They say people don’t change, but I disagree. As a thriving 38-year-old woman, I am a much different version of myself than in my earlier years. I operate a successful business in British Columbia, I have traveled to more than 50 countries, and I’m an active outdoorsy individual. But this wasn’t always the case. As a teen, I was rebellious, depressed, and suffering from nightmares. I was lost. Reiki therapy became a pivotal point in my life and in my emotional healing journey. It was a light that led me to be the person I am today.
As a woman of wanderlust, growing up in a tiny traditional farming town felt like torture. I didn’t fit in. I was empathetic, curious, and always seeking an adventure. Much different than the other children who wanted to inherit their family farm. Then when my parents divorced, I was devastated and teased about that too. It wasn’t easy feeling like an outcast growing up.
My mother wanted a change, and as a pre-teen, we moved clear across the country. From Ontario’s prairies to British Columbia’s mountains. Moving at such a pivotal time in my adolescence felt bewildering. How could I start a new life, in this new place, if I didn’t know who I was? My parents were separated, I was an outcast, and I had landed on another planet (or so it felt), all while I was trying to navigate puberty.
As a young woman, this was overwhelming. I became deeply depressed, angry, and confused. Without a way to process my feelings, my frustration developed into maladies and night terrors. I would awake covered in sweat and frozen in fear, and caught sickness after sickness. It felt like a dark storm cloud was following me around. That my world was never going to get better.
I tried counseling, I tried journaling, and then I tried working the depression out through sweat. As a teenager, I also started drinking and experimenting with drugs. But nothing helped. The helplessness, night terrors, and the feeling of doom overtook me. My family thought it was just a stage, that I would grow out of it. But it was unshakable, following me into my 20s.
It was a matter of luck that I found Reiki. My mother booked me with a local practitioner after she saw a flyer in a grocery store. I was 22 at the time. Neither my mom nor I knew much about this form of alternative medicine except what the flyer said. That Reiki would help me find balance and be happier. I was a skeptic, but this was all I needed to hear. There was a way to recalibrate.
Reiki comes from the words “rei” universe and “ki” life energy. I learned this in my first session. It is a form of therapy that focuses on moving energy around the entire body. Eliminating blockages caused by stress and other conditions like depression. The way I visualize Reiki is like a drain. Water, or life energy, usually flows naturally and easily through the drain. But when it becomes obstructed, you need to clear the blockage to help it flow again. Or, the sink will spill over. Reiki masters help guide and cleanse this obstruction. Using powerful intentions and hand gestures.
As I layed down in my first appointment, I was skeptical, but I went home a believer. The effect on me was immediate. I felt almost drunk with calmness, contradictory to everything I normally felt. Then surprisingly, I proceeded to sleep for over 15 hours with no night terrors that night! It was a day I remember clearly. I felt more refreshed and clear than I had in years. It was astounding by how this simple technique could have such a profound effect on my well-being.
I completed 6 sessions in total. Each time improving my mindset, clarity and sleep. I felt like the storm cloud that had been following me around was disappearing, replaced by what felt like a soft white blanket. By the end of my meetings I saw a better future for myself. Whether it was from the energy healing my life force, or the belief the reiki healer gave me in myself. I felt lighter. Like I had a lifeboat to grab hold of. Reiki plucked me out of a stormy sea, and deposited me onto a better path.
As an adult, I’ve only experienced a handful of night terrors. These dreams arise when I’m exceptionally stressed out, or feeling sick. During my reiki sessions, and over the years I have learned this means my life energy has become blocked again. That I’m probably getting lost on my path, not doing, or saying the things that are my truth. During these times I apply what I’ve learned from energy therapy. Turning inwards and locating areas that need attention. Then either visiting a Reiki practitioner for assistance or performing a self-treatment to improve my own sense of self and wellbeing.
Changing your energy starts in the mind. Reiki, along with other energy-based tools like yoga and meditation, can help you find harmony in your mind, body, and spirit. In my case, Reiki was a key element for my emotional healing. I encourage you to try natural therapies for a few sessions. You may be skeptical at first, like me. But you won’t know which treatment will click for you unless you give it a try. Worst case scenario, you discover new layers of yourself and are guided to a brighter path.
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