Just for today, I will not worry

Just for today

All of the five Reiki precepts or principles begin with, ‘just for today‘, and for good reason.

When you practice your Reiki or indeed any other self-care practice such as focusing on your breath, you are in the present moment. Here, there is no anger or worry. Instead, we find peace and become at one with ourselves. In addition, sometimes we may also find much needed clarity. Therefore, it is no wonder that Mikao Usui taught his students these valuable precepts.

I was going to begin this journal with stating how this particular precept has been my most challenging to work with however, they are all as important as each other.

Just for today, I will not worry

In case you are not aware, originally I was diagnosed with ‘General Anxiety Disorder‘, which was my route into Reiki. You can read more about that here.

Six years following my original attunement to Reiki, I still worry and I still have a tendency to catastrophise. OUCH! I admitted it however, I would like to stress that I am managing my anxiety thanks to Reiki.

The Five Reiki Precepts

By chanting these five Reiki precepts daily and also, reflecting upon them and more specifically, what they mean to me in the here and now, is an important aspect of my self care. Indeed, I teach my students the importance of understanding each of them and how they will change throughout their Reiki journey.

So today, am I worrying about anything?

I ask myself this question daily when chanting the precept and for good reason. I know how easy it is to become attached to ideas or thoughts. This is especially so if for some reason I neglect my self-care routine for a couple of days. If my granddaughter comes to stay with me or something out of the ordinary occurs, I can lapse because, I am only human at the end of the day! Of course, this happens less often now that I am fully aware of the consequences of neglecting my self-care.

The reality of no worry

Well, if you never have anything to worry about, I doubt you would be breathing.

It is healthy to worry providing you’re working with it!

During my days of anxiety, I was procrastinating, avoiding and as a result, creating more stress, and anxiety.

Putting my worry into context

As I write, I am suffering a drop in clients as a result of the ‘cost of living crisis‘. Unfortunately, I am seeing a decrease in my work, which is a valid worry however, it is important for me to not begin catastrophising like old times.

By performing my self-Reiki and stilling my mind, I am able to gain a clear perspective of my situation. Instead of worrying and not taking action, I examine the reality of my finances and I know that I am OK. It isn’t the disaster I could easily project.

Also, thanks to incorporating gratitude into every aspect of my life, I’m not being weighed down with negative energy.

Just for today, I will be grateful for all my blessings

When I think of the good things happening around me, my spirit is lifted.

Yesterday, I had a new client. Now, old me would have been caught up in my feelings of impending doom. No clients, no business, and so on. My main focus would simply be feeding my ego by becoming a control freak, trying to grab business, at any cost therefore, absorbing more of lifes woe.

Thankfully, this Reiki session was totally awe inspiring because yet again, my intuition was spot on. I felt that my client’s stomach was a major problem. Therefore, I began drawing it out and down her legs, out of her toes and to the earth. During the post consultation, she remarked on how she felt something in her stomach and tingles running down her legs.

WOW!

I’m enjoying good feelings filling my entire being when reflecting on this. I don’t even know what words to use to describe how I feel. One thing is for sure, I feel so, so good.

Now, I am extremely grateful for this learning experience. Also, I will go as far as saying that I am grateful for experiencing a lack of clients. The Universe teaches me how I need to ‘go with the flow‘, which I will save my experience of this for my next journal.

Release your fears and talk to someone

Originally, I used to hold in all of my fears and most certainly would never show any vulnerability. I saw this as a sign of weakness and instead, I suffered. Thankfully, Reiki allows me to be my authentic self.

Talking about my thoughts with Mark (hubby), allows me to gain a better perspective of my situation. I’m sure the Universe put us together to balance each other out.

Summarising just for today, I will not worry

If you are continually worrying, then there’s something that you are not dealing with.

Ruminating or catastrophising is amplifying those negative feelings and this is why you need to be present.

Just for today, teaches you to be present by experiencing your senses of sight, touch, taste, sound, and smell. Think about it, when you are absorbed in doing a creative task or playing a game, you are fully present, using your senses. Here, there is no worry!

Take back control and break down your problem into manageable steps. Even contemplating how to take that first step, no matter how small is a step in the right direction.

Finally, don’t be afraid to seek professional help if your worry is affecting your life. As a result of receiving Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), I now understand the importance of challenging my fears. Look where I am now!