For Today Only

The beginning of the day is a great time to take five minutes to sit quietly and create an intention for your day. One way of finding your intention for the day is to read an inspiring quote, like the one above. It encourages you to make small changes only for one day, which feels so much more manageable than making a permanent change.

Focusing on breathing helps remove us from the jangly world we are about to face, and turns our focus inward. I have heard that prayer is asking and meditation is listening. In order to be receptive to the guidance we receive from meditation, it helps to be present in each moment as much as possible. Over time, meditation opens up our senses to help us be in the moment to a fuller degree.

The easiest way to begin meditation is to set a timer for five minutes and sit quietly and comfortably with your feet on the floor and your spine straight. Focus on your breathing; don't try to change it, just pay attention to it. When a thought enters your mind, let it go, like a car on the freeway that comes in and out of view. Don't bother to acknowledge or chastise your thoughts for appearing, letting them go is training that will make you more proficient with practice and time.

Looking at an inspiring quote, like the one above, before meditation, is a segue between the outer world and your inner life. A meditation practice enhances one's inner life and helps them manage difficulties in the outer life.

You need to be ready, though. If you say you will try, you probably won't. If you set aside time first thing in the morning before everybody else gets up,

Reiki

The word “Reiki” comes from the Japanese words “rei,” meaning "universal," and “ki,” meaning "life energy." Put together, reiki means “mysterious atmosphere, miraculous sign.” Reiki is energy healing that helps energy flow and removes energy blocks, relaxation, relieving pain, and speeding healing. People also refer to Reiki as palm healing or hands-on healing.

Mikao Usui created the most current form of Reiki in 1922, but people have practiced Reiki for about 2,500 years.