5 Ways Reiki Can Help with Anxiety
Let’s be honest, having anxiety is the worst. It affects your ability to fully experience all that life has to offer. Anyone who has experienced having anxiety knows it can range from being a minor annoyance through to extreme debilitation. There are a variety of treatment approaches for anxiety and it is best to find one that works for you. One of the treatment option you may not have considered is called Reiki.
What is Reiki?
Reiki comes from the Japanese word Rei, which means ‘great spirit,’ ‘higher power’ or ‘God’ and the word Ki, which refers to the spiritual energy of all living things. Ki has a similar concept with the Chinese Chi or Qi. This same life-force energy is used in other disciplines like acupuncture and martial arts.
The aim of Reiki is to balance the body’s energy centers or what is known as ‘chakras.’ Through a natural process, the negative energy is broken up to let the high-power Ki flow into your body, which facilitates the balance and support on all aspects.
Anxiety can trigger your body to go into the fight-flight-or-freeze response. When this happens, your body tenses up, your heart rate increases, your muscles contract, and you find it difficult to relax and breathe. This responses use up all your energy and you are left feeling physically and mentally drained.
What Reiki can do for you is assist in facilitation of relaxation in your body, helping you feel more grounded and calm. As you body’s chakras begin to rebalance, you begin to have more restful sleeps and may experience mental and emotional shifts. Resulting in having more mental clarity and feeling more calm and composed.
How Reiki can help reduce anxiety?
- It is done in a relaxing environment
It is important for people experiencing anxiety to stay calm and a relaxing environment will be helpful. Reiki is typically done in a soothing and quiet place, just like massage therapy, where you may hear a gentle and comforting music.
- It reconnects you with your body
When you’re feeling anxious, you tend to be inside your head, trapped with your thoughts. During your Reiki process, you will be encouraged to focus on your breath. Your session will begin with a guided breathing exercise designed to help you become more aware the subtle sensations of your body.
- It is all about you
Setting aside time to collect and reorganise yourself so that you can regain focus isn’t an indulgence. It is actively putting yourself and needs first. Reiki treatment can serve as your ‘me-time,’ something you can enjoy by yourself, and at the same time it can be the much-needed timeout from everything that’s causing you stress.
- It helps you connect with another person
Living with anxiety can have you trapped in a negative cycle of avoidance, frustration and worsening problems. You may find yourself withdrawing from your social circles leaving you feeling isolated. You may find that seeing a Reiki therapist can “hold space for you” to allow to reconnect with another person.
- Being proactive about your health
Seeking help for your anxiety can be a catch 22. You know you need to do something, but that something can be completely overwhelming. Reiki can be your first step to making a healthy change in your life. It may not be possible to change everything at once, but just deciding to go on Reiki treatment is already a big enough change. After a Reiki session, you may feel calmer and your muscles may start to release tension. You may find that you start to become more at ease with yourself.
It’s important to know that people respond differently to treatment. You may find that you are doing well with Reiki treatment while others have found that they need to have additional treatments to address deeper issues. In the end, it still depends on your willingness and openness to treatment. The more you put in, the more you’ll benefit from therapy. You may be going through a different type of anxiety treatment now but with more tools and alternatives you have, the better your chances at keeping anxiety in its place and enjoying life more.
Combining talk therapy with Reiki is an empowering experience. If you want to discover how Reiki can help alleviate anxiety, you can book a session with me. You may reach me through 0403 747 626 or fill in our contact form.
