Bipolar and Reiki

According to my first Reiki teacher: “Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It’s administered by laying on hands and can be easily learned by anyone.”  In my early twenties I suffered greatly from the ups and downs of bipolar and was taught Reiki by William Rand near Detroit.  At that time in my life I searched obsessively for anything that might cure my wild instability (which was as yet un-diagnosed).  Reiki did not cure me, but I did find a remarkable tool in my arsenal against the problems that ailed me.

Essentially Reiki is an energy healing technique.  It is Japanese in origin, and passed down through attunements from a master to a student.  Dr. Mikao Usui founded the practice of Reiki in the early 1920’s and stories tell us he received his attunement during a period of intense fasting and meditation.  I don’t personally have much experience in energy healing besides Reiki and Quantum Touch.  However I know that Reiki is not like many forms of energy healing.  The “healer” does not generate the energy.  It is believed to come from a higher power outside ourselves.  Reiki practitioners are required to do little to “turn on” the energy, only intend that it begin to flow.  Practitioners can also visualize specific symbols that are believed to help with certain issues and it is said that no negative energy is ever picked up by a Reiki practitioner.

I know some folks still feel wary of energy healing and think it might be a little woo-woo.  It’s not understood by science.  There is some research out there, but it rarely is vigorous enough to satisfy nay-sayers.  One scientist by the name of William Bengston has published a book called “The Energy Cure: Unraveling the Mystery of Hands-on Healing.”  In an interview he discusses the difficulty of a traditional scientific experiment with energy healing.  Essentially, mice were given cancer and cured 100% of the time by energy healers.  However, the control mice proved problematic.  A traditionally designed scientific study assumes that subjects can be segregated with ease.  However, Bengston found that mice raised together and shipped together resonated together.  Healing on non-control mice affected the control mice even though they were not physically together.

I still remember when the studies came out on prayer.  These studies fit into societal values and were well accepted, I think.  The studies found that prayer works.  Even individuals who don’t know they are being prayed for had better outcomes than control groups.  Will science ever be able to explain the mechanism behind prayer?  How about the mechanism behind bipolar?  In my opinion, prayer is an intention and Reiki is an intention as well.  For a Reiki practitioner the intention is mostly to get out of the way and allow the highest good to take place.  If prayer works why in the world wouldn’t energy healing?

To me, Reiki is a great place to start if a person is interested in energy healing.  It’s profoundly relaxing for the facilitator as well as the receiver.  I like it because I can be really lazy.  All I have to do is put my hands on myself, intend that the Reiki flow and then get out of the way.  Many times I have used Reiki to help me get back to sleep.  Lately I have noticed a tendency in me to try and control the Reiki.  If you want to be in control and directing things, Reiki might not be for you.  I have found this actually stifles the energy, much the same way a cramped calf stifles you from running forward any further.

I have used Reiki as a tool for myself far more than to help others.  However, I have been involved in a couple healing groups that were for Reiki.  The first group was a huge blessing in my life, but the second got a little strange.  Good groups generate wonderful energy.  So how can this help you in your bipolar life?  How has it helped me?  Reiki is an obvious tool to help manage stress and anxiety before it explodes into an episode.  It can help you sleep better, I find it helps me especially if I lay my hands on my head.  When I was very involved in Reiki I do feel it had a stabilizing effect on me.  You can run the energy to your medications, intending that only the good stuff gets through (remove side effects).

You can run Reiki to your food and water (sometimes called “charging”) to increase your health.  Use it in conjunction with meditation/intentions/prayers.  I often write out intentions and then hold them in my hands and run Reiki to them.  Intentions have often been a powerful force for me.  Even with the best medications or stabilizing forces we all need help achieving what we wish to achieve.  The symbols and Reiki energy can you help you achieve goals.  In my own observation, Reiki is a subtle and gentle form of energy healing.  This is very good for folks who tend to be a bit on the unstable side because it does not overwhelm.  This is not an energy healing technique that claims to knit bones or heal burns.  Although I’m certain Reiki would help with those issues, it tends to work more on the emotional/mental body than the physical, at lease from my personal experience.

I’m sure there are a million great ways to use Reiki, and some really innovative ways to use it in conjunction with bipolar.  Ironically I used it more before I knew I was bipolar.  I think what Reiki is trying to teach my right now is acceptance.  My job, studying for my Master’s and the demands of family have led me to become quite rigid.  But unlike my latest class assignment, Reiki doesn’t bend to my will!  It has it’s own time frame that I may not like.  As observed by the aforementioned author of the energy book, energy healing doesn’t work the way you would expect it to.  The energy healing techniques used by researchers did not immediately eradicate cancer cells in the sick mice.  It worked more subtly than that.  Running Reiki as I write this, I feel more at peace with myself and the world and the demands upon my time.  More interesting research on energy and energy healing can be found here.

Namaste