We are all aware, I think, of the toll stress can take on our health, not to mention it's impact on our quality of life. What if you had an effortless, relaxing way to counteract the effect of stress on your life? You can. Reiki.
Now, think back to the last time you were sick. It wasn't when you were feeling refreshed, and well rested, right? Usually we end up with a cold or the flu or even the aggravation of a chronic problem when we have been feeling stressed, not rested, or run down. We are actually exposed to countless viruses and bacteria everyday. It is only when our reserves are diminished that our immune system cannot do its job and protect us from getting ill! In addition, prolonged stress has been directly connected to many more serious problems such as heart disease.
Most forms of Oriental medicine, whether it is Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Shiatsu, Qi Gong or others, all look at our life force energy, referred to as our "chi" or "ki" energy as the basis for our health and vitality. This energy flows through our system, nourishing and supporting us on all levels. Whenever we are experiencing stress, this energy becomes depleted and often the flow is blocked by the tension we carry within when we are trying to cope with stress. When you look at our health from a perspective of energy, it now makes sense why we feel so tired, fatigued and drained when we experience stress…it is literally zapping away our life force! Once our life force (our "ki") is diminished, our immune system can't function as well, our emotions are more apt to be thrown off balance and we often feel overwhelmed. In addition, if we are deprived of this energy over extended periods of time, then more chronic health problems begin to appear.
There are numerous ways we can replenish our life force energy. The most universal way is through sleep. I believe that during the more quiet stages of sleep we are replenishing this energy. If we wake up in the morning and we did not get as much rest as our body wanted, then that is an indication that we have not replenished our energy fully! (That's what the 'snooze button' means!) Other ways we can replenish is through deep breathing exercise (Pranayama), Tai Chi, Yoga, Qi Gong, and some other martial arts techniques, to name a few.
Reiki is a simple, effortless practice of placing your hands on yourself or on someone else, and allowing the universal life force energy to be drawn in and absorbed, replenishing the "ki" energy that stress and our daily activities deplete. It can be done while relaxing quietly, or even while watching TV! To learn to do Reiki for yourself or others requires attending a twelve hour class taught by a Reiki Master. Once you have completed the class, you are able to replenish the energy that stress depleted on a daily basis.
The benefits of using Reiki regularly are limitless. We are thrown off balance less easily when we experience stress, our immune system can function more effectively, we can recover from surgery or illness much more quickly, eliminate chronic pain and in general, simply feel better and more vital.
