As a 2nd Degree Reiki Practitioner, I use Usui Reiki on a daily basis as a self healing treatment.  Reiki is Non Demoninational and available to ALL. I try and live by the five principles of Reiki which are:

 

Just for today I will not worry,

Just for today I will not anger,

Just for today I will live honestly,

Honour your parents, teachers and elders,

Show gratitide to all living things and give thanks

for your many blessings.

 

As a Catholic I am also interested in Mari El Reiki which honours Mother Mary(Mari) and God (El), and I find power in including prayer with Reiki.

 

Life is about living in the moment and connecting with the energies that surrounds us.  Positive energy is uplifting and light (white)- negative energy is depressing and heavy (black).  Reiki works well on restoring energy balance.   It can be used in conjunction with colour therapy to balance the chakras.  For example if you have low energy, try to avoid wearing black - pink is an excellent colour to wear at any time as it brings love.

 

Most of us can recall an occassion when we have been out of balance physically or emotionally; time seemed to stand still or go in slow motion.  Many of these occassions are at times of grief or deep distress.  On the other hand time will fly when we are enjoying ourself and we don't know where it has gone.  We need to learn to be aware of living and calm our minds.  Meditation can focus the mind to live "in the moment" so that we are aware of being "alive" and can appreciate the beauty of simply being.  We are all spiritual beings in a physical body.  When we acknowledge this and "connect" with our spiritual beings we are truly alive.

 

Learn to live in the moment, and live one day at a time.  This frees us from so many pressures: 

 

I will not worry today about something that is in the future, or regret something that is in the past as neither of these things are in the present moment.  I will take a cleansing breath which helps me focus on the present moment.

 

I believe in Karma, what goes around comes around.  Or in Christian doctrine, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  I therefore will try to be honest with everyone in all things.  I will choose my words so as not to offend.  

With age comes wisdom.  We do not value our older generation enough in the West, in my humble opinion.  Much emphasis is placed on book learning - a holistic approach would also take into account life experience.  Most people can obtain a piece of paper saying they have studied and passed exams which is commendable, however life is to be experienced not just read about.  We also have to learn to respect other peoples ideologies and lifestyles, whether we agree they are "correct" or not.  WE are not judge and jury.  We are all part of the same cosmic family, no-one better than the other.  Like an ocean, some parts are deeper than others, waves are more visible - but it is all water.

John ODonahue has written a lovely book on Celtic Spirituality called "Anam Cara".  It is Gaelic for "soul friend".  The concept extents beyond the idea of "one soul mate for everybody" and introduces us to a whole "soul family".  It is good to know we are all connected - we are never alone in the world unless we choose to be so.