Judgements

Just for today I will not anger

Just for today I will not worry

Just for today I will be honest and grateful

Just for today I will respect others and not judge

Just for today I will be kind to all living things

As a Reiki Master I try to live by the above five Reiki Precepts set by Dr Mikao Usui.  Although these are very simple, believe me they’re not as easy as they seem.  

I should point out here that there are many interpretations of these precepts and each Reiki Master will teach as they have been taught.  These are the precepts that I choose to follow.

I try very hard with these and, on the whole, succeed reasonably well with four of them.  The fifth is a real test.

Just for today I will respect others and not judge – yup, that’s the little devil that gets me.  I try very hard and every morning, as I recite my precepts, I fully intend to follow them for the day.  Until, that is, somebody’s actions really start to aggravate me and then I’m off.

But who am I to judge?  Why can't I just accept people for who they are, even though I don't necessarily agree with them.  Most of the time I don’t even really know the people I am criticising, don’t know what their life is like or what they have to face therefore I have no idea of the reasons behind why they do the things they do.

I have no right to judge, especially when I hate being judged and criticised myself.  So, just for today ...

My Son and I

I’ve just spent the last hour or so reading my son’s blogs.  We don’t connect on any of the social or professional networking sites so I feel very honoured to have been invited to read these.  He’s a Life Coach and is currently doing Modelling work in Brazil.  I understand the work that he does, albeit at a very broad level, but I was totally blown away by what he is doing now and how he is connecting with teenagers in Brazil.  He is really making a difference.  If you would like to read about his work then do have a look at http://modellinginbrazil.wordpress.com/

We are all proud of our children and their achievements, which is as it should be.  I, too, am a very proud mother and nothing gives me more pleasure than watching his success, but I am amazed that he and I are now beginning to share similar ideals and beliefs and we are moving towards working in a more parallel way.

Our aims are very much the same.  We are both trying to help people to help themselves – he through his coaching skills and me through Reiki, healing and spiritual development.  We both want to help people to be more in control of their lives, to see that they have choices.  We both believe that everyone is capable of achieving much more and has the wherewithal inside them to lead a happier life.  We are both following our dreams, albeit mine coming a lot later in life!  We both share a passion for what we do.

But what I found so uplifting was his understanding that each of us are individuals and that we should not judge one another.  We know nothing of how past experiences have shaped others, what another has suffered, what they now have to put up with in their life, and so we are in no position to pass judgements.  We have not idea of where their pathways will take them, so should not try to lead them anywhere.  We allow them free will.  We each have our own pathway to walk.

It’s not easy I know, I struggle every day to be non-judgemental, but as one of the Reiki precepts it is part of my daily affirmations and I’m working on it.

Respecting one another’s values, beliefs and way of life doesn’t mean we have to agree with them, but just accept that they are so.  It doesn’t make us right and them wrong, or vice versa, just different.  If only everyone thought this way, what a world we could live in.

And so, should my son be reading my blog – I am so proud of the man you have become x