Reflexion : Reiki and the Gokai

Hi I am Sonia, masseuse therapist and Reiki therapist in Flor de Agua in the neighboorhood of Gràcia in Barcelona. I share here with you a few personal reflexions about the Gokai, I hope it will be interesting for you😊✨!

The Gokai

5 phrases coming to us from Japan to apply in our daily lives

Today, I want to share a reflection with you about the Gokai, phrases that come to us from Usui Reiki, showing us the spiritual path to follow for more peace in our day-to-day lives.

They are the following phrases:

• Just for today, do not be angry

• Do not worry

• Be grateful

• Work diligently and honestly

• Be kind to others

  
  

I invite you to think about your daily life and whether this is something you apply in your day-to-day. Read them again: Which phrase seems the easiest for you to apply? Which one the least, and why?

Through my daily meditations, I found it curious to observe that the first two phrases were the ones that gave me the most difficulty. I then wondered about the history behind the Gokai, why these phrases came in this specific order, and if this held any importance.

Indeed, I read that if you cannot apply the first two phrases, it would be very difficult to fully and truly experience gratitude, contribute to society, and be kind to others. It would be more of a false gratitude and a matter of pleasing others, rather than a genuine kindness.

Then, I thought about all the people who have come to see me over these years and who have shared their life moments—sometimes moments filled with rage, anger, or anguish and worry. These people had their reasons for feeling this way: for example, I meet a person who has just lost their job and doesn't know how they will pay rent at the end of the month, or another person who has just found out their partner is cheating on them and feels a devastating betrayal.

I think back to the 5 principles of Reiki and tell myself: How am I going to simply tell those people "Do not worry today" or "Do not be angry today" when they are going through situations like that? I felt a sort of contradiction with the Gokai: could it be an invitation to "not feel emotions"? But to me, there is nothing healthier than letting them pass through us, going through the pain in order to be able to accept it, integrate it, and overcome it.

For me, it is healthy to allow oneself to feel—to feel the emotions and the body in order to heal. I spend my time accompanying people with these issues at Flor de Agua. So, what meaning do the Gokai have? How can we understand the first two phrases and step out of this contradiction?

All the subtlety is in the "Today" (Just for today) of "Just for today, do not be angry and do not worry." It is not a mandate, a command not to feel, or to think that daily, material, and earthly life is a long, calm river without ups and downs; rather, it is a philosophy to be able to give enough space to rage and fear in life. It is recognizing the existence of those emotions but not letting ourselves be altered by them for too long.

That is to say, who—even without having a particularly serious problem in their life here and now—hasn't felt anger in a single day, for example, over forgetting their transit card on a workday when it is very important to arrive on time, or not finding their keys, or burning their tongue with coffee, or feeling anger because for the 400th time their partner hasn't closed the kitchen drawer...

Now, think about that key you couldn't find, the coffee that burned your tongue, or your partner with the drawer, and your return home at night after work where your partner is waiting for you with a nice dinner ready. Are you still angry about what happened this morning? It is very likely that it has been forgotten, or you might even be able to laugh about these anecdotes with your partner.

This is what the Reiki Gokai refer to. "Do not worry today, do not be angry today" means that in your day-to-day life, by working on yourself and meditating on these principles, you will be able to ensure that this anger or worry in the face of something unpleasant in daily life—which is normal, and about which you shouldn't feel any guilt for feeling those emotions—means that you won't give it much more importance beyond that moment or a little bit after. That is to say, you won't let the anger or fear stay in your body.

With bigger problems, such as a separation or a loss of a job, the Gokai teach the same thing. It is not about not looking at the pain or covering it up, but rather not staying stuck in it, being able to go through it with patience and compassion, in order to be able to move toward actions that are going to help us have a life with more peace and harmony.

Repeating the Gokai daily helps you, even in especially difficult moments, because just by saying them, you give the space, you give yourself the possibility to feel peace even if only for a moment, helping you to recenter your being and your life goals with calmness.

I hope this reflection has brought something to you and that from now on you can integrate the Gokai into your personal life 😊✨🙏!

Sonia, massage therapist and Reiki master at Flor de Agua - Barcelona

If you need more information about Reiki and the energetic massages I perform in Barcelona, do not hesitate to get directly in touch with means.

>> Note : The original article is manual, did with my heart and in Spanish. For this english version I had to use some online translators🤷‍♀️