Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos

How Reiki can help with the current unrest in the world

Amanda Jayne’s article was first published on her website LearnJikidenReiki in October 2011. Anticipating presidential elections in the US, and in the wake of hurricane Sandy causing untold suffering and uncertainty, her subject seems as pertinent now as it did a year ago.

“There are huge movements rising up all over the world at the moment in what looks like ever-increasing chaos.  Dissatisfaction with political systems, corporations, economies, worry over environment and nuclear leaks, and vast differences in opinions on the way the world should look and what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’.  My guess is that there is more to come during this period of change and I find myself speaking to a number of people who are concerned about the future and what it may hold.
There may be more chaotic energy in the coming times – or there may simply be a period of quiet change.  Whichever it is, it is clear that change is happening right now and that we are all a part of it, perhaps more than we know.  What is also clear, is that each and every one of us can and will contribute to what takes place in the world.  Some will protest and march for change, some have already taken to the streets, some will write, discuss and argue in the virtual world of the internet and some will find themselves caught up in the fiery energy of violence or disruption in communities.  There will be people who sit back and watch the changing world, thinking it has nothing to do with them, while others still may feel helpless or ignore what is happening around them.

All are contributing to what takes place in the world.  It is simply the way of things.   Our wants, attitudes, fears, joys, actions, connections, emotions and thoughts are contributing right now, whether we are aware of it or not.  Fear and hate breed fear and hate, contributing to chaos; while moving into greater awareness and greater peace contribute to just that.  As one of my teachers, Ron Hulnick says, “Every time one person resolves one issue, the whole of humanity moves forward.”

It’s good news that everyone plays a part because all we have to do is decide if the way we are currently being in our lives is what we want to contribute to the world or not.  This doesn’t mean we have to sell our houses and build an eco hobbit house in the wilds of Scotland (though I would love to!), neither does it mean we must chastise ourselves over every negative thought or fear that passes through our lives.  What it does mean, is that we can begin to bring awareness around our reactions, how we are feeling and what we are allowing ourselves to think into our lives.   It means that we can remind ourselves when we are feeling off-centre, or find ourselves in worry or panic over the news, that our greatest decisions and ability to discern truth comes only when we are heart centred and calm.  There are many practices to help us come back to centredness and Reiki is just one of them, but I highly recommend it.

Usui sensei’s intention when creating his Reiki method ‘Shin shin kaizen Usui Reiki Ryoho – Usui Reiki Treatment Method for the Improvement of Body and Mind’, was to help people to peel off the layers of ‘stuff’ we all accumulate during life, physically and mentally, so that we are no longer led by ego and come into alignment with our true selves – with Source.

For this he created and used three things:

a)  Physical treatments to assist the body in eliminating toxins that build up and cause illness, to help with pain and skeletal misalignment and to calm, soothe and release emotion.
b)  Psychological treatments that help the mind to let go of issues, beliefs, unhelpful thoughts and negative associations or habits it has been holding on to.
c)  The gokai – the five simple principles that point us towards living well in each moment of now.
You can download an updated copy of my simple practical guide to living the gokai here.

In short, Reiki can be used simply as an everyday tool to help us stay well when we are healthy and get well when we are not, but it can also be used to help us awaken, to move into greater peace and bring us to calm centredness in the midst of what appears to be chaos.

Usui sensei saw that the world reflects the people in it, and therefore the greatest change can be brought about not by sending Reiki to a situation or an environment, but by giving Reiki to people.  As each individual changes, the world changes.

No matter how complicated a situation looks, the only energy that can positively contribute and transform chaos is love.  Love does not mean I won’t take action or speak out, neither does it ignore what is before me.  Whether I am faced with an everyday family situation, news of a disaster or a decision about my involvement in a movement in the world I give myself Reiki, feel the energy in my body and I ask myself these simple questions:

– Is this thought coming from love or fear?
– Is this decision based on love or fear?

It brings amazing clarity.”

Amanda Jayne

No need for words: Whether you process your feelings by talking or in silence, Reiki can help

Reiki works so well with very different personalities: those who have a need to talk through their experiences (who often gain considerable clarity with Reiki treatment), and those who choose to keep their inner landscape private. Importantly, Reiki works equally well for those people who prefer privacy, a way of processing feelings and experiences without going into or sharing their ‘story’. Over the years, I have worked with Reiki with a number of very ‘private’ clients, what a relief to them not to have to talk….and still come out so much lighter.

photo credit: Zlatica Retzler

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON: How Reiki practice can help with ‘flu, panic attacks and other stressful circumstances

Panic Attacks: Going round the bend at 25 miles per hour

Life has been a little intense recently. When one family member after another picked up what seemed like a particularly virulent type of ‘flu, I have truly been thankful for Reiki practice, not only to nurse our sick children through fever broken nights and ease their cough-rattled chests,  but also to help me keep on my legs despite being slightly ill, too. We also had, it seems to me, more than our fair share of uncertainty and the type of emergency circumstances that require you to constantly think on your feet in order to come up with ever new ideas how you can manage, even though your normal ways of doing things are not available right now. Quietly, I notice just how much Reiki practice has changed me, as I deal with one situation after another relatively calmly and constructively. It brings back to mind a fellow Mum who commented that I made raising three kids look easy, as I hardly ever seemed to get my feathers ruffled. (Not true by the way, no one can get under my skin like my own, very lovely, kids).