This thread goes hand in hand with several others discussing the Usui Precepts (aka Reiki Principles or gokai) which you can access here:

Just for Today
Be Thankful
Don’t Worry
Don’t be Angry
Work Hard
Be Kind

This is one of the more misunderstood principles and yet one of the easier ones to grasp. Perhaps this stems from earlier mistranslations/misinterpretations which generally left it as… earn your living honestly… which, in my humble opinion, fails to give you the big picture. My own interpretation of this is that you while you should put an honest effort into everything you do, this involves physical work as well as spiritual work, and it is this spiritual work that is often mistakenly left out of the equation.

The word work implies something that requires some effort to attain… and since Reiki is first and foremost a spiritual path, i.e., a path to enlightenment, accepting the Reiki blessings and leaving it at that, grossly neglects that which Reiki is all about. Enlightenment, or spiritual satisfaction/happiness, is not really all that hard to achieve, but it does require some effort. Hiroshi Doi likens it to being under water and constantly aspiring to reach the surface whereupon everything becomes clear. Upon reaching the surface one needs to put effort into staying there (see Galileo for a discussion of gravity) but that is a discussion for another day. Let’s just say that one can reach enlightenment, but without some degree of effort, enlightenment will certainly not be seeking “you” out.

For further explanation or discussion, your thoughts are most welcome and highly encouraged, please feel free to comment below!!!