Relaxing Reiki
There is a wonderful calm that follows a Reiki session. It leaves you feeling simultaneously at peace and energized. What is Reiki? It is a safe, non-intrusive hands-on healing technique, that uses energy, to help treat physical ailments and encourage a sense of well-being. It was developed in Japan by its founder, Mikao Usui. Rei means “universal”; and Ki is “Energy”. This lifeforce is drawn from everything around us, and focused through the palms of the therapist’s hands, to achieve a rebalancing of energy. Many cultures understand and recognise the importance of Ki energy, and how it impacts our lives and well-being. For example, in China it is referred to as “Chi”, and in India it is “Prana”.
The “Ki” of Reiki flows throughout the body, passing through energy centres called “chakras”, via energy pathways, called “meridians”. When you feel healthy and strong, the flow of Ki energy in your body is high and unimpeded. You can enjoy life, take on challenges easily, and you have a higher resistance to illness and disease. When under stress or feeling unhappy and tired, your Ki energy is low. Subsequently the systems of your body are not performing well, you will be more susceptible to sickness. With a decreased flow of energy, you feel more negative, finding it more difficult to deal with life’s challenges. We carry this energy in and around our bodies throughout our lives. It is being processed in every cell of our body. The molecular unit of energy transfer within a cell is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and is found in all forms of life. As Ki is life itself; it leaves the body when a living thing dies, as does ATP energy.
How well Ki is flowing in our bodies impacts our built-in healing abilities, as Ki helps to nourish all the organs and systems of the body. Energy supports vital functions and contributes to the healthy growth and renewal of cells. We take it in from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink, as well as absorbing the energy that surrounds us. The ability to focus that energy can enhance it. For example, when you feel calm and happy, endorphins are released, which boost our mood. They also help block the transmission of pain from pain receptors as they signal pain to the brain. Reiki is a good example of focusing and enhancing our energy.
The mind, body and emotions are interlinked. Like a triangle they are connected and work together, influencing and impacting on one another. In a Reiki healing session, it is possible to observe whatever is moving within us. When we are moving through our fast-paced lives, it can be difficult to stop and focus on how stress and anxiety affects our body. Finding the physical places in the body where these emotions live, such as tight feeling in the chest or shoulders, enables us to connect with these emotions, and their cause, and work towards releasing them by relaxing that part of the body. Once you can identify where the tension is, it is easier to let it go. A Reiki healing therapist can help guide you through the process. As you rest under a blanket on the table, the therapist can place their hands on, or over the energy centres, as well as other key areas of tension. You can allow your attention to follow the path that the therapist takes, or you can use this special time to yourself to be able to calm your mind with meditation. A guided meditation can also be included in the session.
Reiki healing is available in Old Ottawa South with RosalindRMT and can be combined with (and expensed under) massage therapy.
Rosalind Bialowas is a Reiki practitioner and Registered Massage Therapist, and has been a resident in Old Ottawa South for over 10 years.
Email: rosalindtemplermt@yahoo.com
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