One of the most powerful sculptures I’ve ever stumbled upon is Thomas Leeroy’s “The Weight of Thought.” In his iconic sculpture, the artist depicted how our thoughts, when they become too much and too crowded, can cause us to feel burdened to the point that we can’t move forward. It highlights that although thoughts aren’t tangible, they are powerful enough to weigh us down. The reason why I love sculpture so much is it combines two of the topics that are close to my heart, Reiki and mental health.
Reiki sessions for mental health support are not a common topic that people discuss often. But many Reiki practitioners and Reiki Master Teachers including myself are supporters of mental health wellness. A few months ago, I completed a training program in Mental Health First Aid by the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong and Mental Health First Aid International to deepen my understanding of current mental health practices and to be able to support someone who may need mental health assistance. Through multiple discussions with mental health professionals in the field in Hong Kong and internationally, many of them agreed that Reiki is an incredibly supportive tool for people suffering from mental health issues as Reiki is a wonderful form of self-care and it doesn’t require much talking in the process. People with mental health issues can receive the healing benefits of Reiki and not have to feel exhausted from talking about their problems in detail. Many mental health care professionals have kindly referred clients they feel would be receptive to Reiki and I love being part of the team supporting each individual through their journey. The very heart of Reiki aims to allow you to be free from the energy that brings a cloud of darkness in your thoughts, emotions, and demeanor.
There’s an all too common misconception surrounding Reiki, that it diminishes the healing power of therapy and medicines when it comes to solving mental health concerns. But as a popular form of alternative treatment, Reiki doesn’t discount the healing benefits of science. In fact, it complements the existing treatments for mental health. And side note, Reiki also supports physical health issues, which is why many major hospitals like Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, and such offer Reiki to their patients. You can read more about “The Role of Reiki in Modern Medicine and Healthcare.”
Think about it this way: tomatoes aren’t the first choice when it comes to treating a little burn on our hands. There are now existing medical remedies available in the market for burns. But that does not mean we can’t use the relieving coolness of tomatoes to help alleviate the stinging pain of burns a little bit more.
Here are How Reiki Session Supports Mental Health
The benefits of Reiki for mental health include having clearer thoughts, a calmer mind, a less stressed disposition, a more positive outlook. How does Reiki make all of these benefits possible? By starting with our energy.
The ancient healing art of Reiki believes that within us is an energy flow. We are all recipients of beautiful energy from the universal energy force. When our energy is stumped by stress, trauma, pressure, and frustrations, the flow of energy in our body becomes imbalanced. This imbalance exhibits itself in our loss of interest, sadness, anxiety, and a complete lack of enthusiasm for things that used to give us joy.
Reiki benefits mental health by fixing the energy flow within us. Each session aims to remove anything that might hamper the healthy flow of energy. By eliminating the negative energy blocks within us, we begin to feel light, happy, and eager to enjoy life again.
There are so many reasons why Reiki is one of the best supporting tools for mental health. Whether for you or for someone you love, Reiki can help alleviate the exhausting burden that comes with mental health struggles.
Here are eight reasons why Reiki is a great choice if you’re looking for a gift that benefits mental health:
1. Reiki Helps Us Feel Alive Again.
When negative energy begins to overpower the energy flow within us, we begin to feel disinterested in things we used to love doing. One day, we wake up and the hobbies that make us jump out of our beds seem to be another bunch of menial tasks we need to do.
When balance is restored in our energy flow, we begin to feel alive and excited again. We once again find the reason and gusto to pursue things we’ve always loved doing.
2. Reiki Addresses Deeper Wounds.
Sometimes, the physical pains we’re experiencing are tied to a psychological/mental source. By clearing your mind, Reiki helps you identify the real source of your worries, and pains, a true challenge to some with mental health struggles.
3. Reiki Allows Us to Feel Less Burdened.
With Reiki, you can experience a release. During the Reiki sessions, a practitioner will help you eliminate energy blockages. This process can make you feel like an unnamed burden you can’t point a finger on is finally lifted off your shoulders.
4. Reiki Releases Pent-Up Stress.
Day in, day out, our responsibilities give us so little time to de-stress. Here’s a quick fact, stress is one of the major factors that cause energy blockages. With Reiki, you can take a pause. Like a halting break, you give your mind and spirit the chance to breathe out the worries and fatigue that’s been drowning you. Isn’t a moment of calm and relaxation just what you need after weeks of feeling perked up all the time?
5. Reiki Helps Us to Be Mindful.
Stepping inside a Reiki studio can feel like you’re stepping into another world. Peace and serenity are ever-present in the studio. The atmosphere helps you to lower your stress levels. When the session begins, you’ll feel amazed at how you can be hyper-aware of the stillness of your surroundings enough to make you forget your stresses for a while.
This is how you discover the power of mindfulness. A lot of experts have always recommended mindfulness as a remedy for an anxious mind. You will get to experience the benefits of mindfulness first-hand in Reiki.
6. Reiki Helps Us Find Our Inner Strength.
This may sound cheesy, but Reiki can help you reconnect with your inner voice. Listening to external voices that demean, ridicule, and criticize can be exhausting. Your inner voice is your greatest ally but it can get lost in the noise. Reiki, and the peace it brings, helps us reconnect with ourselves, and our inner voice.
7. Reiki Allows Us to Focus on Us.
There’s joy in helping others. However, getting too focused on helping everyone can be burdensome. It can even reach a point when focusing on us can make us feel guilty. Reiki can remind you of how important it is to make YOU matter.
8. Reiki Frees Us from Fear.
When we’re mindful, when we’re more at peace, when we’re starting to find joy in life again, we can have added strength to conquer anything – even the very things that we fear at first.
My Two Cents
Mental health management is not an easy journey. Thankfully, there are innovations in the field that assures us that what we’re experiencing is not a hopeless case. Supportive alternative therapies for mental health like Reiki sessions are a form of self-care that can expedite results. Anyone, wherever they are with their mental health journey can enjoy the benefits of Reiki. Reiki calms the mind, assists in healing emotional wounds, and brings you hope. It’s one of the best, most supportive tools to give yourself, and those you love. Reiki sessions can be done in-person or remotely via Distant Reiki Healing sessions. A few sessions could do wonders for our mental health and additionally allow our body to rest and receive the healing it needs. Start your Reiki journey here.
