Recently I helped to host The Reiki Association’s Global Reiki Lights Festival which this year was, of course, online. We spent a lot of the time together in silence and I was touched by how many people commented on the sense of connection and community even though we were physically far apart.
Reiki, in these moments of stillness and quiet, gave us this connection.
For many, this Christmas has the potential to be quieter because there will not be the usual large social and family gatherings. Although some will find this sad, others may find it a relief. It offers time for quiet rest without expectations from the outside world.
It has been the still, quiet times that have helped me get through the past year, with all its challenges. My daily walks in Nature, the meditative quality of sending distant Reiki treatments, the restful times receiving Reiki through distant treatment or self-healing have all been times that helped bring calm in spite of the inevitable stress resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some nights, especially during the first lockdown, I was unable to sleep or disturbed by vivid dreams which left me feeling tired and anxious. After making a conscious and deliberate effort to relax and re-connect with my inner peace, sleep came more easily and was restful, giving me more energy to offer my support to others. In those quiet times I also found it easier to accept the difficult changes and restrictions placed on life by the pandemic.
Recognising this reminded me of the first time I received a full Reiki treatment shortly after my father’s death. His death was unexpected, so – like Covid – was a shock. It was the first major loss in my life and I felt overwhelmed by the emotions of grief. I experienced the classic denial, depression and anxiety – just as many have during this past year. The peace of mind that I experienced as a result of that first Reiki treatment was also completely unexpected and felt miraculous. After weeks of agitation and lack of sleep, I felt relaxed and calm. The fact that I experienced the same peace through the treatments week after week amazed me even more and helped me to move through the grieving process to acceptance and emerge stronger and with a lasting passion for Reiki!
It reminded me of an experience of deep peace I had as a child one Christmas. I was walking home from school, where we had been making Christmas decorations, and it was cold and frosty. I was looking at the sparkle of the frost on the pavement and was filled with joy. It was not an easy time in my family, my parents having just separated, and yet here was a sense of peace that helped me to feel that all would be well.
This quality of peace of mind, of relaxation and joy even in the midst of difficulties, of comfort and a feeling of safety, is something that is not unique to Reiki. It is most often experienced through spiritual practice of some kind, but Reiki practice is the easiest and fastest way to access it I know, so I am grateful to have discovered it!
Christmas is a time when thoughts often turn peace on earth – even the First World War was paused at Christmas. Some difficulties cannot be paused, however much we might wish them to be. In those circumstances we need something to remind us that peace and joy are always with us if we can relax, be still and listen inwardly. Offering kindness to others is another way to experience these peaceful feelings and this year has offered many opportunities for many small but significant acts of kindness and comfort in support of our neighbours and wider community.
If you have experienced grief and loss this year, I wish you peace this Christmas and may the New Year bring healing and joy.
