Article by Deborah Lloyd, Reiki Master
One subject that often arises during my supportive visits to hospice patients is the lack of energy. As time goes on, almost every patient experiences a heavy fatigue. The simple everyday movements become more and more difficult. I remember one grandmother who was grieving the fact she was too tired to have her grandchildren stop by her home after school. She was also strongly independent and had been declining our certified nursing assistants – the staff who help with showers, baths, changing sheets, etc. Through gentle prodding, I was able to convince her if she accepted more help earlier in the day, she would not be so tired by the end of the afternoon. She finally agreed to “try a CNA out.” It worked – having the personal assistance in the mornings gave her more energy for later in the day. For her, it was a major step in achieving the best quality of life she could.
For those of us not dealing with a major illness or advanced age, we usually neglect looking at how we spend our energy. Each of us has a certain amount of energy to expend each day; we usually take this for granted when we are young and healthy. But, we may work too many hours in our jobs or in our homes, or we sleep too few hours. Often, our energy tanks are running close to empty, but we continue, on and on and on.
Reiki teaches us so much about energy! Considering how we expend our energy, on a day to day basis, is one important lesson of Reiki. While Reiki treatments can certainly help us to feel less tired, we should not depend on Reiki to fill up our energy tanks. For the sake of our energetic bodies, it would be better if we did not allow the needle on our tanks to get so close to “empty.”
A frequent observation of mine is that most clients have at least one chakra, if not two or three, where the energy is depleted. During the after-session discussion, I note this observation. If s/he is not familiar with the chakras and their related areas, I provide a brief outline of what areas the chakra is associated. Every time, the client knows exactly why the energy surrounding the chakra is drained. If it is in the Root chakra, the concern may be a potential loss of job or financial worries. If it is in the Solar Plexus, s/he will talk about how powerless they feel in their job or primary relationship. The list goes on.
Rather, it would be healthier to maintain a certain level of energy, all the time. Heading towards empty should be a rare exception, not the rule. Reiki teaches us how important it is to maintain a good balance in all areas of our lives; yet, we often struggle to achieve that goal.
One reason may be that we do not identify how we use our energy as a priority in our lives. In our busy world, many of us assume that tiredness and fatigue is a part of life in which we have no control. In some workplaces, to leave on time may be viewed as “leaving early.” Not to mention the nearly impossible expectations of certain jobs. The stress of it all is also a great expenditure of energy.
Every time we do self-Reiki, let us remember to set an intention of using energy in appropriate amounts in our lives – in every area. Soon, we will find that we are less tired and stressed – and we have plenty of energy to have relaxation and fun with our partners and families!! That is the real purpose of understanding energy conservation – giving our energy to the most important things in our lives.
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Deborah Lloyd is a Usui and Karuna Reiki® Master and certified holistic therapy practitioner, providing Distant Reiki sessions and training in Asheville, NC. Deborah is the author of two books, 22 Messages from the Archangels; and, Believe and it is True: A Story of Healing and Life Lessons. She is also one of the co-authors of Reiki 101: 101 Answers for Your Reiki Questions. Reach Deborah at [email protected] and on Facebook at Deb Lloyd Healing.
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