Reiki For Dummies. Nina L. Paul

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      Staying in today is like balancing a seesaw. Spending too much time wandering in the past or in the future will distract you from today.

Here are some tips to help you stay in the present moment:

       Take note of your senses: Ask yourself what you see, feel, hear, smell, and taste.

       Be with someone you love or an object of beauty like a sunset or a flower. Just focus on your love and merge with that.

       Spend time with young children.

       Try breathing exercises or meditation (see Chapter 9) to help focus on the present moment.

      

Seeing the present moment as a gift (or a present) makes every experience a joy to unwrap.

      When receiving or giving Reiki, being fully present also allows the Reiki energy to be at its brightest and highest intensity.

      Going through the five Reiki Principles

      In this section, I list the five Reiki Principles and offer you some ways to think about how to use these principles.

      Do not anger

      Everyone feels anger at one time or another. Triggers for anger occur when someone does you wrong, hurts your feelings, or challenges your security.

      The goal of this Reiki Principle is to express your anger in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone (including you). Anger that isn’t properly channeled can lead to violence, war, crime, stress, and disease.

      Anger that’s properly channeled can further your personal growth. The anger is a signal that you have an imbalance or conflict that needs to be addressed. (See the steps later in this section.) You can transform your anger by making changes in your thinking or actions.

      

Not getting angry doesn’t mean pushing away your anger. Suppressed anger can come back to bite you and others. Anger that is submerged will arise again, perhaps even stronger and more destructive.

Here are steps you can take to help you transform your anger:

      1 See the anger.You can’t do anything about your anger if you don’t first recognize that you’re angry.

      2 Take a timeout.Count to ten, breathe deeply, and think about the situation before reacting. Avoid knee-jerk reactions. Don’t send angry emails or shout angry words.If the anger dissipates on its own, let it go. If you still feel angry, you must go deeper to see what’s going on.

      3 Decide what the anger means.Anger frequently masks other emotions, such as fear. For example, you might be angry with your husband for quitting his job because you fear being poor. Your fear about financial insecurity is what’s underneath the anger.Most people have some level of unresolved anger, trauma, loss, or other negative emotional state. Maybe you’re holding onto anger toward someone who harmed you in the past.Healing is a dedicated process of untangling, resolving, and releasing. The Reiki symbol Sei Hei Ki (see Chapter 8) can help with emotional healing. Be gentle with yourself and others; this is deep, sacred work.

      4 Take action.Some action is clear-cut: If you fear financial insecurity, maybe you need to spend less, apply for a loan, or find ways to bring in more money. If someone in your life is making you angry on a regular basis, maybe you need to spend less time with that person.Other action is a remedy for actions not taken in the past, such as setting boundaries with behavior that’s not okay, revealing more of yourself to loved ones, or speaking your truth.

      Feeling angry isn’t pleasant. Sometimes, you may be tempted to drown the anger in food, alcohol, or other addictive substances. You can’t run from the anger. Use it instead to lead you further in your spiritual journey. If you take the time to meditate on your anger, you’ll find a message intended for you. Your anger is actually a great teacher that can lead you to your truth.

      

Learning to recognize and transform your anger from a knee-jerk reaction to calm action takes dedicated practice. You probably can’t change from being an angry person to being a calm one overnight. But you can follow the “just for today” idea to change your thinking and behavior. Slowly but surely, your anger will diminish.

If you find that you can’t resolve your anger or worry on your own, or if you’re having difficulty with traumatic memories, please find a therapist, counselor, or spiritual advisor who can help you.

      Do not worry

      A worrier is a person who’s concerned about things that may happen. The irony is that worry drains the mind and body of the energy it needs when problems actually do occur.

      The best way to prepare for life’s situations — and life always thrusts some sort of challenge — is to be balanced and calm in mind, body, and spirit.

      Developing a connection with Reiki spiritual healing reduces worry. You know you always have this power to help you, no matter what happens.

      

Here are some tips to let go of worry:

       Write down any worries or tell a friend (or therapist). Giving worries a “voice” allows them to be seen and heard. This may be all that you need to put this concern in perspective and find a solution.

       Take action. If you’re worried about a person or situation, take helpful action. For example, if you’re worried about your son’s health, you can find a new health care provider or cook him healthy food to eat.

       Pray. Constant worry indicates a lack of trust in Divine Intelligence. Work to strengthen your spiritual connection. Use prayer or distant Reiki (see Chapter 15) to send Reiki for any worries you might have.

       Live in the present. Worry is about how past events might catch up with you and how future events might hurt you. What about right now?

       Distract yourself from the worry. Talk to a friend, laugh at a movie, or get involved with your life. You can wash your kitchen floor, pet your dog, or go for a walk.

      Most of the time, what you worry about never happens. Practicing the Reiki Principles regularly will keep you in better shape to handle the problems that do arise in your life.

      Be grateful

Appreciating what you have, no matter what it is, is essential for happiness. Here are some ideas to help you keep an attitude of gratitude:

       Keep a gratitude list or journal. Write down everything from the smallest things (like a hot bath) up to the larger things (such as the love of your life).

       Give thanks before or after each meal. Thank the animals or plants who give their life energy, the farmers and suppliers, and the people who prepare your food. Give thanks to your digestive system, which converts this food to usable nutrients.

       Make gratitude a habit. When you go to bed at night, take a mental note