Mikao Usui taught what are known as the Reiki precepts. There are five of them and it is what he and his students tried to live their lives by. I say tried because we are human and we sometimes make mistakes but when we try to live daily by these precepts our lives will work much better. Here are the five precepts and a brief explanation from my third book “The Old Man From the Hill (Qigong Meets Reiki)”.

Just for Today

Do not be angry

Do not be worried

Be grateful

Do your duties fully

Be kind to others

She then explained to me what each one of them meant. Just for today she explained meant to live in the present moment and be aware of each moment during the day. That I should not worry about what happened the day before or what will come tomorrow for neither exists during the present moment.

Do not be angry for when you are angry you hurt yourself and others. One moment of anger can ruin a whole life. It can create misery for a long time. It can lead to grudges and hatred which can last a lifetime. It is an emotion and you need to learn what is causing that emotion and deal with it.

Do not be worried for it does not change anything. When we worry we create stress in our bodies about things that may never happen. It becomes wasted energy that can be used toward something more constructive. It eventually leads to worrying about being worried.

Be grateful for all that you have for there are many who have less than you. Be thankful for all that your parents do for you and for the people in your life. When you become dissatisfied you forget about all that you have and how blessed you really are.

Do your duties fully and to the best of your abilities. Whether it is school work or house work that you are asked to do; do it the best that you can. Do not cheat or try to find the easy way out it is your responsibility to do your work as best as you can.

Be kind to others for when you are kind to them they will then be kind to others. It becomes infectious. When people are kind to each other the world becomes a better place. You should be kind and not seek any reward for kindness will always come back to you.

You must practice these principles daily and recite them to yourself so that you fully understand them. They should become part of your daily life. When you practice them you will see how your life changes for the better.