Reiki for Women

Women are increasingly seeking alternative therapies to address their nagging health concerns. Reiki is one such handy tool that can alleviate a few of their ailments.

Women are increasingly seeking alternative therapies to address their nagging health concerns. Reiki is one such handy tool that can alleviate a few of their ailments.

Though a majority of health concerns are common to men and women, the latter are especially prone to certain gender-specific ailments vis-a-vis the men. The top nagging health concerns of women are often related to sexual health, pregnancy, breasts, menstrual problems, menopause, gynaecologic cancers, and osteoporosis. Added to these are lifestyle disorders such as heart problems, depression, insomnia, diabetes, digestive disorders and a host of other ailments that women share with men.

Of late, there is a definite drift towards the use of alternative therapies worldwide, especially among women. The side-effects and high cost of modern medicine are some of the reasons that could be attributed to this noticeable shift. Mounting evidence suggests a growing number of women opting to employ alternative medicine such as homoeopathy, herbal treatment, ayurvedic treatment, aromatherapy, yoga and similar options, to combat their day-to-day health concerns.

Healing Energy

Reiki is a form of spiritual practice used as a complementary therapy for the treatment of physical, mental, and emotional diseases. Practitioners use a technique similar to the laying of hands, which they believe will channel “healing energy”. They state that energy flows through their palms to bring about healing and that the method can be used for self-treatment as well as treatment of others.

The name “Reiki” is derived from two Japanese characters that describe the energy itself — “rei” meaning unseen or spiritual and “ki” meaning “energy or life force”.

Reiki – an effective option

Reiki — the art of tapping in universal life force energy for a holistic healing — is one such therapy that is finding favour with most people, especially women, both young and old. Reiki treats you without any drugs and allows you to tap into it just whenever you please for treating yourself or another person. You may use Reiki in conjunction with other conventional medicine with added advantage of compatibility, for catalysing and augmenting the latter’s effect. Reiki is a handy tool for a homemaker to alleviate all sorts of pain triggered by the pressure of household chores. For a working lady, it offers a succour to cope with the stress arising at her workplace.

Treating with Reiki

Treating special health concerns of women can be a very soothing and wonderful experience. They have to connect to Reiki by intent and dispense it by placing hands on the key positions for a few minutes. For women who still have not acquired the ability to channel Reiki, help of a Reiki practitioner may be useful.

Key positions

Problems during pregnancy

Aisha, living in my neighbourhood, had a difficult first pregnancy. In the initial days, she suffered from frequent vomiting. As the days advanced, during her seventh month of pregnancy, she was admitted to the hospital for treatment of the still foetus in her womb. She was advised complete rest at home. But the problem recurred again and again. Her parents asked me to give Reiki for treating her condition. Giving Reiki on the key positions of her kidneys and on the sacral plexus for 15-30 minutes revived the movement of the foetus inside. The activity was easily felt by the hands and later confirmed through scanning. Not only was the treatment effective, but it also helped her deliver a healthy child on the expected date.

Word of caution: Results may vary from case to case. So consult medical advice of your gynaecologist.

Menopause

Hot flashes, night sweats and frequent need to urinate are some of the common experiences in menopause. The main affected glands are the ovaries and the adrenals. Giving Reiki over back of solar plexus, back of sacral plexus and the root chakra helps in this condition.

Osteoporosis

The bones become brittle with lack of calcium intake and decreased bone density. Also, osteoporosis amongst women is often due to menopausal changes. The disorder is age-related and can acquire dangerous proportions if timely treatment is not given. Giving Reiki on the positions same as for menopause is helpful.

Menstrual problems

You can treat menstrual cycle imbalances by placing one hand on the right breast and the other on the left breast and give Reiki for 15 minutes. Now place one hand on ovaries and the other between the legs and treat with Reiki.

For treating menstrual bleeding problems, give Reiki on solar plexus, sacral plexus and ovaries [one hand on ovaries and the other between the legs].

For pains, cramps and PMS, dispense Reiki on solar plexus, sacral plexus, bladder, kidneys, base of spine, ankles and soles, and toes of both the feet.

Tip: I have found that sandwiching the sacral plexus by placing hands on both sides of this position gives quick relief in painful menstrual condition.

Breast ailments

Women often report the development of lumps which may become serious breast tumour or even a malignant ulcer, if neglected. The simple way to treat this condition is to place one hand over one breast and the other over the other breast, followed by sacral plexus, bladder, kidneys and soles with toes of feet, and dispensing Reiki for 10-20 minutes thrice a day. It can take you many days to heal the breast tumour, but is worth a try.

Benefits

• Works as a first aid to combat all types of pains
• Speeds healing
• Augments the positive effects of other medication, if any
• Restores hormonal balance often missed during menopause
• Empowers them to promote self help to address their day-to-day health concerns
• Women emerge as more confident to face the usual menopausal imbalances.

Activate your chakras

Meditating on your chakras is good for your physical and spiritual health

Most forms of meditative practices entail focusing your attention on the incoming and outgoing breath. Often, beginners get stuck at this stage and look for something that may take them beyond breath awareness. Such people can find meditating on the chakras useful.

Chakra system

Chakras are the subtle whirling wheels located along the spinal column that open from the body to the aura or the ethereal. They can also be called as psychic organs that connect the aura [etheric body] to the physical body. The seven major chakras act as transmitters for the seven states of consciousness.
You can activate your chakras, both by physical manipulation and by visualisation.

How does chakra meditation work?

Often an imbalance in the chakras is what causes illness in body and mind. Chakra meditation works in more ways than one. The process of focusing your energy and awareness on the chakra stimulates it. The resultant activation and alignment of the chakras paves the way for a free flow of energy through them, restoring balance and harmony to the body energy centres.

Steps

Chakra meditation can be practised almost anywhere, though it is helpful to dedicate a quiet and tidy space for the purpose. A chair or a cushion to sit on is all that you need for it.

Sit comfortably, either on a chair with your feet flat on the ground, or in sukhasana [cross-legged] on the floor with your spine straight.

Slowly, inhale from the lower abdomen and focus your awareness on the root chakra [Mooladhara] located at the base of your spine.

Visualise a ruby-red spiral spinning in this area while continuing to breathe slowly. Pause for two minutes.

Now, bring your attention to the sacral chakra [Swadisthan] about two inches below the navel and visualise an orange coloured spiral spinning here, maintaining slow inhalation and exhalation. Pause for two minutes.

Repeat projecting breath and awareness on the solar plexus chakra [Manipur] visualising a yellow-coloured spiral spinning in the area of the navel. Pause for two minutes.

Move your consciousness and breath to the heart chakra [Anahat] visualising a green-coloured spiral whirling in the centre of the chest. Pause.

Next, visualise a sky blue spiral spinning at the throat chakra [Vishuddhi] while you focus your attention and breath there. Pause.

Now, turn your consciousness and breathing to the third-eye chakra [Adnya] visualising an indigo-coloured spiral spinning in the area. Pause for two minutes.

Finally, as you ascend to the crown chakra [Sahasrar], imagine all your chakra spirals whirling at once, producing white light above the crown. Pause for two minutes.

Then, imagine that this white light is winding down from the crown passing through each chakra and going to the root chakra. It is then passing along your legs and entering the earth. This exercise grounds your energy into the energy of the earth. You feel more calm and grounded.

Chakra meditation has an edge over other meditation forms as it not only enables the mind to remain free from distractions, but also restores health in the body, mind and spirit by reactivating and aligning the energy centres. About 20 minutes of chakra meditation every morning is sufficient to keep you physically, mentally and emotionally charged up for the whole day.

Why try the chakra meditation

• Improves mental clarity by increasing energy flow to the brain
• Enhances the immune system
• Acts as a prophylactic for common ailments
• Increases our daily capacity to work.

Sounds that activate chakras

The following sounds if chanted, help activate your chakras.

• LAM – Root
• VAM – Sacral
• RAM – Solar
• YAM – Heart
• HUM – Throat
• AUM – Third eye
• AAH – Crown

You could also use chakra meditation music that will help you activate your energies.

Reiki Help for the Aged

Age plays a major role in affecting our “resistance” to disease. This is one reason why the elderly are often diagnosed with maladies such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, urinary problems, and so on.

Mainstream medicine does not have an answer for all diseases. Besides this, economic considerations and innumerable side-effects of conventional medicines also drive the elderly, like anyone else, towards exploring complementary, or alternative, therapies that address their health concerns and, at the same time, be compatible with the treatment already pursued by them.

Because of its simplicity, effectiveness and, versatility, Reiki is one such therapy that has found favour with many elderly people worldwide.

A boon for the aged

Reiki can be practiced by anybody, including the aged, anytime, anywhere. The good news is that even the fragile and the infirm can easily manoeuvre and use it in a host of situations. Also, as Reiki easily blends well with all healing modalities, it can be used with or without conventional medications in place. This is not all. With a little training and initiation by a Reiki master, the ability to channel the healing vibrations of the therapy can be easily acquired by the elderly for addressing their day-to-daymedical problems.

One more thing. The elderly can also emotionally feel secure and connected with people by using Reiki. Because, Reiki can help them to revive their memory and recollect things they had forgotten for long. In addition, a regular practice of Reiki is highly relaxing, and re-energising. It acts like a stress-buster. It has, therefore, been found to be effective in treating stress-related conditions, such as sleeplessness, headaches, and fatigue.

Also, all types of pains can be easily managed by proper Reiki techniques.

The technique

You can get quick relief – and, even help another senior – by using the following steps. You may, however, seek the help of a Reiki channel, if you are not able to tap into Reiki energy by yourself.

• Remain seated in the chair, or on floor in an easy posture. However, Reiki treatment for some of the diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease is best done while you lie in bed
• Remove your shoes
• Connect yourself to Reiki by a simple intent
• Place hands lightly on each of the “key hand positions” for a few minutes, or as warranted by the sickness
• For a faster and deeper manifestation of Reiki, use appropriate symbols, with the help of a therapist. Also, relief can be obtained even without the use of the technique/s.

Alzheimer’s disease

This is a neurodegenerative malady reaching global epidemic proportions and, perhaps, the most common form of dementia in the elderly. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory, the ability to recognise familiar human faces, ability to learn and also one’s reasoning power. Intellectual activity – and not pills – seems to be most helpful in putting a stop to fading memory and for reviving memories lost, without any side-effects.

The integrated technique of Reiki has been found to be a safe and effective option to treat all types of brain disorders including Parkinson’s disease and cases of stroke. The major chakra involved is the Ajna or the Third Eye [Also, read the article, "Chakra & You," in this issue].

In the initial stage of the disease:

• Lie on your back or sit in a chair
• Cross your legs with your left ankle placed over the right
• Connect to Reiki by affirmation
• Draw symbols one and two on your palms, if you are a Reiki channel
• Place your hands on the head so that your right wrist is placed over the left while your palms rest on both the back sides of your head
• Give Reiki for 10 minutes in this position
• Now, reverse the position of the hands by placing the left wrist over the right and also reverse the legs so that the right ankle is placed over the left. Give Reiki for 10 minutes in this position.

One problem that may crop up is – Alzheimer’s patients may not remember Reiki hand positions Treatment by a Reiki therapist may, therefore, be necessary.

Treatment by the therapist

• Let the client lie down on his/her back
• Cross patient’s hands on the chest so that the left wrist is placed on the right
• Cross his/her legs so that the right ankle is placed on the left ankle
• Reiki may now be dispensed by the therapist by placing his/her hands on both sides of the temples of the client, allowing the thumbs touch each other on the point of Third Eye, for 10 minutes. The second and the first symbols of Reiki practice may be used for enhancing the effect of treatment
• Now, reverse the positions of the hands as also of the legs and give Reiki on both sides of the temples for 10 minutes.

Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. It is characterised by muscle rigidity, tremor, postural instability, difficulty in walking, and loss of physical movement. The main glands involved in the disorder are the pituitary and the adrenals.

The treatment for Parkinson’s is quite similar to Alzheimer’s – you may need to take treatment for about a month, or as long as required, to get good results. In addition to the technique described under Alzheimer’s, Reiki may be given on the Third Eye, spine, adrenals, the kidneys and the liver, in patients presenting with symptoms of the disease.

Arthritis

The key hand positions are: the affected joints, eyes, temples, ears, front of root chakra, soles, kidneys and back [Hara].

Urinary problems

With advancing age, the inflamma-tion of the prostate gland is a common problem. This gives rise to difficulty in urination and/or frequent urination especially during night.

This can also cause not only sleep-ing problems, but also serious disorders – e.g., prostate cancer, if the malady is not stalled in the initial stages.

Impart Reiki on – kidneys, lower bladder area, urethra, prostate gland [ovaries in women, who present with urinary problems] and intestines.

There is also another factor that can help. It’s all a game – a game of life and aging.

The elderly would sure find com-fort in Robert Browning’s memorable lines -

Grow old along with me

The best is yet to be.

This writer, a healthy septuagenarian, strongly believes in a positive outlook and attributes his wellbeing to a strict regimen of regular exer-cise, pranayama, yoga, simple food habits – and, above all, his complete trust in the healing powers of Reiki.

Sleeplessness

You need to give Reiki to the head area – mainly the back of head, forehead, temples, back of head, heart, and solar plexus. Using Reiki, especially on the temples, would make it easy for you to sleep.

Reiki tip: Place your right hand on the heart chakra [Anahat] – the area in the middle of chest and left hand on the Sacral chakra [Swadisthan] while lying down in bed. Try to sleep in this position with your hands on the chakra cited.

Also, if you feel that you are not getting sleep because of some mental tension, you should try to first resolve the cause of your tension and try Reiki later.