During a recent monthly meetup with some fellow boss babes of mine, we were talking about the many stressors of being the boss (bills, strategies, income, this and that). This is the same group of friends that I’ve cried with and vice versa since the pandemic hit. These are the only people in my life who really understand what it takes to keep an empire running. During that conversation, one of my friends turned to me and said, “Have you ever done Reiki?” I replied and told her I hadn’t, which actually pretty surprising considering I sleep with crystals at night and listen to sound healing music on a daily basis.

This friend went on to explain how Reiki has helped her so much through these trying times, so I asked for her lady’s number and booked myself a session. I always say the funniest things like, “I’ll try anything to relax or make money…. insert whatever, so, I thought, “Why not?!” What did I really have to lose? What I DO need to lose is this anxiety and PTSD that has increased tenfold this year. Well, I tried it, and I’m hooked. So let me break it down for you.

Reiki therapy is based on an Eastern belief that vital energy flows through your body. A Japanese man named Mikao Usui developed Reiki in the 1920’s. The term comes from two Japanese words: “Rei,” which means universal, and “ki,” which loosely translates to a life force of energy. The idea is that a Reiki practitioner uses gentle touch — or places their hands just above your body — to help guide this energy in a way that promotes balance and healing. Some Reiki practitioners use only their hands but the lady I went to used tools as well.

After about 30 minutes of talking I went to lie on a table and the process began. A light source was placed over my body with crystals (which was on a stand and did not touch me). My practitioner also used tuning forks and honestly it felt like a tornado was coming out of my ear. Research shows that reiki primarily helps in the reduction of stress, anxiety, depression, and the relief of chronic pain — the last of which can bring on anxiety and depression or make episodes worse. Although I don’t have chronic pain, I do experience a lot of anxiety and PTSD that I deal with on the daily, and I’m really hoping this helps with that long term.

In many ways, Reiki is like an active meditation. You are consciously connecting and releasing that which no longer serves you, in order to allow the body, mind, and spirit to receive the energy it needs for balance. If you can imagine and remember that we’re all made up of energy, then you can begin to believe that you hold the ability shift your energy any time. After one session I’ve already started the daily practice of no longer holding onto what I cannot control and releasing the things that do not serve me.

I actually ordered a few of the things my practitioner used during our session so that I can incorporate them when I feel stressed. Here’s what I ordered!
-A set of Tuning Forks and Bowls for sound healing
–An Orgone Pyramid, a generator for positive energy

Overall, I’m hooked and starting to go weekly. I’ll update you on how it’s going periodically through my @AskHeatherMariannaBlog stories on Instagram and fill you in on how it’s affecting my anxiety. Let’s be real, we’re all dealing with a lot these days. If this post convinces you to try Reiki and you happen to find a measure of peace in the chaos, then I’ve done my job and I’ll consider this a success.

Let me know @AskHeatherMariannaBlog if you end up trying Reiki and share what you think!

XOXO,
Heather