Emotional Health Column
By Dr. Holly Holmes-Meredith, D. Min., MFT, Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
and Bill Yarborough, CHT and Certified EFT Practitioner
As infection levels recede and the economy opens up, many people are struggling to overcome the emotional and physical toll of the pandemic. They may be suffering from anxiety, grief, or depression from the isolation and hardships of the pandemic or have sudden apprehensions about returning to a normal life. Others maybe contending with weight issues or aches and pains because of a less active life style. Of course, many people are more than ready to return to life as usual. In which category do you find yourself?
If you need help, there are a variety of healing options to address emotional and physical issues, but one you may not have considered is the energy-based therapy of Reiki that balances the body’s chakra.
In Sanskrit, the word “chakra” means “disk” or “wheel” and refers to the energy centers in your body. These wheels or disks of spinning energy each correspond to certain nerve bundles and major organs.
Emotional and physical well-being may be influenced by the conditions of our chakras, which can be thrown out-of-balance by traumas and other difficult life experiences. Reiki is a powerful therapy to balance and realign the chakra energy centers by drawing on the ever-flowing life force of the universe.
Many spiritual traditions are aware of this universal life force and acknowledge it by various names, such as Chi by the Buddhists, Prana by Hindus, Light or Holy Ghost by Christians, and Mana by Hawaiian shamans. Even the entertainment industry references it, such as “The Force” in Star Wars.
Support for Reiki‘s healing power found in ancient spiritual traditions and popular culture also exists in the scientific and medical community. An article in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine published in December 2019 indicated that over 800 hospitals in the United States currently offer Reiki to patients.
The article also summarized the results of a large-scale effectiveness trial of Reiki for physical and psychological health. The study took place at the private Reiki practices of 99 practitioners and included 1,411 Reiki sessions. Statistically significant improvements were observed for all measured outcomes, including pain, drowsiness, tiredness, nausea, appetite, shortness of breath, anxiety, depression, and overall well-being.
We know Reiki is effective because both of us are Reiki Masters and have used it extensively for a number of years experiencing and witnessing its potent healing powers.
Reiki involves the placing of hands on or above the body chakras and on the limbs and head. Reiki practitioners perform Reiki by channeling the life force energy to create a harmonious balance with the client’s energy system.
You may feel warmth from the hands of the practitioner along with inner sensations of tingling, pulsing, lightening up, relaxation, or bliss. You may even fall into a deep, restful sleep. Depending on your issue, you could notice the release of disruptive emotional patterns, tensions, and physical pains. These changes may be immediate or gradual. Like physical exercise, the more you practice Reiki the more likely you are to gain its benefits. Reiki is also an excellent complement to other ongoing therapies.
You can receive Reiki treatments either at a physical site or virtually (online) to have yourself balanced. The pandemic re-enforced that energy therapies such as Reiki can be done virtually.
Holly offers free Reiki clinics. These include an online clinic every Tuesday at 7:00 PM, and beginning this July, an on-site clinic on the third Friday of the month at 1:00 PM. If you’d like to register in Holly’s free class, go to hypnotherapytraining.com. Click on free and low-cost services at the top of the web page to find the free reiki clinic registration. When you attend a clinic, you will learn the hand placements, equipping you to perform Reiki on yourself or others.
Those wishing to become Reiki practitioners, must go through a training program. Reiki Masters are required to complete three levels of training before they can then train others in Reiki.
Although most people use Reiki to release anxiety and tension, it can be used with no intention, other than a desire to become more balanced. People with chronic pain often get off the table feeling relief. Especially, people going through medical treatments for illnesses such as cancer.
If you would like to seek professional help from a Reiki practitioner, it’s important to choose someone with whom you are comfortable. You should also ask about a practitioner’s training level and experience.
Please reach out to us if you have questions or comments via the contact information on our websites: Holly@hypnotherapytraining.com or Bill@billyarborough.com.