AS I GAVE MYSELF REIKI this morning, I realized that I was thinking of a recent news story that was making me angry and upset. As I became aware of this, I immediately reminded myself of the Reiki principles: “Just for today, I will not worry. Just for today I will not anger….” As I repeated the principles to myself, it occurred to me that instead of getting frightened, worried and angry at those who cause harm to the world and others, I need to forgive them. Forgiveness is one of the most important things a healer can offer the world. Forgiveness heals everyone. If I want the world to heal, I need to offer forgiveness.
To forgive can seem like a foreign idea to us, because most of us believe that we have to remain indignant and outraged when we are hurt. We seem to believe that thinking badly of someone will prevent them from doing more harm. We are fearful and worried about being wronged, which triggers anger. In reality, being angry at someone never prevents them from repeating their mistake. It only creates further harm, both in yourself and in the person you direct your anger towards.
When you forgive someone, you free yourself from that anger. You allow peace to settle and healing to begin in your own heart. You also prevent further harm from being done in the world, because you will not be projecting anger and resentment. Forgiveness is not a way to control the other person. It releases the need to control them and frees you from the cycle of anger. You can be free and at peace. From a heart of peace, you can love and heal more easily.
Each thing you do or think has an effect on everyone else. You can choose to carry anger or you can choose to carry peace and love. Either one will ripple out endlessly from you, affecting everyone you come in contact with, then going on to affect those they come in contact with. If you are sending anger into the world, then anger will develop in the world. If you send love, love will develop in the world.
As a healer, I must take responsibility for each thing I send out among the people and creatures of the world. How can I heal unless I am sending out love, peace and forgiveness? I must first forgive myself to encourage my own healing. I must forgive those close to me for all perceived wrong-doing. I must also forgive those who rape, murder, make war, harm the Earth, and harm animals, steal and cheat. Unforgiveness says it expects change, but it truly won’t allow change to take place. Only forgiveness says that change for the better is possible.
I will forgive and offer Reiki to anyone who causes harm to another, just as I send Reiki to those who are harmed. Healing should be for everyone, particularly those who need it the most. Someone who causes harm is out of balance and in pain. As healing takes place for them, they will break free from the need to harm another. Healing must take place for everyone. As long as one of us remains in pain and suffering of any kind, we all will suffer in some way.
When you look through the eyes of oneness, healing all beings becomes very important. Anger and worry become a stumbling block to healing ourselves or others. Perhaps this is why Mikao Usui made “do not worry” and “do not anger” part of the Reiki principles. Removing worry, fear and anger and having peace in our hearts and minds fosters our own healing. We can then offer healing to others more freely.
