Reiki For Dummies. Nina L. Paul

Takata and her students added these versions to the Reiki Principles. One of my Reiki teachers gave me “Honor your parents, teachers, elders.” In the nearby sidebar “Reiki Principles from Hawayo Takata,” it is “Honor your teachers, your father and mother, and your neighbors; count your blessings; and show appreciation for your food.”

      This principle brings in the biblical commandment to honor your parents and adds teachers and others to the statement. Perhaps Takata adapted this principle to fit into the Christian Western culture (see Chapter 3 to read about her pivotal role in the history and spread of Reiki).

      Honoring one’s teachers and elders is a universal practice in many cultures and spiritual practices, and underscores the connection to those who came before and paved the way for our own lives. The spirit of Reiki embraces the connection of all life — past, present, and future.

REIKI PRINCIPLES FROM HAWAYO TAKATA

      Here’s a variation on the Reiki Principles that Hawayo Takata taught to her students:

       Just for today, do not anger

       Just for today, do not worry

       Honor your teachers, your father and mother, and your neighbors; count your blessings; and show appreciation for your food

       Earn your living honestly

       Be kind to everything that has life

      From Reiki: Hawayo Takata’s Story by Helen Haberly, 1990, Archedigm.