Reiki, Energetics and Wellness
Reiki is the work of the subtle energy body (think of the energy body as your own personal force field that surrounds your physical body). A Reiki practitioner uses their energy fields to support and nourish the energy field of the person they are working with.
So how does the energy flow? When I work with clients I don’t give them energy, I liken myself to a Piano tuner. I help clients relax into a state where their brain waves slow, the nervous system calms and the body takes it from there. I tune the piano. The recipients play the music. The body has its own intelligence, a unique blueprint for healing. In the right environment, the body works to heal itself. The mind and soul calms; at the end of a session clients report feeling blissful.
Years ago while working as a Pilates instructor, a student suggested I study Reiki.
A few weeks later, after some brief research, I was studying for my first Reiki certification. I wasn’t familiar with the topic, but I was curious.
It is said that Reiki takes effect whether or not you believe or process it, and I would say that’s true. I noticed on the walk home that the trees seemed greener. You could call it nothing more than awareness, but the Reiki course heightened my awareness. In the years that have passed since that 1st course, I’ve grown to see the energetics of everything around me more deeply each day.
The energy was always there, I just hadn’t noticed.
The course taught me that Reiki is a Japanese technique that reduces stress and promotes healing. Created by Usui Mikao in the 1920’s, the word represents spiritual wisdom (Rei) and Life Energy (Ki). Reiki is based on the idea that an unseen life force energy flows through us and strengthens our energy field.
Also known as ‘the laying of the hands,’ clients lay down in comfortable clothing while the Reiki practitioner focuses on various energetic points on the body.
Experience taught me that energy flows in many ways, person to person, person to universe, and that we are all affected by each other’s energy. If you think of energy as being an ocean, we create waves, float, fight the tide and come back to our own field like a still, peaceful lake. Reiki work carries specific protocols (specific but not strict), energy is unbound, unharnessed, and constantly in motion, it cannot be contained. Reiki is a practice; like energy, it yields.
Reiki is not a medical practice but a spiritual one. However, it is known to support the body’s natural healing process. Benefits also include relaxation and reduced stress.
In recent years Reiki programs have been adopted by many major hospitals. “Reiki is now one of the top three complementary in-patient therapies in U.S. hospitals, according to an AHA survey.” This information was found on the International Association of Reiki Professionals website.
If you are considering a Reiki session, there are organizations that list practitioners by geographical area. The website for International Association of Reiki Professionals lists a directory.
Reiki is often called ‘the secret art of inviting happiness.’ In my experience, there are many forms of energetic work and they all invite happiness by giving our body and spirit a reset.
If you’d like to invite some happiness, below are some tips to create your own bliss. I would not call the following Reiki; instead some DIY energy work:
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Schedule time for yourself – Recognize you have an energy body. Sit in stillness to connect to yourself and your force field.
-In that scheduled time – ditch the tech – remove distractions
One of the biggest challenges I’ve seen with clients, is to make time for self-care. When you have an appointment with your Reiki practitioner, your Dentist or your hair stylist, it’s easy to show up. Make the decision to show up for yourself.
- Allow your body and mind to go where it needs to – Care for the energy body like you would your physical body by feeding it good thoughts. Recognize what thoughts and emotions don’t serve you. Take a pause, try to replace those thoughts and emotions with gratitude, or calm. Our internal dialogue affects the cells in our body. Learn to listen to your inner voice and use that voice kindly.
- Use your senses to promote relaxation – Music (same as above applies to the phone; use it for the music, but not to look at text or email).
- Scents – a candle, aromatherapy diffusers, incense, palo santo or sage. A comforting scent relaxes the nervous system
- Visualize – Anything in nature that brings you joy, a pet, family member or a great vacation; these are all reminders that we are connected and part of a larger scheme.
- If you prefer guidance, many meditation apps can help. (In the app scenario you can use your phone but keep it far enough away so you are only listening and not looking. Set the do not disturb on your phone) If you want to try to guide your own thoughts, Focus on things you are grateful for. Think about happy past memories or create future ones. Just allow the mind to be.
- Taking the time to implement the above will help reset inside and out.
“As you bring your physical, mental and emotional systems into coherent alignment, you begin to experience increased access to your heart’s intuitive guidance. Tuning into your heart’s wisdom creates a profound shift within that helps you approach situations with more emotional balance, compassion, clarity and personal confidence.” (Heartmath.com) It benefits you and everyone around you – a natural increase of joy and peace.
Reflecting on my own path with energy work, I remember that after that intensive workshop, my life began to unfold on a path I never would have predicted.
I learned to manage my responses to events so that no matter what was happening around me I knew I had the space within to find calm and peace.
By no means have I figured it all out; I still learn everyday from all of life’s events. But working with energy, as well as understanding and helping others’ with my work has helped me feel healthier, happier and stronger.
In likening the description of Reiki to loveI use a quote from Marcus Aurelius.
“The spiritual meaning of love is measured by what it can do. Love is meant to heal. Love is meant to renew. Love is meant to bring us closer to God.”
