Tag: wellness

self love, when spirit meets science

Life Lessons From ‘Jab We Met’ : Self-Love

Haripriya Suraj

“Mein Apni Favourite Hoon.”

These are words from the Bollywood movie ‘Jab We Met’ released in 2007.

The year 2007 was pivotal in launching me on a new path. Apart from the healing modalities I explored, the movie ‘Jab We Met’ also played a role in healing my heart and my life.

Geet, a vibrant young woman, is all set on building the life of her dreams. She dares to reach for the stars and is absolutely in love with her life. On a train journey, she bumps into a young man Aditya. Aditya is on the exact opposite vibration as Geet. Having lived through several challenging situations, he is at a point where he has no zest for life.

Eventually, Geet’s vivaciousness and positivity rub off on him.

And at one point he says, “Tum Apne Aap Ko Bahut Pasand Karti Hon Na?” (You love yourself so very much, don’t you?”)

And Geet says, “Mein Apni Favourite Hoon!” ( My favourite person is me!”)

The concept of self-love was new to me back then. I had just begun reading about the healing benefits of loving oneself. But watching this movie made the concept a whole lot clearer!

When I learned to love myself, I found that-

  1. My strengths and positive qualities received a boost, paving the way for success in different aspects of life.
  2. I was able to view my negatives as areas of growth and not as something ‘wrong with me.’ (as many of us are conditioned to believe about ourselves). This shift is necessary for one to experience high levels of self-confidence and self-esteem. If your inner critic constantly tells you that you aren’t good enough or that something is wrong with you, achieving your highest potential can become more difficult than it needs to be.
  3. I expected only the best for myself and believed it was possible to achieve whatever I set my mind and heart on. I wasn’t ready to settle for anything less than the vibration I was on!
  4. When I eventually ran into the love of my life the same year, I was already in love with myself. I didn’t need his love to complete me. Suraj was also complete and centered within himself. So, we were free to share our love and completeness with each other – the beginnings of a journey towards unconditional love!

This gem of a movie offers many valuable lessons for life. More in future posts!

This image shows Reiki in a bblog post on Reiki by Haripriya Suraj in the blog When Spirit Meets Science
energy medicine, personal, reiki, Spirit, when spirit meets science

The Many Gifts Of Reiki

Haripriya Suraj

I placed my palms on my body and felt them warming up in a way that I had never experienced before.

The warmth transformed into intense heat at times and tingling at other times.

I looked at my hands with a sense of wonder! What had just happened?

Was it magic at work?

Or a miracle?

Or was it something ‘normal’ that felt miraculous because it was new?

I would say it was a bit of all!

November 2007 – A significant time period when I began my Reiki training ; significant because my life since then has been built on this foundation of Reiki practice.

Apart from warm healing hands that bring peace and comfort each day, some other gifts that Reiki brought into my life include-

1. Love and reverence for my physical body and inspiration to take good care of it

2. Deep rest and relaxation

3. Heightened awareness of unhelpful thoughts and mental patterns

4. Ability to let go of or transform aspects of life that weren’t working so new people and opportunities could come in

5. Profound spiritual growth and strength

I am so grateful for all the gifts Reiki practice brings.

To me, Reiki is pure love.

After all these years, I am accustomed to the sensation of my hands warming up. I do miss the ‘wowness’ of how it felt in the beginning!

While that ‘wow’ was like the euphoria brought on by love at first sight, my relationship with Reiki today is like a solid partnership of love that is built with someone over years. And that is so beautiful as well.

What do you love about Reiki?

Wellness vs Illness, Haripriya Suraj, When Spirit Meets Science
energy medicine, modern medicine, reiki, science, when spirit meets science

Wellness vs Illness

Haripriya Suraj

Being a wellness practitioner, I am often asked by clients and also by family and friends to cure their physical ailments through Reiki. They hope beyond hope that I can do something to bring their thyroid levels back to normal, to help blood sugar stabilise or even to make cancer dissolve.

When I tell them I can teach them about wellness or support them through Reiki sessions, but not perform medical miracles, some of them look at me like something is wrong with me. I can almost read their mind saying – “What kind of a Reiki practitioner are you if you cannot do any of this?”

I may be a Reiki practitioner but Reiki is not some form of magic! It is not a quick fix for illness or for any problem. And it is certainly not something I can do to make a problem vanish from another person’s life. We are each responsible for our own lives.

Reiki is a way of life that empowers people to create physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.

Reiki takes work. Being well in body, mind and spirit may play a role in helping to prevent certain illnesses and also to cope well if at all illness strikes. But if an illness has already set in, wellness therapy like Reiki alone cannot manage it.

For a long time, I had a hard time telling people that there is a difference between wellness and illness. I often felt judged for recommending that someone must seek medical assistance for illness.

While there are plenty of anecdotal accounts of miraculous medical healings and they are certainly inspiring, they are not the same as ‘evidence.’ Evidence is when a particular therapy is proven to have a specific effect on a specific condition, and is accepted as a fact worldwide.

Being married to a cancer surgeon and co-authoring the book ‘When Spirit Meets Science’ with him has helped me clearly understand the difference between anecdote and evidence. This work has helped me appreciate the amount of effort that goes into conventional medical research before treatments are certified and offered to the world. As explained in the book, the principles of evidence based medicine can be easily applied to ‘alternative’ therapies too. Therefore, until we have a more solid scientific backing, I prefer to call wellness therapies complementary or supportive treatment.

Over the years, I have learned to drop the fear of judgment and to not hesitate to tell someone that they need medical evaluation. They are welcome to ask for Reiki but they must also take medical support if required.

Finally, I believe wellness therapies like Reiki offer enough value in themselves and don’t need a medical tag to certify their worth ( unless someone wants to test its efficacy in treating physical illnesses).

A Reiki session can help to relax the body, still the mind and calm the emotions. It can also help one experience the richness of their inner spiritual world. I believe these aspects are also essential components of any healing process. Reiki is always open to anyone who is interested in adopting a holistic approach to healing.

This image shows love in an article on alchemy with love by Haripriya Suraj in the blog When Spirit Meets Science
energy medicine, Spirit, when spirit meets science

Alchemy With Love

Haripriya Suraj

There are two ways to operate in life-

Love

Non-love

Very often, a given situation will have a completely different feel to it, depending on whether love is the driving force behind it or non-love.

Non-love could be defined as any state of being that makes one feel negative, uncomfortable, anxious, restless etc.

Love brings softness and higher consciousness into the picture. Love can elevate the vibration of even seemingly routine or mundane situations and make them take on a whole new quality.

When you find yourself feeling low, pause and tune in to your heart.

Ask yourself where you are operating from.

Now bring the element of love into the situation and tune in again.

If the emotions you are feeling are very intense, it may not be possible to tune in to your heart without addressing the emotional charge first. I find the practice of Emotional Freedom Technique to be very helpful in bringing down the intensity of difficult emotions. However, different techniques work for different people. So pick a practice that works best for you.

Once emotional intensity drops and you are able to tune in to your heart space, notice what happens.

You are likely to find that your perspective about the situation shifts. This is usually followed by the situation itself transforming for the better.

Remember, love is like a ‘healing balm.’ It can comfort, soothe, uplift and transform, sometimes in an instant.

Let’s invite more love into our lives!

This image depicts the sacral chakra in an article on wellness by Haripriya Suraj
energy medicine, reiki, when spirit meets science

Sacral Chakra Wisdom

Haripriya Suraj

The sacral chakra is an energy centre corresponding to the pelvic region of the physical body.

The health of this chakra is associated primarily with the following-

Emotions

Giving ourselves the permission to feel the wide spectrum of human emotions is vital to living a balanced life. The moment we label an emotion as ‘ unacceptable’ or ‘bad,’ we create a block within our energy system. This holds true for women as well as men. Men are often not given as much liberty as women to feel or reveal their emotional side. In the new paradigm, it is perfectly permissible and normal for men to feel and honour varied emotions and to allow themselves to feel vulnerable.

Sexuality

Sexual energy is a gift of the Universe. It is the force behind creation itself. However, sexuality is often associated with shame and disruption. It is also often a misused resource, as in cases of sexual abuse and assault. Not feeling safe or comfortable about one’s sexuality is a sign of imbalance in the sacral chakra. Feeling a healthy connection to one’s sexuality while respecting and honouring the sexuality and sexual boundaries of others is an indication of a healthy sacral chakra. As wounds related to sexuality are carried by many in the world, this is one chakra that needs significant attention.

Creative potential

The sacral chakra is the ‘womb’ of the energy system. It is associated with creative potential of all kinds, including the potential within the female womb where new life takes form. It is important to know that creation is not restricted to giving birth alone. Any kind of creation is an outcome of creative potential at work.

Place your palm on your sacral chakra and connect to your creative side. How does it feel? Are you utilising your complete potential? What is longing to be birthed through you? Can you channel more of your energy to birth creations unique to you? Each of us is born with unique talents. We can give ourselves the permission to recognise them and share them with the world.

Ability to flow with life

Flowing with life means letting go of the need to control every aspect of life. Is it truly possible to be in control always? Excessive control can begin to feel constricting. Letting go of control doesn’t mean no action must be taken. Action in the right direction must be taken when called for. Letting go means not being too fixated on outcomes. It is the art of taking action and then allowing life to unfold in its own glory.

Blessings!

Related Posts

Root Chakra Wisdom

This is an image showing healing in a post by Haripriya Suraj in the blog 'When Spirit Meets Science.'
energy medicine, personal, reiki

The Healing Energy Of Young Children

Haripriya Suraj

My little toddler is a bundle of energy and knows how to keep everyone on their toes! Her activity is not just restricted to the day but spills over to the nights too.

She often wakes up around 3 a.m. and stays up and about till the break of dawn. This is the time when my energy is lowest and I can barely open my eyes, forget the possibility of playing with an energetic one-year-old!

My husband, being a surgeon, is more accustomed to erratic sleeping hours and most often steps in to do the night shifts with the little one. However, if he has surgery scheduled for early the next morning, I take over so he can get some quality sleep.

Recently, on one such night, my toddler was cranky when she woke up. She did not want to play but wanted to be held instead. I had barely had two hours of sleep and I spent the rest of the night holding her. This went on until 5:30 a.m. By this time, my eyes were heavy and I realised I couldn’t keep them open any longer. I put her back in her crib assuming she would be ready to go back to sleep too. However, she stood up and began sobbing. My heart melted, for it was apparent she was in some sort of distress. I lifted her out of the crib and put her beside me on my bed.

It was 6 a.m. already and I knew I just had some time left for a snooze. I was certain I would wake up feeling cranky and a bad day would follow.

As I drifted into slumber, I could feel my little angel’s warmth enveloping me. I am not sure how exactly to describe the experience but it almost felt like a Reiki session in progress. I felt a soft sweet energy flowing from her to me. The negative loop in my head soon stopped playing. And I fell into deep slumber.

I woke up 45 minutes later and saw my little daughter fast asleep beside me.

I knew something had shifted within me from having her beside me. I woke up feeling as recharged as I would be after my six hours of sleep. My worries about having a bad day had transformed into positive anticipation and I looked forward to the goodness the day could bring. And yes, I did have a great day!

I have no idea what the logic to this experience could be. But I personally feel some magic unfolded in those minutes. I was holding her for several hours prior and do so every single day, but those few minutes stood out in some way.

Young children are pure souls. Their energy is light and uncontaminated. I feel some of her purity rubbed off on me and healed my grumpiness.

I am grateful for the sweet energy young children bring into this world. I believe they are the closest representation of divine love and purity.

This is an image of Haripriya Suraj on When Spirit Meets Science
energy medicine, personal, when spirit meets science

Energy That Heals The Soul

Haripriya Suraj

Rolling hills, coffee plantations, sprawling paddy fields, orange and silver oak trees, crystal clear streams and varieties of birds and insects! My short holiday to Coorg – one of the most beautiful locations in our state – was a feast to the soul and senses.

My ‘sensing mode’ is always on and I automatically tune in to the energy of a given place. I see how the energy dynamics of different places can help enrich my growth and well-being.

So it was with Coorg. On the day of our departure from there, I spent some time in solitude, contemplating on and integrating the energy I had been surrounded by during the time spent there.

And here’s what came up-

Mama Earth is so beautiful. Those of us living in cities rarely have the privilege to experience Earth in all her glory. It felt wonderful to see acres and acres of lush green trees. The greenery was soothing to the eyes and healing to the soul.

The air was clean and pure and it felt refreshing to breathe.

While the sounds of crickets served as a gentle bedtime lullaby, waking up to the melody of a hundred birds chirping helped to welcome the day with joy and gratitude.

In today’s world, connecting with nature often means taking the support of science in some way. It requires an automobile to reach the wilderness. Once there, it also requires a solid roof over the head and some electricity and water to experience a decent stay. Science is a huge part of our lives now and I feel grateful for the many things it has made possible for the world. At the same time, I also believe we must be responsible and utilise resources mindfully.

Coming to the human interactions, the staff at the resort were Angels in disguise. They were gentle and kind and went about their duties with a smile. The logic to this is that they have been trained to serve in this manner. But unless one has some passion for this kind of work and also some innate skill, I personally feel they cannot thrive in the service industry. These souls are surrounded by all kinds of energies throughout the day – some guests are polite, some can be rude and others can be unreasonably demanding. It requires a certain spirit to continue to do one’s best under pressure and to stay sane along the way.

I relaxed into the gracious warmth offered by the staff and allowed myself to receive completely. I also consciously returned the same energy back to them in the form of smiles, appreciation and gratitude. They may have just been executing the job they were paid to do. But at the end of the day, everyone is human.

Warmth, love and human connection keep the world going.

this is an image of root chakra in the article on Root Chakra by Haripriya Suraj on When Spirit Meets Science
energy medicine, reiki, when spirit meets science

Root Chakra Wisdom

Haripriya Suraj

In energy healing circles, the root chakra is one of the seven primary chakras (energy centres) we work with.

The root chakra is seen as an energy centre located at the base of the spine. This is not a physical structure in the body but a representation of the energy body at the ‘base of spine’ level.

At the moment, there is no way we can scientifically prove the existence of chakras. However, the objective here is not to generate proof. It is to understand and apply the invaluable wisdom presented by the theory of ‘Chakras.’

Root Chakra Wisdom

As the name suggests, the root chakra is to humans what roots are to plants.

Roots help plants and trees stay grounded to the Earth and serve as a medium for them to receive nourishment.

In the case of humans, the root chakra primarily represents –

  1. Ability to stay grounded in day-to-day reality on Planet Earth.
  2. Feelings of safety, security and support
  3. Matters of survival on the planet

If someone is preoccupied by fantasy and is disconnected from the reality of everyday life, we say they are ungrounded and have an imbalanced root chakra.

Same goes for people who are very fearful and anxious and experience the world as a dangerous place with many threats to their survival.

The root chakra is like the foundation of existence.

One can manage life with a wobbly foundation. But building a strong one can bring in more ease to life.

Contemplate the health of your own root chakra.

Do you feel safe, stable and grounded?

Do you sense any blocks in your root chakra? Are you aware of an incident from your past that is the likely cause of these blocks? If yes, how can you work on them?

Knowing you feel blocked in specific areas is a huge achievement in itself. Awareness of self is the first and most important step of the healing process.

Stay grounded! Stay happy!

This is an image in the article on inner child wounds , self love and self esteem in the blog when spirit meets science by Haripriya Suraj
inner child, reiki, self love, Spirit

Self Esteem & Self Love : Two Keys To Unlock Magic

Haripriya Suraj

As I sat down to pen this post, my head hurt and my heart felt heavy.

As children, many of us sought the attention and approval of people in authority, teachers and parents being primary. I found myself in a similar situation recently; like a little school girl not feeling good enough, because an authority figure refused to give me the validation I was unconsciously seeking!

How we viewed ourselves as children depended largely on how our elders viewed us. We felt good when they showed us their love and gave us their approval. We felt miserable when they withdrew their love and approval on account of something we did or didn’t do. If we had siblings, we may also have experienced bouts of jealousy when our sibling seemed to receive more attention or praise than us.

All of this is understandable because children are largely dependent on adults to meet their needs.

However, if we experience such emotions even as adults, they are like ‘wounds’ and need to be healed.

Such wounds can be healed completely or at least managed well when they show up. We do have the power to help ourselves.

Taking my own example, thanks to the intense inner work I have done and to my spiritual practices, I am able to manage my childhood wounds when they show up unexpectedly. I am aware enough to know when I am being sucked into a negative spiral. After some time spent moping, I make it a point to pull myself out of it with the support of tools such as Reiki, Meditation and Emotional Freedom Technique ( a healing modality that involves tapping on different points and areas of the body while making specific statements).

Self-esteem and self-love are two common areas that need attention in many of us.

While self-esteem points at how good we feel about ourselves, self-love is about our ability to love ourselves, exactly as we are – good and bad, amazing and flawed…

The easiest way to feel good about yourself is to go back in time and connect with the infant or young child you once were. You were born a blank slate. Your mind was empty and your heart pure. You were perfectly comfortable being who you were.

However, if you were repeatedly told you were a ‘bad boy’ or ‘bad girl’ or ‘hopeless kid,’ there is a possibility you may have internalised those labels. As an adult, you may not feel good about yourself unless certain people tell you how wonderful you are.

It is important to catch yourself when you find yourself seeking excessive approval or validation from others. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that external validation is not a measure of your worth. You are worthy simply by virtue of being a human being. Your talents and achievements build up your personality. They add value to your life and to the lives of others. But they are in no way a measure of your innate worth.

Bring your attention to your positive attributes. Think of at least three strengths you possess simply because of who you are. Give yourself the validation you seek. This will shift the energy and help you feel good about yourself instantaneously.

Learning to love yourself is another important milestone. The easiest way to love yourself is to accept that you are human, which means, you have feelings and emotions, good moods and bad, good days and bad. No one on this planet is perfect and neither are you. This does not mean you must make excuses when you err or make the same mistakes over and over again. It simply means you love yourself through all your ups and downs, highs and lows, good and bad times, empowered and weak moments.

I have personally found Emotional Freedom Technique to be very helpful when you need to address and release intense emotions and love yourself through it all. Explore this if you feel called to.

The reins to self-esteem and self-love must only be in your hands. Never hand them over to others.

Love can be shared more generously with others when you love yourself first.

You can help others feel good about themselves when you first feel good about yourself.

Loving yourself unlocks the magic of life!

It elevates your vibration and makes you a magnet to draw more goodness into your life.

Vibe high!

energy medicine, reiki, Spirit, Uncategorized

Energy Body : Meaning & Significance

Haripriya Suraj

Working with the ‘Energy Body’ is an integral aspect of wellness therapies like Reiki.

The Energy Body also goes by other names such as aura and energy field.

The Energy Body is typically depicted as an invisible field of energy around the physical body. It is not static. Instead, it is seen as a fluid and dynamic field that intermingles with the physical body.

From a practical standpoint, the Energy Body represents the sum total of an individual’s quality of life. This includes –

  1. Physical Health & Wellness – How healthy an individual is and how good they feel in their body.
  2. Mental Makeup – What kind of thoughts pre-occupy an individual’s mind, how they harness the power of their mind , does their mind mostly work for or against them.
  3. Emotional Wellbeing – How an individual feels and processes their positive as well as negative emotions.
  4. Social Support & Connection – How connected one feels to family, friends and to the world at large, what is the quality of these connections.
  5. Spiritual Strength – How much one is able to tap in to their source of inner strength, what is their level of connection to the Universe (or a higher non-physical power) and their ability to feel supported by the same.

The Energy Body is divided into sub-systems called ‘Chakras’ or ‘Energy Centres.’ Each of the Chakras represents a certain aspect of human life.

Since the Energy Body and its Chakras cannot be seen or measured in a concrete manner, their existence may be labeled a ‘hypothesis,’ when viewed through a scientific lens. Such concepts may also seem illusory to many.

However, before dismissing the hypothesis, it may help to reflect on the inherent wisdom it contains and the potential it holds to help people create well-being in their lives (the significance of each Chakra shall be discussed in detail in future posts).

When we work on a specific chakra, we work on a certain aspect of life and strive to bring it into balance and harmony. In other words, we work on becoming better.

When we work consciously on each of the chakras, we address almost all aspects of human existence and move towards creating a well-grounded and well-rounded life.

This is one of the primary goals of energy based wellness therapies.