The Spiritual Precepts of Reiki – or Gokai – are ubiquitous in Reiki classes and websites and often thought of as words that Reiki Masters and practitioners live by. But, as much as they are an outline to Reiki lifestyle, they are first and foremost an active Reiki practice. The Five Precepts of Reiki are a means of centering and grounding, a method of self-evaluation and an offer of guidance.
The first lines are a promise from Usui to his students about the practice of the Precepts.
The secret way to generate happiness
The miracle medicine for all that ails you
And then Usui gives the words of the Precepts that students should contemplate and recite.
Just for today
don’t be angry
don’t worry
be grateful
work diligently
be kind to people
And then Usui gives two lines of instruction as to how this practice should be done.
Morning and evening put your palms together.
Contemplate these words in your heart and then recite them.
He names his practice the Usui Reiki Ryoho method to improve body and mind
and it’s signed by the founder Usui Mikao
Watch Reiki teacher Brian Brunius on the origin, practice and implementation of the Reiki Precepts:
Join Brian now for the Guided Practice of the Reiki Precepts
Student Resources
Deepen Your Reiki Practice Even Further?
The Reiki Precepts are at the heart of Reiki practice. They offer simple yet profound guidance for cultivating mindfulness, gratitude, and compassion in daily life.
In the book The Reiki Precepts, Brian Brunius explores the meaning and history of these teachings and how they can support meditation and personal growth.
ONLINE COURSE
Practicing the Reiki Precepts — Living the Teachings Every Day
The Reiki Precepts are meant to be lived, not simply recited. This course offers a structured path for bringing them into daily life through reflection, meditation, and practical practice. Guided by Reiki Master Brian Brunius, you will explore the meaning and history of the Precepts, learn to recite and contemplate them in both English and Japanese, and develop a simple twice-daily ritual that supports clarity, steadiness, and alignment in everyday life.
Through guided lessons, journaling, and contemplative exercises, you will learn how to work directly with worry, anger, gratitude, diligence, and kindness as living practices. Rather than studying the Precepts as ideas, this course helps you integrate them gradually and sustainably so they become part of how you think, act, and meet daily challenges.
Enroll in the Practicing the Reiki Precepts Online Course and begin living the teachings in your daily life.