Anxiety, Trauma, and Physical Healing through Reiki
Why Reiki? Why choose Reiki as your healing method in times of anxiety, trauma, or even physical healing? Researchers in neuroscience, such as Candace Pert, have established beyond doubt that trauma and other emotional issues, such as anxiety and stress, is stored in the cells of our bodies. Giving rise to physical ailments as a direct result of our emotional state. It is now widely accepted in Western medical circles, that extreme levels of trauma, such as PTSD, cause multiple health conditions, some of them debilitating and even life-threatening. However, it is equally true that more minor emotional disturbances can have a profound effect on our mental and physical health, especially if the causes are not addressed.
It is easy to forget that, simply because you are alive, it is your natural birth right to feel joy, happiness, contentment and even euphoria. It is unrealistic, of course, to expect to go through every day of your life feeling only positive, benevolent emotions. We all have challenges and difficulties to deal with, and we all, to some extent, have a vested interest in the well-being of our loved ones. Parents especially will often state that they cannot be genuinely happy if their children are suffering in some way. This is understandable, and commendable, but we do need to guard against taking other people’s problems on as if they were our own. We all need to develop what is now commonly referred at “resilience” if we are to avoid being overwhelmed by the challenges and demands of modern living.
Endorphins
Some of the most effective, and influential work done on these neuropeptides is that of English writer, healer and founder of the spiritual Companions Trust, Dr William Bloom. His book The Endorphin Effect is one of the clearest, most accessible works on this topic, containing easy to follow instructions for achieving relaxation and stimulating the production of these feel-good hormones, alongside humor, compassion, and unquestionable integrity. Dr Bloom has written extensively on the importance of the mind-body connection and works within the British National Health Service as a psychotherapist and healer in many contexts.
Reiki and the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection
There are many ways you can help yourself to achieve the optimum balance of neuropeptides within your physical body. One of the easiest, for some people, is to take part in physical activities and exercise. This increases the amount of endorphins within the bloodstream and reduces the amount of adrenalin and cortisol. It is an excellent “quick-fix” for many people and should not be under-estimated. However, what do you do if you are physically unable to go for brisk walk or run? What can you do if your circumstances keep you restricted, or your lifestyle simply overwhelms you to the extent that you are too exhausted to begin?
This is where Reiki come in. The benevolent, healing vibrations of the energy of the cosmos swirls around our planet, and our bodies, all the time. Reiki Healing Energy is always there, in a limitless supply, just waiting for us to call upon it. Reiki energy is “intelligent,” meaning that it flows effortlessly to wherever it is needed in either the body or the mind. It relaxes tension and dissolves blockages, encouraging the body’s natural healing mechanisms to begin working to bring the body and mind back to its natural state of good health. Visiting a Reiki practitioner, or learning how to practice Reiki on yourself, is an excellent form of self-care that is open to everyone, no matter what their external circumstances.
The Science of Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)
If you know a little of the science that lies behind the way you feel it is almost like getting a head start on the process of changing it for the better. As with many radical, new ideas in the world of science, Candace Pert was at first met with hostility and ridicule when she revealed her findings on the way the cells of the body store what we call emotions, and the way the mind, brain and body communicate within us. However, having proven that peptides are produced in the cells of the whole body, not just in the brain as was originally thought, she then went on to demonstrate that the surfaces of many cells contain specialized receptors that are shaped to fit a variety of chemicals produced as a direct result of emotions.
The left side of our brains is often described as being responsible for logical, analytical thinking, whilst the right side is said to govern imagination and creativity. This is, unsurprisingly, a wildly exaggerated differentiation. In a healthy brain, the right and left hemispheres do indeed communicate with each other all the time. However, it is perfectly possible for a person to function normally if one side of the brain is damaged. This is the miracle of the human body and should never be underestimated. You are, indeed, your own best healer. All you have to do is to accept and embrace this truth in order to begin tapping into your vast reserves of inner resources.
Faith and Spirituality
Many people assume that they must have “faith” in the process before energy healing, such as Reiki, will work. On one level, this is true, but the faith you need is simply the acceptance that your body and brain want to heal. Energy healing is often referred to as “spiritual healing,” which, again is a good description for the powerful effects that can take place. However, this “spirit” is not separate from you, nor is it acting from a place of judgement. Universal Healing Energy is abundant, unrestricted, and accessible to all. It does not differentiate between those who are “deserving” and those who are not. These ideas are merely human constructs, often perpetuated by organized religions, in order to exercise control over fellow humans.
When you allow the Energy to flow into you during a Reiki healing session you are, in effect, simply giving the Universe, and yourself, permission to receive healing. Your body responds by relaxing on every level, even the sub-atomic, and this in turn stimulates the natural immune systems and hormones to get on with the process of healing your body and your mind.