Guinea Pig Experiment #22: Reiki
The Problem:
“Problem” might not be the right word, but a general feeling of malaise or tension seems to fit the bill. Recent upheavals in my life have left me feeling a little out of sorts and the fact that I am a worry wart extraordinaire seems to be clearing the way for my speedy entry into what seems to be an increasingly populated land called Anxiety Disorder.
Hypothesis:
Drugs are out of the question (why trade one issue for another?). Therefore, something natural would be appropriate. Something as soothing and enjoyable as herbal tea, with the effect of the one-two punch of Prozac. Does this exist? Not really, but I decide to give Reiki a try. Reiki is known as a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that is said to promote healing, while tapping into an unlimited supply of life force energy to improve health and quality of life. It is administered by a person trained in the practice who essentially lays their hands on your person. And before your mind imagines all sorts of naughtiness, it’s not that kind of “lay.”
Variables:
How does a straight-talking, rational on the outside, barmy on the inside person stand a chance at making it through a Reiki session without feeling the need to run to the loo mid-way and laugh hysterically at the ludicrousness of it all? How does a street-savvy kinda chick such as moi allow a perfect stranger to actually touch her without instinctively allowing her foot to connect with said stranger’s shin? Enter Reiki Master Vivian Osal.
Procedure:
I find Vivian the way most people find things nowadays, on the Internet. Since having tried hypnotherapy, I am somehow able to park my skepticism at the front door. It also helps that when I arrive she doesn’t greet me by swinging through the doorway in a kimono in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon-style. Such odd things preconceptions are. Anyway, after I make my way to Vivian’s Zen-like, exotic-smelling office I have a seat and she tells me a little bit about herself, what drew her to Reiki, how it has helped her and others and then, of course, she explains what will take place in the session. So far, so sane.
Even after I admit my fear of cats (yes, you’ve read correctly) and rhyme off a litany of ailments in a manner that would put my granny to shame, the lovely Vivian remains composed and tells me that the purpose of Reiki is to clear blockages, whether they’re emotional, spiritual, or physical. She even tells me in what I deem a psychic manner that if I have to laugh, to just let myself. Being down with that, I hop onto the massage bed, but not before I’m made to drink 40 litres of water. Ok, it was just a glass, but not being a natural water drinker as it has no added sugar, I find this slightly difficult.
Anyway, as I lie on my back, Vivian shows me how to breathe properly, or rather how to breathe in such a way as to pave the way for tension relief. This consists of taking a deep breath, holding it for about two seconds, and then exhaling audibly through my mouth. I close my eyes. To start off, Vivian walks me through what she is doing, for example before she touches my ankles, she tells me, “I am now going to touch your ankles.” (Is she warning me because she can guess that I might accidentally give her a knee-jerk kick??) And so it continues with shins, thighs, chest, and belly, with varying degrees of pressure. At the beginning I am hyper-aware of a nagging arthritic pain I’ve had in my ankle as well as an achy part of my back, and I find it hugely difficult not to fidget and then not to worry that I’ve now become a fidgeting wreck. But before long I begin to follow Vivian’s instruction to let thoughts flow in and out of my mind with ease, and I stop focusing on the aches and fidgeting. For what feels like centuries, I float in a seemingly semi-awake state and occasionally experience tingly sensations in whatever area is being touched. The session ends with Vivian saying my name, bringing me back to reality. I open my eyes with a feeling of utter relaxation, which she describes as an energy vacation.
Analysis:
Once I opened my eyes I remained still for a bit and then began to tell Vivian about my experience. I told her that I felt a sense of calmness, something I hadn’t experienced in a really, really long while. She told me that she could feel quite a bit of tension in my ankles and in my stomach (no surprise there for me) and could sense that I was carrying a bit of anxiety. After discussing the experience a little longer, Vivian said she felt it had gone well and explained that after a period of what she felt amounted to physical apprehension on my part, I seemed to let go.
Conclusion:
Reiki may not be for everyone because everyone processes emotional ups and downs or ailments in a variety of ways. I have a friend that enviably seems to let stress and drama roll off her like water off a duck’s back. I, in turn, allow things to fester, which is clearly unhealthy, but is something many people do. My Reiki session was fantastic, if not just for the nuggets of wisdom passed on to me by Vivian. I have taken several things away: the first is that nothing will upset or affect me negatively unless I allow it to, the second is my new favourite saying, “Lean of body, lean of mind,” a nod to all the extra stuff I unnecessarily carry around every day, and the third is, if all else fails, just breathe. So obvious, you say? The growing popularity of Reiki shows us that it’s not so obvious at all. Try it, you’ll see.
Written by: Anne Marie Kirsten