The Five Reiki Principles: A Path to Daily Healing and Transformation

What are the Five Reiki Principles? And how can they transform your life, just as they transformed mine?

Ten years ago, during my Reiki Level I training, I was introduced to these five simple yet profound principles. My teacher suggested I hang them on the wall and repeat them daily. I did.

And then something happened.

One day, while I was working, I found myself tempted to take a shortcut on a task. I thought, “It’s harmless—it’ll save some time.” But immediately, one principle echoed in my mind:

“Just for today, I will do my work honestly.”

I didn’t intend to cheat. But in that moment, I realized Reiki wasn’t just something I practiced—it had become part of me. That was the day I got serious about what I had been taught.

The Five Reiki Principles are powerful, life-changing guidelines. You don’t have to be a Reiki practitioner to benefit from them—just knowing and reflecting on them can positively shift your energy and your life.

What Are the Five Reiki Principles?

These principles, taught by Reiki founder Dr. Mikao Usui, are:

1. Just for today, I will live with the attitude of gratitude
2. Just for today, I will not worry
3. Just for today, I will not anger
4. Just for today, I will do my work honestly
5. Just for today, I will show love and respect for every living thing

Let’s explore each principle and how it can guide you to greater peace, clarity, and connection.

1. Just for Today, I Will Live the Attitude of Gratitude

Gratitude creates abundance. When we live in a state of gratitude—not just for what we have, but for what is yet to come—we open ourselves to the flow of Universal energy. Lack is an illusion created by the collective unconscious and reinforced by fear. Gratitude dissolves that illusion.

Ancient teachings, even as far back as the Nag Hammadi texts, remind us: what we see, we become. When we focus on gratitude, we align with abundance and love.

2. Just for Today, I Will Not Worry

Worry separates us from our Higher Selves. It feeds the illusion that we must control everything. When we trust in divine timing and surrender to the Universal Life Force, we step into flow. Worrying about the past or future only limits us. Living in the present moment allows peace and clarity to emerge.

3. Just for Today, I Will Not Anger

Anger is often rooted in the desire to control. It creates disharmony and disease in the body. When we recognize that every situation is a mirror, we can use anger as a teacher. Observe your triggers. Use them to uncover inner wounds and begin the process of healing. By choosing peace over anger, you align with the essence of Reiki energy: harmony.

4. Just for Today, I Will Do My Work Honestly

Living in truth means aligning your actions with your Higher Self. When you do your work honestly—not just in your career, but in your relationships and inner life—you bring clarity and compassion into your world. Integrity builds inner peace and deepens your connection to the Reiki flow.

5. Just for Today, I Will Show Love and Respect for Every Living Thing

We are all energy, all one. Physics confirms that what appears as solid matter is actually vibrating energy. Every person, plant, animal, and mineral is part of the whole. When we honor others, we honor ourselves. Showing love and respect to all life creates a ripple effect of healing energy across the planet.

Feeling Called to Reiki?

Many of my Reiki students say they felt called to Reiki before they even knew what it was. One shared how she heard a voice say “Take Reiki training!” while walking to her car. She followed the signs and found me.

There are no coincidences. If you’re feeling drawn to Reiki, trust that calling.

Reiki has transformed me into the most vibrant version of myself. It can do the same for you.

To learn more about how to begin your Reiki healing journey, visit the Level I Reiki Training page on my website.