Practice Is a Commitment To Yourself

Last week, I co-hosted a Zoom meeting for people with Parkinson’s disease. Our speaker for the morning, was a dear friend and a very accomplished Qi Gong instructor.

Amazingly, she looks as young as the day that I met her, over twenty years ago. She radiates positivity, knowledge, confidence, and a peaceful, gentle, presence that I strive to achieve both in my daily life and perspective.

After her demonstration of the benefits and the numerous reasons to try Qi Gong, the lightbulb went on. I realized what I always knew, but in another context. For over 20 years, I have benefitted from reiki, another energy therapy that also includes using Qi.

Reiki found me- I was not seeking a complementary therapy at the time. I was a skeptic, until I experienced and saw real benefit. Not until my practitioner and later, my teacher, suggested that I learn to do reiki for myself, did I realize that it was an everyday practice.

Trying something new

I have had the opportunity to share reiki with others at a couple World Parkinson Congresses and a few conferences. Many recipients appear and claim to experience a reduction in stress and anxiety, some relaxation, better sleep, and even some temporary reduction in several symptoms.

The one point that I try to stress to anyone who desires to learn reiki, have a reiki session performed on them, or are just interested in reiki, is that reiki is a practice. Benefits may come after one session or one class, but that benefit may be fleeting if not repeated and maintained.

Staying committed

To receive maximum benefit, one must make a commitment to stay with the practice and make it a routine activity. In other words, if one wants to test to see if they will get the benefit of the activity, it has to become a daily priority to get the most out of it.

For many years, I have tried to stress to those who want the benefits of reiki that the immediacy of benefit may or may not be obvious. It will take a little work on the recipient’s part, to observe the changes and to keep aware. Subtle changes can occur. Faces may soften and eyes may brighten. Tension may reduce and unexpected smiles can come out. Sleep and increased relaxation may improve.

The power of a practice

Any activity with value or benefit has a price. Be it time, money, dedication, or even inconvenience, or some sacrifice. Reiki and Qi gong may not be the fastest or easiest ways to help yourself, but they are by far some of the least invasive, least painful, and least expensive ways of exploring the improvement of your condition.

Everyone wants a pill or a quick fix for a condition that did not erupt overnight. A quick and easy fix is unlikely, as wonderful as it sounds. Improving our own condition requires commitment and ownership of our own bodies.

Taking responsibility for our own betterment is and has always been our duty to self. If we know our body and work closely with our healthcare team, adding new tools to our tool kits can offer new and unexpected positives in our lives and add to our overall health.