Tag: when spirit meets science

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 the birth of a safe world form girls and women in a blog post by Haripriya Suraj in When Spirit Meets Science
healthy sexuality, personal, safe world, when spirit meets science, women's safety

Healthy Sexuality, Safe World

Haripriya Suraj

Becoming a mother to a little daughter last year made me very joyful. At the same time, it also brought in a tremendous amount of fear and paranoia. Being a woman myself, I have never been as concerned about my safety in this world as much as I feel for my daughter. These feelings of concern for my baby girl soon extended to include the entire female population.

Every time I picked up my daughter and saw the innocence in her eyes, it began to remind me of the atrocities that have been committed against the female, primary among them, being sexual abuse and assault. Old stories of sexual violence against women reported in the media began to haunt me day and night. I began to feel bitter and resentful and asked questions like-

  1. What kind of an ugly world are we living in?
  2. Is the female an object of pleasure to be used by a male?
  3. What kind of beastly people are the men who have abused and tortured women to satisfy their own primal urges?

Being on the spiritual path, I have always found solace in the philosophy that we create our own reality. However, applying the same philosophy after the arrival of my daughter, particularly to the issue of women’s safety, has been challenging. I still believe we create our own reality. But that doesn’t mean we should be blind to the darkness in the world. On the path of spiritual healing, when something begins to bother us more than it should, it is viewed as a sign that

Something related to the problem needs to be healed within our consciousness – meaning we need to view the situation from a higher perspective and make peace with it in body, mind and spirit.

OR

We have a practical role to play in doing something about the situation rather than waste time and energy in endless worry and anxiety.

While the former was my insight, the latter was shared by my husband Suraj. This was indeed an aha moment for me! I believe both these insights hold valid in my case. Often, we get so caught up in our own thinking, we fail to see problems from other perspectives. In such moments, our family and friends play the role of wisdom bearers and step in to show us the light.

The questions I am now asking have shifted to –

  1. Can I accept that good, bad and ugly coexist in the current world?
  2. How can I do my bit to make the world a safer place for women and also for men?
  3. Can I start by sensitising my own son and help him understand the meaning of healthy sexuality in age appropriate ways?
  4. How can I help create more awareness around matters of healthy sexuality and respectful partnerships between men and women?

While I often dream of a world that is beautiful and peaceful in all ways, I understand we also need to be practical and deal with the reality that is currently in front of us.

Rather than drowning in darkness, I now choose to bring in the Light in little ways and thereafter surrender my efforts to the Universe. I trust the world is becoming a safer place and that the future will certainly see the birth of a new paradigm where healthy, respectful and sacred partnerships are the norm.

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 a diwali image in a blog post on Diwali, spirituality and science by Haripriya Suraj
personal, Spirit, when spirit meets science

Happy Diwali : Choosing The Light

Haripriya Suraj

The much-awaited Festival of Lights, Diwali, is here!

I love Diwali for the fact that it brings in so much Light – LITERALLY!

The abundance of lamps lit everywhere invites feelings of warmth, love and togetherness.

Diwali reminds me of the constant inner work we do on the spiritual path to transform the darkness within our consciousness and to align with light. As more and more amongst us choose light, the more refined the collective consciousness becomes. As consciousness is elevated, the world becomes a more loving and peaceful place to live in.

In the field of science, every new discovery, invention, medical treatment and technological advancement that has made the world we live in today better and safer than the previous centuries is symbolic of light.

Both spirituality and science are double-edged swords. They can be used to heal and uplift or to destroy. Knowing how to apply their principles and harness their resources for the highest and greatest good of self and the world is key.

Light and darkness are present in every sphere of life. What we choose is up to us…

This Diwali, let us pledge to choose Light and to make the world a happier place to live in.

Wishing you and your dear ones a happy, prosperous and blessed Diwali!

This is an image of a market showing good vibes in a post by Haripriya Suraj on When Spirit Meets Science
energy medicine, when spirit meets science

Bengaluru Diaries: The Magic & Logic of Good Vibes

Haripriya Suraj

A Sunday evening walk through the streets of Malleshwaram, a bustling locality in our city Bengaluru (Bangalore), turned out to be a soul-stirring experience. Malleshwaram, is one among a handful of localities, that has kept up with the times yet retains the sweet charm of old Bengaluru.

Being a sensitive person, I rarely enjoy crowded and noisy environments. However, the experience at Malleshwaram always feels different.

Fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables are stocked in abundance in every nook and corner. The roads are lined with carts and vendors of all kinds, with everything from simple hairbands to elaborate clothing and footwear being made available to shoppers. The smell of freshly ground coffee powder wafts through the air while friends are seen bonding over chai (tea).

As a bonus, with Diwali (Indian Festival of Lights) around the corner, the shops are now brightly lit and seem to be offering a warm welcome to customers.

Despite being amidst hundreds of people that evening, I felt surprisingly peaceful and refreshed at the end of the walk.

I did some energy analysis and attributed the good vibes in the air to the fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables. These are considered to be ‘high prana’, meaning their quotient of life force energy continues to be high for quite some time after they are harvested. Logically speaking, there’s something about farm-fresh produce that gives many of us a good feeling. When the streets are occupied by as many flowers, fruits and vegetables as humans, the denser human energy is likely to be balanced by the lighter vibes stemming from the former.

My husband Suraj attributed this good feel to the fact that it may feel refreshing to see many humans together, after the Covid scenario severed our connection with the outside world for more than a year. I agree with this viewpoint too for we humans have an innate need for love and connection.

Humans apart, when you also have colourful and nourishing vegetables, fruits and flowers for company, any place can transform into ‘Paradise on Earth!’ I feel grateful for the abundance of goodness on this beautiful planet.

This is an image showing unconditional love in a blog post on love by Haripriya Suraj in the blog When Spirit Meets Science
self love

Love Is All That Matters

Haripriya Suraj

Have you ever noticed that adversity softens the heart spontaneously?

Be it a family member diagnosed with a serious illness, a friend that lost a loved one, a sick puppy on the roadside or a neighbour whose marriage broke down, crises make us put differences aside and reach out to others in love and compassion. Often, we also feel the pain and suffering of fellow human beings, almost as if they were our own.

I wonder what blocks the flow of love during the more routine phases of life.

Is it the unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves or others?

Is it the reluctance to accept that we are human and imperfect?

Is it the inability to acknowledge our difficult emotions and vulnerabilities?

Is it perceived differences and attitudes of ‘them vs us?’

Or a combination of several factors?

No matter what, as long as we still have some capacity to feel love and compassion, everything is not lost.

Healing the heart is seen as a significant milestone on the spiritual path.

Unconditional love is an experience many yearn for.

In truth, unconditional love is the only kind of love that exists.

Unconditional is the nature of love itself.

However, as humans, we have created the concept of ‘conditional love.’ This can feel safer and comfortable to many of us. Experiencing unconditional love requires us to accept people as they are, flaws and differences being part of the package. This isn’t always easy considering the kind of conditioning and baggage many of us carry.

Sharing unconditional love with self may be a good starting point. Being unconditional with ourselves can make it easier to offer the same to others.

This can be taken further by extending unconditional love to the people closest to us.

For instance, can you love your spouse or romantic partner unconditionally, despite the differences between the two of you? Can you accept her or him with all their flaws and quirks?

What about your children, if you have any?

Please note that while the experience of unconditional love is a wonderful milestone to work towards, it does not imply that one has to put up with unreasonable or abusive behaviour. If you have to be firm and draw boundaries in a relationship, it must be done without hesitation. In cases of abuse, external help may need to be sought. Even if you love an abusive person unconditionally, if they do not mend their behaviour, they may have to be let go of. All of this is the logical aspect of life and is the sane thing to do.

But wherever applicable, unconditional love is a state that all of us deserve to experience in our lifetime.

In the presence of unconditional love, differences pale into insignificance, rigid boundaries dissolve, hearts unite, minds come into peace and life flows with ease.

Does anything else matter if love can be primary?

Love is all that matters!

This is an image of Haripriya Suraj & Suraj Manjunath - When Spirit Meets Science
mindfulness

Life Lessons Over Chocolate

Haripriya Suraj

The wisdom life offers in every moment is never-ending.

An evening out with my husband Suraj brought forth two important lessons.

More Is Not Necessarily Better Than Less

When eaten mindfully, two small pieces of chocolate bring as much pleasure as one giant bar! After a sumptuous dinner, Suraj and I felt we ought not to put more pressure on our tummies by indulging in a plateful of dessert. The Cafe honoured our request and served us just two pieces of chocolate. While it appeared hilarious to have this teensy quantity of chocolate served on a plate and I couldn’t stop laughing about it, the truth is that we relished every bite of it! It inspired us to eat the little we had mindfully. The same wisdom of mindfulness can be applied to several areas of life where more is not necessarily better than less.

Time Can Be Created

Unless you consciously create time for your relationships, you will never find it. In today’s fast-paced world, where we always have bills to pay, calls to take, emails to reply to, homes to maintain, children to look after and a hundred other things on our daily to-do list, it may feel impossible to find time for the people who matter most. Relationships, like plants, can stop growing unless you make an effort to nurture them. Time is an illusion. If you really want to, you can certainly ‘create‘ (not find) quality time with your loved ones.

And what better way to connect than over some chocolate!

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.