Today I sit at home, nursing a cold. I had planned ‘down time’ for the holidays, but this is not exactly what I had in mind. Like the song says, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” — John Lennon
Generally, I am in very good health, but a lingering holiday cold put a damper on my festivities. Stuck at home, I am relaxing, enjoying a cup of hot tea with honey, lemon and ginger. That, plus rest, plenty of fluids and chicken soup with some Chinese Medicine herbs from my acupuncturist are my go-to remedies. And, yes, I do get a flu shot. As a Registered Nurse/Reiki Provider working in the cancer center, it is expected, and statistically speaking, a good idea. Whether or not to get a flu shot is discussion to have with your healthcare provider.
Today’s Yogi tea bag ‘message’ (each tea bag has a written positive affirmation or quote), gave me pause to reflect – “An attitude of gratitude brings opportunities.”
‘End of Year’ Accounting. 2019 is nearly over, and I find myself making time for a retrospective accounting of the year. Not the financial kind that the IRS is looking for, which would make my accountant and husband very happy. But the psycho-spiritual kind, making note of that which has touched my heart, nourished my spirit and brought a sense of Joy.
New experiences and adventures, meeting new people, exploring various cultures, learning … all bring me joy. They also bring opportunity to gather new information and skills to share with my students and clients. Their positive feedback and improved results is why I love what I do. Seeing their smiling faces, hearing their reports of “feeling better,” “more hopeful,” learning of their positive changes, hearing their expressed gratitude, makes my work Joyful.
Gratitude is a two-way street. Whether we give or receive, there is gratitude.
Serendipity and the Gift of 3’s – In 2019 I made three trips to Sedona Arizona to teach Reiki Ryōhō. Only the first class in April was planned. The second came in June, after a request to house and cat sit. Followed by November, honoring requests to hold another training in Sedona, where a retreat is inherently built-into the program. Sedona is a place so beautiful, that just being there can fill your cup and nourish your soul.
Opportunity Creates Opportunity. In 2019 I gratefully had three occasions to spend time with my Reiki Teacher, Inamoto Hyakuten Sensei, Buddhist monk from Kyoto Japan, Founder of Komyo ReikiDo™. I only had planned to attend one Komyo Shinpiden (Teacher) Training, June in Toronto Canada where I first met Sensei in 2008. That initial training with Sensei was due to a serendipitous meeting with a Reiki Teacher/Hypnotherapist from New York City, when we both attended a hypnosis conference in New Hampshire. Some years later, Mary invited me to join her for a Komyo Shinpiden workshop in Toronto. That experience in Canada in turn, led to a trip to Kyoto Japan in 2011, after the Tohōku earthquake and tsunami. At that time, the Japanese people were surprised and happy to see foreign visitors, expressing their gratitude.
Shinpiden Training with Sensei, whenever the opportunity arrises. The opportunity has now arisen 12 times, a story in itself. A second opportunity came this year in May. A woman I met in January during a trip to Cuba not only helped us get out of Cuba (long story), but offered free lodging in NYC, allowing me to attend yet another workshop. During my travels, I always meet wonderful people, which often leads to more opportunity and gratitude. Trainings in NYC, the Catskills, Toronto and Japan continue to unfold, with more trips and trainings coming in 2020. April 2020, I will be hosting Sensei for his ‘1st offering’ of a Reiki (Teacher) Shinpiden Training in Sedona; “a dream.”
A third serendipitous, unplanned reunion with Sensei on the island of Kauai happened just before Thanksgiving. Spending the holiday with my husband’s family on Maui, I learned of Sensei’s visit to Kauai and joined him there for a day. Always learning ...
“With gratitude comes opportunity.” Some people might feel that opportunity brings happiness and gratitude. I believe it is the reverse. With gratitude, comes happiness, and with gratitude and happiness, comes opportunity. Then more gratitude and happiness, then more opportunity. And so on. If you have not experienced this, I encourage you to come in for a session. My work focuses on helping people experience greater self-awareness, self-care, self-motivation, and self-confidence that assists them in finding their passion and living their dreams.
“Go confidently in the the direction of your dreams.” — Henry David Thoreau
‘Today Only.’ If life seems too overwhelming, it can help to focus on ‘today only.’ Or, if need be, even just this present moment. Generally speaking, in the moment, whether through prayer, meditation, mindfulness, breath work, Reiki Ryōhō, tai chi, Qi gong, yoga, or even in the simple act of enjoying a cup of tea, one can experience a sense of peace. And, as we pause to reflect, we can experience greater self awareness and understanding, or Satori (enlightenment in Japanese). Hyakuten Sensei teaches, “A cup of tea, a cup of enlightenment.”
A major precept of the practice of Usui Reiki Ryōhō is known as Gasshō meiso, which is the twice daily meditation or reflection upon the Reiki (Precepts) Gokai/ (Kyogi) Principles, in Gasshō. Gasshō indicates the hand position with palms pressed together at the level of the heart; a symbol of respect and reverence, and in that I would say, also comes a sense of gratitude, for those we respect and revere. 
Keep a copy of the Gokai handy to refer to. In daily practice, we can begin to embody and live by the principles. There are other versions found in print, but these are the original for the Founder, USUI Mikao Sensei, as written on his memorial stone, translated by Hyakuten Sensei.
Science tells us that Gratitude improves our mental health. Improved mental health can improve physical health. Gratitude is a form of self-care, that is free and easy to use, daily.
Tips for Every Day Gratitude:
- Keep a daily gratitude journal; find at least one thing each day to be grateful for.
- Notice the beauty in nature each day.
- Practice random acts of kindness each day.
- Volunteer to help others.
- Practice simple breathing relaxation.*
- Practice mindfulness.*
- Take time each day to meditate *or pray.
- Write a thank you note, or simply tell someone your are grateful for, thank you.
- Make a visual display (gratitude board) of who or what you are grateful for.
- Collect positive quotes and sayings; display them where you can see them.
On ‘Tips for Every Day Gratitude’ – Keep it Simple. Focus on one or two from the list to begin. *Contact us for help with any or all of the above.
Recommended Reading:
The Psychology of Gratitudeby Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough
Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal: Questions, Prompts, and Coloring Pages for a Brighter, Happier Life by Lori Deschene
Paying Gratitude Forward: Monthly Community Reiki Shares/Clinics. First Tuesdays, every month, ‘by donation.’ Offering affordable sessions of reiki in a group setting for relief of stress and pain, as well as a practice venue for our students, and respite for practitioners. This community service arm raises donations for charities and individuals in need. Over the past 19 years, we have donated locally and abroad, including but not limited to: Action Inc., Beverly Bootstraps,Cape Ann Animal Aid, Cape Ann Relay for Life, Cape Ann Wildlife, Beverly Bootstraps, Family Promise, the Grace Center, Lung Force and the American Lung Association, the Open Door, Reid’s Ride, MA ALS, Toots Fore Tufts, Wellspring House, a charity in Nairobi Kenya, an HIV hospital in Kenya, and individuals undergoing treatment for cancer.
We are continuing our mission in 2020: supporting organizations that promote peace and healing for humans and their non-human companions. Contact us if you are a charitable organization interested in being a recipient of our donations. Join us for a reiki session. Chances are, you will be grateful you did! Attendees voice enjoying the warm welcome they receive, and the peace, comfort and calm they experience.
It takes a village. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead
Enjoy a Daily Attitude of Gratitude, a Beautiful Today, and a Happy, Healthy New Year! ~ Karen
Sources and More Information:
Farb, N. A., Anderson, A. K., & Segal, Z. V. (2012). The mindful brain and emotion regulation in mood disorders. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie, 57(2), 70–77. doi:10.1177/070674371205700203
Lambert, N. M., Fincham, F. D., Braithwaite, S. R., Graham, S. M., & Beach, S. R. H. (2009). Can prayer increase gratitude? Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 1(3), 139–149. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016731
The Science of Gratitude; a White Paper. Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. May 2018