life energy

Reiki Healing Touch

Are you aware of the fact that our body contains more energy than it actually uses to carry out its activities? Now, let me make a point! I am not talking about the physical energy that we utilize, but about the healing energy which is unseen to us but for sure, is felt by us. This invisible energy is what we call the “life force energy”. The concept of healing energy is well explained by the Japanese technique – Reiki. The word can be divided into two halves: Rei means “The Higher power” and ki means “life energy”. Precisely, it is a spiritually guided life force energy. The basic idea projected by reiki healing touch is that self healing is the path of salvation from ailments.

Reiki: Healing Energy

Therapies use tools and medications for treatment of ailments. But reiki healing therapy uses the energy of the body. Energy that drives our body can be both free-flowing and stagnant. This therapy uses the power of mind to govern the energies of the body and bring it under control. In due course of time, this therapy works wonders in enhancing the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. We all are aware of a simple truth of life: A relaxed mind leads to a rejuvenated body. This is how a person feels after undergoing a reiki therapy session. A session usually has the reiki practitioner who first seeks the permission of the patient to cure him (here the permission is for the mental confidence and trust of the patient on the practitioner). And then, the reiki practitioner starts with the reiki session with his hands moving over the chakras of the body, aiding in rejuvenating them with sufficient energy. He often makes use of reiki symbols in reiki therapy and massage. In fact, people suffering from chronic ailments like cancer, autoimmune diseases and multiple sclerosis take the aid of these therapy sessions to alleviate the pain. Mental concerns, addiction to drugs, anxiety, panic attacks and destructive habits (like smoking and abusing alcohol) can be treated effectively with reiki healing touch therapy.

Before a person learns about reiki or is keen on attending a reiki therapy session, he is required to know about the chakras. So what are these chakras after all? Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means “wheels”. A wheel which we identify physically is what spins around its fixed axis, slow or fast. But there are similar wheels found in our body too (not physically but as energies). Our body contains 7 major chakras and each one is closely associated with an organ of our body. Below listed are the 7 major chakras.

ChakraLocationOrgansPurposeInformation containedPhysical ailmentsEmotional issuesSpiritual Lesson
Root chakraBase of spineCovers the entire spinal column, kidneys, legs, feet, rectum and immune systemKinesthetic feelings and movementContains instincts, sense of touch, carnal pleasures, pain, superstitions and familial beliefssciatica, lower back pain, varicose veins, rectal tumors, weakened immune system and depressionself-esteem, survival, family, security and survivalmaterial and worldly lessons
Navel/Sacral chakraLower abdomen (Below navel)Contains sexual organs, stomach, upper intestines, gallbladder, liver, spleen, pancreas, middle spine and adrenal glandsEnhances fertility and emotional connectionContains emotional feelings (joy, anger, fear, love etc..), controlling patterns, duality and magnetismUrinary infections and disorders, weak libido and pelvic painmoney, sex, power, control, creativity, negative feelings (like guilt and blame)Creativity, Manifestation, Valuing relationships and learning to “let go” of past without losing on the lessons
Solar plexus chakraBack of stomach (in solar plexus)Covers upper abdomen, umbilicus to rib cage, liver, middle spine, spleen, kidney, adrenals, small intestines and stomachEnhancing maturity in understanding the emotional aspect of lifeContains personality, consciousness of self within the universe (sense of belonging), self-esteemStomach ulcers, intestinal tumors, diabetes, pancreatitis, indigestion, anorexia/bulimia, hepatitis, cirrhosis, adrenal imbalances, arthritis, colon diseasesLoss of self-esteem, fear of rejection, overly sensitive to criticism, indecisivenessLearning to love oneself, respect oneself
Heart ChakraLocated in the center of the chestContains heart, circulatory system, blood, lungs, rib cage, diaphragm, thymus, breasts, esophagus, shoulders, arms, handsEmpowerment of self emotionallyContains connection of love through “love strings” with the people we adore and loveCardiovascular conditions, asthma, lung and breast cancers, thoracic spine, pneumoniaLove, compassion, confidence, inspiration, hope, despair, hate, envy, fear, jealousy, anger, generosityHumility to forgive, unconditional love, trust and compassion
Throat chakraLocated in the neck region (throat)Covers throat, thyroid glands, trachea, neck vertebrae, mouth, teeth, gums, esophagus, parathyroid, hyperthalemusResponsibility for actions taken by selfContains self-knowledge, truth, attitude, sense of hearing, taste and smellSore throat, mouth ulcers, scoliosis, swollen glands, thyroid dysfunctions, laryngitis, gum or tooth problems, TMJ disordersPersonal expression, creativity, addiction, criticism, faith, lack of authorityConfession and absolute surrender to divine force
Third eye (forehead) chakraLocated right in the center of foreheadCovers brain, neurological system, eyes, ears, nose, pituitary, pineal glandsMind development, insight and actions directed by ideasContains clear vision (symbolic or literal), wisdom, intuition, intellectBrain tumors, strokes, blindness, deafness, seizures, learning disabilities, spinal dysfunctions, panic and depressionFear of truth, discipline, emotional intelligence, concept of reality, confusion and judgmentThinking with open mind and creating a reality check point for self
Crown chakraLocated at top of headCovers the top center of the head and the midline above the earsIntuitive knowing and connecting to spiritualityContains duality, magnetism, emotional feelings (joy, anger, fear) and controlling patternsMystical depression, diseases of the muscular system, skeletal system and the skin, chronic exhaustion, over sensitivity to light, sound and surrounding environmentDiscovery of the divine, Lack of purpose and direction, loss of meaning or identity, trust, selflessness, humanitarianism, foresight, devotion, inspiration, values and ethicsSpirituality

*Please note:

  • Crown chakra is the most powerful chakra and is not much disturbed even in course of curing ailments, pertaining to any side effects.
  • Reiki treatment should be done only by a reiki practitioner and that is the best and the only way. The reiki healing hands of your teacher will initiate the therapy for you.

Now you know how the reiki healing energy helps in stimulating the chakras as each chakra associates with various organs of our body. There are many audio CDs on reiki healing music available in the market. Reiki music serves as an excellent means of inducing sleep. After all, a peaceful sleep plays a major role in enhancing immune system. Deuter’s Reiki Hands of light is an excellent musical CD which contains soothing musical notes that will aid in complete relaxation of the mind and the body. I am suggesting this musical from my personal experience and it has absolutely worked for me.

Reiki is a huge subject and every aspect of reiki cannot be covered in a single day. So wait for more, readers! Will be back with more interesting facts and finds on this subject, in my next article!

Crystal Healing: Stone-Cold Facts About Gemstone Pseudoscience

By Christopher Wanjek, LiveScience Contributor   |   October 10, 2013 05:37pm ET

Crystal healing is an alternative medicine technique that employs crystals and other stones as conduits for natural healing energy.  The stones are said to channel positive energy into the body to cure or protect against disease while removing negative energy. 

Crystal healing philosophy taps into the traditional Asian concepts of life-energy (chi or qi) and chakras, which are vortices of this life-energy said to connect the physical and supernatural elements of the body.  Yet because crystal healing so often is incorporated into the practice of astrology, soothsaying and modern witchcraft, as well as the belief in reincarnation, intelligent extraterrestrial life and the lost city of Atlantis, even ardent proponents of alternative medicine tend to dismiss it as a useless therapy, if not ludicrous.

No studies have ever demonstrated any therapeutic value for crystal healing.  At a purely scientific level, there is no evidence that disease is caused by poor cosmic energy flow — positive or negative — or that crystals and gems can be differentiated by chemical composition or color to treat a particular ailment.

Nevertheless, healing crystals remain popular at health spas and at New Age health clinics, often incorporated into related practices of massage and Reiki.  Healing crystals may help induce relaxation, although this would have nothing to do with the physical (or spiritual) properties of the stones used but rather the relaxed atmosphere in which a crystal healer works.

Patients should note that crystal healing is tied intrinsically to the occult.  That is, the stones used are not said to be beneficial because of the chemicals they contain — phosphate, copper, silicates, etc. — but rather because they are conduits for a supernatural healing force.

Rarely is crystal healing used to treat any serious disease; even so-called certified crystal healers would be barred by law to practice medicine without a license. 

How it’s supposed to work

Crystal healing proponents assert that crystals and gemstones — largely by virtue of their color, shape, and texture — have properties that facilitate healing.  Often these properties are referred to as spiritual or magical energy.  More recently, some crystal healers have used the term vibrational energy, incorporating a concept of quantum mechanics, although incorrectly. 

In short, crystals and stones are said to mediate a type of life-energy called qi, which according to some tenets of traditional Eastern philosophy is an unseen healing force that pervades the universe.  That said, crystal healing as practiced today is largely a modern Western alternative medicine practice. 

Crystals and stones are assigned various properties, albeit not universally agreed upon by crystal healers.  Amethyst is said to be beneficial for the intestines; green aventurine helps the heart; yellow topaz provides mental clarity.  Colors red through violet are associated with seven chakra points on the body.

A crystal healer may place various stones or crystals on your body aligned with these chakra points, roughly in the regions above the head, on the forehead, on the throat, on the chest, on the stomach, on the gut, and on the genital area.  The stones used and their positioning may be chosen for the symptoms reported by the patient.  This is all influenced by the healer’s knowledge of, and belief in, the chakra philosophy of disease and energy imbalances — a concept largely dismissed by practitioners of modern medicine.

Crystal healing also involves the use of amulets, that is, crystals and stones worn on the body or placed under pillows to ward off sickness, to shed negative energy, and to absorb positive energy.

Crystal healers become healers by passing a certification course, often offered over the Internet from unaccredited “natural medicine” universities or clinics.  Some accredited health organizations also offer crystal healing certification.  Although the doctrines of crystal healing imply the ability to cure life-threatening and chronic diseases, such as cancer, a certified crystal healer in the United States would have no more legal authority to treat medical conditions than, say, a massage therapist. 

Rock-solid belief

Crystal healing, more so than most elements of complementary and alternative medicine, is based on a system of beliefs in the supernatural — that is, the mysterious and the unexplainable — and proponents are not easily dissuaded. 

Proponents often express disgust or frustration with modern medicine, despite its success in raising the quality of life for billions of people, through the development of vaccines, for example, which save millions of lives per year.  Proponents also state that much of what we know of the physical world today would seem magical to humans 200 years ago and that chakras and life-energy fields are merely beyond the limits of our detection. 

Crystal healing itself is an unregulated practice, and crystal healers need not demonstrate any knowledge of basic biology to receive certification.

Some medical doctors tolerate crystal healing to a limited degree, seeing it as a therapy that can induce relaxation, which ultimately is therapeutic for stress management.  Those seeking a crystal healer, however, should be careful not to forgo legitimate treatment for life-threatening disease.