The first Reiki principle is probably the most important and one of the most difficult with which to comply. I will first unpack the language of the principle which is present in all the principles, the ideals behind the use of such language and then I will discuss its application to this principle.
Firstly, all the Reiki principles start with the phrase "just for today". This is a central idea to Reiki and any holistic-healing philosophy. The idea behind using the phrase is that one who is healthy can only live in the moment that is occurring. There is no way to go back to the past and change what has happened. There is no way to see what is going to happen in the future or to be certain of what is going to occur. Even renowned psychics have stated that the future is neither fixed nor predetermined. There is no way to know what is going to happen. Therefore, any energy, worry, thought, etc. that is spent on something that has already happened, or something that may never come to pass is wasted energy. Wasted energy can cause energy blockages in the body, and energy blockages cause illness, disease, depression and many others.
The end of the first principle is closely linked to the first phrase. For one to say "I release all worry", she or he will have to release all negative thoughts about past and future. People cannot worry about something that is happening RIGHT THEN. They are too caught up in what is happening. All worry is wasted energy either projecting about something that may or may not ever come to pass, or fretting about something that has occurred and is unchangeable.
Just for today, I release all anger.
Again, the principle starts with "just for today". In this case, I again feel that this phrase makes this goal achievable. One need not worry about how she or he will live without anger tomorrow, or whether or not she or he did so successfully yesterday. The only concern is releasing anger TODAY. This makes this goal tangible and achievable.
Releasing anger is one of the most selfish things that a person can do. Anger holds us hostage. If we remain angry at a person (including ourselves) or a situation or anything else that angers us, we allow ourselves to steep in negativity of events that cannot be changed. This negativity easily leads to all kinds of physical illness, most commonly stomach pains, stomach ulcers, headaches, etc. Holding onto any anger is holding onto something that has happened, and thus, goes against the fundamental ideal of all the Reiki principles. It also harms yourself and has great potential to harm the object of the anger. If a person can learn to release the anger, the event, and the cause of the event no longer have any power over you. True freedom can be achieved, and the freedom will necessarily lead to health, both physically and mentally.
Just for today, I shall earn my living with integrity.
Just for today, I will do my work honestly This is straightforward. Whatever work you are engaged in, do it to the best of your ability and do it with integrity. Many of us have had to do work which we are not enthusiastic about. Sometimes we have the displeasure of doing this work in a negative environment. We must still work diligently. The reason for this is that we create our character by the habits we cultivate. When you do a job to the best of your ability regardless of the circumstances, you are developing a form of personal currency. It is literally like making a deposit into the bank of your life skills. Sometimes a negative experience is a catalyst for a positive change. If you are not happy with your current situation, then work toward another option while doing everything to the best of your ability.
Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.
This is the first principle that begins to seriously deal with the idea of Karma. Following all the other principles will attract good Karma, but this is the first principle that will earn a person bad Karma if she or he does the opposite. I'm sure you're familiar with the phrase "whatever you do comes back to you twice as good/bad" or some variation thereof. This is a very simplistic explanation of Karma. Good deeds earn rewards for the soul, bad deeds earn punishment. Therefore, if one is kind to every living thing, eventually, she or he will start to earn the right to Karmically be treated well by others. She or he will also Karmically earn the right to be holistically healthy. Conversely, one who is not kind to every living thing will earn negative Karma, and could potentially end up with a debilitating disease or other things in order to purge the bad Karma.
Again, this principle raises the idea of "just for today"... and again, I feel that this can be used to help you put perspective on what would otherwise seem a daunting task. If one were to look at his or her entire life and think "ok, I have to be nice to everyone and everything for the rest of my days", this would seem unattainable. But if the same person were to say "ok, I'm going to do my best to be kind to every living thing today", the task suddenly seems bearable. And if, for some reason, the person was unable to be kind the day before, she or he will simply be able to shrug it off, and say again "ok, I'm going to do my best to be kind to every living thing today".
Just for today, I will give thanks for all my many blessings.
The original quote from Dr. Usui says “express your thanks”. This tells me that to truly master gratitude, we must express it. Feeling it is wonderful, but when we allow it to inform the way we consistently speak about our life, then we truly create positive results. The fruits of gratitude are peace and joy. If we break down gratitude as counting everything which we have as a blessing (and there is always something, even and especially the things we take for granted like our health, running water…), then I can confidently tell you that we all have blessings and we can all feel good about them. If your vision of your blessings is obscured by your situation, consider this: has there ever been a time in your life, where you thought things couldn’t get any worse and then they did, in an instant? Maybe it was a dreaded phone call, an incident or accident, but all of a sudden you realized that things were not so bad the previous moment. Sometimes you even long for that time again, so that you could relish it and be more grateful. The lesson to be learned is that it is all a matter of perspective, and you have complete control of that.
Here is your challenge: For the next week, implement “Just for today…” as an attitude. Print the five principles clearly and post them where they are visible like your refrigerator or desk. Spend a few minutes in the morning quietly contemplating them. Learn them and adhere to them. When it feels hard, or when you falter, smile and remind yourself that it is “Just for today…”