Many are aware that you can go to therapy or maybe even take medication in order to help with symptoms of anxiety. Despite the great things that these healing options can do for you, there is a vast selection of alternative forms of healing that many claim help with mental health issues, such as anxiety.
This past week, I tried Reiki for the first time. The International Center for Reiki Training states that Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing ("What is Reiki"). In a reiki session, a trained person will have the patient lie down. He or she often uses hands movements just above the body or physical touch of the patient in order to balance the energy within.
As a pretty spiritual person myself, I did not have a hard time being open to this healing technique. Although nervous, I was more excited to partake in the reiki session. However, I must admit, when I first lied down, doubt started to creep into my mind. Being in this vulnerable position and doing something I had never done before was a little frightening, and I really just hoped I would at least feel a little something.
As the session began, I almost immediately felt tingling throughout my entire body. Furthermore, I felt a lot of pressure at various points of time. At one point, I would feel pressure above my head, then I would feel pressure on my chest a few moments later, and so on. Toward the end of the session, I had an overwhelming feeling that someone was clenching my feet, even though nobody was physically touching them.
I couldn't help myself but wonder, were all of these sensations just in my head? Did I want the healing to work so much that my mind manifested these physical sensations? However, when I revealed my feelings to the practitioner, she confirmed that the sensations I felt during my session are very common for people who receive reiki. Before I had even mentioned the pressure I felt in my feet, the woman that gave me the treatment stated that she created a good foundation in my feet. She enhanced this with explaining that when I feel anxiety built up in my system, to imagine myself pushing the anxiety out of my feet. The time she put into working on my feet will aid me in ridding myself of this anxious energy.
Hearing this was a bit of relief, as I felt a bit more confident in the physical sensations that I was experiencing in session. Although I am still a very anxious person, I do feel a bit more balanced following the session. I am looking forward to going again this week and maybe trying this form of healing a few more times in the future.
Reiki may sound a bit outlandish to many of you. I can understand why, however, I think it is worth keeping an open mind about reiki and other practices similar to it. If you have the resources to give it a try, I say it is worth a shot. Sometimes, we cannot rely on simply ourselves to overcome every single aspect of our anxiety. Trying a natural, alternative form of healing such as reiki may be a great step to working your way toward more peace.
Comments
Post a Comment