There are 5 core reiki ideals.. as recommended by Usui Sensei.. for reiki people.

1. Do not use anger

2. Do not worry

3. Practise kindness

4. Work hard

5. Practise Gratitude

Is was the contemplation and practise of these 5 ideals that Usui suggested were the “secret art of inviting happiness and the miraculous medicine of all diseases” 1

When asked about worry His Holiness Dalai Lama (above) regularily teaches the traditional buddhist proverb about worry which says “if there is something that can be done.. there is no NEED to worry.. if there is nothing that can be done.. there is no USE in worrying.”

Worry is such an ingrained part of most of our lives that we almost dont even notice its presence. But, when we have the opportunity to get away from our normal routine.. away on holidays for example.. or off from work sick in bed for a week.. we can start to see how much background anxiety and tension we have been carrying.

Buddhist saint Jetsun Milarepa (above) famously professed his only goal was to die without regrets.

Practising the virtue of reducing doubt and worry in your mind is a spiritual practise. And one that will bring benefits not just for yourself but for all those around you.

In the modern world we are surrounded by activity. It is the entertainment culture of our time. We have come to expect constant stimulation and enjoyment as part of our daily life. One flip side of this atmosphere is that we place little emphasis on the value of quietude.. of taking time out to relax our mind.

The Buddha taught that the best condition for you mind.. from the point of view of progressing with meditation and spiritual practise in general.. is to hold it not too tight and not too loose.. like the strings of a lute.

We talk about needing a certain level of stress in our life.. in our culture. Perhaps there is such a thing as “good” stress. It motivates us. Pushes us along in our life. Buddhists meditate on the certainty of death and the fact that it is not something any of us are going to be able to “get out of” as a way of adding “good” worry into your mind.. hopefully motivating you to make the most of the time you have.

But, the sort of worry Usui Sensei is talking about in this ideal.. is not this type of worry.

In alot of ways it would seem that most of us, today, are obsessed with people. We gossip about work people, our neighbours, their husbands and wives, we are fascinated by celebrities.. but more than that we replay over and over conversations and past situations in our heads. Worrying about what we said, what someone else said, how they looked after what we said, what they did with their eyebrow.. the list is endless.

We spend so much energy on worrying about what other people MIGHT be thinking.

And the irony is.. that most other people are just as insecure about what other people think of them.

Everybody always thinks everyone else is happy and got it all together.. and they are MORE insecure than everyone else.

The problem has actually got nothing to do with anything out side.. it is just the naturally busy and active nature of our minds. And add to that the fact that rather than engage in activities from time to time that would reduce the flurry, like walking in nature, receiving or giving reiki, or some quiet mediation time in the morning or evening (or both!), we usually go to the movies or watch tv or go out to a busy restaurant with 5 friends for relaxation activities (not to mention the even less helpful stress management techniques like drinking alcohol, taking drugs, over working..).

There is ofcourse absolutely nothing wrong with the first list of relaxation outlets. Just that there are perhaps some others that are even better.

Meditation would be Usui Sensei’s number one tip, I would guess. He recommended daily (morning and night) sitting meditation. My main Buddhist Teacher Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche suggests 10 minutes a day is great!

I have written a brief post previously on meditation. But the main thing to remember is that meditation is about self-awareness practise. Not about not thinking practise. And the best thing you can do to improve your meditation is to do consistently. And the best thing you can do to improve your not worrying practise is to meditate!

There is more to be said here.. but that will do for today.. please feel free to have a look around the site or send us an email.. or leave a comment.

Peace,

TC