Is Reiki Good For Anxiety?
One of the questions I receive most frequently is “is Reiki good for anxiety”? It is good to know that Reiki is definitely good for anxiety. In fact, anxiety is one of the conditions that Reiki most often helps. This is especially important because because anxiety is so common today. In fact, estimates indicate that anxiety affects almost 20% of the US population. During sessions, I often see that the immediate effects of Reiki. A person often comes in anxious about a particular event, or simply as the result of everyday life. They make themselves comfortable on the table and they begin to show signs of calming down almost immediately. For example, their breathing gets heavier and deeper, or they might even fall asleep on the table.
Not only are Reiki treatments good for anxiety, Reiki attunements are also excellent for getting back in touch with your higher self. Just like Reiki treatments, attunements help us rid ourselves of energy we no longer need. Attunements often take us down new paths in life, opening up new opportunities to move on from situations that are making us anxious.
But why is it that Reiki can be so effective in these cases? What is anxiety? Why is it so harmful and why can Reiki be such a powerful help? Those are the questions we will explore in this article.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety can be characterized as a feeling of apprehension about the future. But it is more than just a passing emotion. Rather, it is something many people experience regularly, or even constantly. You might feel worried or tense, and these feelings can manifest themselves in physical symptoms, such as a rise in blood pressure. You may also find that you break out in a sweat, experience heart palpitations or feel dizzy.
There may also be more persistent effects. For example, you might have difficulty sleeping, you might experience stomach problems or have indigestion and your rate of breathing may increase. Over time, these factors can, of course, have further negative impacts on your health. Lack of sleep, difficulty digesting your food, and irregularities in your breathing can cause many other conditions. That is why it is some important to properly manage your anxiety.
Reiki can help you replace these feelings with a greater sense of peace, which can have only positive effects on your overall health.
Reiki And The Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of our nervous system that is responsible for the functions that we do not control. It is the part of the nervous system that is responsible for the “fight or flight” reaction when we face danger. There are two parts of the autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. When you face a stressful situation that causes anxiety, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in and releases hormones that raise your heart rate and blood pressure. That is why being in a prolonged state of anxiety can cause health problems like heart issues and high blood pressure. It is the parasympathetic nervous system that helps your body record from this state.
There was a small, preliminary study conducted by Nicola Mackay in 2004 which indicates which seems to indicate that Reiki does have an effect on the autonomic nervous system. Factors measured in the study include subjects’ blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate. It also measured the rate of parasympathetic nervous system activity. There were three groups of participants: those who received rest and Reiki treatments, those who received rest and a placebo treatment, and those who received only rest. The Reiki group showed a significant drop in diastolic blood pressure and an increase in parasympathetic activity. It also showed a significant decrease in breathing rates in both the placebo and the Reiki groups. The study concluded that the reduction of breathing rate in both groups could have been linked to factors other than Reiki. You can read the complete study here.
How Many Reiki Reiki Sessions For Anxiety?
As a general rule, I recommend doing 4 Reiki sessions to start when you’re receiving Reiki for specific issues. However, if you are constantly exposed to stressful situations, more Reiki sessions may be needed. In more difficult cases, I would also recommend some strategies for reducing the occurrence of stressful situations. Ideally, you should eliminate them entirely. For example, if a particular job or relationship is the source of your anxiety, you might consider leaving the relationship or the job, if possible.
When I work with clients, Reiki sessions are always combined with a psychic reading. During the reading, we are often able to pinpoint the source of the anxiety, as well as strategies to reduce or eliminate it. In addition to talking to your Reiki master, it is important to use your own intuition when deciding how many sessions you will need and the best course of action.
Reiki Attunements For Anxiety
Another way in which Reiki may help anxiety is through the attunement process. It is during the attunement process that you become a channel for the Reiki energy and begin to work with the energy in order to help yourself and others. If you are Reiki Level 1 practitioner, you have everything you need to do Reiki on yourself and others. You are also able to do Reiki on plants, animals and objects. You may consider becoming a Reiki practitioner if you want to give yourself Reiki on a regular basis to help manage anxiety. In addition, many people who become attuned to Reiki experience many positive changes in their life as the result of the veil between the person and the energy being lifted. If you are considering becoming a Reiki practitioner, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.
How The Reiki Principles Can Help Anxiety
So how can you use Reiki to help anxiety? Well, remember that Reiki is not only a complementary modality, it is also a spiritual system, and a system for greater self awareness. In addition to regular Reiki treatments, I suggest meditating on the 5 Reiki principles. As you do so, you will discover the unique meaning they have for you in your life. It is important to note that your are not required to follow these principles. You can use them as a set of guidelines, as ideals that can serve as signposted on the road towards self improvement,
Here are the 5 Reiki principles:
-
Just for today, I will not worry.
When you worry, you anticipate the future and think about hypothetical events. When you worry excessively, you can become anxious, and this can affect many areas of your life. It can also adversely affect your overall health.
-
Just for today, I will not anger.
Under certain circumstances and for a short time, anger can be a positive emotion. For example, when we see injustice in the world, it might motivate us to help others. Feeling angry might also cause us to engage in self reflection to determine the cause of the anger, to express our emotions in a positive way, and find a constructive resolution to the root cause. The key here is that anger should be directed to positive ends.
However, excessive, uncontrolled anger can impact ourselves and those around us in less than positive ways. This is because anger directly affects the autonomic nervous system. Therefore, it can raise our blood pressure, cause increased adrenaline and noradrenaline production, and make our muscles tense. So, when you feel yourself getting angry, take a few deep breaths, close your eyes and remember this Reiki principle.
-
Just for today, I will be grateful.
Too often, our mind wanders to all the things we wish we had, but don’t. We think, “If only I had a better car, a bigger house, or more money”! But wishing that things were different than how they are can lead to anxiety. It is not that we should not aspire to better things and work towards attaining them. Rather, we should take joy in and be thankful for all that we have already attained and be grateful to the universe. By doing so, we plant the seeds in the universe to attract even more wonderful things. Take a look around you each day, and notice all of the things you have to be grateful for, and send those thoughts of gratitude into the universe. You may be surprised to find that thinking such thoughts gives you a greater appreciation for everything you value.
-
Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Doing one’s work honestly means working hard according to one’s own ability, and in most cases, you may find that the harder you work, the luckier you get. This ideal means sharing your gifts with humanity, and letting your unique light shine brightly. If you do your work honestly and work hard, you can bring more of who you are to more people. You can help more people that way, and raise your vibration and the vibration of those around you. The more people you help, the busier you are in service of others, greater the sense of satisfaction you will have the less anxious you will feel.
-
Just for today, I will be kind to every living thing.
Remember that all living things are connected. The kindness and compassion you show has a ripple effect on humanity and every on every living thing.
Being kind means allowing every living thing the space to be itself without imposing your will. It means being non-judgemental and recognizing that all people, animals and plants have their place in the world, even though we might not see it at the moment. Practice being kind and notice your anxiety decrease.
Conclusion
As you can see, Reiki can be an effective way to cope with anxiety. If you have questions, talk to your Reiki master about the number of sessions needed in your case. Also discuss the impressions and sensations you may receive during and after treatments.
As always, I encourage you to continue any treatment you are currently receiving from you licensed medical provider. Reiki is a complementary modality, and not intended to replace the care you receive from licensed medical providers.