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A few words to characterize most human brains: busy, loud, stubborn, and scared. For many of us, our overactive brains keep us from opening to our deepest, most loving, most comfortable selves. When we are not open to these aspects of ourselves, we either hide by hibernating (literally or figuratively), or we stay busy with hilariously misaligned priorities. So busy that we're not sleeping as we should.
In myself, when my priorities are askew [I'm procrastinating, fast-forwarding, not paying attention to the present abundance], I'm actually just scared, and i don't sleep. The fear that keeps many of us awake: that we aren't seen, heard, felt - and therefore alive. As disorienting as this fear may be, it is quite human, but it gets us doing the darndest things, into the wee hours of the morning, and not sleeping.
Tangentially, if you're not currently sleeping well and you're tripping over yourself about it as we all do sometimes, play your guitar [or whatever instrument you've always wanted to pick up]. At least it becomes time more sweetly spent.
If and when you want to try a practice that may help you reclaim some nourishing rest, read on.
After careful observation, I'm here to report that the only break from this fear -- whatever form it's taking in your life -- is breathing consciously. Breathing delivers me into the present moment. And breathing is key to getting your healing rest.
When my mind has such a hold that I cannot breathe, Reiki returns me to my breathing.
The brief practice below incorporates Reiki, which helps us breathe, combined with conscious breathing, which helps us sleep.
Consistency equals efficacy here; you'll feel the cumulative effects.
1. For everyday situations (walking, waiting, sitting -- right now), place your left hand over your heart, center of your chest, fingers spread, palm flat. With your hand there, breathe into and around your brain. Use your breathing to make space between your actual brain and your skull (be creative with the visual and you will feel it in your softening eyes); then you may even breathe some more space between the two hemispheres of your brain. Keep your brain porous, spacious, and notice how that quality of openness is actually a reflection of your spacious heart below. Hold the space and notice your thought-pace slow down. Use this in meetings, in conversations, with children. Or several breaths right now.
2. Ideally done lying down or reclining, try this placement right now if you can. Place one or both hands on the top crown of your head, one in front of the other, elbows out to the sides, and breathe deeply into your heart. Broaden your heart; widen the space in the center of your chest laterally. As you breathe, maintain your expansive heart and notice the reflection of that opening higher up, in your mind, as well. Put some attention on the resonance in and around your hands.
Take a few breaths here.
2A. When you're using this placement specifically before sleep: lying on your back, place your hands on the top crown of your head and let your elbows rest out to the sides on your pillow. Let your eyes relax [closed or open, as you wish] and review the scenes of your day with no judgment: where have you been, how did you speak, what did you offer? Be objective and keep your heart expansive as you breathe here. This is information-gathering, not judgment time.
The aim of this nightly review is to learn your habitual tendencies with your heart wide open-- what they look like, sound like, their consequences -- so they don't continue to infect your every interaction. You'll see which attitudes drain you and which nurture you. Whether you're horrified, pleased, psyched, mortified upon seeing your behaviors; see those judgments, and remember that no judgment can take you over once you've seen it clearly as you're breathing generously. Notice you're sad: there is sadness, say hello- sadness is present, but it's not YOU. Notice you're thrilled! Greetings, thrilled, that's what that feels like; return to your breathing and simply do whatever needs to be done next.
Your attention on your breathing sits right in the middle of any two strong polarities; if you're breathing, you can see more clearly what's required of you. My teacher recommends 5 minutes for the review; it helps me to have my hands on my head as I watch, and to breathe until my heart feels softer and more open even in the face of what I'm seeing.
Both of these hand placements are incorporated into a full Reiki self-treatment.
Reiki: A Comprehensive Guide offers an enlightening history of this profoundly healing practice as well as details of the full self-treatment. To learn about Reiki, meet Pamela Miles, who's committed herself to Reiki's widespread scientific recognition and medical use in hospitals and critical-care environments [and, very thankfully, in my home].
This practice must be for yourself only - an intimate, quiet practice of self-care.
We must fearlessly breathe through each frightfully sabotaging thought, one at a time, in order to know what real acceptance looks like. It takes longer on some nights, but now we have a practice, a vessel, a direction for a rambunctious brain.
Is such a concrete practice of self-nourishing, Self-acceptance the most efficient salve for sleeplessness? Or is it your 2 a.m. solitary guitar strumming? Let me know what's true for you.
Fun assignment: write the following phrase on 5 small sticky notes and place them at eye level in your kitchen, your fridge, your mirrors, your door.
Take care of yourself.
In my work, I've met authors like Sara Paretsky, musicians like Vince Vance and Pete Fountain and all manner of massage experts and wellness gurus. There are many benefits to being a writer and one of them is opportunity. Recently, I had an opportunity to sit down with Chicago area Relexologist Deborah Berg, MIIR. I sat down. She performed reflexology on my hands and feet as we talked about her career and an article I wanted to sell.
Deb told me reflexology is a treatment or "modality" that deals with issues like pain, stress, circulation and overall wellness support. She got into the field after years as a construction general contractor and a stint owning her own tiling business with her daughter. As you can guess, the hard, physical work began to cause some bone and muscle discomfort for her.
Whereas most people seeking a second or third career these days jump out of bed one morning and shout, "Eureka - I'm going to be a writer," Deb had the good sense to pursue a career where she could do good for others and not encounter overwhelming competition at every turn.
This is a column for writers. I'll tie reflexology in by saying the stress relief element is invaluable to writers, considering the shape our marketplace is in these days and the huge volume of people avalanching into this field. Who could be more stressed than we are? You have to sell your work to stay afloat, so you might also consider hooking up with Deb or another reflexologist to do your own article. Think about maybe something on new mothers finding relief for stress and low back pain. Maybe market it to Chicago Parent Magazine.
What is reflexology?
The theory, some say, tracks back to ancient Egypt, china, India and may even have been practiced by early Native Americans. Relexologists believe that certain locations on the hands and on the feet correspond physiologically to various body areas like the spine, skeletal parts, nerves, muscles, organs and glands.
It's thought you can affect those body parts by manipulating, stroking, rubbing or pressing corresponding hand and foot locales. In a session, the relaxation is certainly apparent. It's almost as good as a full body massage. You'll leave feeling a lot calmer than when you arrived. I can’t say if the science is sound, but those in the field swear by it. Some insurance companies may even cover treatments as complementary medicine.
Does reflexology really impact body parts?
At one point in my treatment, Deb was working on the base of my thumb. I could be wrong about the exact location, but as we chatted, my sinuses began draining profusely. It was annoying and embarrassing as my nose ran at a good clip. As I was trying to decide if I were going to choke, Deb mentioned that the place she was working related to sinuses. So there you have it.
I also notice a tingle in my shoulder when she worked with the corresponding hand place. I thought a good bit of what Deb told me was worth considering. As for the claims that reflexology treats cancer - I'd advise extreme, unyielding caution before making that claim or buying into it. That may be fodder for another sellable story - find a competing opinion and do a pro and con.
A bit of web research turns up charts and maps of the hands and feet, schools for reflexologists and contact information for a few. Deb works in Crystal Lake out in the burbs.She appears to know her business and has a soothing chair-side manner. If you're looking for an expert source for an article, or if you just need some "me" time before you refocus on your writing, I highly recommend her
The power of individuality – have courage and follow your own path “What is genius but the power of expressing a new individuality?” Elizabeth Barett Browning Are you in the process of creating something different in your life? Breaking through old beliefs and developing new habits? Are you changing career perhaps? Leaving the corporate world to go it alone? Are you finally taking the plunge and doing what you always wanted to do, and no longer what you “should” be doing?
If any of this relates to you then you have probably experienced the accompanying feeling of fear and resistance, the worrying that perhaps we are being daft trying be who we really are? That voice in your head may be telling you intermittently “Who do you think you are trying to make it? ” Why didn’t you just stay in that comfortable desk job? Ok it was boring but at least you got a regular pay check”?
Well the quote I mentioned above may well be just what you need to keep you motivated. Expressing a new individuality through creating the life you want, and were meant to live, and being true to yourself really IS genius. It’s the people who follow the truth that create the change other people just dream of seeing. It’s those of us who face our fears and take the plunge who ultimately act as inspirers and role models to others.
If we all were to focus on our individual strengths, then we would be a world of blossoming people and our individuality would shine.
The power of expressing a new individuality may be hard at first, but being your own person and celebrating that could bring more shine and magnificence to your life than you could ever imagine.
The more and more I follow and express my own individuality, rather than suppress it and keep it locked away. The more life pays me back and attracts greatness towards me.
Think about expressing new individuality, imagine how life could flow when you are embracing your own true self. I have experienced it happen and I have seen it happen. Life becomes easier and it simply flows effortlessly.
In the western method of Reiki it has been the norm to recommend a full body treatment for any medical problem. Personally, as mentioned before, I have found that treating specific chakras or points connected to the organ or energy blockage causing the problem gives a much better result.
Hand positions for quick results
Based on a broad knowledge of the eastern way of looking at disease and methods for healing via the meridian system and acupuncture points etc. I have compounded information about which Reiki hand positions yield the best results for a specific problem.
My system is based on the common Reiki hand positions used here in the Western world. I have divided the body and positions into 4 different areas: Head, Body, Legs/Feet and Back.
Hand position photos to help you
If you choose the disease in the drop down menu above you will get a page with the Reiki hand positions that are most effective for that specific problem. You can also click to see a picture and a description of any position given.
