Hello everyone! It's that time again for another round of innovative self-care practices. For those new to my blog, in an effort to support crime victims through their healing, I often explore and offer information on self-care practices that are unique and can be done in conjunction with traditional therapy. This time let's explore Reiki healing. So like all alternative forms of thought, beliefs, and behaviors, let's open our minds and hearts to the spiritual method of energy healing, Reiki. Now, to be really honest, the jury is still out for me on this practice. Through my yoga and meditation practices, I have been learning more about this spiritual practice. According to reiki.org, Reiki is defined as a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement. I enjoy working on myself, so I felt compelled to explore the benefits and unveil the mystery behind this Japanese form of alternative medicine. Stay with me, this is going to throw you off if you are more traditional or stay close to home. During my journey of rediscovery and growth, I have opened my mind to seeing the world from other perspectives and it's been interesting to see different ways of doing things. If anything, I learn and expand my mind and vocabulary; possibly, I have a great topic of discussion at the next family dinner. Being raised strict Catholic and basically derived from healthy patriarchy, I always felt like there was a part of me that was wanting more from the world than what I was being shown. I was so sheltered and I really didn't have a clue about how others lived or thought until of course college. Most of my parent's generation were college graduates and went to Arizona State. Nope, I chose to go to to the local tree hugging, pot smoking, hippy school, Northern Arizona University. Have you ever hugged a tree? I did. It's a real thing you know? Hugging a tree represents bringing yourself back to the present moment and grounds you. So, it is in college that I had an introduction to alternative practices and met people that were very non-traditional. It was refreshing but I wasn't exactly brave enough to be a free spirit back then; instead, I observed. It was in college that I first heard of Reiki in one of my Women's Studies classes.
So, how does this energy healing work and why do people want to do it? First, people engage in Reiki healing to find balance, enhance energy, and reduce stress and or pain. Reiki means "spiritually guided life force energy". So the following is going to sound out there in terms of Reiki being used as therapy in a traditional sense so to continue, I suggest you look at this as a "alternative" therapy. Reiki is not a cooky religion it's a spiritual practice like mediation. Some even put it in same category as acupuncture; alternative and a component of Chinese medicine. Typically, Reiki is performed by a practitioner that is trained in the practice and usually goes through several levels of training until they reach a mastery level. They basically learn how to work with healing energy. From videos that I have watched on YouTube, the client lays down on a massage table after having an assessment with the practitioners. The environment is usually dark, quiet and promotes comfort. The Reiki practitioners will move their hands above or close to the body in an effort to transfer energy and remove blockages. Transferring energy is beneficial to manage health related symptoms and improve general well-being. Some techniques that are used include: centering, clearing, beaming, extracting harmful energies, infusing, smoothing or raking the aura. It seems that the practitioners are a conduit of some sort.
To lay it on the table, there is a lot of information on Reiki out there and different interpretations of what it is or how it works. The constants are the reported health benefits which are as follows:
Stress reduction.
Promotes relaxation. Clears mind. Helps with focus.
Alters mood and may assist in reduction of anxiety, and depression.
Enables emotional clarity and spiritual growth.
Aids in sleep.
Any other claims like treating pain, Cancer or other diseases, I don't believe are supported by scientific studies. In my opinion, I believe there is an overall benefit emotionally and mentally with some physical benefits. I have watched distance Reiki sessions online and they are very relaxing and many practitioners online use ASMR (auto sensory meridian response) triggering techniques like soft spoken voices, candle tapping etc. to promote relaxation. It's a very interesting practice if you open your mind to the possibility that it can assist in healing or comfort. I have watched distance Reiki sessions on YouTube that range from twenty minutes to an hour. I can honestly say that the benefits that I have experienced were increased relaxation, stress reduction, and helped me fall asleep. My dear cousin wants to go Groupon a session when she is released from her homeschooling detail. I'll definitely pay a modest amount of money to experience a Reiki session. I've always been that girl that tried new styles, non-invasive beauty treatments or exercise classes for the experience. This practice is very popular right now. I will definitely update everyone and provide honest feedback when we do it. The in-person experience will be much different and possibly more beneficial. I am open to improving the flow of my energy. Do I believe in this practice? Sure. I do believe that when you flow you grow! However, I do not believe, at this moment, in any extensive medical benefits. Like I said, "The jury is still out!" It's always beneficial to explore and open our minds to new ideas that can benefit us in a healthy way. If this practice makes you feel good and doesn’t hurt you or others, why not explore it? If you are interested in Reiki just do research and make sure they have acquired training and always consult your physician if seeking alternative therapies. For more info visit https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/308772 or watch these suggested Reiki videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPCHuLiHbhG3s_YxhMLOn6Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC18wm4uyPl89YYokbZ06lJw
I hope this information was helpful and introduced you to a possibly beneficial self-care practice. Remember to subscribe and share The Victim Assistant, Crime Victim Advocacy Podcast available on most outlets. Peace, Love and Happiness.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. https://nnedv.org/content/week-action-2020/
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