My incomparable qigong master knows I have little time for Yet-Another-Spiritual-Practice.
Even though I practice in bed, Reiki healing still takes time. Then I sit for meditation. And usually visit my yoga mat before or after.
So I don’t come to tai chi class as he encourages me to. But he sees that I cannot stay away.
A spiritual practice I can do
Recently he gave me a practice I actually have time to do:
Breathe with my skin.
Smile with my heart.
He told me to practice while I walk down the street and when I go to sleep.
And now I do.
Not a qigong master
I have no expectations that I will master qigong, but I can breathe with my skin and smile with my heart, be warmed by his benevolence, and enjoy the sweetness of humble practice.
If you are not practicing Reiki, meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong, whatever because your practice is too involved and cumbersome, how can you lighten up and find a form for your chosen practice that supports you instead of weighing you down? Please scroll down to share your practice solutions in the comment section below.
If you are a teacher, how do you engage a student who struggles with practice for whatever reason, but still shows up? Please share your success stories in the comments.
Of course, if your practice is short, you may not see results so quickly, but if it’s the practice you will actually do, and keep doing, what does it matter?
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Yes, I love that. I have been breathing with my skin, but only in meditation. Smiling with my heart too. I’ve never thought of doing it any other time. Thankyou. My practice is meditation & giving myself a Reiki treatment every morning before I get out of bed, followed by thankyou & the Precepts. My work is my practice also – I am a natural therapist. Being aware of my thoughts & feelings, & journalling every day also helps.
Thankyou for providing the opportunity to read what others have to say.
Susan, thank you for being part of the conversation!
I am a Reiki teacher and yoga practitioner.
I learned yoga from my grandfather, and when I was a kid, I would have a lot of time to practice. With increasing number of working hours, I find it hard to incorporate the yoga practice into my daily schedule.
So these days, I have found that doing simple breathing practices in the morning before work (and after Reiki) and a simple series of postures that I like keeps me charged and relaxed during the whole day.
I also practice Reiki more informally while I am traveling – with more than two hours of travel every day, I can manage to squeeze in a couple of self-treatments every day.
With love, light and Reiki
Suneil
How fortunate you are to have learned yoga from your grandfather, Suneil! That must have been a very special relationship.
And you are smart to practice even simple breathing and asanas after your Reiki treatment rather than before (a question I am often asked) because your Reiki treatment primes the body for these practices.
I am a Reiki practitioner and Tai Chi teacher. I recently had an experience I’d like to share. One of my beginning Tai Chi students had just completed a round of chemotherapy and was in a very weak state of health. She is bald, and covered in bruises. She came to my class to increase her energy and to learn meditation. I showed her a QIgong posture called “holding a tree” and told her to practice it every day in addition to doing Tai Chi.
Within 3 weeks she told me her energy level is 100% better and she feels much more relaxed. The interesting thing is she can only do the posture for about 30 seconds. Also, she doesn’t remember the Tai Chi moves, but still tries to do her best.
The moral of my story is don’t give up on anybody if you practice the healing arts. You can never know how a person will react to the energy and compassion you share with them. BTW, this is not the 1st time this has happened to one of my students.
One way that I incorporate Reiki into my day is at the very beginning of the day. I work at a school and we always start the day with a moment of silence. I use this time to breathe deeply and silently recite the Reiki Motto.
Reiki Motto
Just for today, Do not worry.
Just for today, Do not anger.
Honor your parents, teachers, and elders
Earn your living honestly
Show gratitude to every living thing.
Thank you, Beth. Have you seen the translation of the Reiki Precepts by Japanese Buddhist monk and Reiki master Hyakuten Inamoto?
Today only
Do not anger
Do not worry
With thankfulness
Work diligently
Be kind to others
You might be interested to read my conversation with him and Japanese Reiki master Hiroshi Doi.
Colin, thank you so much for sharing this practice from our Japanese Reiki heritage.
Thanks for sharing that simple practice, Pamela! It reminds me of the Japanese Reiki practice of Joshin Kokyo Ho (Cleansing Spirit Breathing Method), where one breathes in spiritual energy (or an awareness of Reiki in the form of a white light or mist) down to the tanden, just below the navel, feel it expand to fill your body (like a beaming sun or a smile) and then breathe it out again through the skin in all directions out to the universe.
This technique is part of Hatsurei Ho (Spiritual Emanation/Radiation Method) but can also be practised on its own. I often do this while I am out walking whether it is in nature or in a shopping mall. I find it so relaxing and it reminds me to smile, which is another very simple yet powerful practice in its own right!
:-)
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful technique! It seems that breathe with your skin, smile with your heart can be practised everywhere, anytime and is easy and not time consuming to do. I can actually incorporate it into every activity and situation. I practised Tai Chi until even this rather gentle form of exercise became hard to do for me because of fibromyalgia. So easy to do and simple practises are VERY welcome! And a big thank you to Colin Powell for elaborating on the technique!