This post may contain affiliate links.
The teacher of the Reiki practice, Usui Sensei developed these 5 principles of Reiki that helped the practice to be easier to teach and practice by students. These are simple but powerful tools to live a more fulfilling life and can be used as impactful affirmations throughout the day.
Each of the five affirmations refers to today. This makes you become more aware of the present moment rather than wasting valuable energy living in the past or having expectations for the future.
In my opinion, using the concept of today has a more positive impact. It is easier for the mind to stay focused on a short-term time span rather than thinking about past mistakes or worrying about the future. The past and future take away valuable energy when overdone. Using the five reiki principles properly will ensure more energy, better focus, and a more peaceful and joyful experience in life.
Five Principles of Reiki Printable
Update: As per request here is a downloadable Five Reiki Principles pdf file 1800×2700 highly printable:
- Clear Negative Energy Blocks & Re-Energize Your Life With Powerful Distance Healing
If you practicing meditation it is recommended to use these affirmations as mantras during meditation. For each of us, they can have a slightly different meaning and I believe you can better grasp their overarching meaning through meditation.
I recommend that you create a framed picture with the principles and have them where you can see them daily. If you are a Reiki healer have the principles in the healing room. You can do that yourself or buy a premade product such as this Canvas Wall Art with Reiki Principles you can find here at this link.
The five Reiki principles are not commandments; they are simply gifts of wisdom.
1. “Just for today: I will live in the attitude of gratitude.”
The first of the five principles of reiki is about the magical emotion of feeling grateful. You cannot be grateful and angry at the same time for example. Being grateful cancels out or alleviates any harmful emotions that you might experience.
Your life, your family, your friends, the place you live, and all big and small things are things we take for granted without realizing that we could very easily have lost those. Even things such as the internet, the healthcare system, and the food industry are things that deserve a little bit of gratitude.
We usually tend to focus on the things we don’t have but without things such as the food industry or the Internet, there would be so much struggle in our lives just to provide ourselves with our basic survival needs. Looking for what we have, gives you perspective and it is also a good brain exercise.
It is the best way to attract more positive things in your life – by looking at the good in all things we will see the good wherein we would see the bad if we were in a bad state of mind.
One variation of this principle is Just for today I will give thanks for my many blessings. You can write down regularly all of your life blessings and understand how fortunate you are to have all these things in your life.
Even more, you can think about all the things that were the worse in your life and understand how those events helped shaped who you are. In reality, without misfortunes in our lives, we would be less than we could be. Some misfortunes can break a person but the same misfortune can make another person. It depends partly on the willingness to see things more broadly and not try to change them. I think that this is one of the powerful meanings of this first reiki principle: just for today, I will live with an attitude of gratitude.
To help rebalance this state of gratitude within yourself place one hand on the third eye chakra (located between the eyebrows) and another one on the occipital ridge (located on the back of the head). Use this method on yourself or others to bring more profound states of gratitude.
If you want these reiki principles close to you at home or office have a look at this Canvas Wall Art with Reiki Principles here at this link.
2. “Just for today: I will not fear or worry.”
The second reiki principle it’s about the negative emotions of fear and worry. Fear and worry are enemies that will rarely make things better in your life. Give away to them and you are doomed to a life of bad cycles that never leave room for the good. After all, you can do your best in any situation. The issue is that in a state of fear and worry you are less than you are.
A wonderful cure for fear and worry is laughter. Watch or read daily something that makes you laugh. If you have around you people that are constantly worrying and fearing you need to avoid them. Surround yourself with happy people; be it on television, on the internet, or in real life. Avoid people that have negative ways of living at looking at life.
You can use Reiki to help bring down your worry and fear. Place one hand on the root chakra (the base of your spine) and another on the heart chakra (the center of your chest). This will help bring balance within the body and mind. It removes the blockages caused by stress, worry, and anxiety. Keep your hands there until you feel better. You can use this on yourself or use it on others to help bring health and balance into their system.
5 Star Amazon Product: Beginner Friendly 80 Card Chakra Deck.
3. “Just for today: I will not be angry”
It has been proven that while you are angry your mind goes back into a more basic state akin to that of an animal. Simply put, your intelligence is clouded by the state of anger. There is also healthy anger which can make you more laser-focused if channeled properly.
But bad anger is so bad for us that it is known to also burn away the good karma. Being in anger it’s not the best way to react to stressful situations. You can still take action and resolve the situation in a state of peace. Avoiding anger gives you perspective on the problem and you are more likely to solve it effectively.
If you pay attention to it you will notice that whenever you are angry you give away energy. If you are angry because of a person that person steals your energy. When this happens remember to now allow others to benefit from your energies.
When you are angry you can heal yourself by placing one hand on the third eye chakra (located between the eyebrows) and the other on the root chakra (located at the base of the spine). Keep your hands there for as long as you feel necessary. You can use this technique on yourself or do it in n others to help remove anger and bring balance into the chakra system and the mind.
4. “Just for today: I will be honest to myself”
The fourth reiki principle is about honesty. It is one thing to lie to others but the truth is that oftentimes we lie to ourselves too. We lie about not wanting to grow, that we do not want more, or that we don’t care what happens in the future.
Being honest with yourself and being free of what other people say and do will make you more connected to your true self. Being dishonest takes away valuable power from the soul and the mind. Honesty to oneself is actually the first step in connecting to our deeper being and promoting balance in the chakras.
Another variation of this principle is Just for today I will do my work honestly. If you can be dishonest with others or you can be dishonest with yourself by not exploiting your abilities and gifts that you might have.
Your abilities and undiscovered gifts may be of help to others so it means you are also dishonest to them as well while being dishonest with yourself.
To rebalance this principle within yourself and even help others rebalance it place one hand on the third eye chakra (located between the eyebrows) and another on the solar plexus chakra (located in the upper abdomen, two inches above the navel). Keep them as long as you intuitively feel is enough.
5. “Just for today: I will respect all living beings”
The last of the five principles of reiki refers to all there is alive on this planet. Whatever good things happen in your life, most of them were not possible without the involvement of other people.
Be it your family, your spouse, or your friends – they all have an impact on the positive things you experience today. They made you who you are with all their good and bad things as well.
It is not just about people. It is also about animals and plants. The food that nourishes you daily would not be possible without plants, insects, and all other living beings. We are all truly connected and being respectful to all that lives is becoming aware of our true nature as human beings living on this planet.
Furthermore, the thoughts and actions you throw at others will eventually come back to you. Send out bad to others and you will get bad in your life. Send out good and happiness and you will live a happy and good life.
To help bring this principle to life within you or others, place one hand on the Third Eye Chakra (located between the eyebrows) and the other one on the Root chakra (located at the base of the spine). When you feel you are ready move from the Third Eye to the Throat Chakra (located in the center of the neck at the height of the thyroid gland). Keep it there until you intuitively feel is enough.
Get started on a positive and colorful vibe with this unique Reiki Colouring Book With Reiki Symbols Healing Affirmations that you can find here at this link.
The five principles of reiki as a tool for well-being
These principles are the five principles of Reiki. They are an interpretation of what Reiki does to your mind, body, and soul. The Reiki healing practice helps you connect with your true self. It makes you aware of your humanity and shows you what truly matters and what doesn’t for you in your life. It gives you vitality and clarity. Reiki is a powerful healing tool that heals your body, mind, and soul. You can either do it on yourself or do it on others as therapy.
Final words
These were the 5 principles of Reiki and how you can apply them in your day-to-day life for a better more peaceful and fruitful life. Although they are not new concepts the simplicity behind these affirmations and techniques makes them easier to remember and apply in your life.
I also tried to add my context to each of them and I hope that was of help to bring more value and perspective into these simple but powerful concepts. Let me know in the comments section below what you believe about these reiki principles. Which ones of these do you feel like you need more in your life? What affirmations are you using to make your day?
