Tag Archives: anxiety

Healing Anxiety with Reiki

Anxiety is a condition that many people suffer from. It may be during a particularly traumatic, stressful period of life or it may be a more long term condition resulting from earlier long term stress or trauma. The person may or may not be aware of the underlying cause. In most cases, when we’re stressed, the body will go back to normal when the cause of stress has passed. For others, if the cause is more long term, the body becomes conditioned to be in a ‘fight or flight’ mode; in other words, in an anxious state, so that it becomes a habit. Our adrenal glands become accustomed to flooding the body with the chemicals adrenaline and cortisol, putting a long term strain on the kidneys and other body systems.

Experiences with Reiki Treatment

Recently I’ve been seeing particularly good results when treating clients suffering from anxiety with Reiki. Here are some examples:-

One lady reported that she felt “lighter, like something had been lifted off” her after just her first treatment. Her partner and daughter had both noticed an improvement in her mood over the days following her treatment. This lady had experienced long term anxiety and depression. Now her sadness had lifted and her head felt “less busy”. During treatment I release heaviness around the heart chakra and energy blocks in the solar plexus representing lack of self-worth and self-belief, and gave plenty of grounding to the root chakra. Subsequent treatments are addressing the longer term, deep rooted causes of her anxiety and depression. She had a couple of treatments quite close together but is now just having subsequent treatments on a monthly basis.
Another client had been experiencing anxiety with migraines for a few years when I started treating her. This lady was just about managing to cope with work with the migraines but had some deep-rooted emotional issues as well which had been suppressed long term. In her treatments I cleared the heart, solar plexus and sacral chakras and worked on the physical level of the sacral chakra (the abdomen) too. The third eye and root chakras also needed particular attention. After each treatment she reported that her anxiety levels had dropped considerably, lasting for a longer period of time after each treatment.
When I worked on another client with anxiety I discovered that his solar plexus chakra was wide open and the heart and root chakras were very low in energy. I worked on the kidneys to calm them and reduce physical stress-related symptoms. An energy block was released from the back of the third eye chakra – negative thoughts are often stored here. This area should always be worked on, in addition to the solar plexus, with clients who suffer from low self-worth and hold a myriad of negative thoughts about themselves. The third eye chakra relates to perception, among other things, and how we see the world around us, what we are focusing on and where we see ourselves going. Negative thoughts can cause blockages in this chakra.
Reiki can also help children to settle into a new school or help them if they’re having difficulties causing anxiety. Typically in this case you need to balance the solar plexus, heart and root chakras and release any fears/worries held in other chakras. These treatments were sent by distance healing. The children were all completely unaware that they had been sent healing but the parents noticed improvements over the next few days which enabled the children to settle into new routines.

Treating Anxiety

The main chakras to focus on is almost always the solar plexus. This relates to personal power, personal strength, self-belief, self-worth, self-esteem – how we really feel about ourselves in spite of any confident outward appearances. The solar plexus is connected to the mind/mental body which is why many people experience butterflies, nausea and IBS when they are worried about something.

The root chakra is also very important. Focusing Reiki energy here will strengthen this chakra, bringing the person’s energy down, literally bringing them out of their head (where you spend a lot of time when you have anxiety) and back down to earth. The root chakra relates to grounding and focus. When you have strong physical grounding and a strong connection to earth, you are better able to cope with things and not let them get on top of you. The adrenal glands are governed by the root chakra, so treating the root chakra also helps to calm the adrenals.

You will also need to work on the heart and sacral chakras to help clear emotional issues contributing to the anxiety, as well as the third eye chakra to calm and clear the head.

It is worth pointing out here as well that distance treatments are just as effective as hands-on treatments in cases of anxiety. This may be because you are already working on the mental level (ie. the mind) by visualising the person and the Reiki can flow more easily over this mental connection.

At the beginning of the treatment I always ask for the Reiki healing energy to flow to release the person’s anxiety, boost inner strength and self-belief, and restore peace and harmony. This sets your intention and makes it clear what you would like to happen. Energy always follows thought. You can phrase your request to suit your/your client’s needs but it will no doubt be something along these lines. You can also call upon the Angel of Healing to release and resolve the underlying causes of a person’s anxiety. This is very powerful and signals to the angelic realm that you wish to work with them. Do this regularly so they know you are sincere and I’m sure you will soon see an extra depth to your treatments.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Healer/Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. She is also currently studying Raw Food Nutrition to find out more about the healing power of natural food. Helen offers several healing treatments such as Reiki, Angelic Reiki, Faery Reiki, Angel Therapy and Fairy Blessing Guided Journey, as well as Usui Reiki and Faery Reiki training courses. She has been on the spiritual path for 15 years and has extensive knowledge of healing and the healing journey. For further information about her Reiki courses, therapies and workshops, please visit her website http://helenshortland.com or visit and ‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics & Enchantment.

LIFE ON THE SPIRITUAL PATH: HIGHS AND LOWS AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

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There is currently a greater awareness of spirituality than ever before and many different paths to follow. But why would you necessarily want to be spiritual? If you are drawn to this subject, it will feel like an inner yearning for deeper meaning in your life, a searching to understand the purpose of it all, an intuition that it can improve our lives in some way, a knowing that there is more to life. More and more people are waking up to realising that the material world does not hold all the answers to our problems and that maybe, just maybe, we can do something to help ourselves and transform our relationships and the world around us. The knowledge that was once in the domain of only a privileged few is now becoming available to each and every one of us.

From April 2014 to April 2015 I went through my own personal spiritual crisis when many things I took for granted and believed in, most predominantly my health and my supposed abilities as a Reiki Master Healer, fell apart but towards the latter part of this time I ended up learning my greatest spiritual lessons. When someone asked me at the beginning of this year how I was feeling, the only word that came to mind was ‘broken’. Now, having built up my energy body with Reiki self-healing, mindfulness meditation, seed sound mantras, colour visualisation and plenty of walks in nature, I have discovered that I am channelling a greater amount of healing energy than before and have a clearer, more intuitive communication with my guides and angels who have inspired me to put together this list of what to expect along the spiritual path – and, yes, I do think this includes a spiritual crisis of some sort for us all at some point as part of this process, almost as a test to see how we cope and whether we have fully integrated what we have learnt, because when you think about it, most of our spiritual practices like meditation and reading spiritual books remain at the mental level without being brought down fully into the physical, material realm. Now when I look back, I believe that my own crisis brought me to where I need to be in order to start the next stage of my healing work.

Below are guidelines of things to expect when you start to develop your spirituality. They can also be regarded as a paradigm for a new way of living as the planet emerges through its current chaos into the new promised golden age of peace. One important point to note is that spirituality and healing go hand in hand. As you develop spiritually, you will start to release a lot of the old hurt, anger and pain that was held in your energy body which is contributing to current health issues. This hurt, anger and pain is what is often referred to as ‘negative energy’, ie. energy that is not vibrating at the correct frequency, which can cause blockages in the chakras which eventually leads to dis-ease and illness mentally, emotionally and physically.

So what does it mean to be spiritual and what can you expect as you progress along your spiritual path?

First and foremost, to me being spiritual means looking at the world in a completely different way. It is seeing the things we have in common as human beings rather than focussing on the differences that cause and perpetuate the illusion of separateness. It is seeing what connects us rather than divides us as human beings. This implies seeing things from a higher viewpoint, through the eyes of the soul. When you develop this higher level of sight, you will become aware of karmic patterns in your own and other people’s lives; how people seem to attract the same kind of experience until they address it in a different, better manner and the lesson is learnt and the karmic issue resolved.
An interest in and regular undertaking of spiritual practices such as meditation and/or prayer, as well as interest in crystals, Reiki and/or alternative medicine/holistic therapy. There is a subconscious knowing that we are all made up of energy vibrating at different frequencies and can use forms of energy medicine to bring about balance and healing.
The ability to practice forgiveness of yourself and others, recognising that holding onto past grudges or indulging in self-blame is futile and takes up valuable energy that can be put to better use in the present moment. Recognising when it is time to ‘let go’ of a situation that is draining you and offering it up to a higher power (God or the angels), asking it to be resolved for the highest and greatest good of all.
A belief in a higher force guiding our lives which we can actively work with through intermediaries such as angels and spirit guides.
Recognising that people play certain roles in our lives to give us opportunities to learn lessons we need to learn or to instigate changes we need to make. We are all actors playing roles in each others’ lives, with no real conscious understanding of what we are doing and why. People often feel compelled to do things without knowing why. Maybe we don’t have as much free will as we think we have! I do think it is important not to demonise others too quickly for playing the bad guy: these roles are determined before we even incarnate. If you bear in mind that our greatest enemies can be our greatest teachers, it helps you to look at your situation in a more empowering way rather than from the place of victim.
The development of greater tolerance, compassion and inner peace.
A growing desire to be of service to the world and to humanity. Self-interest, greed and materialism lose their appeal. Along with this comes a growing interest in peace and humanitarian causes, human rights issues and peaceful spiritual activism.
Many people are drawn to healing in its many varied forms, on a personal and/or global scale.
Increased sense of personal responsibility for your actions in terms of how they affect you and others. A greater understanding of the law of cause and effect.
Increased inner strength and self-worth as you honour your role and contribution to your community and the world, however large or small that may be.
Honouring and living your truth is essential: you can no longer live with what is not right for you. As you align more and more with your truth and ultimately your higher self, you start to move into your life purpose. This leads to a stronger sense of the importance of truth and authenticity in all your relationships.
A growing maturity and not taking things so personally. Staying strong when people appear to behave badly towards you, accepting that everyone has their own issues to work through.
Letting people go with love, not anger, when they move out of our lives. Not everyone can stay with us for ever. Some may only be in your life for a short time but have a massive impact in terms of lessons in love, forgiveness and self-reliance or to help you move onto a new path.
Attracting tests and crises to give you the opportunity to put what you have learnt intellectually into practice and, ultimately, to deepen your spiritual awareness and understanding.
Understanding that surrender and release bring the greatest peace and always, eventually, the greatest result. Relinquishing control can be a very difficult thing to do but sometimes you have no choice if you are to stay sane; fighting is destructive and resistance uses up valuable energy that can be put into other things. Offer difficult situations up to God to sort out for the highest and greatest good of all concerned and new solutions may just miraculously appear.

An ability to look at the world in this new way implies that you are developing greater spiritual sight and understanding. The third eye chakra is activated, enabling you to see the inter-connectedness of all things and see the situations in your life from a higher perspective.

If everyone starts to adopt at least some of these principles, we can all contribute to both healing ourselves and creating more peaceful, spiritual communities and countries and, ultimately, a more peaceful world.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Spiritual Coach, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. For further information please visit her website http://helenshortland.com or ‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK

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The week 11^th – 17th May 2015 is Mental Health Awareness Week. The Mental Health Foundation will be staging events across the country to raise awareness of how anxiety and sleep deprivation can affect mental health.

Various complementary therapies are particularly beneficial for positive mental health and greater wellbeing. Reiki healing, for example, calms the mind and emotions and restores balance, peace and harmony. Healing is channelled through the practitioner into the body, chakras and energy field of the receiver using a light touch. Many people report feeling lighter after a treatment as worry and grief are released from their energy field during treatment. Indian Head Massage and Back Massage are very effective in terms of relieving tension and anxiety held in the neck, shoulders and upper back. Reflexology can be beneficial in relieving the physical manifestations of stress, calming the adrenals and rebalancing the physical body.

Alternatively you may like to try some Mindfulness techniques to restore calm, control and perspective. Mindfulness Meditation helps you to be in the present moment, not worrying about the future or the past or getting caught up in negative emotions. Here are some suggestions which can easily be incorporated into your daily life. Making them a regular habit is the key to success!

Take a 2 or 3 minute breathing space when necessary at work or at home. Stop what you are for 2 or 3 minutes and focus solely on your breathing.
Become mindful of how you talk to yourself. Become aware of statements such as “I can’t do that”, “I’ll never be good enough”, “I can’t cope”, “I’m not attractive enough” or “I’m not clever enough”. Nothing destroys self-esteem quicker that negative self-talk. The way you talk to yourself reflects deep held inner beliefs which, when negative, need examining and releasing. Every time you catch yourself making a negative comment about yourself, stop the thought and choose a different one, such as “I can do this”, “I am as good as everyone else here” or “I always do my best”.
Practice being fully present in the present moment. Note where your mind actually is when carrying out routine tasks such as preparing or eating a meal, drinking a cup of tea, brushing your teeth, walking the dog or out with a friend. Make the effort to focus completely on what you are doing instead of letting your mind wander off worrying about something else.
Practice a simple Mindfulness breathing technique for a few minutes two or three times a day, such as just after waking up, on the bus journey to work, at lunch or before you go to bed. Place one hand on your chest and feel your breath moving into and out of your body. Notice the natural rhythm. Be aware of the coolness of the air as you breathe in and the warmth of the air leaving you as you exhale.

Notes:

For more information about Mental Health Awareness Week please visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk.
Reiki healing, Indian Head Massage, Reflexology and other complementary therapies are available with Helen Shortland,

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at 15 Wheeler Gate in Nottingham city centre. For further information please visit her website http://helenshortland.com or ‘like’ her Facebook page Helen Shortland Holistics.

TREATING ANXIETY THE NATURAL WAY

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More and more people nowadays are suffering from some form of anxiety. As the pace of life continues to increase, so do your stress levels. Life events such as employment stress, exam pressure and family break-ups leave people feel tense and agitated. Other causes of anxiety are more deep-rooted and stem from unresolved painful events in childhood. Reports of hazards and disasters in the news also add a general sense of fear and worry. Anxiety-related disorders such as panic attacks are on the increase but many suffer symptoms without realising it including irritability, headaches and digestive disorders such as gastric ulcers.

How anxiety affects the body

The autonomic nervous system, over which you have no conscious control, is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. In response to intense physical or emotional stimulation, your sympathetic system induces a ‘fight or flight’ response, increasing adrenalin production from the adrenal glands, so that you can respond to danger. In our evolutionary past this helped us to avoid predators but extended, long term stimulation results in a racing heart rate, sweating and irritability.

The parasympathetic system is suppressed during ‘fight or flight’. This system governs vital bodily functions including digestion, assimilation of nutrients and waste elimination, so is it any wonder that excessive anxiety can result in digestive disorders?

Restoring balance

Various traditional herbal remedies can treat symptoms of anxiety. For example, lemon balm and skullcap are relaxants, helping you to unwind and gain a restful night’s sleep. Vervain and skullcap can also help to nourish, strengthen and balance your nervous system. Linden is helpful in protecting against the formation of gastric ulcers. Wild lettuce has an antispasmodic effect which helps to relax muscles.

Holistic therapies such as Reiki can help to rebalance the mental/emotional bodies, calming the mind and balancing the emotions. A more physical therapy such as reflexology can help to balance the symptoms of stress within the physical body. Therapies such as hypnotherapy and CBT are also worth investigating as they help to change your response to certain ‘triggers’.

Notes:

1. Therapies including Reiki and Reflexology are available with Helen Shortland.

2. Herbal remedies and a wide selection of herbal teas are available from Little London Herbal Stores, 9 Kings Walk, Nottingham, NG1 2AE. Tel 0115 9472854 or visit www.all-ages-vitamins.co.uk.

Helen Shortland is a Reiki Master Teacher, Meditation Teacher and Holistic Therapist based at Little London Herbal Stores on Kings Walk in Nottingham city centre. Please ring her on 07748 591690 to book a treatment or visit her website http://helenshortland.comfor further information.