“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” - Carl Jung
When we are on the path to wellness, one of the aspects we have to consider is how our life experiences shape us, and whether or not those experiences are serving us in constructive ways. For example, it can be useful for someone to identify with being a cancer survivor if they feel that experience made them realize their own inner strength and allowed them to make changes that will contribute to their overall health and emotional well-being and maybe even inspire them to help others going through the same situation in their lives.
Far too often, however, we become attached to labels or beliefs about our experience that do not serve us well. Eventually, the labels and beliefs can limit the scope of who we are and what we can become. It can cause us to stagnate in a situation or patterns of thinking and responding that disconnect us from our highest good. We are then unable to integrate those experiences properly on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. Integration allows us to release what no longer is useful to us from those experiences. If that doesn’t happen, we don’t heal.
Naming things is the first step in confronting experiences or situations that are painful, uncomfortable or difficult to live with. So, what happens after we name, explore and try to get our arms around this reality? Acknowledgement and acceptance are necessary next steps on the path to healing, but sometimes the barriers can be formidable. Most of us may only partially accomplish the task and then find ourselves still struggling to move forward in certain areas.
Prior to receiving and practicing energy healing, I lived for about six years with a chronic inflammatory condition called Interstitial Cystitis (Pelvic Pain Syndrome) that required five different medications, plus supplements, in order to manage the symptoms. The medical establishment acknowledges that people with IC can manage symptoms for improved quality of life, but do not have a “cure.” After several years on this regimen and countless doctor visits later, I was experiencing improvement but was not free of symptoms. I was terrified my condition would suddenly deteriorate. I often wished I could remove my bladder altogether and felt very disconnected from my body. And worse, the inflammation was starting to spread to my reproductive tract.
With the help of Reiki, I experienced a complete remission of my symptoms and weaned myself off all medications. I was also able to conceive and give birth to my beautiful daughter a year later. (The extent of my healing is unusual and I cannot guarantee similar results, but I feel it’s important to share my story because it may help someone else.) What was really key to the process was making the decision to no longer attach myself to the labels of “a person with IC”, or “a person with medical conditions.” They were of no help to me, and clinging to them put me in the position of living in fear that the symptoms might flare up again. Releasing my identification with these conditions hastened deeper healing on an emotional level. Eventually, it motivated me to commit myself to the service of helping others with their healing journeys.
Most recently, I credit the book The Biology of Belief by Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. for validating what I experienced first-hand: that our bodies can be changed as we retrain our thinking and adopt changes and practices that are beneficial to the healing process. It’s been amazing and inspiring to me to watch clients who had have lived with chronic pain or fatigue now find themselves more active and energetic, or feel emotionally that their situation is more manageable because Reiki has helped them make the shift from being a “sick person” to being a “well person.”
Always keep in mind what I tell my clients or anyone interested in Reiki: true healing happens at the individual level. I’m there to help, but it all starts with you. Reiki helps facilitate the healing process, but it’s you that utilizes this universal life-force energy present in Reiki to move beyond your illness or conditions and realize your greatest life potential.
(Note: It is recommended that you see a licensed physician or health care professional for any physical or psychological ailment you may have. Reiki treatments complement but should not replace other medical treatment or therapy that your physician or health care professional may recommend.)
dana | 
06 26th, 2009| 