REIKI-HEALTH HEALING
This summer I’ve spent a lot of time working on exciting projects outside of my Reiki practice. I’ve been busy continuing to plan wellness retreats for women, I’ve become an environmental activist and I’ve begun training for a half marathon. These projects all make me feel alive, passionate and fulfill my purpose. So why did I recently find myself feeling stressed, overwhelmed and wishing I could escape to a remote island?
What I realized was that I got so caught up in the excitement of doing and planning that I had begun to neglect my emotional health. The reality is that whether our life is full of what we consider ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ events, our emotional health is the deciding factor on how we feel. So how do you know when you’re emotionally healthy? When we think of emotional or mental health we usually think of things such as depression or anxiety, but being emotionally healthy is much more than being free of sadness. It means many positive characteristics are present to support you living a vibrant, joyous life. These include:
Handling stress and bouncing back from adversity.
Freedom from habitual or excessive worrying.
Living with a sense of purpose.
Pursuing your passions while enjoying the process.
Confidence and self-esteem.
Flexibility to adapt to change.
Balance between work, play and self-care.
Building and maintaining healthy, fulfilling relationships.
The best way I’ve found to have these characteristics present in my life is through daily self-practice of Reiki. Recently, that daily practice seemed to find its way to the bottom of my to-do lists as my days became filled with tasks for clients and projects. Even after all these years of hard evidence I was taking for granted all that my self-practice does for me. Maybe it’s because part of me still finds it unbelievable that so many benefits could come from such little bit of time and effort. But the benefits have been clear; Reiki helps me begin each day grounded and calm. It helps me become aware of any tension and fear I may be holding then helps me release it. It’s a constant reminder to be gentle with myself and it helps me connect to that inner part of me where there is always peace. In that inner space I find gratitude, acceptance and freedom from worry. These daily experiences are like energetic ‘tune ups’ which support me in handling my ambitious tasks with peace and more confidence.
So, this month I look back at the last several weeks with gratitude for the valuable lessons they’ve brought me. Regardless of how long my daily to do lists have become I’ve renewed my commitment to begin and end each day with Reiki. I’ve learned that the trade off for the benefits of such a simple practice is doing it every day without fail. I’ve learned that I’m most happy and productive when I keep to what inspires me most and when I focus on what I do best. For me, that inspiration comes from creating emotional health, not just for myself but for others as well.
