Morning and evening

Are you one of the thousands of people who've studied Reiki but just can't find the time to practice every day? It's OK: you don't have to admit it publicly, and besides, that situation is about to change. By the time you finish reading this, you'll have an easy way of practicing Reiki not once, but twice a day, without giving up any of the time you spend on other things. Yes, even if you're not the multitasking type. In fact, you can do this practice even if you've never been initiated or trained in Reiki.

This easy method even comes with a guarantee: if you try it for 21 days and discover that you really, truly can't find the time for it, let me know and I'll do it for you by including you in my own daily meditations.

You have nothing to lose, and much to gain, because with time and practice, this easy method can help you preserve and even reclaim more of your own energy. I've done it every day for several years now, and I can't imagine ever not doing it.

It starts the moment you open your eyes in the morning, or even before that: the instant you begin to make the transition from sleep to conscious awareness. If you're awakened by an alarm clock, do it the moment you shut off the alarm. At that very moment, repeat the Reiki precepts (translation of your choice) to yourself as you welcome another day.

Here's the translation of the precepts that we use at The Reiki Dojo in New York:

For today only,
Do not anger,
Do not worry,
Be humble,
Be honest in your work
Be compassionate to yourself and others.

And in the evening, just as you're falling asleep, recite the precepts again.

That's it. If you'd like to follow Reiki founder Mikao Usui's instructions to the letter, place your hands together in gasshô.

Here's the line that comes after the precepts themselves in that same translation:

"Do gasshô every morning and evening
Keep in your mind and recite."

Click here to see a famous character demonstrating gasshô.

That image is from Thailand, where putting the hands in gasshô or prayer position is called wai. But the gesture of placing the palms of the hands together goes beyond any particular culture or name. It's a way of centering oneself, connecting the left and right sides, and focusing -- your hands can't do much else when they're in gasshô. Reciting the precepts while you're centered and focused is bound to be more effective than when you're not. (Though it can be good to remember them in any situation).

The precepts don't specify that we should do hands-on self-care, though morning and evening can be an ideal time for that, too. But since this is for those who don't have time, we won't specify it, either. This week's waka (see below) succinctly explains how the precepts can help us stay in the moment.

Give it a try and let us know how it worked for you.

And if you're a practitioner who's been working with the precepts for awhile, perhaps you'd like to tell us about your own experience.

You can speak up by adding a comment to this post on The Reiki Digest web site, by emailing editor@thereikidigest.com, or by clicking here to speak to our 24/7 Grand Central voicemail.