Reiki and an Often-Invisible Aspect of Healing and Wellbeing
Back before I had ever heard of energy healing modalities like reiki, I had a lot of physical and mental symptoms that seemed resistant to remedies that appeared to work so well for other people. My back and neck pain would be reduced following yoga class, but it came right back within a few hours. I frequently felt anxious and tired for no reason because of tension in my body that barely responded to massages or heat. At one time, running had been a great way to put me in a better mood. But following a particularly stressful period of work and life, it somehow lost its power to make me feel good.
Photo by Dominik Martin on Unsplash
Numerous other things that I tried brought some relief, but it was incomplete. Needless to say, it was frustrating. It was a long and winding path that finally led me to reiki and energy healing techniques, but I’ll skip to the punch line: My symptoms weren’t improving because past stress and fear had not only taken a toll on my physical body. It had also built up a lot of energetic “junk” in my energy system. And in my case, it took a direct approach - like reiki energy healing - to finally get all the pieces of the healing puzzle to start falling into place.
What is Reiki?
Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a touch therapy that channels life force energy - known as chi in Chinese or ki in Japanese - to the receiver. Just as your physical body has a circulatory system that carries blood throughout the body, you have an energy system that takes in and circulates this vital life force energy.
Blocks in your energy system can occur because of fear, trauma or injury. Mental, emotional and physical injuries and scars are believed to cause a corresponding disruption to the flow of chi. If those blocks aren’t removed and the flow of chi isn’t restored, then physical pain, illness, and mental and emotional distress may continue even after the circumstances that caused them have passed. Restoring the flow of chi promotes relaxation and balance that can help the other aspects of your being recover and heal more effectively.
There are numerous ways of addressing your energy system. Often, anything you would normally do to care for your physical or mental health (exercise, meditation, counseling, etc.) will also have a positive effect on your energy system. In some cases, like mine, a more direct method of addressing your chi is needed.
Reiki is a way of directly impacting the intake and flow of life force energy, although it is not the only one. The purpose of yoga, for instance (besides being a physical exercise), is also to increase one’s chi, which is known as prana in Sanskrit. This is one of the reasons that yoga is a healing and therapeutic practice for many people. Acupuncture, while different than reiki, works on a similar principle. If you think of the pathways of energy flowing in your body as rivers, acupuncture is like a way to dismantle river dams that are blocking the flow. Reiki, on the other hand, is more like sending a rush of water through and allowing it to flow wherever it is needed. It’s a little less precise, but the effect can be profound.
As we all know, everyone’s different, and what works well for one person doesn’t work as well for another. I’m a big proponent of yoga and acupuncture. (I’m a big proponent of anything that works for you!). Once I found reiki, I didn’t stop doing all the other things that I know are good for my health, like working out, meditating or improving my diet. But, for anyone who feels as though they are missing something in their routine or their sense of wellbeing but isn’t sure where to look, I strongly encourage you to try reiki energy healing to complement your other means of self care.
Reiki Makes the Good Better, Too
When I tell people my story about finding reiki, I tend to focus on how the bad things got better. But even if you’re not dealing with injuries, illness or acute stress, reiki can benefit your life. Athletes often report that they are able to recover from workouts faster and have increased energy following reiki sessions. The sense of relaxation and focus that most people experience through reiki is good for every aspect of life, whether career, relationships, creativity, sleep quality, or just your general ability to feel good and enjoy what comes.
If you would like to find out how reiki can complement your own healing and wellbeing, I now offer in-person sessions at Be Well Natural Medicine* in St. Paul. Please visit their online scheduler to book your appointment.
*A similar version of this post has also been posted on Be Well's blog.