The 5 Reiki Principles: A Daily Practice

At the heart of Reiki are five simple principles, called the Gokai in Japanese, taught by Mikao Usui as a guide for daily life. A common English version reads: "Just for today, do not anger. Do not worry. Be grateful. Work honestly. Be kind to others." Usui encouraged students to recite them morning and evening with hands in gassho, palms together at the heart. The words "just for today" are the secret: we do not have to be perfect forever. We only have to try today, and then begin again tomorrow. The principles turn Reiki from a technique into a way of living.

Five lines. A lifetime of practice.

The 5 Reiki Principles: A Daily Practice for Lightworkers

The five principles

1. Just for today, do not anger

This is not about suppressing anger. It is about noticing anger without letting it rule you. Feel it, breathe, and choose your response.

Practice: when anger rises, place a hand on your belly and take three slow breaths before speaking.

2. Just for today, do not worry

Worry lives in a future that has not happened. This principle invites us back to the present, where we can act.

Practice: write down a worry, then one small action you can take today, and let the rest go.

3. Just for today, be grateful

Gratitude opens the heart and changes what we notice.

Practice: name three things you are grateful for before getting out of bed.

4. Just for today, work honestly

Some translations say "do your work diligently" or "be true to your way." It means living with integrity in what you do.

Practice: give one task your full and honest attention.

5. Just for today, be kind to every living being

Kindness to people, animals, the earth and yourself.

Practice: one intentional kindness, small or large, each day. See Reiki for Animals.

A morning and evening ritual

Sit or kneel with your spine tall.
Bring your palms together in gassho at your heart.
Breathe slowly three times.
Recite the five principles aloud or silently, slowly, feeling each one.
In the morning, choose one principle as your focus for the day.
In the evening, reflect kindly: "Where did I live this today? Where can I begin again tomorrow?"

Why "just for today" matters

Lifelong promises can feel heavy. "Just for today" makes the practice light, achievable and forgiving. If you fall short, today ends and a new today begins. This is the spirit of Reiki: gentle, patient and kind.

In The Starseed Chronicles

In our Starseed Chronicles, Reiki the Energy Flow Master helps restore balance in hard moments. The five principles, shared in simple words, make a lovely bedtime practice for families. Meet them here, or explore The Starseed Chronicles.

A sound companion for this practice

The Gift of Gratitude by Dr. Bob Weathers offers concrete guidelines, enhanced by Leigh Spusta's binaural entrainment, for taking just a few minutes each day to remember all you are thankful for.

Explore The Gift of Gratitude at iAwake

Disclosure: This is an affiliate link for iAwake Technologies. If you purchase through it, Infused Lights may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Sound tools are optional companions to your practice, not medical or professional advice.

From the Infused Lights crystal shop

Some people hold a rose quartz or amethyst palm stone in gassho while reciting the principles.