Published by ReikiRays.com August 8, 2021
So many of us can suffer from one form of burn out or another. There are the typical types of burn out associated with prolonged periods of stress due to our day-to-day schedules, high demands at work, and perhaps also familial and relationship obligations. But there is one burn out group that I am interested in discussing here: the burnout experienced by patients of chronic illnesses.
As practitioners we know that all forms of disease originate in the energetic body created by our thoughts and emotions. We also know that if those thought patterns or emotions are not addressed in a healthy manner through our preferred methods of self-care, they begin to affect our physical bodies by manifesting as pain and discomfort or even disease in places where our physical bodies are the weakest. Many times, our mental and emotional states are overlooked by our medical professionals.
What happens when our trusted physicians neglect to inquire about our mental and emotional health? They usually end up only treating us for the physical symptom we are experiencing. Unfortunately, for those who are not aware of how our mental and emotional states effect our physical bodies, they willingly take the advice their medical practitioner gives them as the truth about what is wrong with their health. From a physician’s perspective, they are trained to discover what is wrong with the body that is creating this symptom. While their findings may be correct in pinpointing why the symptom has appeared, we must ask ourselves, how did this perfectly functioning body part or system begin to malfunction or become diseased in the first place? The truth is that our health has many layers, and we should seek to treat all of them.
So how can we help our clients who suffer not only from a chronic illness but are also experiencing healthcare burn out?
When a client comes to you with a chronic illness or an illness that is taking them time to recover from, a Reiki practitioner can work with this client to bring them to a state of balance and help them to find relief from many symptoms by treating the physical, mental, and emotional bodies along with the auric fields with Reiki. Our auric field, as we learn in Reiki, contains different layers of the energetic body. Certain layers are associated with different chakras, and each chakra is associated with different organs in the body.
Take the case of a client who suffers from chronic migraines, like I did before I began practicing Reiki. Migraines that produce pain in the eyes and back of the head are associated with the physical aspect of the eyes, brain, pituitary and pineal glands, the nose, and the sinuses. On an emotional level, this could mean that the client has an overactive mind or is undergoing something extremely emotional. On a mental level, the client could be experiencing mental fog, difficulties concentrating, and decreased mental energy.
This client could be experiencing a blockage in the third-eye chakra which is producing the migraines. The third-eye chakra is associated with the celestial body of the spiritual plane in the auric field. The spiritual plane of the auric field represents the higher emotional aspect. However, to further assist this client, we should also focus on clearing the sacral chakra in conjunction with the third-eye chakra. The sacral chakra is associated with the emotional body of the physical plane in the auric field. This is known as the lower emotional aspect. These two layers and their corresponding chakras are directly related and work together (the lower and the higher) to form the emotional body.
Therefore, after receiving Reiki, I would also recommend that my client who is suffering from chronic migraines seek ways to release unexpressed or suppressed emotions by taking up some sort of creative activity, but also to take time for him or herself. As always, I would recommend journaling, channel writing, and writing soul letters which can also help them express their emotions in a private manner that will feel safe. Sometimes we make decisions based on our emotions or avoid making decisions because of our emotions. This can create a block or chasm in the auric field that will eventually be felt in the physical body.
In this particular case, on the level of the auric field, the second auric layer (linked to the sacral chakra) which screens feelings and emotions, and the sixth auric layer (linked to the third eye chakra) which relates to our openness to choices and enacting on decisions, will both begin to heal by this self-care practice and the person will begin to feel a relief from the migraine headaches. Like other healthcare practices, receiving Reiki and practicing self-care on a regular basis will prove to have long-lasting effects.
Dealing with chronic illnesses can lead a person to patient burn out. They will often go from one medical appointment to the next without realizing how it is affecting their lives on a personal level emotionally and mentally. Adding onto this burn out is the time and expense needed to find and maintain the care that is right for themselves. This continuous circle leading to burn out further exacerbates their condition and piles more stress onto their already taxed system. Patients of chronic illnesses understand that this may be something they must live with, and while Reiki will not cure them of their illness, it will certainly provide relief, help them feel better and find a path to comfort once they begin to heal the other layers of the body.
Patients of chronic illnesses who seek Reiki may be seeking relief from their obvious medical symptoms, but we should also provide them with an explanation of all the different layers that are associated with their healing. With this understanding, they will be open to receiving Reiki, and we can clear the energy centers where we find their main symptoms originate from. We can achieve not only our client’s desired results but also give them a deeper understanding of their symptoms and their personal self-care. This knowledge will give our clients more personal freedom and the ability to reframe their outlook towards their medical conditions with more positivity. (Not to mention the perks of receiving Reiki on a regular basis and how that helps the rest of their mental, emotional, and spiritual lives!)
Healing One Heart at a Time!