Tidying my office last week, I came across a definition of health as:
- Good functioning of organ with flow rather than congestion
- Energy to do what you want in life
- Not being limited by pain
- Feeling positive
- A state of balance in body, mind and spirit
- State of resilience
being in a healthy state like this is a daily challenge! We humans are so good at challenging our bodies, minds and spirits with things that cause imbalance, such as poor nutrition, exposure to toxins, negative thinking, stress and disconnection from Nature. One of the things I observed when nursing my mother was the way her body had an amazing ability to try to maintain healthy balance, even when her cancer was very advanced. In her last weeks of life, she even managed to fight off an infection. This showed me that given the right support, our bodies, minds and spirits are constantly trying to achieve and maintain balance, if we allow them.
Covid-19 has made most of us more aware of the challenge to stay healthy and that certain conditions of poor health make further illness more likely. Many people are struggling with Long Covid which, as with many other health conditions, requires rest for recovery.
I have been exploring rest deeply in the past months, having been completely exhausted in body, mind and soul. With my body still preferring to be in a ‘fight or flight’ state than a ‘rest and digest’ phase I have not found it easy relax or rest. Deepening the connection to my spiritual self has been the key to this. Also, self-care is one of the things we often don’t prioritise in the belief that the needs of others should come first. I am experiencing the truth of the teaching that without that self-care we end up not being able to help anyone. It is no accident that self-Reiki, which is restful, quiet and reconnects with body and soul, is the foundation of our practice.
I hope soon to restore my health, so that I will feel more positive, resilient and have the energy to do what I want in life, which is to support others in having all the benefits of being healthy. I am doing what I feel able to do, gently and gradually. It’s not easy to take this time because although I know it is necessary, there is so much I want to do! I am grateful for the Reiki healing I have received to help my recovery so far.
With my sabbatical over, I am making a phased return to work. It has been good to have time to catch up on some projects that have been waiting for a space like this, including creating the e-book ‘Musings of a Reiki Master’, having my Professional Reiki Practitioner Course verified through The Reiki Association and completing my Nutrition Coaching course. I do not feel ready to return to face-to-face teaching or treatments yet, but am starting with a few online mentoring sessions and preparing for further teaching later in the year.
So I have a few more things to offer you this month…
Wishing you good health.
