Past-life regression and future-life progression are two wonder therapies enthralling seekers today. Can the yesterday and tomorrow of our life be known today? Can it help us understand this present moment?
Choose from a wide range of self-help alternative therapies to become healthy once again
Ever dreamed of curing yourself and your family in the comfort zone of your home? Many alternative therapies have the advantage of being self-administering, are frequently drug-free and free of cost. Perhaps the best, though most difficult, aspect of alternatives is that they expect you to be responsible for your own health, instead of signing over accountability to a doctor. It calls for discipline, but once you factor that into your system, you will be increasingly free of the medical system with its prohibitive expenses and alarming side-effects. Best of all, you can work on preventing illnesses rather than incur the pain and sacrifice of healing.
Reiki – The Healing Touch Reiki is a natural healing therapy, which has been traced back to ancient Tibet and was rediscovered in the 19th century by Dr. Mikao Usui of Japan. The word reiki is made of two Japanese words – “rei”, which means “God’s wisdom or the Higher Power” and “ki” which is a variation of chi, “life force energy”. So reiki is actually “spiritually guided life force energy.”
“It is administered by hands and is based on the idea that an unseen life force energy flows through us and is what causes us to be alive,” ascertains Dr. Jyotika Chhibber, a reiki grandmaster. She further explains, “If one’s “life force energy” is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stressed, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.”
Thus, when ki flows smoothly around and through the body, one is healthy. However, when there is a disruption in the flow of ki, illness results due to single or multiple blockages. The healing energy is transmitted to the person needing treatment, from the palms of the hands of the person himself or a practitioner. The energy moves through the body, working to release any blockages that are hindering the body’s natural ability to heal itself and to be totally balanced and disease-free.
The practice of reiki is simple and unrestricted. Shweta Jha, a 29-year-old marketing manager, says, “Due to my heavy schedule, I have not been able to go for a course but I practice reiki in my everyday life. I learnt about the points from a self-help book and believe me, it helped me de-stress myself; I sleep more soundly now.”
There are 24 basic hand placements used when giving yourself a reiki treatment. • Eyes • Temples • Ears • Third eye • Back of head • Throat • Thyroid • Heart chakra • Solar plexus • Liver • Lungs • Spleen • Hara • Ovaries/ spermatic cords in men • Knees • Calves • Ankles • Shoulder • Back thyroid • Back heart chakra • Back solar plexus • Back kidneys • Back hara • Root chakra (from the back)Always choose a peaceful and quiet setting with dim lights and wear comfortable clothes. Soft instrumental music may be played in the background to relax and bring back the focus. Rub your hands fervently for ten seconds to a minute and try to feel the energy being activated in your hands. Now gently cup both the eyes with your palms. Change the position after every three minutes. Always follow the sequence of the points. After healing the last point, don’t get up abruptly. Try to feel the energy flow in your body. Reiki energy is perceived as warmth or heat, sometimes as a vibrating tingling. Initially, one may not feel it at all due to long-term blockages. It normally takes 21 days of regular reiki to open up all the blockages. Never give reiki on the areas where one has suffered from burns, as the heat may do more harm. This is the only note of caution.
Easy for people to learn and use, reiki can do no harm, even when used by a novice. It always goes to the source of the problem and always works for the highest good.
Acupressure and Reflexology “According to Chinese medicine, health is maintained by the flow of life force energy (chi) in meridians or energy channels. Any disturbance in the flow of energy, either because of excess energy or depletion of energy, can create disease,” explains Dr Sandeep Bhasin. He further notes, “Balancing the flow of chi can restore harmony in health.”
is achieved by working on different spots in the body. Acupressure and reflexology are two different concepts based on the above principles. In acupressure the points are scattered all over the body, but in reflexology the pressure is applied to specific points on the feet, ears, or hands.
But in both the concepts, the points correspond to various parts and organs of the body.
Bhasin explains the method of application of pressure points, “Apply pressure on accupoints for 1 to 3 minutes with thumb or knuckle. It is better to apply rhythmic pressure in clockwise or anti-clockwise direction.”
Application of pressure on related points is a very simple and effective way of restoring one’s lost health. But Dr Ketan Shah, a well-known acupressure therapist, stresses that though one does not need to do a course to make use of it in daily life, initially guidance about the exact points should be taken from a trained person.
practice all of us can safely do every day to maintain our health is to press the palms of both hands starting from the three lines of the wrist and including the back and side of the palms and fingers. This will keep your system in good running order and ward off any impending disorder.
Dr Bhasin indicates certain acupressure points to cure day-to-day ailments. Any book on acupressure will have a full-body diagram which will enable you to identify these points.
Crystal Therapy Crystal therapy is based on the fact that crystals have vibrational energy of their own. They have always been valued for their grandeur as well as healing and spiritual properties. Shamans, healers, priests and saints have been known to use crystals as a tool to empower themselves spiritually. Saran Kaur, a 22-year-old student, says, “I don’t know what it is about crystals, but they are the love of my life, they make me feel so good.” Crystals are excellent personal growth tools that conduct universal energy, light, and electrical energy for healing.
Mita Bhan, a holistic healer, identifies the various ways in which crystals are used to stimulate the energy flow: • Placing the suitable crystal on the related chakra. • Wearing them in the form of pendant or bracelets. • Placing them in the corners of the room. According to her crystals corresponding to each chakra are: • Root chakra: jasper, garnet, onyx, rubies • Sacral chakra: carnelian, hematite, moonstone • Solar plexus chakra: citrine, amber, topaz • Heart chakra: rose quartz • Throat chakra: aquamarine, turquoise • Third Eye chakra: amethyst, sapphire • Crown chakra: clear quartz, amethyst
Most of the crystals are easily available, but they do need to be purified and charged time and again. Mita says, “Crystals must be cleansed regularly, especially after purchase. Soaking them overnight in a glass bowl with sea salts and water and holding them under the tap is an easy and effective way.” Other commonly known methods include burying them in mud over night or putting them under direct sunlight.
are very helpful in reducing stress and improving life force. Amethyst placed by the bedside helps absorb a lot of stress, promoting serenity and a worry-free sleep. Yellow topaz and citrine are wonderful crystals for concentration, vitality and clarity. These recommendations also work with children who are unable to concentrate fully on their studies. The most basic rose quartz, a gentle pink stone, is known for the soothing and loving vibrations it releases when worn as a pendant, bracelet, or if kept in a corner of the room.
above tips are just introductory; crystal therapy is a vast subject as nature has gifted us with innumerable crystals. The deeper you dig, the more treasures you will find. The basic understanding of crystals will simplify your life and make it more beautiful without any side-effect.
Creative Visualization Ankita, a 42-year-old artist, says, “Because of creative visualization, my current affirmation is that I have no idea what my life has in store for me, but it’s far greater than anything I could ever imagine.” Creative visualization is the art of using mental imagery and affirmation to produce positive changes in one’s life. Positive mental pictures can be a powerful force for good, benefit health and well-being, assist other natural healing processes and rein force positive feelings, behaviors and self-image.
Dr Pradeep Aggarwal, a renowned hypnotherapist, says, “Visualization is the key to success. It opens a new world of hope for you. With this power you can make your mind work for you in getting what you want.” He further stresses that any person who can daydream can be a creative visualizer on his own. Making images is a natural mental process that occurs even in our dreams. It is using the conscious mind to imagine particularly beneficial events, based on the fact that there is a close link between emotions, images and sensations.
Aggarwal gives steps in brief to acquire mind power: • Choose a quiet and comfortable place and setting. • Close your eyes and breathe normally. • Now begin the process of visualization. Feel the images you have created. Imagine that you are inside the visual and feel everything. • Experience the images with all your emotions. See! Hear! Smell! Feel how it feels to have achieved your goals. • Once you have experienced your images, let your mind go blank. Don’t hold on too long. • Tell yourself things like ‘I deserve to be healthy’, ‘I love myself’ and ‘I deserve to be loved’.
It is better to visualize two to three times a day. With creative visualization, weight issues can be changed and mastered by changing old beliefs and habits. It can be used to help you to identify, process and release unwanted influences. It can also be used in co-operation with aroma and crystal therapies to help rebalance your subtle energies, inducing deep relaxation and increased vitality. This is one of the simplest methods of distressing and many a time we do it subconsciously but with conscious efforts, better mental health can be achieved any time.
Aromatherapy Curious about the origin of this practice? Don’t even think about it. It seems that aromatherapy originated at the same time when the human race was born. Roman, Greek, Chinese, Egyptian civilizations have been known to be masters of this therapy. The only difference is that earlier it was known to be a rich man’s therapy; thankfully, it is now within the reach of all, though this is one therapy that does require some outlay of expenses, for the essential oils are not cheap. In simple words, aromatherapy is the inhalation and application of volatile essential oils from aromatic plants to restore or enhance health, beauty and well-being.
The primary form of aromatherapy application involves using essential oils in the following ways:
To the skin via massage, diluted in carrier oilHuman touch plays a vital role in good health and receiving a massage with aromatherapy massage oil is heaven on earth. When you combine massage with aromatic oils blended in a base of organic oils, it enhances the experience tremendously. Essential oils should never be used in their pure form. Almond oil is the most suitable carrier oil due to its non-allergic and neutral properties. The aromatic oil and carrier oil ratio should be 2:100.
Hot or Cold Compresses Compresses are effective ways of using essential oils to relieve pain and swelling and to reduce inflammation. To prepare compresses – fill bowl with very hot or cold water accordingly, add a few drops of essential oils, dip a piece of cloth, wring it and apply to affected area, changing compress when it has cooled or heated to blood heat. Cold compresses are prepared and used in the same way except for the use of ice water or ice cubes.
Aromatic Baths The essential oil is added to a tubful of warm water. The dosage of essential oil is usually 5–10 drops per bath.
Inhalations and Steaming Steaming with essential oils can be used to deep cleanse and moisten the face, helping to maintain a healthy, supple skin. The oils can be diluted with water and vaporised in a burner, or the easily available aromatic candles could be burned to have the same effect. The oils can also be inhaled from a handkerchief or tissue. This can be carried along while suffering from headache and flu. A few drops of these oils on the pillow can also prove extremely beneficial.
The market is loaded with books and CDs on self-help therapies. Pick up a few and find your own favorite routes to good health. Meanwhile, practice the above therapies and enjoy the gift of perfect health.
