Reiki Healing To Our Autonomic Nervous System

People's autonomic nervous system sometimes gets stuck in the fright-or-flight response, and this is when Reiki truly shines. 

Many of us are on high alert, stressed, and uneasy. This autonomic sympathetic nervous system response is automatically triggered by our interpretation of outside stimuli. Unfortunately, it’s become a part of our interactions and engagement with the world around us. Eventually, pressures and unease are quickly dismissed as normal parts of the day-to-day grind, but there’s nothing normal about being in a fright-or-flight pattern. 

Remaining there makes us lose touch with reality and our innermost sanctity, not to mention what it does to our physical wellness. 

On the physical level, the fright-or-flight response initiates reactions in the body that lead to the release of cortisol (stress hormone). Our blood pressure, heart rate, and blood sugar are raised, and our immune system is suppressed as the body reacts in fright or flight. Extra energy goes to the muscles and the blood clotting function of the body is on high alert. 

At the opposite end, the para-sympathetic nervous system response keeps us in a relaxed state no matter what is going on around us. This keeps all bodily functions operating at optimal capacity for the overall good of the whole. 

The fright-or-flight response serves us well when we’re faced with imminent danger, but it’s not a positive creative force. It causes blockages and imbalances in our energy circulation. Tension creates resistance. We’re not living from a place of allowance and flow. Our responses are reactions of resistance. This state keeps our defenses up, even when there’s no actual need for any.

Reiki helps break down the defenses we’ve put up by bringing us to a relaxed state. This is our natural state of peace, harmony, and well-being. It’s from this place that complete healing can occur. When we’re stressed and anxious, we’re restricting the flow of life energy. The vital energy that should be free-flowing throughout our body is greatly reduced when we are in resistance.

Staying relaxed is made difficult if we can’t let go of control, expectations, and judgements. These are restrictive patterns that hold us back from the experience of loving our life. The healthiest and happiest people are those who are calm and collected.

How to foster a relaxed state

1.    One of the easiest ways to foster a relaxed state is to live in the present moment. This helps raise our awareness to what is actually going on around us, and keeps us out of our heads. Instead of being caught up in what the future may bring or what we experienced in the past, we’re totally immersed in each moment of life. 

2.    Paying attention to our breathing brings us back within, and recenters our awareness to how we feel. Deep belly breathing is a quick way to induce a relaxed state. When there, we can consciously choose our thoughts and feelings. 

3.    Meditation helps clear the mind and relax the body. The regular practice of meditation will help shift you away from the fright-or-flight response to a relaxed state. Eventually you’ll be able to recognize and negate the patterns that keep you stressed. 

4.    As we take back the control over our energy, the greater our awareness grows. We can’t return to being unaware once we’re aware. We’ll veer our responses away from fright-or-flight, and intentionally let go and relax. 

5.    Gratitude Is another easy way to get us out of a stressed-out state. Again, it brings us back to the moment as it increases our awareness of all life’s benefits that we usually take for granted. Being in acceptance and appreciation automatically moves us out of fright-or-flight. 

6.    Activities that produce feel good hormones in the body such as exercise, dancing, doing creative projects, etc. also help keep us more relaxed. 

7.    Going out in nature is an excellent remedy for stress. Mother Nature is a powerful healer. Being outside and allowing our senses to be stimulated by the simple goings on of nature all around us, is a practice in observation that keeps us in the moment. 

8.    Caring is a technique we can use to get us out of our head and in the fright-or-flight response to life because it shifts our focus away from our own issues. 

9.    Reiki helps shift fright-or-flight response to relaxation. It keeps us balanced and in harmony on all levels. Healthy living is about maintaining a healthy balance in all areas of our life.