Reiki: Remember to Breathe
Posted on 09 August 2008 by Chastidy Craig
The room was warm and dark, lit only by the fading sun outside from a long window on the far wall. There were yoga mats and hardwood floors that were creaky, yet polished. The room had a peaceful vibe- one wall was orange and the other one was covered in mirrors. We had all gathered here for one reason- Reiki. Some of us had prior experience, and others had never been in such a setting. It was an eclectic group, and we were being taught by a woman who reminded me of milk and warm cookies.
This wasn't really the first time I'd been in such a group, but it was the first time I'd been to one in Dallas, and I really wasn't disappointed at all. There was the smell of incense as we went through a guided meditation, and then we learned the basic history of Reiki and received our first of four levels. That first night I really walked out of there feeling changed, like something deep inside of me had moved.
I went to the subsequent classes and wound up learning a lot about myself. For instance- I can meditate, where as before I had never really been able to (I'm highly ADD) and I even enjoy it. This little sect in Dallas, which is just a little bit of this community in Dallas, truly provided me with a great deal of peace when I needed it the most. Granted, I am a former massage therapist and knew what to expect, but I never knew that it even existed until I reached out to it.
I think one of the major problems in this society is that we've lost touch with ourselves. Between work and responsibilities, most of us barely have time for ourselves. We rush and rush and when we're done we just veg out in front of the television or the computer. This has an adverse affect on our health- physical and mental, and we aren't allowing ourselves to heal from the stress of every day life. Sometimes we need to slow down- or even stop- and just be.
The holistic healing community in this city reaches far and wide, and welcomes all people with open arms. Even if you think it's a bunch of nonsense, you should at least try it. You never know. Go to a lecture, take a class on something you've always been interested in (Accupressure, Aromatherapy, Reiki, Massage) , or just go and sit somewhere quiet and still with a bit of a breeze- and remember to breathe.
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August 11th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I completely agree. I tried yoga for the first time a few months ago. Unfortunately, the monthly dues are too much for my current budget, but I can’t wait until I can afford to go 3 to 4 times a week again. Yoga sounds like it’s much more physical than Reiki, but it was a perfect way to get exercise and still just be.
I was going to Sunstone Yoga here in Dallas, and the water class was my favorite. It was a variation on their popular fire class that allowed me to focus on myself and force myself NOT to think. I think way too much, and those thoughts run away with me. They also cause me to not do the poses as well as I would like, so in order to get the most out of my practice, I had to shut out everything and everyone, including myself.
Everyone’s different, but I definitely agree that we all need to take a step back and reevaluate where we’re headed. Is the 6 figure salary really that important if you never have the time to enjoy the luxuries it affords you? I’d much rather make less, have less debt which translates into less to worry about and just be happy. I’m tired of trying to keep up with the Jones’.