Now that the introductory blog post is out of the way we can jump into the GOOD stuff! And by the GOOD stuff I mean the information on complementary and alternative medicine/healing methods. If this is your first time visiting the blog, welcome and I hope you'll enjoy the content here as well as everything available to you on the website! Let's get to it.
First let's start with some definitions so everyone is on the same page, I want all readers to be engaged and understand what's being discussed:
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) refers to any medical treatments that are not part of mainstream medicine. Complementary Medicine is used when a non-mainstream practice is used TOGETHER with conventional medicine while Alternative Medicine is when a non-mainstream practice is used IN PLACE OF conventional medicine.
Integrative Medicine is the combination of complementary and conventional approaches being used together in a balanced way to achieve the best results for the patient. An example of this would be using Reiki to help with the side effects of cancer treatment. Like discussed in this research article.
Everyone Clear? If not, as always, you can leave a comment or email me and I would love to clarify or chat more about those terms.
It was important for me to make the first blog post introducing a non-mainstream therapy to be on the one that means so very much to me...Reiki! On my website I have a pretty thorough introduction to what Reiki is, found HERE on the Frequently Asked Questions page. Be sure to check that out for a closer look at the history of Reiki.
The Background:
Reiki is defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) as a way for the practitioner to guide energy to the recipient, to assist the innate healing energy of the recipient and facilitate self-healing. The practitioner does not cause the healing, nor are they the source of the energy. The practitioner is a channel for the energy, much like a garden hose is a channel for water. The NCCAM places Reiki therapy in the in the category of biofield energy. Biofield energy is any electrical or magnetic field produced by a biological organism, e.g. a human. The human body produces measurable electrical and magnetic fields. The heart produces an electrical field to regulate its beat and in conventional medicine this electrical field is measured by using an electrocardiogram. So, in other words: we are energy. THIS article goes into details on the vibrational frequency that is emitted from Reiki practitioners' compared to untrained individuals'. It shows that the range of frequencies correlated with the varying vibrational frequencies of healthy tissues and organs. Cool right?
The Process:
For those unclear on how a Reiki session is conducted let's get into what exactly goes down. A typical Reiki session can last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes depending on the needs of the client. An individual lays down on a surface similar to a massage table fully clothed and the practitioner places their hands lightly on, or a few inches above the body in a set sequence of hand positions to assist the client in channeling healing energy. Reiki always goes where it is needed so the body receives a complete treatment.
The Experience:
My personal journey with Reiki started from my frustration with conventional medicine and a lack of understanding from certain providers in my health care team when it came to what I wanted (this includes certain medications or procedures they would recommend/try on me or just dealing with medication adverse side effects regularly). After doing my own research on Reiki and speaking with my cousin who is also a Reiki practitioner I decided it was time to see what exactly Reiki could do for me. My initial experience was mind blowing, it was hard for me to grasp the concept of Reiki before I had it done for myself and no amount of journal articles or books could have prepared me for that. I understand that everyone does not have the same eye-opening first Reiki session experience like that, but this is what happened for me and I'm extremely grateful for it. Doing Self-Reiki daily has been so beneficial for me as an individual but also as a practitioner to make sure I'm always a clear channel for Reiki energy to flow through. This is why I am such a strong advocate for Reiki being used in a variety of settings to assist others going through physical, mental, or emotional stressors. I absolutely recommend anyone curious to try Reiki at least once and note the effects and benefits you experience. I will say, make sure you pick a practitioner that understands the art and is passionate about helping others through the power of Reiki and is willing to answer and address any questions or concerns you might have about the process.
Alright, let's wrap this up! As always, I'm available via email if there are any questions anyone has in regards to my website, this particular post or my journey in general. Please feel free to leave a comment below if there's anything you want to highlight from this post! I hope this has been super informative and possibly sparked an interest in exploring all that Reiki can do for you. If you go HERE, you can find my listed services and I would love to work with you as a Reiki Practitioner or with anything else I can provide.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read! I'm already excited about what I have to share with you all next, so subscribe to the blog so you won't miss out on the new updates!