Discovering that a loved one is autistic is a life-changing event for parents of these special children. Autism or more broadly autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neurodevelopmental disorders appearing in kids in the first two to three years of their lives. Affected children show symptoms like inadequate social, behavioural, and communication skills along with an inclination towards repetitive actions and activities. Parents of autistic children often turn to Reiki and other alternative medicine techniques when modern medicine fails to treat their kids.
Reiki is a wonderful tool to pacify kids with ASD who show symptoms like hyperactivity, fidgeting, disturbed sleep patterns, and repetitive speech and actions. It has been shown that Reiki helps autistic children by inducing a calming effect which turns down the inherent anxiety that these kids feel.
Why is ASD prevalent in males?
The answer lies in the Extreme Male Brain (EMB) theory. Autism disproportionately affects males more than females. There are many theories that try to address the mechanisms underlying male vulnerability or female protection. One such theory is the Extreme Male Brain (EMB) theory of autism. It postulates that there are anatomical and physiological differences between male and female brains and that the autistic brain is a more ‘masculine’ type, possibly due to elevated fetal testosterone.
The EMB theory is an extension of the Empathizing–Systemizing (E-S) theory which states that the male brain is better at construction and analysis of rule-based systems, attention to detail, and collecting (Systemizing Quotient, SQ), while females score higher on tests of empathy, linguistics, and social cognition (Empathy Quotient, EQ). Various studies report that children with ASD score higher in SQ than typical males thus indicating the prominence of ‘hypermasculinity’ in autistic children.
How does Reiki act on ASD?
By balancing the Yin and Yang! Yin and Yang are fundamental in diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. Yin refers to the feminine while Yang indicates the masculine principle in nature. Some pathologies and characteristics associated with Yang that are evident in ASD include hyperactivity, restlessness, insomnia, irritability, excessive heat, redness of the face, dryness of skin, coarse breathing pattern, thirst, constipation, etc. Reiki works on ASD by bringing the excess Yang energy in equilibrium with the Yin energy.
How to Reiki in ASD?
The best way to Reiki an autistic child or person is full-body healing from head to toe after Byosen scanning. However, most autistic children are in an irritable state when they first visit a practitioner. Below are some pointers to consider while healing an autistic individual that would be helpful to decide:
A. Where to heal when it is the child’s first visit and they are unsettled and overwhelmed
B. When they come for a quick round of Reiki in a subsequent visit
C. Which part to heal longer.
- The Yang channel begins and ends around the head region. Points on the crown area may be the easiest to access to pacify the child, especially during the first visit.
- Since all Yang channels lie on the backside of the body enveloping the dorsolateral surface of the trunk and limbs, these may be the first area one would like to start healing to bring the child or person in a comfortable equilibrium with the practitioner’s own energy.
- The upper body part above the waist carries major Yang channels. Healing the torso and head first can be the best way to begin healing.
- Apart from the dorsal side, the abdomen too carries the Yang channel. Healing the solar plexus and stomach for a slightly extended period is recommended during longer sessions.
- Healing the Yang chakras (crown, throat, solar plexus, and base) a bit longer can also help bring down the excess energies in these children.
Although I do not buy into the idea that apart from physioanatomy, gender difference exists in any way in any area of life, yet there is a lot of scientific evidence that our environment influences our epigenetic mechanisms which play a role in autism and ASD. Reiki can help in harmonizing these imbalances and can bring about symptomatic relief to a great extent in children with ASD. Apart from these children, Reiki can also support the caregivers in dealing with the worry, fatigue, stress, and emotional turmoil that they endure while catering to the special needs of these gifted souls from the heavens.
Article by Reiki Master Supriya Nair
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Supriya Nair
Dr. Supriya Nair, IMD, PhD has been a Reiki and Kriya Yoga practitioner since 2008. A conduit between the scientific and spiritual worlds, Dr. Supriya has a profound fascination for the healing arts. Apart from holding the title of Usui Reiki Master Teacher, Dr. Supriya is a certified Health Coach and proficient in various integrative medicine modalities. She is also the author of "Train Your Brain to Unchain Your Pain."
To get in touch with Dr. Supriya, you can reach out via email at [email protected] or connect with her on Facebook at facebook.com/supriyanair111 and on Instagram at instagram.com/proconscious.cafe.
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