Author: Haripriya Suraj

Haripriya Suraj is a Wellness Practitioner specialized in Reiki. She has been offering Reiki therapy sessions since 2007 and also conducts Reiki training programs. She is an established author with Reiki Rays, a leading website for Reiki practitioners and teachers across the globe. She is especially interested in the role of wellness therapies in modern medicine and has co-authored the book ‘When Spirt Meets Science.’ She is also an Early Childhood Educator experienced in conventional as well as non-conventional models of schooling.
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Ganesha: The Sweet Elephant Being

Haripriya Suraj

One day, a young woman was walking through a village. She had a basket full of stones with her.

She saw a stream and sat down beside it. She placed the basket next to her and closed her eyes.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. She seemed to be very sad about something.

Suddenly, she wiped her tears, connected to her pain from the depths of her belly, and shouted out aloud, “Universe, I can’t take this pain anymore. I need help. And I need it NOW!!”

A minute or two later, she heard footsteps approaching.

She turned around and saw a sweet little face peering at her through a thick bush.

The being had big brown eyes, large ears, and also a trunk.

“Hey, that looks like an elephant,” she thought to herself, “But something’s different about this elephant.”

The ‘Elephant Being’ smiled at her and stepped out of the bush.

She noticed that this being only had the head of an elephant. The rest of his body appeared human.

“You have such a sweet smile. Who are you?” she asked.

“I am Ganesha,” replied the Elephant Being.

“Why are you here?” said the woman.

“I heard a cry for help and I thought it was you,” said Ganesha.

“Yes, it was me asking the Universe for help,” said the woman, “I don’t understand why you are here.”

“The Universe has different ways of sending help,” said Ganesha, “And I am one of its sources.”

The woman appeared bewildered.

Ganesha walked up to her and sat down beside her.

He placed her basket on his lap and began to toss one stone at a time into the stream.

“Hey Ganesha, what are you doing?” screamed the woman, “Those stones belong to me.”

“I know,” said Ganesha, “But you asked for help remember? I am helping you clear your basket.”

“I asked for help with my life,” said the woman, sounding annoyed “Not help to clear my basket!”

“How can you make space for anything new, dear one, unless you clear the clutter you have collected? Allow me to help,” said Ganesha kindly.

The woman was quiet. Ganesha’s words seemed to have struck a chord deep within her.

After a couple of minutes, she smiled and joined Ganesha in clearing the stones from her basket.

As she tossed each stone into the stream, her basket grew lighter and lighter. Finally, it was empty.

Ganesha patted her on the back, handed the basket back to her, and said, “Well done!”

The woman closed her eyes again. She seemed to be at peace now.

“Now that you are empty, dear one, all possibilities in the Universe are open to you. Open your arms and prepare to receive when the Universe delivers,” said Ganesha.

“I will,” said the woman, eyes still closed.

She had her eyes closed for almost an hour with Ganesha sitting patiently by her side.

Suddenly she smelt a beautiful fragrance and opened her eyes.

She looked down and saw that her basket was full of fresh flowers – of many varieties, colours, and fragrances!

“Wow!” exclaimed the woman, “How in the world did these flowers appear?”

“You manifested them,” said Ganesha.

“I don’t understand,” said the woman.

“You let go of the stones (clutter from your inner world). And you received flowers (blessings in the outer world),” explained Ganesha.

“Oh my! This is incredible!” said the woman, “Thank you Ganesha.”

“You’re welcome!” said Ganesha, “I supported you. But I could have helped only up to a point. You had to pitch in too. It’s your life after all. So, congratulations for choosing to empty your basket!”

The woman stood up and hugged Ganesha tight.

After sharing a warm embrace, Ganesha said goodbye to the woman and left.

The woman picked up her basket of flowers and raced through the village until she reached her home.

She placed the flowers on her altar.

She then brought out paper and paint and created a magnificent picture of Ganesha.

Her sister appeared and said, “Hey, what is this you’re painting? An elephant?”

“He’s my new friend!’ replied the woman in glee, “He’s the sweetest, kindest, and the most helpful soul I have met. He looks like a cute little elephant on the outside but underneath that cuteness lay hidden immense wisdom and power.”

“Wow!” said her sister, “He looks divine.”

“He is,” replied the woman and hung the painting near the altar.

Now, every time she sees the painting, she knows she has someone to reach out to when she feels stuck.

But more importantly, she is reminded to live the wisdom Ganesha helped her unearth!

reiki, when spirit meets science

The First Reiki Attunement

Haripriya Suraj

I fondly remember the afternoon of my very first Reiki attunement in the November of 2007.

As I sat in the sacred space my Reiki teacher had created, I was in complete surrender to the Universe and open to all possibilities.

I did not see lights or feel very different during the attunement. It just felt like a quiet meditative experience.

However, as I made my way back home after the class, I developed a running nose.

This was followed by a high temperature that lasted four days.

My teacher said I had so much pain and darkness to clear from years gone by that my body had reacted strongly to the Reiki attunement and subsequent self-healing practice.

I intuitively felt she was right.

Years of pain and darkness – in the form of terror, anxiety, worry, imaginary ghosts, and manipulative humans who were a pain in the neck- pushed me to have a spiritual awakening.

When I suddenly came in contact with the higher frequency of Reiki, I believe the lower energies stored in my system were shaken up. And that’s why I experienced a healing crisis in the form of the flu.

Once the flu settled, I began to enjoy my Reiki practice.

I felt strong sensations of heat in my palms and also in my body. My palms often felt stuck to particular chakras and I remember heaving huge sighs of relief as energy flowed to them. Most of my chakras were in real need of strength and nourishment back then.

As Reiki flowed through me, I soon saw how it felt to breathe easy instead of tremble in fear.

I saw how it felt to co-create with the Universe rather than try to control every aspect of life.

I experienced the touch of a loving Higher Power rather than one that is inclined to instill fear.

I also developed the unshakable belief that I deserved nothing but the best in the area of human relationships – no more attracting fake friendships, manipulators, and tricksters – only people who are steady, simple, sincere, and authentic. And that is exactly what I ended up receiving.

Every Reiki attunement I have received has been significant in its own way and led to exponential growth. But the first one was truly a game-changer!

divine feminine divine masculine, motherhood

Receiving From The Mama Of All Mamas

Haripriya Suraj

Mama, Mama, Mama, Mama……

My children say Mama a minimum of one hundred times every day.

They seem to see this as a magical word that can be used in almost any context and situation.

Sometimes the word Mama is uttered to show love

Sometimes it is uttered to express pain

Sometimes it is uttered to receive comfort

Sometimes it is uttered in awe

Sometimes it is uttered as a plea

And sometimes it is uttered for no reason at all, except for the fact that Mama is adored.

Very often, what matters most to a child is not what Mama does for her (or him) but the fact that she is Mama.

Mama represents an energy – an energy that provides stability, comfort, love and nurturing.

I believe it is a privilege to be someone’s ‘Mama.’

Not receiving sufficient Mother Energy, especially during the childhood years, can leave one’s foundation wobbly and heart empty. It can weaken the root and heart chakras.

However, let’s not lose hope, for it is possible to receive nourishment from the Cosmic Mother Energy.

You may see Cosmic Mother Energy as Shakti, Lakshmi, Parvathi, Mother Mary, Kuan Yin, or any other Divine Feminine Form you connect to. Or you may simply see it as Mother Energy. And receive everything you need from her.

Divine Mother,

Please hold tight all those who for some reason have not received love and nourishment from their Earth Mothers.

Through your heart, may they know the powerful heart of the Mother.

Through your embrace, may they know the sweet touch of the Mother.

Through your subtle presence, may they know the unshakable strength of the Mother.

Through your nurturance, may their roots grow strong and healthy.

Through your love, may their hearts heal, open, and blossom.

In Deep Gratitude

Love You Divine Mama – The Mama Of All Mamas

modern medicine, womb healing

Womb Surgery: Black, White, Or Grey?

Haripriya Suraj

Some months back, a good friend of ours, who is a counselor, said to Suraj, “You know, all these surgeries that you doctors perform on the pregnant womb leave a deep scar not just on the body but also on the mind. I really think they ought not to be done.”

Since she was so blunt, Suraj was also equally blunt and asked, “Well, what do you want us to do then? Just allow pregnant women with life-threatening conditions to bleed to death? It’s a question of saving someone’s life or saving their womb. What would you recommend in that situation?”

Our friend smiled and said, “Yes, of course. I’m sorry. I guess I didn’t look at the situation from that perspective. Just wondering how these women can be helped with the repercussions of what they go through.”

“Well, that’s what people like you and Haripriya are here for. So, go ahead and help them!” he said.

“Right. Of course,” she said and laughed.

Recently, I heard about a patient with a medical condition called ‘Placenta Accreta’ where the placenta grows into the wall of the uterus. Under normal circumstances, the placenta detaches from the uterine wall post childbirth. However, this condition causes the placenta to remain attached. After delivery, this can cause severe blood loss and endanger the mother’s life. Very often, surgical removal of the uterus along with the baby is the medical solution to keep the mother safe.

My heart went out to this patient. I felt it must be such a difficult time for her.

From a psychological standpoint, the question that may arise in such a situation is-

Has this woman lost a significant part of herself- her womb?
Many women would say – ‘Yes.’

Could this woman be emotionally distressed by the loss of her womb?
Possibly. The degree of distress may vary from person to person. But some distress is natural.

The other question that usually troubles many is –

Could the surgery have been avoided?
And very often, the answer to that question is ‘Not if you want to save her life.’

Losing an organ is not easy at all. And it can certainly have a negative impact on the psyche.

But, sometimes, surgery seems to be the safest solution for a person, so life can go on.

Over the centuries, millions of women have risked their lives to give birth. In the current time, with hospitals, cesarean sections, bright lights, and high-tech instruments, the process of childbirth may not have a natural feel to it. But there has never been a safer time to give birth either.

One thing I have learned over the years is this –

Situations aren’t always black and white.
Very often, they are grey.

Is surgery on the womb a negative thing to happen to a person?
The answer can never be a simple yes because there are so many factors to consider.

Do difficult unnatural birthing experiences result in the formation of traumatic memories within mother and baby? I don’t know if conventional science would agree. But, as an energy healer, I do believe they can.

But again, it’s about weighing the trauma experienced against the benefit received from the unnatural birthing experience. If there was benefit to mother or baby, it makes sense to feel grateful for the same, while also acknowledging the pain one may have felt along the way. Healing ourselves from the painful aspect of the experience comes next so we can be free to move on.

To achieve a complete understanding, situations have to be seen from different perspectives. And choices have to be made based on what’s best for a person in a given situation. Most people would probably agree that saving a life comes first.

One thing is for certain – it is possible to heal from even the most distressing of situations, including the loss of the womb.

Grief, guilt, shame, and a myriad of distressing emotions may have to be dealt with along the way. But there is a way to heal.

And as long as there is a way, there is hope.
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energy medicine, when spirit meets science

Chakra Healing Analysis

Haripriya Suraj

Of the seven chakras, my crown and third eye have always felt open.

My throat and heart were partly open. They began to blossom further when I set foot on the healing path. It required years of extensive inner work to clear the many blocks and wounds they carried. But today, I can say confidently that they are over 90% open and healthy.

My sacral was also partially open. I began to experience deep healing of the sacral chakra in the year 2018 when I began my journey of ‘Healing The Womb.’ The healing of the sacral was near complete around the time Suraj and I co-authored the book ‘When Spirit Meets science’ in February 2019, which was immediately followed by a trip to Masai Mara in Kenya. I have no clue what shifted within me around that time period. But that book and trip together did something to complete my healing of the sacral chakra.

My guess is that the book helped me achieve Feminine-Masculine Energetic Union, and the energy of the land at Masai Mara helped with deeper integration of the healing. Today, I can say with pride and joy that my sacral has never felt so free and healthy!

Now, just the solar plexus and root chakras remain to be worked on! Almost all difficulties and challenges I face now are associated with these two chakras. Just observing how the philosophy of the Chakra System co-relates to my own life, helps me appreciate the wisdom in it.

I am being easy on myself as I work on my solar plexus and root because the journey has not been easy for me either. Unless I can be patient and compassionate with myself, there is no way deep healing can occur.

It may take some more years to complete the healing of these two chakras. But, no matter how long it takes, I am sticking with the process and making the most of the journey. Healing, after all, is a journey.

I intend that one day in the future, I will write another post and declare “All my seven major chakras are fully open, healthy, joyful, and in perfect balance. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

modern medicine, when spirit meets science

Your Health, Whose Responsibility?

Haripriya Suraj

Many of us think having one illness to deal with is a big thing in itself.

But ever so often, I hear of people who are battling so many illnesses all at once.

Every three months or so, Suraj will have a patient diagnosed with cancer but who also has been coping with multiple other illnesses, one after the other.

The patient profile will be somewhat like this-

  1. Smoker
  2. Obese
  3. Uncontrolled hypertension for 15 years
  4. Uncontrolled diabetes for 10 years
  5. Borderline kidney disease
  6. Heart attack 3 years back.
  7. Cardiac bypass done
  8. Stroke one year back
  9. And now another major surgery for cancer

Sometimes, non-smokers and people who aren’t obese also feature on this list.

I can’t help but wonder how someone can have so many bodily troubles all at once and what went wrong – physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually –  that they ended up in this position.

In some cases, it’s obvious people brought their misery upon themselves – as in the case of smokers, alcoholics, and people who don’t comply with medical advice with regards to medication and lifestyle. In other cases, the reason for their misery is not obvious and it may require some soul searching to arrive at an answer. I empathise more with the latter category.

There was one patient who had a history of multiple illnesses and was also diagnosed with cancer. Even after successful completion of his treatment for cancer, he landed in hospital every few months. Reason being – his addiction to smoking was making him fall sick over and over again – in different ways.

He was advised repeatedly to stop smoking. But he refused to even try – never mind that he had to end up in the ICU every few months.

Sometimes, such patients also have an attitude. They say – “Doctor, you don’t worry about my smoking. Your job is only to treat us, make us get well and out of this hospital.”

And when some such patients succumb to their illness, their family thinks the doctor was responsible for not helping them get better!

Never mind that the patient didn’t care to take any responsibility for their own health. And talk about conveniently placing the blame on others so we can be blind to our own shortcomings!

Unfortunately, law requires that anyone who comes in for conventional treatment be offered the same, irrespective of how they lead their lives or how they behave in hospital.

If people with such attitudes come to me for energy healing, I would bid them goodbye very soon and tell them I cannot help them set their lives right. And no one could sue me for it!

womb healing

Womb Healing Checklist: Menstruation

Haripriya Suraj

As a woman, you will benefit from practices of ‘Healing The Womb’ if you –

  1. Have taken on the belief that your menstrual cycle is (or was) something to be ashamed of
  2. Felt dread or shame as a child (or adult) at the thought of blood staining your dress and someone noticing it
  3. Felt dread or shame as a child (or adult) when someone discovered a sanitary product in your bag or purse
  4. Have been conditioned to believe that you are impure when you bleed or because you bleed
  5. Feel embarrassed if someone (especially a male) gets to know you are on your period
  6. Believe menstrual cycles are a huge problem women face, possibly even a curse.
  7. Couldn’t care less about the body asking you to slow down during that time of the month and try to be as energetic as always.

This checklist is meant to help you bring awareness to areas you may be feeling stuck in as far as menstruation is concerned.

Don’t worry! You aren’t the only woman who’s going to be ticking off a lot of the points on this checklist.

And it isn’t your fault if you feel a particular way. We are all products of societal, cultural, and religious conditioning. And if you want to break free from this conditioning, you always have a choice to be the change you wish to see.

You can choose to play a part in birthing a new higher consciousness – one in which we aren’t ashamed of our bodies and their natural functions anymore.

And the first step to that is developing awareness of where you are as a woman and of the areas within your consciousness that can be rewired.

Once this awareness begins to set in, no one can stop you from embracing and enjoying your gift of womanhood fully.

inner child

Healing Jealousy

Haripriya Suraj

A 30-year-old woman Diya (name changed) came to meet me.

She had done her Reiki Level 1 training with me some years back. But this time, she wanted a Reiki session.

She smiled and greeted me when she walked in. But underneath the smile, I sensed rapid breathing, clenched teeth, and a pool of raw emotions waiting for an outlet to burst forth.

We engaged in small talk for a minute or two, after which I asked her –

“So, how have you been?”

“Not good at all,” she blurted out spontaneously, “You won’t believe me if I tell you what I’m going through. In fact, I feel ashamed to even talk about it!”

She looked away after this and there was a long pause.

“At this moment Diya, just remember –  I am your therapist and I don’t judge you. It’s perfectly safe for you to express,” I said.

She then let her guard down and began narrating her story.

Diya was one of two siblings. Her elder sister Priya (name changed) held a high-profile job in the corporate world. Diya was a dance teacher and taught Indian classical dance.

Diya expressed that there had been constant comparisons between Priya and her right from the time that they were primary school goers. Priya’s core interest lay in academics while Diya’s passion lay in art, particularly dance.

While Priya was a class topper, Diya won several prizes for excellence in dance. However, their family valued Priya’s achievements more than Diya’s. Scoring cent percent in a math test was seen as far superior to any accolade Diya brought home.  As a result, Diya began to see herself as less intelligent than her sister and also less worthy.

Diya was often jealous of all the attention and appreciation Priya received. She loved Priya but also resented her silently.

Recently, at the age of 32, Priya received a promotion at work – she was made CEO of her company. Their parents, now in their sixties, were over the moon with pride and joy and hosted a grand lunch to celebrate her new milestone.

Diya didn’t feel like being a part of this get-together. She knew she wouldn’t feel good. But she didn’t wish to be a spoilsport and decided to go over. At the party, she felt unseen and unacknowledged, as always. To make matters worse, her old feelings of jealousy also crept in.  

And she said to me with tears in her eyes,

“Haripriya, I am 30 years old. Isn’t it terrible that I still feel jealous of my big sister? I think I’m horrible!”

At that point, all I wanted to do was give Diya a big hug. I didn’t think she was horrible at all.

I said to her, “Diya, can we do some EFT?” I asked.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is a great tool that helps to cope with even the most difficult of emotions and neutralise them.

We did a few rounds of EFT together, with the intention to address the jealousy she was feeling.

When the intensity of the jealousy dropped, I asked her to lie down and placed a rose quartz crystal in her palm. I told her to relax and began performing a Reiki session on her.

When my palms were over her throat, she asked me if she could place the rose quartz over her body. I gave her a go-ahead. She gently massaged her womb, heart, and solar plexus chakras with the rose quartz. As she did this, more tears streamed down her cheeks. After seven minutes or so, the tears stopped flowing and she placed the rose quartz by her side.

When she sat up after the Reiki session, I said to her, “Do you know where those feelings of jealousy stem from?”

She said immediately, “From my childhood.”

“Ok. So, who is feeling jealous?” I asked.

Diya looked confused.

“I guess it’s me,” she said.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

‘I’m confused,” she said, looking rather bewildered.

“Let’s assume for a second that you were acknowledged as much as Priya. Let’s say your parents didn’t believe Priya’s math test score deserved more appreciation than your brilliant dance performance. Let’s say you both were told that each of you was talented – just in different ways. Let’s say both of your accomplishments were acknowledged and celebrated equally. Would you still feel jealous of Priya?” I asked.

“No! In that case, I wouldn’t even have the belief that I wasn’t good enough,” said Priya and laughed.

“Exactly,” I said, “So, can you tell me now? Who is feeling jealous of Priya?”

“Is it my Inner Child?” she asked, still feeling unsure.

“Yes!” I said, “It’s not the adult Diya, it’s your wounded inner child.”

“Oh,” said Diya, looking somewhat relieved.

“We each have the essence of our child-self alive within us. When this child has been wounded in some way and the wound has not been healed, it can show up over and over again, even years later. The fact that you are an adult now doesn’t matter at all,” I said.

“As they grow up, some people are able to take charge of their lives and heal their wounds independently. Some people require assistance to heal. Some people are not even aware they carry such wounds. Some are aware but suppress them and pretend they don’t exist,” I went on.

“Phew!” said Diya, “I’m glad I’m aware now and I do wish to address them.”

“Inner Child healing requires extensive work Diya and we can discuss this after the session. But for now, can we have a quick conversation with your inner child and close this session? You are an adult now. Your adult self has the power to take charge of your life and heal your inner child,” I said.

“Certainly Haripriya,” said Diya.

I placed a soft toy in her arms to represent her inner child and guided Diya, the adult to say the following to Diya, the Child –

“Dear Diya, I am sorry you felt unseen, unheard, and unacknowledged for so many long years. I see you now – fully and completely. I see your strengths, talents, and intelligence. I acknowledge your chosen destiny and honour the path you have chosen to walk. I see the effort and passion with which you follow your heart’s calling. And all I wish to say is – great job, dear one! Be yourself for that is who you are meant to be. When you wish to make a difference in this world, you can do it best by being who you truly are. I love you with all my heart and I am here for you today and every day.”

Diya felt much better after this session. But this is just the beginning of her inner child healing journey. For most people, deep inner child healing can take months, if not years.

I wish her the best on this path toward greater wholeness and harmony!

when spirit meets science, womb healing

Womb Rose Meditation

Haripriya Suraj

In this meditation, we will connect to the womb through the energy of the rose.

To me, the rose is symbolic of love, affection, beauty, joy, and abundance.

By using the rose as a bridge, we will enter the portal of the womb, blend the energy of the rose with the energy of the womb and see what this opens up for us.

Process

  1. Sir or lie down in a comfortable position.
  2. Breathe in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth until you feel centered. This should take you a minute or two.
  3. When you feel ready, place your palms over your womb and breathe for a few more seconds.
  4. Visualise or feel an orange rose bud appearing within your womb. If you feel like picking some other colour, feel free to do so.
  5. With your awareness on the rosebud, continue to breathe.
  6. As you breathe, visualise or feel the rosebud blooming into a nice fragrant rose flower.
  7. See or feel the qualities of this rose filling up your womb space.
  8. Continue to breathe until your womb feels full with the energy of the rose.
  9. Now slowly, direct this rose energy blended with the energy of your womb to any or all of your other chakras. Keep breathing as the energy does its work.
  10. Now visualise or feel this womb rose energy moving out into your energy field and forming a cocoon around you. Breathe for a bit more.
  11. Be open to any insights you may receive at this time. If nothing comes into your awareness, that’s perfectly OK too. Just relax and enjoy the experience. Shifts can be very subtle and you don’t necessarily have to feel something all the time.
  12. When the process feels complete, move your body gently and open your eyes slowly.
  13. Express your gratitude to Womb Rose Energy.
  14. Drink some water and be with yourself for a while. Write down about your experience in your journal if you wish to.
  15. Repeat this meditation whenever you feel like it.

I am not going to tell you what you can or should expect from this meditation, for there is no way for me or for anyone to know about how it will unfold for you. These inner processes are very personalised. You will receive exactly what you need- depending on where you are in your journey as a woman and a soul. Trust the process and enjoy it!  

when spirit meets science

When Wellness Is Part Of Medicine

Haripriya Suraj

I received my Covid booster shot at a hospital yesterday.

While I was waiting with several others in the lounge, I felt a bit nervous. Despite having received hundreds of shots over the years, that moment prior to receiving another one always brings on some anxiety.

A few minutes later, a young nurse arrived at the door. Just the manner in which she walked into the room – soft and gentle with a sweet smile – put me at ease.

“That’s a lovely energy!” I thought to myself.

When it was my turn, she first helped me to relax my hand and said,

“Take a deep breath in Ma’am.”

And I did that.

“You’ll feel a small prick now. Breathe out.”

And I breathed out.

As the needle went further in, she said gently again,

“Another deep breath in…and out…and you’re done!”

And I was like,

“Wow! That hardly hurt.”

I was so excited a wellness practice like breathing was part of a vaccination experience in a hospital.

Isn’t that one way for Spirit to meet Science?

I felt so grateful to this angelic nurse for making this experience of a few seconds a comfortable one for me and thanked her from my heart.

Vaccination is such a simple procedure. It may have hardly mattered even if she hadn’t done it this way. However, to someone like me, these small things make a huge difference.

As they often say in energy healing circles, “Your vibe attracts your tribe.”