How to stop being uncomfortable with ourselves

All the practices within the system of Reiki are there foremost to help ourselves to become more comfortable within our own hearts and minds. However these practices are not always that easy as they stir up stuff. This is one of the reasons why most of the elements within the system of Reiki have become so externalized over the years, as we do not like to look deeply within ourselves. It scares us.

These practices take time, it is like trying to train a wild horse, the wild horse represents our confused mind. It takes a lot of effort and patience to train a wild horse and sometimes we fall off the horse and hurt ourselves – we stir up emotions, things we do not want to look at, fear, worry, anger, you name it. But if we want to help others, then it is of utmost importance that we start to tame our own confused mind first. 

The more we do this the more we start to be comfortable within ourselves. But what does that mean? It means that we start to accept ourselves for who we are with all our pain, discomfort, joy, issues, attachments etc. We start to become friends with ourselves again instead of saying things like; “I am not good enough”, or “I have this or that issue and therefore I am not pretty enough” and so on. I call this “being naked” with yourself. Being naked is about accepting yourself completely without judging or labeling. It is letting go of criticizing ourselves. The precept show compassion to yourself is pointing this out.

When we stop labeling and judging ourselves we reach a state of mind of stillness. But as we are not uses to being still, we start to label, distinguish, and judge again to create some internal entertainment. This internal dialogue analyzes everything, and that is why we feel so tired. If our minds are busy all the time, we are never still. In this way we are depleting our energy.

But if we cannot be still within ourselves, how can we be still when we are with others?

This is one of the main reasons we keep labeling, judging, and distinguishing during a hands-on healing session, rather then being in a state of mind of stillness and openness. We find it uncomfortable to be still. We want to keep busy analyzing because most of the time we are scared of what will happen when we are in a state of mind of stillness. The precept “show compassion to others” also points out this stillness.

The Reiki Precepts:
Do not be angry
Do not worry
Be grateful
Practice this diligently
Show compassion to yourself and others

We can see that compassion to others is the last precept. Why? Because we first need to become comfortable within ourselves to create this still, open, naked state of mind. When are are compassionate to others, there is no judging, labeling and distinguishing going on, just stillness.

Lets take a closer look at some of the teachings within the system of Reiki and see how they point towards being comfortable within ourselves, so that we feel can be still.

Joshin kokyu ho, an essential meditation taught in Shoden Reiki Level I, is about bringing our mind into the hara/tanden, an energy centre just below our navel. We do this so that we become centred and still. When our mind is focused on one point, the hara/tanden, then we do not become distracted by our own internal busyness, thus we become more still and accepting of ourselves. 

The first symbol taught in Okuden Reiki Level II is doing exactly the same thing. Traditionally you would meditate on it to become more comfortable with yourself and not being distracted by labeling, judging, and distinguishing, which is our constant internal dialogue. Where are our minds normally? All over the place, thinking about the past, present, and future. Now look at the symbol and trace it with your mind, where is your mind going? Inwards!!! Yes, now imagine doing this again and again and again. What starts to happen? We get less distracted and thus we start to accept ourselves more and more. In turn this will help us to get less distracted when we perform hands-on healing on others too: we finally can just be with our clients.

If we look closely at all the other tools within Mikao Usui’s teachings we can start to see the same thing, they are all there to help us to become more comfortable within ourselves, and therefore with the world around us. Now we can be still–free–with no more labeling, judging, and distinguishing. This is the essence of Mikao Usui’s teachings.

Frans Stiene

Based in Holland, Frans Stiene teaches in North America, Europe, UK, Australia and Asia.
Frans is also the author of Reiki Insights, it is the continuation of his previous book The Inner Heart of Reiki, taking your personal practice and understanding of the system of Reiki yet another step deeper.

ihreiki.com/about/reiki_teachers/frans_stiene/