"Be Kind to Every Living Thing" A Journey Back to Yourself

Self-love

Today, I’d like to share my reflections on the fifth Reiki principle—perhaps the most challenging one: Be kind to every living thing. On the surface, it sounds simple. Yet the depth behind this principle reveals itself only as we grow, change, and look inward.

Kindness means different things to different people. How we interpret this principle depends on the lens of our beliefs, life circumstances, and personal growth. Even Reiki teachers—myself included—view it through their unique filters. That’s what makes it so powerful. It invites us to go deeper, to look beyond the obvious.

Most people, like my beginner Reiki students, initially understand this principle as a call to show compassion toward others—toward animals, nature, and all life around us. And yes, that's a beautiful part of it. But too often, this kindness turns into a silent sacrifice. We stretch ourselves thin to give, to please, to serve. We offer our energy even when our cup of love is empty. But is that true kindness?

I learned that true kindness begins within.

We act in the world as a reflection of our inner state. When we are in pain, exhausted, or overwhelmed, our kindness becomes strained, forced, or disappears altogether. If we’ve never experienced self-kindness, how can we offer real kindness to anyone else?

Many of us were raised to believe that loving ourselves is selfish. We learned to give, to put others first, even at the cost of our well-being. I used to ask myself: Where does this pattern come from?

Looking back, I saw it in my family. My grandparents lived through times of war and survival. They gave their last piece of bread to their children, because of necessity. My mother inherited that survival mindset and passed it on to me. I lived half of my life repeating this cycle, unaware that it no longer served me—or anyone else.

Everything began to shift with my spiritual journey. Slowly, I started to question: What am I sacrificing for? Who is truly benefiting? How do I feel afterwards? The answer was clear—I felt depleted, not fulfilled.

I began to see this Reiki principle differently. I realised I was trying to give something I didn’t have. How can you speak about a movie you’ve never watched? How can you give advice about a cake you’ve never tasted?

Without self-love, we reach for external things to fill the void. We attach conditions to love. But real kindness starts by coming home to ourselves.

This is deep, daily self-work. But it’s also the most transformative.

So instead of following old patterns, I now invite you to try something new:

• Find the qualities you love in yourself and nurture them.

• Embrace your light and your shadow—both are part of your wholeness.

• Make conscious choices: What do I want for breakfast? What brings me joy today?

• Ask yourself: Did I care for myself today? Did I honour my needs and desires?

• Are you living your priorities, or bending for everyone else’s?

  
  

Maybe it's time to rediscover what lights you up. Plan a little time for your hobbies, for pampering, or for reading your favourite book. These small acts of self-love generate a radiant energy in your heart. And when you live in that energy, kindness flows effortlessly to everyone around you.

This simple sentence—Be kind to every living thing—is not just about the world outside. It’s a powerful guidepost for your spiritual path. It starts within you.

You have the power to become the source of peace, love, and joy—not just for others, but for yourself. And that, truly, is the most beautiful gift you can give, spreading the light from within.