Reiki Healing and Incorporating Other Natural Therapies

The principle that everything in the Universe is energy is key to finding an appropriate holistic approach to the use of the vast amount of energy-based healing techniques available to the natural therapist. As a healer and therapist, it is important to understand that we, as humans, have a very specific life-force energy and what this life-force energy entails, i.e., it is both electromagnetic energy and more subtle energies that form the dynamic infrastructure of the Etheric and physical body. In China it is called Chi, in Japan Ki, and in India Prana. No matter what it is called, our life-force energy is what determines our vitality and well-being.

With today’s modern lifestyles, processed foods and stress, our life-force energy is often depleted and our vitality and well-being diminished. We may feel fatigued and demotivated or even suffer from mild depression, insomnia, low immunity, allergies and all sorts of aches, pains, illnesses and discomforts.

As natural therapists our aim is to bring our clients back to balance, replenish their life-force energy and promote self-healing – we assist through some form of “energy intervention” to restore vitality and well-being and help our clients to naturally and holistically heal from the discomforts and illnesses caused by everyday stress and poor lifestyle choices. Natural and holistic therapies are ultimately aimed at promoting and supporting self-healing. This is not only at a physical level but also at an emotional, mental and spiritual level.

I have found that Reiki is a particularly effective and all-embracing energy therapy and as a Reiki Master practitioner my first choice when treating a client is naturally to use Reiki therapy. Reiki is generally a good starting point – it relaxes the client, enhances vitality and well-being, brings balance and soothes a wide range of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual upsets and discomforts. All this without the need for the client to go into an in-depth analysis of their lives and all its dramas – some clients do not wish to have a counselling or psychotherapeutic session; they merely want to relax and enjoy the feeling of tender loving care and a sense of being nurtured that Reiki provides.

As the therapeutic process, which is promoted by Reiki starts to kick in, clients (and therapists) often become more aware of specific issues that may need to be addressed to further support the healing process. This is a natural progression and as a therapist I am acutely aware of this occurrence – I create the environment within which clients can safely and at their own pace find those steppingstones in their journey to a state of balance and well-being.

There are, however, circumstances where it becomes necessary to look beyond Reiki therapy. This is where other energy and holistic therapies come into play. From time to time, it may be necessary for a client to consider a therapy that I do not offer and a referral network is essential to facilitate such a step. However, more often than not, the preferred course of action indicates that I need to make use of my own therapy toolkit, incorporating the most appropriate and effective therapy for the specific client and the specific healing aspects and processes that need to be addressed.

From personal experience there have been many instances where the incorporation of other energy-based therapies into the Reiki treatment have proven to be effective. In a series of articles, I would like to highlight some of the positive aspects and intricacies of combining Reiki with the other complementary therapies that I work with, i.e.:

1. Crystal Healing
2. Colour Therapy
3. Counselling
4. Shamanic Healing
5. Transformation Coaching
6. Holistic Allergy Management
7. Holistic Dowsing
8. Mindfulness
9. Holistic Pain Management.

The skills within each of the therapies that I have studied combined with my primary focus and passion, i.e., Reiki Therapy, provides me with a diverse and well-equipped therapist’s toolkit. Experience has shown that the energy-based therapies that I may decide to incorporate into the healing support I provide are quite compatible with and complimentary to Reiki therapy. Within this context each client’s unique needs can be assessed and addressed by uniting Reiki therapy with the most suitable therapy or combination of therapies from this toolkit. This allows for flexibility and adjusting to the client’s needs as they progress along their healing journey. As a facilitator of this healing process, it is essential to ensure that I am a well-equipped facilitator.

As a holistic healer it is important to continually assess my effectiveness as a therapist. Not only do I need to grow my understanding and knowledge of the application and effectiveness of the various healing techniques already mentioned, but I also need to acquire an understanding and knowledge of other techniques and stay informed of advances in the field of holistic and natural healing. Through continued personal and professional monitoring, development and learning I can ensure my relevance as a therapist and that my therapist’s toolkit remains applicable.

Please stay tuned for my next article where I will discuss Reiki Complimented with Crystal Healing.

Article by Thea van der Merwe, Ph.D.

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Thea van der Merwe, Ph. D. is a nationally and internationally trained holistic energy, certified and experienced Master Reiki Practitioner, qualified in Usui Reiki, Reijukido, Karuna® Reiki, Karuna Ki Reiki, Crystal Reiki, and Gendai Reiki. She obtained the title of Shihan (full master/teacher), the highest level in Gendai Reiki Ho. Besides her greatest passion which is Reiki, Thea is also a spiritual shaman, healer, and teacher, offering readings as a way of accessing spiritual guidance. Her journey of personal discovery, growth, and healing started back in 2005 when she was personally in need of healing and searching for something more than what conventional medicine and therapy could provide. Thea is currently nationally and internationally registered with the South African Reiki Masters Association and The Reiki Healing Association respectively – both professional associations for the local and global Reiki communities, working to promote the wide-reaching practice and healing effects of Reiki throughout the world and where the primary philosophy is that together, we can do so much more. You can get into contact with Thea van der Merwe at viterra.co.za, which is her website, and at facebook.com/viterrahealing on Facebook.