you missed along the way.

Use the things that genuinely support you

Crystals, essential oils, candles, music and singing bowls are not required for Reiki.

Reiki is still Reiki without any of them.

I encourage you to use whatever helps settle your mind and your nervous system.

I love using many of these tools, and I choose them intentionally.

Remember, you don’t need to adopt the entire metaphysical shop to feel supported.

Choose to use what adds something to your experience. Leave the rest.

Build something that fits your actual life

There isn’t one correct combination of Reiki and self-care.

Managing your own relaxation and peace shouldn’t feel like an unpaid part time job.

Notice what you actually want to use, rather than what you keep telling yourself you should use, or you’ve been told to use. You choose.

What helps today may change tomorrow. Let your choices change with it.

Curious about Reiki? Receive a Reiki session.

Want to practice it yourself? Explore Reiki training.

Making a little room for you doesn’t need to wait until everything else is done. There will always be laundry.

Start where you are.