by Michelle Monette Fahl
Well, it is that time of year again when everyone around us is getting excited and motivated to make BIG changes in their lives. They join gyms, start Weight-Watchers, get make-overs, vow to meditate every morning, or decide to put a profile on Match.com® in hopes of finding true love! They are ready to jump into the lake of possibilities with both feet and no life preserver!
And here you sit…not even motivated enough to tie your own gym shoes, let alone actually go to the gym! It’s wonderful for those people who can find the energy and excitement to change their lives for the better, but for some people this time of year can be downright overwhelming. In fact, many of us suffer from a condition called SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder. We feel depressed, lethargic, anxious, and may also suffer from weight gain, over-sleeping, and social withdrawal. We just can’t seem to “get-it-together”! All we know is we want to feel better, but aren’t even sure where to start. There are just too many choices and too much advice thrown at us this time of year. We want to be able to hit the “EASY” button!
Where do I start? Read on and I will tell you about just one simple choice you can make to help you feel better almost immediately. This choice would be the ancient healing art of Reiki (pronounced Ray-Key).
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a form of energy healing. This type of energy work has been practiced for over 2000 years. It was revitalized in 1922 by Dr. Usui who then introduced it to the Western world in 1930. He established the 5 fundamental principles of Reiki:
Today I am thankful for all of my blessings
Today I am happy and patient
Today I am at peace and am content
Today I do my work honestly and with integrity
Today I show love and respect for every living thing.
The concept behind Reiki is that everyone and everything alive has a life force; an energy that runs through them. This life force directs our energies, health, thoughts, emotions, stress levels, and perceptions. When our life force is strong and healthy, our mind, body, and spirit are also healthy. We feel good! When our life force is weakened, strained, or disturbed, we experience dis-ease on all levels. Reiki is an effective way of supplying a positive, healing flow of energy back into a person and at the same time, neutralizing any negative energy a person may be holding onto in their body. Studies have shown that touch, as used in Reiki, can stimulate the release of endorphins — the “feel good”chemicals produced in our brains. Increased endorphin levels help us feel pain less and lower the side effects of stress.
What Can Reiki Do for Me?
Along with lessening the effects of SAD, Reiki also offers many other benefits. It helps strengthen the immune system, increases relaxation, aids in chronic pain relief, reduces stress/anxiety, cleanses the body of toxins, produces an overall feeling of well-being, increases spiritual connection, supports the body’s natural ability to heal itself, and enhances other forms of medical and alternative treatments.
What Can I Expect from a Treatment?
In a typical treatment, the client lies fully clothed on a massage table and may cover up with a blanket. The practitioner then gently and respectfully places her hands on various energy points on the head and body allowing the healing energy to flow from her/his hands to the client. The treatment feels like a wonderful, glowing warmth that flows through you and surrounds you. Reiki treats the whole person — mind, body, and spirit. It creates a soothing feeling of relaxation, security, and well-being. This is a simple, natural, and safe method of spiritual and physical healing that has been around for centuries. Anyone can benefit from Reiki including adults, children, and animals.
The benefits of Reiki are many. All you have to do is show up and be open to the wonderful possibility that you might just have found that ONE thing that will finally help you feel good again … feel like yourself again! And the great thing about feeling good, is that it can be a springboard for you to do other things that are healthy and beneficial. It’s the “Snowball Effect”. Are you ready to pick up your snowball and start rolling? Let the healing energy of Reiki infuse your mind, body, and spirit with health and well-being. You deserve it!
Michele Monette Fahl is a Reiki Master/Teacher and has had a practice for almost 6 years. One of her great passions is to help people feel good and to empower them to change their lives. She enjoys travel and anything she can do outdoors.
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