Category: reiki

modern medicine, reiki, when spirit meets science

The Miracle Of Acceptance: Mental Health Breakthroughs

Haripriya Suraj

Earlier this year, I received a call from a Reiki student of mine. She said she was ready to do her Master Level Training.

This woman had been diagnosed with a major mental health challenge in 2015. It was so severe that she was hospitalized for some days and received psychiatric treatment.

After she regained some stability and normalcy, she approached me for Reiki training.

Soon after she received her Level 1 attunement, she had some breakthroughs in her personal and professional life.

She dropped by one day to share her happiness with me.

As we chatted and laughed together, her face suddenly turned grim.

She said, “Haripriya, I feel so blessed. I bounced back to normalcy pretty quickly after this mental health crisis. And then Reiki came into my life and I experienced such wondrous shifts.”

“That’s so good for you, isn’t it?” I said, wondering why she looked serious.

“Yes. But I really don’t like the fact that psychiatric treatment is going to be a permanent part of my life. I know I risk a relapse if I discontinue treatment. And I don’t like this one bit! I wish I had been cured for good. But I know there isn’t a cure for this condition at the moment. Can you help me here?” she said.

Since I have no medical background, I felt I ought not to offer random advice.

So, I said, “I understand your feelings. Please give me some time. I will get back to you with some insight into this. Meanwhile, please continue with whatever medical treatment you may be on and do keep up with your Reiki practice too.”

I then spoke to a couple of psychiatrists I know well.

I understood from them that-

1. While some people with mental health challenges need just simple short-term treatment, others require ongoing longer-term treatment.
2. Many people fear the side effects of psychiatric drugs but don’t understand that the risks of not taking them when medically indicated are far worse than any side effect they may experience. Some others view a psychiatric diagnosis as a ‘stigma’ and have a hard time accepting the challenge they are faced with.
3. Many people give in to fear or misconception midway and abruptly stop treatment. This then puts them at a risk for relapse. And treatment gets more difficult with every episode of relapse. Patients then place the blame on the treatment itself, saying it didn’t help, remaining blind to the fact that they were not patient enough to stick with it, and discontinued midway (or modified treatment as they deemed fit).
4. The best outcomes are experienced by people who move forward with a sense of trust, who abide by medical advice from a professional they trust, and who are consistent in their effort to get better.

After I had a thorough understanding of this, I called my student over for a discussion and explained everything I had understood to her.

She broke down.

“This is exactly what I am going through,” she wept, “I simply cannot accept the fact that I have this problem. I feel like I am a crazy woman or something.”

I held her hand and said, “I understand. It’s OK to be upset. And you aren’t a crazy woman. Please trust me when I say this. Do allow yourself some time to grieve. But whenever you are ready, do you think you can come to an acceptance of the situation? I can help you if you require support.”

She said, “I will try.”

She called me after four months.

Even before I could ask her a question, she said excitedly, “Haripriya, I have been practicing Reiki every day without missing a single day in between. I feel this has helped me accept my situation as it is and I am feeling WAY lighter. This acceptance has also helped me look at the positive side. My medical treatment is helping me lead a near-normal life. I am no longer the pale woman I used to be. I have a lot more energy and zest for life. I am motivated enough to take care of myself. I spend time in nature after work every day. I have joined a weekend aerobic class and I also took swimming lessons last month! I even managed to attend a high school reunion yesterday. This would have been impossible for my previous self! I so hated meeting people when I was affected by that condition. And the icing on the cake is that I even received a promotion at work! My doctor says I am making excellent progress and that if I continue this way, my need for medication and therapy would be tailored accordingly.”

Her voice was reverberating with excitement and I held back from saying anything until she had poured her heart out.

She finally finished with the sentence – “My ability to accept my situation for what it is and keeping up with treatment brought about these miraculous shifts!”

I said, “Wow, wow, wow! I am so very happy for you. Keep shining like a star!”

She went on to do Reiki Level 2 in 2016. And she is now a Reiki 3A practitioner!

She is doing great. When required, she has no hesitation in revealing that she is on long-term psychiatric treatment for a condition that has no cure at the moment.

She has accepted her life as it is and does everything in her power to support herself physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and also medically.

She doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her anymore for she is so busy living her life to the fullest.

She no longer sees herself as a broken lunatic. She sees herself as an empowered woman who has risen like a phoenix from the ashes!

reiki

The Magic Of A Reiki Recharge

Haripriya Suraj

After a busy couple of days on my feet, I was feeling tired and grumpy.

My head felt heavy and my muscles ached.

My energy was dropping by the minute.

I knew that if I continued feeling this way, I would lash out at the next person who said a word to me.

So, I dropped everything I was doing and told myself it was time for some Reiki.

The moment I placed my palms on my third eye, I felt an intense heat over that region.

This is the kind of heat I felt in my palms and body when I was a new Reiki practitioner. And I remember how much I loved that feeling back then!

Apart from the third eye, tons of energy also flowed into my solar plexus. I could almost feel my solar plexus heave sighs of relief as it was replenished!

As every chakra was recharged by Reiki, stress and fatigue dissolved and harmony returned to my body.

It is only when I miss some days of practice that I realise how much of a positive difference Reiki makes to me and my body.

When I practise every day, Reiki feels routine and the experience is subtle. I feel a mild warmth or tingling at the most.

When I practise after a while, the experience is dramatically different. I feel intense heat and my hands stay stuck to the most depleted chakras for longer periods of time.

I so love this magical feeling of shifting from low energy to high energy in a matter of minutes.

How blessed are we to have the gift of Reiki in our lives!

This is an image of heart made with hands in a blog post on Celebrating Love by Haripriya Suraj in her blog When Spirit Meets Science
modern medicine, reiki

Primum Non Nocere – First Do No Harm

Haripriya Suraj

When Suraj and I were newly married, we met a Reiki practitioner friend of mine.

After engaging in small talk for a while, my friend began to talk to Suraj about Reiki.

She spoke of how Reiki had helped her in terms of physical wellness, personal development, synchronistic happenings and spiritual growth. Everything she shared seemed pleasant and plausible. Suraj listened earnestly to her.

Suddenly, the tone changed and she began to talk about how Reiki had helped her charge electronics, stop a hailstorm, and also clear traffic jams.

I noticed the expression on Suraj’s face changed for a split second. I knew this may have been a tad too much for a scientific person like him. However, he was polite and continued to listen with interest.

The conversation took an even crazier turn when my friend finally claimed that her Reiki teacher had cured hypertension, heart disease, and even cancer through Reiki.

At this point, I knew Suraj had much to say. However, for my sake, he probably just listened and didn’t get into an argument with her.

On our way back home, I said, “I guess everything my friend shared was a bit ‘too much’ for you.”

He was quiet for a few seconds, after which he said, “You see, the problem is not about something being ‘too much.’ What concerns me is the potential harm that can come out of claims that no one can verify.”

This was all new to me back then. So, I said, “Can you elaborate?”

“If Reiki is really able to charge devices and clear storms, is there harm to anyone?” he asked.

“No, there isn’t. I understand it may be hard to believe such stuff. I think what she meant was when you have a strong enough intention, miraculous things happen. Reiki is just an instrument to make something happen,” I explained.

“That’s alright. But my point is – this claim causes no harm to anyone. And if Reiki can perform such feats, good for the world,” he went on, “But the other stuff she said about her teacher curing hypertension, heart disease, and cancer is what I am concerned about. If there is even the slightest bit of untruth there, you do know it can end up causing harm right?”

“Can you elaborate again?” I asked.

“I constantly see cancer patients who try a hundred other therapies and finally land in the hospital with advanced disease. By the time they approach us, it’s too late for us to help. If the same people had come at an early stage, they could have easily been cured,” he said.

“Yes. I understand,” I said.

“Your friend started off sounding perfectly normal. And there was a sudden jump to a totally different wavelength that didn’t match what she said initially. Unless there is solid evidence to support medical claims, I don’t think they should be made. It has the potential to mislead another. You owe it to Reiki to talk about its true essence and beauty,” he said.

I listened quietly and contemplated his words.

“If her teacher claimed she could make an aircraft fly through Reiki and that there was no need for technology or for a pilot, would you board the aircraft?” he asked.

“No way!” I said.

“Because you clearly see the practical aspects of it – you recognise the dangers of allowing an aircraft to take off without solid evidence that Reiki can make it fly. Then why wouldn’t you question tall medical claims like these?” he asked.

Based on this conversation that happened way back in 2008, Suraj wrote in our co-authored book ‘When Spirit Meets Science’-

A very important guiding principle taught to all medical students is ‘Primum Non Nocere’ which in Latin means, ‘First, do no harm.’ It is wiser to do nothing than to do something which would make a sick person worse.

From this tenet of non-maleficience emerges the need for evidence.

If a doctor/healer offers something to a patient, he should be as certain as possible that it works. The downside of not being certain is that it often creates more harm than good. Even if a particular therapy does not cause direct harm to a patient, it may cause indirect harm by preventing him from taking therapy that would have been more effective.

When in doubt, the principle of ‘Primum Non Nocere’ acts as a guiding light.

It took me some years to to truly understand the essence of this principle. Now, I am able to see and honour it completely and I also apply it in my own Reiki practice.

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!

modern medicine, reiki, when spirit meets science

The Joy Of Offering Reiki To Loved Ones

Haripriya Suraj

Recently, I offered Reiki to my husband Suraj after a very tiring day he had at work.

He had to perform a complex cancer surgery involving four major organs – the esophagus, stomach, and spleen had to be removed completely, and a portion of the pancreas also had to be removed. A segment of the intestine had to be brought up and converted into a new esophagus.

Just listening to the details of the surgery made me feel overwhelmed and I thought to myself,

“You sure need a lot of stamina, and courage to do this kind of work!”

I could also imagine how tiring it may have been for the surgical team. This extensive procedure required him and his supporting team to be on their feet for almost seven hours at a stretch.

When he returned home, I saw he was super exhausted. His neck and shoulders seemed to be hurting.

He had asked me for Reiki the evening prior to this long surgery. But I was exhausted and promised to do it the next day. Considering how difficult the surgery was, offering Reiki after he was done with it turned out to be of greater benefit.

As I placed my palms over his third eye chakra, his breathing became softer, his body loosened up and he began to relax.

When I had my palms on his throat chakra, he suddenly opened his eyes and flashed a warm smile at me.

No words were required. The smile told me he was enjoying the Reiki.

He closed his eyes and drifted back into a state of deep relaxation again.

I felt grateful for the opportunity to share the gift of Reiki with an individual who is constantly giving to others in need of his services.

As I worked my way through the chakras, I noticed that his shoulders and some other chakras needed extra attention. However, overall, the energy flowed easily and he received all of it with zero resistance. When the session was done, he got up feeling energized and rejuvenated.

One of the gifts of Reiki is being able to share it with those we love and cherish the most.

I have been offering Reiki to my family and friends for years now and I must say those have been among the best sessions. I feel this is because there is an already established exchange of love with the people we are closest to. Sharing Reiki seems to make that bond of love even stronger.

What are your experiences of offering Reiki to those you love? I would love to hear from you!

reiki, when spirit meets science

Of Magical Hands & Magical Lands

Haripriya Suraj

Once upon a time, there existed a land of immense beauty and magic.

The land was abundant with a variety of plants and trees.

The air was pure, the water pristine and the earth rich.

The humans who lived there co-existed in harmony with plants, animals and all of nature.

They knew they were dependent on plants and animals for their survival and had a deep reverence for them. They cared well for them and received nourishment from them with utmost gratitude.

These humans also knew that they were the more intelligent among all the species they co-existed with. They knew they could put their intelligence to use in constructive or destructive ways.

They were conscious of the ‘Web Of Energy’ that runs through all of existence. They knew they were connected to everything in creation – mineral, plant, insect, bird, animal, air, water, earth, sun, star, planet and galaxy.  

They were very in tune with the life force energy flowing through their beings. They viewed their hands as ‘Healing Hands’ and used them as instruments to offer comfort to those in distress.

Their connection to the warm pulse of the life force flowing through their palms served their growth and evolution in more ways than one – it brought wellness and energy to their physical bodies and made their minds more productive. It also opened their hearts and brought joy to their souls. These humans learnt to put their intelligence to best use and the vibration of their land rose higher and higher. Anyone coming there felt an instant sense of peace, ease and calm.

It’s not that darkness didn’t exist on this beautiful land. It did. However, these humans had mastered the art of alchemy. They accepted darkness when it showed up. They knew how to transform darkness – both within and around them – into something higher.

As a result, the vibration of the land was always on the higher side. Life flourished. Boundaries dissolved. Peace prevailed. Love ruled.

Dear Reiki Healers, does this story ring a bell deep within your heart?

This is the power of the energy you feel flowing through your palms each day!

We each have the power to choose how we wish to use this energy in the current time.

If we wish to weave realities like the one that existed on that magical land far far away, we must make the most constructive use of this energy!

reiki, when spirit meets science

The Gift Of Reiki For Plants

Haripriya Suraj

One of the best things about being a Reiki practitioner is that you get to share the gift of Reiki not just with humans but also with plants and animals.

The practice of offering Reiki to plants has shifted my relationship with them.

The plants in my little garden are no more just a slice of nature adorning my space. They are living beings that I feel a lot of love for.

I feel so very grateful for their healing presence in my space. Looking at them and being amidst them gives me comfort and peace.

I express my gratitude for their presence by offering Reiki and love to them!

Connecting to another living being purely through love, without having to say a word, is a soul-stirring experience indeed!

reiki, when spirit meets science

Reiki: Magic Minus The Flamboyance

Haripriya Suraj

Oh, beautiful Reiki

Of rainbow colours bright.

What a wonder you are,

Though nowhere in sight!

This little poem is from the first chapter of our book ‘When Spirit Meets Science.’

My first encounter with Reiki happened when I was a child. I was playing with a friend at her home when I saw her mother standing beside a plant, with her palms over it, eyes closed and keenly focused.

When I asked my friend what was going on, she told me her mother was practicing something called ‘Reiki’ and sending good energy to the plants.

This scene struck a chord deep within me. It felt very natural to me that someone should be doing this.

“Wow! How nice to be able to send good energy to a plant,” I thought to myself.

I believe a Reiki seed was gently planted in my consciousness that day.

Little did I know back then that this act of sending and sharing ‘good energy’ would become my purpose in life one day.

Around a decade later, in the year 2007, Reiki came into my life.

And this time around, it came in like a whirlwind.

I developed a strong calling to experience Reiki.

I was in a difficult phase in life and each day was a struggle. My soul pushed me to expand and to connect to something much larger than the ‘human struggling me.’

And Reiki training helped me achieve this connection successfully.

Soon after the training, life began to flow – whatever wasn’t working well for me made its way out of my life and positive new circumstances took birth, almost as if by magic.

Synchronicity kicked in and re-arranged my life, one step at a time.

I just took whatever practical action I had to take at each step and thereafter surrendered to an ‘Intelligence’ much bigger than me, trusting that everything I needed would come to me.

And it did. Even beyond my wildest expectations.

And if someone asks what the logic behind this magic is, I cannot answer – for Reiki is not concrete.

It cannot be seen or measured.

Its many possible effects are best experienced.

To me, Reiki is a subtle sweet force that works silently, offers support on different levels, and pushes you to become more of who you are.

Reiki is magical, without appearing flamboyant.

And this magic, which has been the very foundation of my growth and success, inspired me to begin the book with a poem dedicated to Reiki.

Thank you Reiki for everything you do for me and for everyone whose lives you touch!

energy medicine, reiki

Energy Healing Is A Two Way Process

Haripriya Suraj

“Let me tune in to your energy before I can say anything.”

“Can you tell me how you are feeling?”

“Let’s just go with the flow and see what shows up for you.”

“Let’s not go against the flow for now. Difficult as it may be, let everything be as it is. Let’s revisit this problem after some time.”

“Whatever is for your highest good is what you can expect from this session.”

“Can we let go and surrender completely to the energy? Let’s allow it to do its work.”

“Breathe energy into every cell in your body.”

“Something doesn’t feel right. The energy feels off. Let’s go deeper and see what comes up.”

“Looks like you’ve absorbed some negative energy. Can you work on clearing it?”

“You’re all high vibe today!”

Most healers are familiar with this kind of ‘Energy Talk.’ After a point in time, it begins to feel natural to talk like this!

I have been offering Reiki sessions for the last 14 years and have worked with a variety of clients. The most memorable sessions amongst these have been the ones I’ve done for other experienced energy healers and also for people who may not be trained energy healers but have had a fair amount of exposure to energy-based healing therapies.

The reasons being-

  1. It is an absolute joy to converse freely with them in ‘Energy Language’ and not have them look at you like – “Have you gone nuts?!”
  2. It is also easier to give them feedback because they know and understand the subtleties of energy work and are well aware of its potential as well as limitations. They don’t expect miracles and magic from the healer, and are ready to do their part to find solutions.

Energy healing, like all other forms of healing, is a two-way process. It’s not about the healer doing something to make a client’s problems disappear. Healers can only offer support by facilitating the process of healing and showing the light.

Barring a few exceptions, recipients of healing are not meant to be passive. They are expected to open their eyes, recognise the light, be in charge and make every effort possible to move in the direction of light. Only then is true healing possible.

This is an image of a pill and a palm in an article on Modern Medicine & Reiki for Hypertension & Diabetes by Haripriya Suraj, Reiki Master
modern medicine, reiki, when spirit meets science

Modern Medicine & Reiki For Diabetes & Hypertension

Haripriya Suraj

“Modern medicine is not advanced enough. It can’t cure my diabetes and hypertension,” she complained.

I was lost for words when she made this statement.

An aunt of mine came to me for a Reiki session way back in 2015.

She was overweight.

She ate unhealthy and processed foods every other day.

She hardly moved her body, forget exercise.

Even after being diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes, she didn’t make any effort to adopt healthier lifestyle measures.

And she expected that modern medicine should be advanced enough to cure her!

Talk about not taking responsibility for our own lives and choices.

She looked at Suraj and went on, “You are a doctor. Tell me why I should take medicine for hypertension or diabetes? I am never going to be cured. Isn’t it so? So, what is the point in me popping all those pills every day?”

Suraj said, “Aunty, the medicine may not be able to cure the disease at the moment. But it does help prevent the potential complications of the disease – heart disease, kidney failure, gangrene to name a few. Isn’t that good enough reason for you to take it?”

“But along with the medicine, you also have to be mindful of your lifestyle. The two go hand in hand,” he went on.

She made a smug face and nodded, almost like it was Suraj’s fault modern medicine didn’t have an easy cure for her yet!

And then, she said to me, “Haripriya, please do something with your Reiki. Please cure me of these troubles.”

I said, “Aunty, I can support you with Reiki. But you will have to take your pills properly and adopt whatever lifestyle measures have been advised to you. Energy needs to flow freely within the body Aunty, and I can’t make it happen without your active involvement in the process. Reiki can help you connect to your body. So, making positive changes to your lifestyle may feel easier.”

She gave me a smug look too.

I could almost hear her thoughts, “What a good-for-nothing couple! Neither can do anything to cure me!”

After she left, I said to Suraj, ” I’m sorry if she annoyed you.”

He said, “It’s alright. We are used to people having unreasonable expectations of doctors and medicine.”

I said, “Isn’t it the same for Reiki? My hands can’t do anything when someone isn’t willing to lift their own finger to take charge of their life!”

Our answers obviously did not convince her. She never returned for Reiki.

Four years passed. In 2019, she was diagnosed with kidney failure and landed in the ICU.

Her family told us she eventually stopped taking her medicines and switched to a form of alternative medicine. Those medicines helped with certain health conditions, but they couldn’t keep hypertension and diabetes under control. As a result, the disease progressed and wreaked havoc on her kidneys. The extent of damage to her body was so high that she needed to be on even more modern medication to keep it functioning.

We were sorry she was having a hard time. What made it worse was the fact that the progression of the disease could have easily been prevented, had she been willing to view it through a different lens.

Some incidents in life are hard to digest. But I guess everyone has the right to create their destiny – even when that means bringing misery to oneself.

In such situations, all we can do is pray for people and wish them well.