Whilst teaching Reiki First Degree, one of the subjects I love discussing is Mikao Usui’s Precepts.  For all intents and purposes there are five fairly simple rules that we Reiki folk attempt to live by but I have to confess, in the western world, it isn’t always easy to rise above our frustrations and remain calm or unconcerned about the challenging situations we may find ourselves in.  One precept that I find always leads to an interesting conversation is:

Just for today…

Be compassionate towards yourself and others.

Sounds such a simple precept doesn’t it?  Or does it?  The general consensus of opinion is that we seem to find it easy to show compassion towards others but not to ourselves! Why is that? Why do we find it so difficult?  Healers are compassionate people by nature; isn’t that what draws us to Reiki along with the desire to help others?  Yet even the most compassionate amongst us can still find it difficult to show the same kindness to themselves as they would to others.   Why is it when we are emotionally wounded, or when we’ve made a mistake (we are human after all!), we find it so difficult to give ourselves a pep talk or words of reassurance?  Would we treat our friends and loved ones with such negativity? Is it really far easier to punish ourselves than to treat ourselves with kindness and understanding?  Sadly, many people I speak with seem to agree that it is.

In Reiki we begin to learn and understand the power of intent. We know we can send healing energies across the globe, into infinity and beyond if we so wish.  Reiki will penetrate even the strongest of walls.  We are beginning to discover through quantum physics that thought is an incredibly powerful process which can produce astonishing results on the body and as such if we choose to continue to be negative towards ourselves on a frequent basis, then what effect are we having on our health?

To give you an example, the Japanese scientist Dr Emoto Masaru has conducted many experiments with water.  He subjected some samples of water from various sources to loving words and thoughts.  Other sample were subjected to negative thoughts and words of  hostility.  The water  from each of the samples was then frozen and the crystals they formed were photographed.  Amazingly, the water that was treated with love and kindness formed spectacularly beautiful ice crystals and the water that was treated with cruelty produced deformed and irregular crystals.   So here’s the thing and I’ll leave you with this thought:

Water constitutes approximately three quarters of the human body.  If water is so dramatically affected by positive and negative thoughts, just what exactly are we doing to the health of our bodies, minds and subsequently our souls if we struggle to treat ourselves with compassion? 

So….. just for today:  be compassionate towards yourself and others.

Much love to you all,

Ann x

Ann Halstead is one of the Reiki Evolution team of teachers offering Reiki training near the beautiful Summer Wine country in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.  Ann and her husband Jonathan also offer psychic development workshops and spiritual counselling.

Ann’s website can be found here:  www.holistic-wellbeing.co.uk