Reiki... a gentle way to heal - by Lorraine Murray

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese form of healing that works with your energy to help balance and heal the physical self, emotions, thoughts and spirit. It not only works on the symptoms you are experiencing but helps to highlight and heal the source of the health and wellbeing issues. This is one of the reasons I find it so effective for any symptoms caused by stress - such as insomnia or anxiety.

The energy (Ki) is channeled through the Reiki healer through to you. It then travels to wherever it needs to go in your body to cleanse and bring that part of you back into balance. Reiki can work whether or not you believe it will, it's more important that you give the healer permission to work with you using Reiki.

The treatment can be given either with you lying on a therapy bed or sitting in a chair. Unlike massage, no clothes are removed for this treatment. Each session normally lasts 1 hour which includes time for a brief consultation and some feedback at the end of the session.

What a session involves

The session would normally start with the Reiki healer working at and around your head. They then work their way down the body, through energy centres known as Chakras, finishing the session at your feet. The session also works on the energy field around you called your aura so I don't tend to touch the body all the time. If you haven't heard of Chakras or the aura, information is listed here.

If you practice meditation, you will be familiar with the sensation of floating or deep relaxation that people can feel during a Reiki session. However I would say that what you sense, think and feel during a session is quite unique to you. Some of my clients have described it as tingling,releasing, floating, lightness, being encapsulated in a warm, soothing blanket. Others have seen colours, had profound thoughts... no two people are alike.

If there are particularly strong blocks around your energy system, you may experience a release - through tears or laughter... or whatever you and your body needs. This is a thoroughly cleansing response and much healthier than keeping those 'feelings' inside. In these circumstances I normally arrange to send you some distance healing to aid the healing process.

I find it helps if you have feelings of anxiety, stress, depression, not being able to cope or communicate well, or being unable to rest properly and sleep. Though it does work very well on the physical body too.

Bigger Health Issues

Whilst a Reiki session is a very simple and empowering step to healing for you, a lifetime of negative thinking and self abuse can't be overcome in one session. If you think that there are bigger issues that need to be released then I would suggest you think about learning Reiki as the first level focuses on self healing and is simple and life-time skill that can help you release and cleanse blocked energy patterns.

Some of the benefits of Reiki are...

• Supports the body's natural ability to heal itself
• Vitalizes both the body and spirit
• Balances the organs and glands and their bodily functions
• Re-establishes spiritual balance and mental well being
• Promotes creativity
• Balances the body's energies
• Treats symptoms and causes of illnesses
• Loosens up blocked energy and promotes a state of total relaxation
• Relieves pain
• Cleanses the body of toxins
• Strengthens the immune system
• Adjusts itself according to the needs of the recipient
• Enhances personal awareness and strengthens intuition
• Enhances meditation
• Is an extremely pleasant, holistic method of healing!
• feeling calmer and happier

Lorraine is the founder of Therapies United and offers courses and training in Reiki. For information about learning this through Lorraine's workshops/classes please just email her through the 'contact us' box.