Reiki for Caregivers

(Read Time: 4 minutes)

Caregiving is not an easy job, and it’s not exclusive to those who professionally practice it. The task of caregiving lies on the shoulders of health professionals, mothers caring for their children, wives dealing with a seriously-ill husbands, single widowed fathers who bear all the child-rearing loads, children looking after sick parents, nannies who look after new moms and babies, helpers who look after the elderly, aides who assist those with physical disabilities and many more. When it comes to caregiving, one thing is obvious – it requires effort, dedication and sacrifice. What isn’t frequently talked about is that chronic stress, physical challenges, and emotional turmoils are often silently carried by caregivers.

The Daily Challenges of Caregivers

A caregiver’s schedule is not for the faint-hearted. Sleeping late and waking up before the sun rises to prepare for the needs of the day is synonymous to a caregiver’s routine. Most of the time, a caregiver’s needs are shoved to the side to make way for more important demands of the people they care for. Since they consider their concerns lesser than the burdens of the other, caregivers often keep their struggles, physical exhaustion, and heavy emotions to themselves. Constantly tired, and often left unappreciated, it’s easy for caregivers to feel lonely, tired, and overwhelmed.

The Caregiver Burnout

Even the most resilient people can experience the burnout that comes with caregiving. It’s real and serious that it has a name – The Caregiver Stress Syndrome. This kind of stress is characterized by feelings of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion.

The tasks that come with giving round-the-clock care for someone can easily make any caregiver susceptible to stress. The physical challenge of caring for a seriously-ill loved one can be too much. The lack of boundaries between being a caregiver and a spouse, or being a caregiver and a family member can be emotionally exhausting. Caregivers often give their best to get great results, so when things spring out of control, it’s inevitable for them to have feelings of inadequacy.

When a caregiver you know is one stress away from a burn-out, one of the best things to do is to show them you care, that you appreciate them, and you think about their wellness. A Reiki session (or advanced energy healing session) is one of the most ideal ways of helping caregivers deal with their emotions, heal from their own exhaustion, and recalibrate for more challenging days ahead. (Read “What is Reiki?”)

Benefits of Reiki Energy Healing for Caregivers

It Helps Reduce Stress

Caregivers are prone to chronic stress. They may not say it – but the energy fields of the body can manifest it. Because Reiki encourages deep relaxation, it helps reduce the pent-up stress that comes with caregiving.

In each session, caregivers get the chance to slow down and relax. This causes the body to shift from stressor dominance of the sympathetic nervous system, to the more relaxed aspect of the parasympathetic nervous system. This change can start the innate healing capacity of the body, reduce pain, alleviate emotional and mental stress, and calm the spirit.

It Empowers the Caregiver

Prioritizing someone else’s needs over theirs can cause caregivers to lose their connection to their “gut feeling.” This loss of confidence can make caregivers feel inadequate, and not enough. You can’t pour from an empty cup – when a caregiver is worn out, they can’t fully function well. With emotional and mental healing comes an increased ability to recognize their true potential and capacities. Reiki empowers caregivers, making them more effective in their tasks.

It Establishes the Importance of Self-Care

When you need to care for another person 24/7, self-care can end up receiving the lesser end of the stick. Caregivers need to be reminded that they need to look after themselves, too. Giving the gift of Reiki to a caregiver is a beautiful way of telling them that self-care should be on their to-do lists, too.

It Heals the Body and Strengthens the Immune System

The physical body is brought to life by one’s life force energy. This life force energy can sometimes be blocked by chronic stress and exhaustion, which can hurt someone’s adrenals, kidneys, liver, pancreas and spleen. The latter two can really damage someone’s digestive system and cause a leaky gut. In general, a caregiver’s body can become weak and more susceptible to illnesses connected to caregiving. Reiki unblocks the body with life force energy, allowing a person’s natural energy to flow freely once again, enhancing the body’s natural healing capacity. Coupled with healthy eating, and exercise, Reiki sessions can boost a caregiver’s immune system by strengthening one’s white blood cells. Reiki sessions can restore the body’s overall balance, healing the body from physical, mental, and emotional concerns.

It Allows Caregivers Time to Breathe and Recharge

A Reiki session is not only good for one’s health and wellness – it’s also one of the best times where caregivers can breathe, and let go of their cares and worries. Allowing their mind and body to relax during a Reiki energy healing session can help them feel reconnected with themselves – something that they lose when they spend their days caring for another. The healing benefits of Reiki also recalibrates caregivers, making them feel more ready to face the challenges that come with their role. This is what makes Reiki a true gift of love and appreciation.

Reiki is one of the best holistic gifts for caregivers – it can benefit them not only physically but also emotionally. Show your caregivers that you care about them on a holistic level and thank them for all they do – give them the gift of Reiki today. And if they make excuses for not having time for a little self-care, the best part is that a Reiki session can be done remotely anywhere. The Reiki practitioner can connect via phone or Skype, beforehand for a short chat. But obviously if we’re able to get the caregiver physically in a Reiki space, they’ll have less distractions and can be more present for their own healing experience.

Keen to schedule a meaningful gift experience now? We offer in-person Reiki sessions in Central, Hong Kong or remote sessions to anyone, anywhere!