Midlife to Best Life

Hiya Everyone,

Sarah Arrow and Myself have teamed up and have designed a group for ladies Midlife To Best Life and we are inviting Ladies of a certain age, to enourage, support and recommend our products to you and vice a versa. We can then recommend your product to our clients.

We want tips on how on supplements, what are the best ones to take?

Help each other with menopause, ADHD (I’ve just got my diagnosis) and other female health issues.

Sign up here Midlife to Bestlife

Love Debs

xx

ps there is a free download on making Gem Waters

Nurturing Ourselves Through Winter with Crystals and Reiki

Nurturing Ourselves for Winter with Crystals and Reiki

Autumn is a season of profound transformation. It teaches us to let go, just as the trees release their leaves, creating space for new growth. In our own lives, this season can be a time to slow down, reflect, and prepare ourselves for the introspective winter months ahead.

One of my favorite ways to nurture myself during this time is through crystals and Reiki. Crystals like Smoky Quartz and Citrine are wonderful for grounding and uplifting, helping us find balance as the days grow shorter. Smoky Quartz can aid in releasing negativity and finding clarity, while Citrine brings warmth and joy, like the last rays of autumn sunshine.

Reiki, too, is a powerful tool for self-care as we transition through the seasons. A simple Reiki practice can help us maintain balance and vitality. Place your hands over your heart and take deep, slow breaths, allowing the energy to flow through you, bringing warmth and calm.

As we journey through autumn, I encourage you to create a little ritual for yourself. Whether it’s a moment of stillness each morning, a cup of herbal tea in the evening, or a crystal meditation to ground and center yourself, let this be a time of self-compassion and care.

With each leaf that falls, let’s release the things that no longer serve us, making space for rest, renewal, and the beauty of what’s to come.

EFT

I've come across a very interesting article on one woman's experience with EFT....

Tapping Away Trauma: ‘Emotional Freedom’ Techniques

By Serina Deen, M.D., MPH

My medication management supervisor Dr. Tranguch and I are huddled over our chairs somewhat conspiratorially, and for once, I’m glad that there are no windows in my office. As a psychiatric resident, getting one-on-one supervision is a valuable way to learn, and right now I’m learning something quite unusual.

I’m sitting there repeating the affirmation, “Even though I have this sadness, I deeply love and accept myself,” while tapping on my temple. It’s Tuesday at 10:15 a.m., our regular time for supervision. I’m supposed to be telling Dr. Tranguch about the new patients I’ve admitted to the clinic, and he’s supposed to be advising me on what medication to start them on, dosages, and side effects. Instead, Dr. Tranguch is tapping on his face, hands, and torso while repeating key phrases, and I’m following him like a trained monkey.

I had thought of Dr. Tranguch as a hard-and-fast neuroscientist — he did, after all, complete a Ph.D. analyzing the structure of nuclear RNA in yeast. But despite his scientific bent, he seemed to have a warm side, a set of laugh lines under his scholarly wire-rimmed glasses. Over time, I felt comfortable enough to disclose to him that I was a meditator, and while I thought medications were absolutely essential for some patients, I also found meditation very helpful in the treatment of some of my patients, in particular those with serious conditions like borderline personality disorder. When Dr. Tranguch didn’t scoff at the idea of meditation, and instead launched into an enthusiastic discussion about the benefits of alternative techniques in psychiatry, I was relieved. And intrigued. For years, Dr. Tranguch has been hypnotizing his patients, using techniques involving eye movements to treat trauma victims, and even experimenting with the Japanese spiritual practice of Reiki to heal patients.

Even more intriguing, he had been using tapping techniques called “Emotional Freedom Techniques,” or EFT, which he was demonstrating on me today. When he first introduced the acronym, I thought it was ironic how close “EFT” was to “ECT,” or electroconvulsive therapy. While EFT involves repeating loving self-affirmations, ECT involves inducing brain seizures via bursts of electricity to the temples. But it turns out that although these are quite different treatments, both seem to be rapid and effective ways to relieve emotional distress.

Here is how EFT works: I select a problem that causes me distress. I pick a recent loss and I name the emotion I feel (for me, sadness, as opposed to anger, anxiety, craving, etc.). I then summon up the feeling of sadness, focus on where it manifests in my body (the pit of my stomach), and rate my distress on a scale from one to 10 (it was 7/10 that day for me). Then I repeat, “Even though I have this sadness, I deeply love and accept myself” (I pause before I say this, thinking, “Do I really?”) — and I begin to tap in the nine points that Dr. Tranguch demonstrates for me, while repeating the reminder phrase “this sadness.” Adding to the quirkiness, I also follow Dr. Tranguch as he rolls his eyes in different directions, counts forwards and backwards, and hums a bar of a familiar song (for me, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”). I feel pretty silly. But I also trust Dr. Tranguch, and I try my hardest to focus on the feeling and believe what I’m saying to myself.

Dr. Tranguch tells me EFT involves techniques that combines exposure, cognitive restructuring, waking hypnosis, and physical relaxation while tapping on a sequence of pressure points and repeating key phrases out loud. The mechanism of action is unknown; but one suggestion is that physical stimulation of certain pressure points during exposure to an emotional trauma may send deactivating signals directly to the amygdala, or the “fear center” of your brain, resulting a rapid reduction of maladaptive fear.

At the end of the supervision session, Dr. Tranguch asks me conjure up the loss again: He calls upon me to focus on it and rate my sadness. But, try as I may to find the sadness, it’s just not there. 0/10! I concentrate harder: still nothing. I look up at Dr. Tranguch in disbelief, and he smiles. I can tell he’s had this reaction from patients and colleagues many times before. I’m incredulous, skeptical, and a little pissed off. Did that just work? Was it a trick, a distraction technique? And if that did work, why did I bother going to medical school and doing a psychiatry residency?

Fortunately for my ego and unfortunately for my emotional well-being, the effect soon wears off. Several hours later, I’m sad again. But somehow, in a way that I absolutely can’t explain, my loss feels a bit less traumatic. It’s still sad, but it’s not as painful. And that is what EFT purports to do — to help reduce emotional trauma, and pain.

As a now fully socialized medical professional, I immediately do a literature review on the controversial technique. There are a number of recent studies that show positive effects of EFT in depression, anxiety, PTSD, phobias, and food cravings. Some suggest that the benefits of EFT were due to placebo, desensitization and distraction rather than the mechanisms proposed by its practitioners. But overwhelmingly, it did seem that there were benefits.

After Dr. Tranguch leaves, I contemplate whether to try this technique with my patients. It’s non-invasive, rapid-acting, can be self-administered, and I did feel the benefits myself, firsthand. Would I be holding back if I didn’t teach it to my patients? Or would it damage my alliance with them? Would they consider me a new-age hack? After all, I don’t have the Ph.D., age, or scholarly wire-rimmed glasses that Dr. Tranguch has to bolster his credibility. I am just a resident.

It’s now a year later. I ended up doing what I always do when I start something new that I’m not too sure about or good at yet (like cooking) — I experimented on my friends. They largely had the same positive experience I had. I even did EFT on myself a few times when I felt overwhelmed with an emotion. I still haven’t tried it on my patients, but I’m about to graduate in a month and become a fully-fledged psychiatrist. And I think it’s about time to take a risk and start.

References:

Church D, Books A. (2010). Application of Emotional Freedom Techniques. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal, Aug/Sep, 46-48.

Feinstein, D. (2010). Rapid Treatment of PTSD: Why Psychological Exposure with Acupoint Tapping May Be Effective. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 47(3), 385-402.

Waite W, Holder M. (2003). Assessment of the Emotional Freedom Technique: An Alternative Treatment for Fear. The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice (2) 1.

Serina Deen, M.D. MPH, is completing her residency at Columbia University/New York Presbyterian Hospital. She will be pursuing a fellowship in public psychiatry at the University of California at San Francisco.

For more by Serina Deen, M.D., MPH, click here.

Science Finally Proves Meridians Exist

What I love about this article by Azriel ReShel is that it shows hows practises like Reiki, Crystal therapy and Emotional Freedom Technique work. 

Science Finally Proves Meridians Exist
By Azriel ReShel on Wednesday April 20th, 2016

What the Merging of Spirituality and Science means for you

“In every culture and in every medical tradition before ours, healing was accomplished by moving energy.” – Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Biochemist and Nobel Prize Winner.”

For centuries the ancient wisdom keepers and healers in several traditions had a keen understanding of the energetic body. The healing traditions from China, India, Japan and Tibet, as well as other countries all spoke of energy channels, meridians or nadis along which the vital energy flowed.

Life was considered to be a bio-electrical and vibrational energy phenomenon and so health revolved around balancing energy through various means. Life existed because of life force and energy running through and animating the body, ensuring we can move, breathe, digest food, think and even feel.

Healing traditions all spoke of energy channels, meridians or Nadis.Healing traditions all spoke of energy channels, sen, meridians or nadis.
Energy channels

This vital life force or chi, is composed of two kinds of forces, yin and yang, and flows along a sophisticated network of energy pathways, or highways, circuiting the body. Over 2000 years ago ancient cultures knew of the existence of these energy channels. They were called ‘sen’ in Thailand, ‘nadis’ in India, ‘meridians’, ‘channels’ or ‘vessels’ in China and Japan, and ‘channels’ in Tibet. In India, where many eastern healing arts developed, there were said to be 72 000 nadis or energy pathways. Disease is believed to be a blockage in the energy flow of these channels. A range of healing traditions, including acupuncture, acupressure, massage and yoga, are founded on the principle of the existence of energy channels or pathways, known as meridians, or nadis, running around the body in an expansive network.

While it may seem a little airy fairy to some to consider the energy body while we have flesh and bone, at source we are an energy field, embedded into another energy field. Our bodies are electromagnetic in nature and science has measured these frequencies with advanced machines, like EKG’s and MRI scanning, for many years. Numerous studies demonstrate these energy pathways and points conduct electricity even when needles aren’t used. And the massage technique of Shiatsu have been found to stimulate the same energetic effects. Similarly, Qigong,Tai Chi and the postures of yoga, have been found to increase electrical conductance at acupoints, yet science never believed in the existence of meridians until now.

A range of healing traditions including acupuncture,are founded on the principle of the existence of energy channels or pathways.A range of healing traditions are founded on the principle of the meridians.
Scientific research

Recently scientists at Seoul National University confirmed the existence of meridians, which they refer to as the “primo-vascular system.” They say that this system is a crucial part of the cardiovascular system.

Previously, North Korean scientist Kim Bong-Han proposed that he had found meridians in the early 1960’s.  Dr Kim Bong-Han showed over 50 years ago that new tubular structures exist inside and outside of blood vessels and lymphatic vessels, as well as on the surface of internal organs and under the dermis. He believed they were the traditional meridian lines. The meridians were called Bonghan ducts or channels, after his research, but now the existence of this system in various organs has been corroborated by further research.

The current Korean researchers now believe the primo-vascular system is in fact the physical component of the Acupuncture Meridian System. And it has also been suggested that this system is involved in channelling the flow of energy and information relayed by biophotons (electromagnetic waves of light) and DNA.

There may be a link between the meridians and energy and information relayed by DNA.

The Korean scientists studying oriental medicine with biophysical methods injected a special staining dye which coloured the meridians. By injecting the dye onto acupuncture points, they were able to see thin lines. These did not show up at non-acupuncture point sites where there are no meridians. The researchers discovered that the meridian lines are not confined to the skin, but are in fact a concrete duct system through which liquid flows, and that this liquid aggregates to form stem cells.

Previously, scientists used a combination of imaging techniques and CT scans to observe concentrated points of microvascular structures that clearly correspond to the map of acupuncture points created by Chinese energy practitioners in ancient times. In a study published in the Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, researchers used contrast CT imaging with radiation on both non-acupuncture points and acupuncture points. The CT scans revealed clear distinctions between the non-acupuncture point and acupuncture point anatomical structures.

Scientists injected a special staining dye which coloured the meridians
The meridian system

There are 12 primary paired meridians and two single mid meridians, six yang and six yin. The yang meridians run down the body and the yin meridians flow up the body. Each meridian is also related to an element. Each meridian is most active at a certain time of the day or night and each meridian is influenced by an element or season.

The nature of meridians, in their elemental structure, and as vessels for the life force, show the intricacy and profound connection of our body at a cellular level, to the universe. We are intimately connected by the elements, energetic structure and flow of energy, to all life, at a cellular, physical level. Our earth is also said to have energetic pathways or ley lines, akin to meridians.

The map of acupuncture points was created by Chinese healing practitioners nearly 2000 years ago

How are meridians related to health?

Our bodies need balance. A balanced flow or energy, not too much or too little, is conducive to good health. This is the same in the way we live our lives. Balance is paramount. Just enough food, water and a healthy balanced lifestyle. As the Buddha said: “middle way” or moderation in all things.

We can see this harmony and balance in life, as the balance between the energies of yin and yang – or more simplistically, masculine and feminine – the two opposing and catalyzing energies of the universe.

Our health is vibrant if there is harmony and balance between these two forces in the body. If the balance is disturbed, and the flow of one of these forces becomes greater than the other then illness arises. These forces or energies flow through very definite channels in the body, or meridians, and these are the body’s healing energy pathways.

In traditional Indian medicine, the meridians are expanded upon.There are nadis found within the physical body and these nadis make up the nervous system, the circulatory system, the digestive system, the respiratory system, the lymphatic systems, etc. Any blockages in these nadis can result in physical health conditions. Nadis can also be found in the subtle body where they carry thoughts, feelings, and nerve impulses. When these nadis are blocked, we lose our ability to feel, and connect deeply with others, the environment and ourselves. In the same way that veins and arteries are important for the body to function, nadis weave through our physical nerves and the matrix of consciousness that circuits the mind and self, supporting our physical expression from the otherworldly dimensions of existence.

Chi is made up of two kinds of forces, yin and yang.
When the flow of energy is blocked, it causes low energy and illness. Practices like yoga and meditation work on these subtle energy channels, supporting the flow of energy through the body. According to some ancient indian texts there are 350 000 nadis or energy pathways in the body. In traditional Indian medicine and spiritual science, the energies of the physical body, the subtle body and the causal body are said to flow through the nadis. Within this framework, the nadis are said to connect at special points of intensity called nadichakras.

The three most important nadis are those running along the spine: ida, pingala and sushumna. The Sushumna is the central channel of energy in the human body and it runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head and carries kundalini energy, which is the primal evolutionary force. Kundalini is awakened through yoga and meditation and is said to lie dormant at the base of the spine. Activation of the kundalini leads to higher consciousness states. The aim of yoga is to broaden the sushumna and to unite the pathways. Purifying all three nadis leads to overall health, and wellness of body and mind, as well as spiritual growth. Various Pranayama techniques aid in helping to keep these nadi channels open.

The three most important nadis are those running along the spine: ida, pingala and sushunma.

If you are sensitive to energy and have had energy treatments, such as acupuncture, you may have felt streams of energy or a flow of cold or heat, for example, up the legs or arms. This is a freeing up of energy in the meridians and the flow of energy that is released when a blockage is removed.

There are many wonderful healing modalities based on the meridian system that support radiant health. By enhancing the flow of energy through the body, balance and health is achieved and we come in touch with our true selves. Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality used in China as early as the late stone age. It was used to treat all ailments affecting people. Acupuncture did not enter modern Western consciousness until the 1970’s when China ended a period of isolation and resumed foreign political and cultural contacts.

The range of applications for acupuncture has grown slowly in the West, possibly because of the belief that it has no scientific basis.  Perhaps now with the scientific proof of meridians, acupuncture will become more widespread for all ailments, along with other great healing modalities based on the energetics of the body, supporting more people to have vibrant health and wellbeing.

My Fibromyalgia Journey – Seeing a Specialist.

Speaking to the right people.

After reading some very depressing Facebook pages and websites that were all full of doom and gloom, I decided that I needed to see someone that could really help. A specialist.

However, that in itself was a bit of a problem, who do I see?

A neurologist or a rheumatologist?

After speaking to several people, I found out I should be seeing a rheumatologist, so I went on the internet to find my nearest private hospital. I found Dr Peddasomayajula.

He was such a lovely man. He spent time with me explaining Fibromyalgia, eliminating most of the fear around it. He also confirmed that I did have it but not to worry as … drum roll please… with the right treatment symptoms can lesson dramatically and even disappear completely.

Hooray!

Dr P prescribed the right prescription for pain management as anything like paracetamol or even morphine just won’t work.

He also suggested a good diet… so no more:

• Vitamin D and good multi vitamins as well as probiotics.

• Alcohol… makes the symptoms worse and it doesn’t mix well with the new medication.

• Too much caffeine …. makes the symptoms worse as well.

So not so much Hooray … however, if cutting back on a few things will take away the pain then I will try and it will also help with weight loss.

Stress is another big factor in Fibromyalgia. (The preferred term for Fibromyalgia is now Chronic Widespread Pain Syndrome.) Meditation, yoga and my love of Reiki will also help. Doctors are more and more in favour of their patients using meditation, mindfulness and other relaxing techniques.

Meditation doesn’t have to mean sitting crossed legged humming ‘OM’. You could also do something you love such as

• Walking your dog or just walking in nearby woods.

• Gardening.

• Colouring, painting and drawing.

• Listening to guided meditations

I hope you, my lovely readers, have found a little help in my blog. Please feel free to contact me if you would like a positive outlook on Fibromyalgia and help with meditation and Reiki.

Love and light Debs xx

My Fibromyalgia Journey – Diagnosis

In my last post I talked about not knowing what was wrong with me, today I thought I would share what happened next.

Off I trotted to the Doctors. I’m very lucky as I have a brilliant medical practice, the reception staff, nurses and Doctors are lovely and caring.

My nurse, Karen, had already emailed the Dr J so she knew why I was seeing her. Dr J explained that if all my blood tests came back alright then she would complete an online programme which would give a score. Over a certain number it would be highly likely to be Fibromyalgia.

To cut a long wait short, I went back to see Dr J and yes my bloods were fine, so I then had to answer a list of questions.

These symptoms are taken from the NHS website.

Do you have…. ?

Widespread Pain

The pain could feel like:

• an ache

• a burning sensation

• a sharp, stabbing pain

Stiffness Fibromyalgia can make you feel stiff. The stiffness may be most severe when you have been in the same position for a long period of time – for example, when you first wake up in the morning.

It can also cause your muscles to spasm, which is when they contract (squeeze) tightly and painfully.

Poor Sleep Quality

Fibromyalgia can affect your sleep. You may often wake up tired, even when you have had plenty of sleep. This is because the condition can sometimes prevent you sleeping deeply enough to refresh you properly. You may hear this described as non-restorative sleep.

Cognitive problems ('fibro-fog')

Cognitive problems are issues related to mental processes, such as thinking and learning.

If you have fibromyalgia, you may have:

• trouble remembering and learning new things

• problems with attention and concentration

• slowed or confused speech

Headaches

If fibromyalgia has caused you to experience pain and stiffness in your neck and shoulders, you may also have frequent headaches.

When I answered, yes to the above and more, Dr J diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia.

Thank F**K for that as I truly thought I was going mad! Now I know what is wrong I can look at ways to make me feel better and I now take time out …. When I hit wall with tiredness I stop and have a lie down… and meditate or fall asleep.

In my next blog I’ll talk about the downfalls of researching on the internet and finally seeing a Specialist.

My Fibromyalgia Journey – What’s wrong with me?

Moving out of Leigh on Sea and buying a piece of land caused a fair bit of stress. Three years on I realised something was wrong with me. Seriously wrong. Going backwards and forwards to the Drs didn’t help as all my blood tests came back ok. I was fighting fit! Or so they told me, how come I didn’t feel like it though? My symptoms include, poor memory, brain fog, restless leg, weight gain & pain …everywhere.

Feeling a bit of a fraud… I help others to look after themselves. Life got in the way, building a house, working, looking after Mum, my wonderful grandkids and not forgetting dear ol’ Paul. I stopped looking after myself. I simply forgot. As a Reiki Master and teacher, I’m lucky enough to revisit my level one (Shoden) Reiki manual on a regular basis. Once I realised that I was stressed I reviewed my life and I went back to the basics of my Reiki training, which was really beneficial. I was treating myself better. Although I meditate and give myself Reiki I didn't remember to use some of the other brilliant techniques, however recently I’ve gone back to practising what I teach and have stopped forgetting me.

So now I’m,

1. Keeping a journal

2. Using Reiki

3. Reciting the precepts and meditating.

4. Repeating affirmations – I create the thought I want to achieve, using I am or I will as this detracts from the negative to bring in a positive light and attitude.

My last visit to see the practice nurse gave a glimmer of hope. She thought, after reading through my notes, that I may have Fibromyalgia. She advised me to go back and see my GP.

In my next post I’ll talk about what happened when I saw the Doctor.

Love and light

Debs

xx

So how stressed are you?

Please take a minute or two just to think about it, then, score it 0-10, 10 being the worse.

 Ideally our stress rate should be between 0-2 but life can sometimes throw us a curve ball or two. 

“Hans Selye coined the word ‘stress’ in 1936, he first defined it as a non-specific response of the body to any demand in change, later changing this to,
Stress is the rate of the wear and tear of your body.
”

As a Reiki Master a couple of my favourite ways of helping me to release stress is using Emotional Freedom Technique and of course, Reiki.

EFT
In 1995 Gary Craig, streamlined the practice of Thought Field Therapy (TFT) to develop Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT for short.

The basis of EFT is in Chinese acupuncture and psychology but instead of using needles, well-established meridian points on the upper body are tapped with the fingers. 

Many times we are affected by stress, bad relationships or traumas. Depression, interpersonal problems and anxieties also affect our health. These negative emotions block the flow of energy in our system and have a detrimental effect on our health. EFT helps in releasing these negative emotions and resolving the problem.

EFT is a unique and simple exercise that calms you so that you can think more clearly.  Since it only takes a minute or two to complete each round of tapping this makes EFT a quick, convenient and highly effective process which can be used on any issue and anywhere to good effect.  

EFT is a therapy that puts you back in the driving seat.

If you would like any further information on EFT, Reiki, Crystal Therapy and the courses I teach please take a look at my website.

Crystals, Oils and Water

Crystals, Oils and Water
June 30, 20181
Article by Reiki Master Judy Camblor 

Source: reikirays.com

So you say you are ready to add some complimentary healing modalities to your already successful Reiki healing sessions? Here are a few options.

Crystals

Crystals are my personal favorite healing modality to use in combination with my own Reiki practice. I feel a special connection to crystals, and I love using them in healing sessions. I use crystals to help in balancing the energies of the chakras. This practice is known as “Laying on of Stones”. It allows me to connect with my clients by judging which crystals feel best for the healing that is intended.

 
In my own practice, I cleanse the set of crystals I usually use for my clients with fresh water and sea salt before every session. This clears out any energy from the previous client and brings each crystal back to its natural vibratory state. During the healing process, when balancing the chakras, I will place a stone of the appropriate color on each area of the particular chakra. I may use a different crystal or create a grid on the person using different crystals depending on the information provided by my intuitive guides. The interaction between the crystals and the chakras allows the chakra to return to its natural healthy vibration. Again, I use my own personal spiritually guided intuition to decide what each chakra needs.

Crystals, Oils & Water

Before I begin balancing the chakras during a Reiki session, the first crystals I place are a piece of clear quartz near the top of a client’s head and a piece of hematite between the client’s feet. The clear quartz helps to clear and activate the energy centers of the body. The hematite helps the client in their meditative state to reach a feeling of tranquility and emotional clarity as well as keeping them grounded.

Below are the crystals I typically use during my healing sessions:

Chakra    Crystal
Root    Jasper
Sacral    Carnelian
Solar Plexus    Citrine
Heart    Aventurine, Rose Quartz
Throat    Blue Lace Agate
ThirdEye    Lapis Lazuli
Crown    Amethyst
These are just basic crystals for starters. Many different types of crystals can be used for all of the chakras.

Oils

Like crystal colors, there are essential oils that correspond with each chakra. There is quite a bit of information on the Intranet regarding essential oils and how to use them with the chakras. In my Reiki practice, I have two different methods when working with essential oils.

First, prior to the arrival of a client, I will set the intention to receive spiritually guided information as to what essential oil will most benefit the client. This is the essential oil I will use in my diffuser.
Second, throughout the session, I will periodically rub All Union Chakra Oil into the palms of my hands to heighten the client’s senses yet calm the nervous system. If I have been spiritually directed to use a different oil on the palms of my hands, I will change to that oil for the benefit of the client.
Here is a chart of the chakras and some of the corresponding essential oils:

Chakra    Oil
Root    Patchouli, Geranium to stimulate; Musk, Hyacinth to quiet
Sacral    Rose Geranium to stimulate; Musk, Amber to quiet
Solar Plexus    Bergamot or Ylan Ylang to stimulate; Rose to quiet
Heart    Honeysuckle to stimulate; Rose to quiet
Throat    Patchouli to stimulate; Lavender and Hyacinth to quiet
ThirdEye    Hyacinth to stimulate; Rose Geranium to quiet
Crown    Amber to stimulate; Bergamot to quiet
When it comes to Reiki, my personal preference is that which I have stated before: I will use the spiritually guided information according to each client when selecting which essential oil to use, and I will place a few drops of the particular oil into my diffuser. You can also create your own, which I have also done, by placing a few drops of a particular oil into a small spray bottle that has been filled with distilled water. You can also prepare different types of spray bottles to be used in your home or office to bring forth clarity and peace in your environment.

Water

How is Reiki used in water? There are many health benefits to using water that has been infused with Reiki. Such benefits include relaxation from stress when drinking Reiki water after a long day (instead of a glass of wine), increase in potency of vitamins when taken with Reiki infused water, and relief from insomnia by allowing the body to reach a relaxed state after drinking Reiki water. Reiki infused water can be helpful in the home as well. It can be used for watering your plants or cleansing the energy of your home. Once you have prepared the Reiki infused water you can use it in a spray bottle to sprinkle water in the corners of your living space or spraying the floors when cleaning.

The second level of attunements provides a practitioner with the ability to infuse water with Reiki. When preparing a glass of water for an individual, treat the water for one to two minutes. If you are preparing large quantities of water, treat the water for three minutes per gallon. Purified or distilled water is best for infusing with Reiki. Draw the power symbol in your hands, and set the intention for the purpose of the water. Then simply hold your hands over the receptacle holding the water you will be infusing and rotate your hands over it in a counter-clockwise manner (see below). Different practitioners may have different methods, but the one I have described herein is the most basic form.

Crystals, Oils & Water

When I am preparing for a healing session, I always make sure to have a glass of Reiki infused water ready for the client at the end of a session to be sure they are hydrated before they leave my treatment space. Remember, as practitioners we must abide by the golden rule of Reiki whereby the person receiving Reiki in any form agrees to receive it. Reiki only works for the highest good of each individual, therefore, the one ingesting the infused water must have full knowledge and acceptance of its use.

Enjoy experimenting with these variations of energy healing modalities in your own Reiki practice.

Wishing you a day full of love and light!

PIONEERING DEVELOPMENTS RELATING TO REIKI

PIONEERING DEVELOPMENTS RELATING TO REIKI
The UK Reiki Federation has a history of encouraging the pioneering use of Reiki. Many of our members have a great deal of experience in ‘breaking new ground’; diligently pushing back the barriers in raising awareness of the many and varied ways in which Reiki can be used to harmonise and balance all aspects of life thus promoting self-healing.

As an organisation, we constantly work to drive Reiki forward in other ways too – increasing standards, keeping up to date with relevant scientific research, sharing knowledge and providing expertise. Animal Reiki, Research and Training are key areas where we are currently leading progressive developments for and with the Reiki profession.

We have members working or otherwise helping in many specialist areas and we encourage them to share their experiences and expertise though our members magazine. For example, some of our members work in mainstream medicine and education as well as in complementary care.

WIDE RANGING AND INNOVATIVE SETTINGS FOR REIKI TREATMENTS AND PROJECTS
A questionnaire conducted amongst Reiki practitioners within each of the Reiki Council organisations established a few years ago that Reiki is practiced in all of the following:

NHS Hospitals including Maternity Units, Cancer Wards/Clinics/Centres/Support Groups
Bristol Cancer Help Centre
Hospices
Carers Associations
NHS Occupational Health Departments
Physiotherapy Units
NHS Medical Centres
NHS Mental Health Units/Psychotherapy Clinics
Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centres
Veterinary Settings
Animal Care Centres such as rescues and sanctuaries
Charity Premises
HIV/AIDS Organisations
Holistic Health & Healing Centres
Prisons (& young offender’s institutions)
Sheltered Accommodation Centres
Health, Leisure & Fitness Centre
Health & Beauty Spas/Farms
Hair & Beauty Salons
Convents
Mind-Body-Spirit Events
Spiritual Retreats
Community Centres/Village Halls
Education – Schools & Adult & Further Education Colleges
Residential Care & Nursing Homes
Local Council Health & Harmony Events
Social Services Day Care Centres
GP & Dental Practices
Projects include:

Special Needs – learning & behavioural difficulties and mental health
Medical & Paramedical (some of our members are also doctors, nurses, physios, chiropodists etc. officially practising or promoting Reiki in the statutory sector)
Drug & Alcohol Abuse/Addiction Programmes + Substance Abusers & Families Support Networks
Age Concern linked initiatives
Mid-air (for crew and passengers) during transcontinental flights
Workplace Occupational Health Schemes
By invitation at World trouble spots
Rough Sleepers Projects/Young Homeless/Vulnerably Housed Projects
Reiki is welcomed by people and animals of all ages from birth and childhood through to old age.

Article from the UK Reiki Federation.

WHAT IS REIKI HEALING?

WHAT IS REIKI HEALING?
Reiki as defined by the Oxford English dictionary is:
“A healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being”.
It is however, also widely accepted that Reiki can be given and received equally effectively hands-off or via distant healing. The Japanese word ‘Reiki’ literally translates as universal life force energy. This system of healing was developed by Mikao Usui the early 20th century. It is a non-invasive complementary therapy that has been taught and used in the UK since the late 1900s, but Eastern medicine has for thousands of years worked with this energy, recognising its flow through all living things. Reiki supports orthodox medicine or can be used alone but is not a replacement for traditional medication or treatments. It is not based on any belief, faith or suggestion, yet, scientific research using quantum physics is starting to help us to understand how reiki may work to benefit the individual. It has been suggested that in years to come it may be known as energy medicine based on scientifically measurable energy emitted from the healer’s hands.
Reiki is given fully clothed in a quiet environment and is safe for adults, children, mothers–to–be, babies and animals. However in the case of animals with health issues, owners should confirm that the animal has been seen by a veterinary surgeon to obtain a diagnosis. Reiki practitioners must not diagnose the health problem.
It is highly recommended that practitioners are members of a recognised professional organisation with strict Codes of Ethics and hold practitioner insurance.
Scientific research findings may help us to understand how Reiki works
There is much to learn and more research is necessary before a definitive explanation can be given, but research is producing very interesting results:
• When giving Reiki, practitioners have been shown to emit electro-magnetic or bio-magnetic energy from their hands. The frequencies of the energy emitted vary from one moment to the next; but many appear to correspond to those that medical researchers have identified as being the optimum frequencies for stimulating the healing process in tissues, bones and other body parts so far investigated.
• The bio-magnetic energy (or field) flowing from a practitioner’s hands has been shown to induce current flows in the tissues and cells of individuals who are in close proximity but this pulsing energy is not produced by non-practitioners of energy healing techniques.
Two ways in which these pulsing magnetic fields may stimulate repair of bone and other tissues include:
• A cascade of reactions takes place from the cell surface to the cytoplasm and on to the nucleus and genes, where selective effects on the DNA have been documented.
• A phenomenon called amplification, in which a single hormone molecule, neurotransmitter or photon of electromagnetic energy has been shown to trigger a cellular response; and in fact very tiny fields have been shown to produce the best effects, suggesting that living tissues are much more sensitive to external fields than previously considered possible.
NB: A bio-magnetic field can also be created by passing electric currents though living tissue as has been used for medical diagnoses and treatments for almost a century for example in ECG & MRI scanning.
Reiki is often referred to as an intelligent form of healing. It is suggested that this and similar energy therapies may be valuable in the prevention and remission of some serious diseases that are so costly in terms of human suffering and likely to be more expensive to health care in the future.

By the UK REIKI FEDERATION

Reiki in Hospitals

This is fantastic news....

Reiki is reaching the Top Hospitals

by Eugenio Lepine

From the Johns Hopkins to several cancer centers, Reiki is steadily gaining presence in top medical facilities. Here is a brief view on some of them.

Up to this day is still unclear how Reiki works, but many theories are on it. At the Reiki Frequencies post is mentioned the research about this elusive healing technique. Despite this, several top medical facilities are realizing the benefits of Reiki, especially in the areas of pain control and cancer complementary care. 

JOHNS HOPKINS

The Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine & Digestive Center, in Maryland USA, offers Reiki to its patients “to create deep relaxation, to help speed healing, reduce pain, and decrease other symptoms you may be experiencing”. Certainly, they don’t explain its mechanisms but have wisely adopted Reiki among acupuncture, integrative psychotherapy, and therapeutic massage.

MAYO CLINIC

The Mayo Clinic is ranked No. 1 at USNews.com’s Best Hospitals Honor Roll in 2017-18. This is a clear example of an integrative model, where the latest developments and technology are applied, but not neglecting the spiritual and emotional conflicts and needs that might arise during cancer treatment. Therefore, trained and level 2-certified providers of reiki or healing touch provide volunteer services, to patients at both Mayo Clinic Hospital campuses and some outpatient areas.

REIKI IN AUSTRALIAN HEALTHCARE

The MacArthur Cancer Service is located in Sydney, Australia. This Centre is rated among the 30 best technologically advanced cancer services in the world, according to Top Masters In Healthcare. Their Wellness Centre is focused on helping patients managing their own health and well-being, realizing every person has different needs and circumstances, in order to recommend the best approach and therapy. In the case of Reiki, six volunteers are running the Reiki Therapy MacArthur Cancer Therapy Centre. 

Even more, the Cancer Council in New South Wales, Australia (a ramification of the national council), provides resources, information, and support among cancer patients and relatives. Here, Reiki is included in the “touch therapies” group, among polarity therapy, craniosacral and some others.

At this point, it is responsible to remember that the Cancer Council (and mainstream medical community) does not recommend the use of alternative therapies as a treatment for cancer. Only complementary therapies that have been proven to be safe to use alongside conventional cancer treatments.

Finally, to explain the reason for this trend is that a cornerstone benefit of Reiki is general well-being, which makes you more resilient and joyful, independently of which situation your life is on at this moment. When suffering a disease, it can reduce pain, shorten recovery or improve the outcome, and could be used along with a specific treatment plan studied by specialists.

5 PRACTICAL WAYS TO CALM AN OVERTHINKING MIND

5 PRACTICAL WAYS TO CALM AN OVERTHINKING MIND
Most of us consider ourselves to be ‘positive people.’ Or, at least, we try to be as often as we can. Sometimes though, our thoughts get the better of us.
Thinking about a problem can cause an overabundance of other thoughts to follow, causing an endless spiral of overthinking. Our thoughts have power- if you think too much about something, it can cause unnecessary stress and even make you feel like you are losing your mind.
“The more you overthink the less you will understand.” – Habeeb Akande
That quote holds a lot of truth. How many times have you not been thinking about something, when suddenly, out of nowhere, the answer comes to you?
It happens to me all the time. When we think about something that happened, and we try to analyze it, we sometimes create problems that weren’t even there in the first place.
Overthinking can cause serious problems in your relationships and with your mental health. Here are 5 ways to calm an overthinking mind:
1. Don’t blame yourself.
A common pattern with overthinkers is that they tend to blame themselves when things go wrong. They observe a situation and pick it apart, trying to find what they could have done differently.
You need to remember to let blame go. Things happen as they happen and if you didn’t intentionally do something wrong, then you can’t blame yourself. Life gets complicated sometimes, but there is no reason to continuously blame yourself for those complications.
2. Accept change as a part of life.
Change is inevitable. You can’t control every aspect of your life, and trying to will only cause more frustration. Some things you can control, and so you should work on them as you please.
But some things will always be out of your grasp and worrying about them is pointless.
Buddha once said, “If you have a problem that can be fixed, then there is no use in worrying. If you have a problem that cannot be fixed, then there is no use in worrying.”
3. Leave “what if” alone.
“What if” is a powerful tool for the overthinking mind. It can take you down paths you never would have journeyed before. This is exactly why you should leave it alone.
Possibilities are great to consider, but not when they lead you to a world with only negative aspects. Focus more on the present, and not what could have been, or what might be.
4. Meditate.
I know, I know, meditation is the most difficult thing for someone who is constantly in their head. That being said, I believe there is a way around the issue of ‘not being able to silence the mind.’
As an overthinker myself, I have found that using mantras during meditation, combined with relaxed breathing, improved my meditative state and allowed for more clarity. “Om Mani Padme Hum” is a personal favourite.
Buddhist Lama, Kalu Rinpoche once said, “Through mantra, we no longer cling to the reality of the speech and sound encountered in life, but experience it as essentially empty. Then confusion of the speech aspect of our being is transformed into enlightened awareness.”
5. Be patient with yourself.
Our self-talk is very powerful. Don’t be hard on yourself when you catch your mind engaging 5th gear. Decelerate, breathe, and focus. Be patient with your progress and speak to yourself with kind, supportive words. Overthinking took time to develop and it will take time to unlearn.
By Raven Fon
source and courtesy: Spirit Science

Gem Water

Gem elixirs are a very powerful way of transferring the vibrational frequency of a crystal into the energy system, right down to the cellular level. 

By placing crystals in drinking water the crystal energy is able to restructure the water, and will charge it with the vibration and energy properties of the crystals, affecting the energy body in much the same way as working with the stones themselves.  They’re a great way to incorporate crystal energy into your life, and can be taken anywhere you can take a bottle of water!

A gem essence is not as self adjusting as a flower remedy, if you think of a flower it moves with the breeze, where as the crystal is solid and focused due to its atomic structure.

The crystals MUST be clean and of good quality with no matrix, ‘crust’ on it, have no other crystal within it or be cracked. If in doubt place the crystals in a test tube as shown in the below picture before adding water. Leave for 24hours..

For a very simple experiment make your own elixirs by taking 4 glasses of water and drop in a different crystal tumble stones such as Rose quartz, Quartz & Amethyst in 3 of them leaving one glass without a tumble stone. Leave it for about half an hour or more then taste the difference between them.

REIKI : A GROUNDBREAKING SCIENTIFIC STUDY by Green Lotus

After decades of often disputed validity, the effectiveness of Reiki, a holistic energy treatment is gaining new respect within the medical community. Not only are highly reputable medical facilities throughout the U.S. offering patients alternative healing programs such as Reiki, those facilities are analyzing the benefits of their programs and are submitting them for review and compilation. The results of these Reiki research studies are nothing short of remarkable.

A Brief Explanation of Reiki

Reiki is an energy healing treatment that works holistically; on the whole body, mind and spirit. Not a system of religious beliefs, Reiki is simply a relaxing treatment whereas natural healing vibrations are transmitted through the hands of a Reiki practitioner (acting as a conduit) to the body of the recipient. The purpose of a Reiki treatment is to relieve stress and pain, induce relaxation, release emotional blockages, accelerate natural healing, balance subtle bodies energies and support other medical modalities including traditional therapies.
The International Center for Reiki Training has estimated that there are 4,000,000 people throughout the world who have taken at least one level of Reiki training. There are three traditional levels of expertise.
Today, Reiki education is offered free of charge in more than 800 American Hospitals as a means to accelerate the healing process and to alleviate pain.

Why Reiki Has Been Discounted

For years Reiki, along with other methods of holistic therapies were looked upon with disdain, even contempt from medical associations, practitioners, mainstream scientists and clerics. The idea that the human body was permeated or surrounded by an invisible, etheric body of “life force energy” was considered to be no less than nonsense.
These negative conclusions were formulated on the premise that “life energy” fields such as those accepted in China as Chi or qi, in Japan as ki and in India as prana , were “unseen” and “immeasurable” by traditional research or scientific instrumentation.
But now all that is changing.
William Lee Rand – Founder of the International Center for Reiki Training

Reiki Clinical Studies, Improved Reporting

There’s never been a comprehensive list of controlled, evidence-based research that was accessible to the holistic, medical, and scientific communities. It wasn’t until 2005 when William Lee Rand, founder and president of the International Center for Reiki Training and a pioneer in worldwide Reiki awareness formed the Center For Reiki Research and developed what is now known as The Touchstone Process.

What is The Touchstone Process?

The Touchstone Process is actually a peer review method for analyzing the current state of scientific studies done on Reiki programs in hospitals, clinics and hospice facilities throughout the United States. The process of critique is rigorous, impartial, and consistent and incorporates the best practices for scientific review.
William Lee Rand began formulating The Touchstone Process after developing the Reiki In Hospitals website, considered to be the most comprehensive compilation of hospitals offering Reiki treatments throughout the world.
The Touchstone Process is unique. Never before have there been so many worthy studies of Reiki gathered, analyzed and evaluated within a single source.

Reiki Case Studies

The most recent data analyzed (during 2008-9) shows strong evidence that Reiki is indeed responsible for a positive biological response in both humans and animals.
The strongest evidence (rated “excellent” in the Process) was reported in the most carefully controlled of all experiments; non other than laboratory rats. In both 2006 and 2008 stressed-out lab rats received Reiki treatments and they all showed significantly reduced stress, anxiety and depression responses. “Sham” or bogus Reiki treatments were given to the placebo group and they showed no reduction in stress, anxiety or depression.
Testing in humans performed between 1993 and 2006 showed ratings from Satisfactory to Excellent, all suggesting that the benefit of Reiki treatments were positive in controlling pain levels in humans. There were some “confounding variables”, which is typical in hospital (as opposed to laboratory) studies; however, the placebo Reiki treatments in this experiment were by contrast ineffective in controlling pain.

Vital Signs

New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Campus conducted one of the first studies ever performed to determine the effectiveness of Reiki treatments on the autonomic nervous system. This “blind, random study” included a Reiki treatment group, a “sham” treatment group and a “control” group. The testing began with all participants at “baseline” autonomic nervous systems levels. The results within the Reiki treatment group showed a lowering of these levels including heart rate, respiration and blood pressure. These positive results led the team to recommend further, larger studies to look at the biological effects of Reiki treatment.
It’s interesting to note that Columbia/Presbyterian was one of the first hospitals to offer Reiki as part of their Integrative Medicine Program (CIMP). The now famous cardiovascular surgeon, Dr. Mehmet Oz brought tremendous attention to Reiki when he invited Reiki practitioners to treat patients during open heart surgeries and heart transplant operations. Dr. Oz is often quoted as saying, “Reiki has become a sought-after healing art among patients and mainstream medical professionals.”
Words of wisdom from an internationally recognized Reiki Practioner and author who had been published in peer-reviewed medical journals

Reiki Passes Tests with Flying Colors

There have been many other controlled studies submitted to peer-journals and to The Touchstone Process for review. Ailments and disorders that tested favorably to Reiki treatment include:

1. Post operative pain after tooth extraction
2. Cognition in elderly, related to dementia/Alzheimers 3. Pre-operative relaxation and post-op pain
4. Pain in chronically ill patients
5. Depression and stress
6. Well-being in Reiki practitioners
As of 2009, The Touchstone Process has evaluated 25 test studies that appeared in peer-review journals evaluating the merits of Reiki Treatments. Taking into consideration only the most rigorously controlled studies, the team reported that 83% showed moderate to strong evidence in support of Reiki as a viable, therapeutic healing modality.
Only one study proved solidly negative and that was for the treatment of fibromyalgia-associated pain levels. As is the case with conventional drug treatments, not all therapies prove to be effective.

Thinking Positively

Despite these findings and the impressive number of highly reputable hospitals offering Reiki Treatments to patients, there will be those who continue to deem Reiki and other forms of energy-medicine as being “nonsensical”.
As recently as 2009, reviews of randomized studies”of Reiki research conducted by Edzard Ernst, M.D., Ph.D. and his colleagues at the University of Exeter, concluded that most were poorly designed and presented insufficient evidence to suggest that Reiki was an effective method for healing any condition.
That same year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops came out with a statement urging Catholic health-care facilities and clergy not to promote or support Reiki therapy. They issued a statement emphatically concluding that Reiki cannot be an effective method of healing “within the findings of natural science or in Christian belief”.
One can only look to the future of science and the evolution of scientific testing, evaluation and responsible reporting which began with The Touchstone Process to alter these perceptions.

Conclusion

A spokesperson from Columbia Integrative Medicine Program at the New York Presbyterian Hospital (CIMP) perhaps expresses it best, saying,
“I find the practice of Reiki very rewarding, as a practitioner. Patients have reported deep relaxation and a sense of profound healing, after one session. I feel that Reiki is a huge asset for any hospital setting, because patients sense that they are in a truly caring environment.”
As Reiki continues to become “a huge asset” for the hospital setting, analytical reporting such as The Touchstone Process continues to add to the much needed pool of evidence that Reiki is indeed a worthy, effective method for facilitating the healing process; one that can contribute to the betterment of patients everywhere and to the betterment of our health care systems.

 
by Green Lotus

How does Reiki work?

To some people Reiki is weird, and even think it’s made up, however we all use Reiki on a day-to-day basis without even knowing it. For example what is the first thing you do when you are in pain? You hold that part of you that hurts because that is the most instinctive thing to do, when you have a backache, you tend to rub your back or a headache you rub your temples and when we are emotionally upset we all like a hug. 

So for what reason do we do this? 

Its simple really, we are made up from energy and we exist in a Universe of energy so when we use our hands to comfort others and ourselves we are transferring and focusing energy to the parts of us that need it. Reiki is the transfer of the purist energies from one person to another, Reiki, (Rei-Spiritual, Ki –Energy), boosts the power of touch.

Reiki is a safe, non-intrusive, non-diagnostic and non-manipulative complementary therapy that can also help you to relax, de-stress, re-balance and re-charge the mind, body and spirit, helping you to maintain a healthy, stress-free lifestyle

Reiki’s gentle energy is safe for people of all ages, including pregnant mothers, newborns and surgical patients.  I personally have used Reiki on my daughter during the whole of her pregnancy and I regularly use it on my growing granddaughter.