The Reiki Cafe 

Ok, I realize this is quite a basic question in many ways. In the past I have treated depressed clients and self treated using Reiki. However since I first started with Reiki four years ago (which lifted me out of a life threatening depression) this is my first time experiencing clinical depression. This set on me fast, and I am almost unable to practice.

Have any other reiki practitioners suffered from clinical depression after Reiki? I would aproximate that I have been suffering for two months now, maybe it was brewing befroe that. I am a self aware person, I have a very compassionate therapist, I know what has triggered this depression ( a brush with a bad relationship), but I am unable to pull myself out of it, or access the will or Reiki to help me.

I have been strongly advised to take anti depressants, as I am going to be experiencing more life changes very shortly, and there is concern for my physical and mental state. However I have come through a tough old life, and always refused them before. In fact it was refusing psychiatric advice and jetting off to india that I became reiki?. Any advice? How does one move from being deeply Reiki in every moment(as I blissfully was) to this state within two years? I seem to have lost the wisdom i used to have, I certainly can't teach at the moment nor would attempt to.

Any ideas, speculations and ofcourse, Reiki would be deeply appreciated.

Love n light

Shanta

Otoharo!

Shanta, I can relate. I battled this when at your age and many years afterwards. You do not mention what talk therapy you have or have had. I found the base of depression is buried emotions so overwhelming you can not bring them to the surface to heal and turn them against yourself. This saddens you so bad you cry. First, let it sink into you that you CAN unravel it all but not all at one whack.

If this interests you, I will outline a possible path. The top emotion is your sadness. Love yourself, wrap yourself in Reiki just to feel its warmth caressing you.

Eventually, you can go down to the next level. It will be what ever it is, but for the sake of this technique, say it is a memory of desertion. Once you get this memory, you relive that incident, then mammoth other desertions flow in. (IF you have worked these in the past, you can quickly release them now. If not, take this step gently).

Eventually, you can go down to the next level. It will be something deeper, like abandonment as something different from desertion. ETc.

Eventually, you can go down to the next level. Etc.

Eventually, you will get to anger, so great it overwhelms you. The enormity of it somehow you turn against yourself. You must be scum to have these feelings.

Eventually, you will get to who you really are. To your Holy Self.

If you are interested, the twenty third chapter of the Course In Miracles takes you through this. It is superbly healing! more so than psychotherapy.

Bless you.
finality

Shanta,

Hi.

I would say that any "life threatening" depression would qualify as "clinical depression" (if this means someone is depressed enough to consider ending their own life)

Too, chronic depression (with periods of remission) is rather different that periodic reactive depression. Depression founded largely in bio-chemical "imbalances" usually need rather different regimens than reactive depressions. Anit-depressants in the former instance.

I cannot give you any assurances that reiki, alone, can alter bio-chemical status sufficiently and in the same manner as anti-depressants, for example.

If you trust your therapist and antidepressants have been recommended then perhaps this is the path for you.?

Too, sometimes reiki only acts (is used) as a temporary balm for deeper "wounds" that may occasionally flare up. Thus, I am also not entirely averse to the notion that reiki may be used to deal more superficially with deeper issues.

It is, afterall, our intentions that make great differences. Samsara is more than reiki bliss. I might suggest that one could make a case for "reiki coloured" glasses.

And, if the wisdom has been there? It is not gone. Though sometimes we do ignore the wisdoms that we have acquired.

Take care. Be well.

Cheers,

RC

Dear Shanta,

I have chronic depression for which I do take anti-depressants. I can't say, that when I'm really down there, that Reiki does much to restore my mood. So, in fact, I do not see myself coming off of anti-depressants anytime soon.

The use of Reiki, on the other hand, made a much stronger and capable person when it came to accepting and handling my disease. My attitude towards myself is more loving and forgiving, making it easier for me too handle the rough times.

But I would have to agree with RC, that Reiki doesn't seem to do much to straighten out a chemical imbalance. In that case, depression is very much a physiological disease. With what other physiological disease would we tell a client not to take prescribed or recommended medication? Any responsible Reiki practitioner would never recommend that, I'm sure.

Blessings,
Roxy

Otoharo!

RC, there is amething screwy in your share that I can not fathom.

finality

Finality,

Hi.

Excuse me?

Just because you cannot fathom something does not make it screwy.

Cheers.

RC

Dear Shanta,
we have spoke before, because you share the name of one of my guides. Unfortunately I dont have much advise to give you on this matter,but i will certainly keep you in my prayers and send love and reiki your way. Maybe my Guide will pay a visit to look after you :-)
remember that your are loved,

always,
Lady C

Dear Shanta,
You have not lost wisdom. Sometimes wisdom takes us deeply to places which need healing within us. This can take the form of depression. Getting upset with yourself for being there just gets you stuck . Honor where you are, even if it IS in a dark place. Allow yourself time to do the healing that needs to happen before you begin to teach again. You will emerge as an even stronger teacher. Taking antidepressants is not a failure, but can perhaps help to keep a temporary darkness from forming a habitual chemical pattern in the brain. Just be sure to get all the information you can about the choices and be sure to find out the process of coming off of the meds, too, when the time is right.

I have experienced deep depression even after being very blissful for years with Reiki....it was a necessary part of the journey and not a failure or loss of wisdom. I chose not to take antidepressants, but I would never advise anyone else on how to make that decision. My depression came about also quite suddenly and was preciptated by an event that made me feel inadequate. It lasted about 6 months. Most of my support was from a spiritual director and a close friend. It was very painful, but served a purpose. When friends gave me Reiki, it seemed to just bring up more sorrow, but I think this was what was supposed to happen. Eventually, a very important healing happened and the depression lifted as suddenly as it came. this is just one story.....yours may be so very different.

I WOULD advise that even if you are on meds and in counselling, that you also work with a spiritual director. So often, the spiritual side of depression gets overlooked.
Peace and Light,
Feather

Hello Sutia, i have had depression off and on for years even after reiki. My reiki masters advised me that the choice to take anti depressants was wholly mine but all they will do is numb everything, making it difficult to reach the underlying emotion which is causing the illness

The way it was explained to me was as pure universal energy [reiki] comes in it forces everything to the surface, so eventually all you have left inside is pure [it was also pointed out that this may take a lifetime]. So everything traumatic,negative etc, that has come in to the human energy field has to be expressed back out physically. This involves getting right to the root of the problem using reiki [apparently reiki was originaly used to know and improve ones self], expressing it out and letting reiki peace fill the space. There is another good point which was made, if you dont deal with it now then you will have to at some point, even in the next life. Reiki will keep bring the issues up for you to deal with. This from their own experiences obviously works. All this being said i chose to take anti depressants, one day i may reiki through the pain back into the peace but not for now.

I dont know if anything in this will help you, i hope it does. Love and peace to you from Denise.

Denise,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- I would just add that many years of pretty decent scientific research has shown that there are imbalances in certain chemicals of the brain that are directly associated with certain forms of depression. In these cases the imbalances themselves may be called "causes" but it is really what precipitates these imbalances that might more accurately be termed the "causes".

Anyhow......

Underlying emotions are not the causes of these forms of depression. Emotions (or reductin thereof) are indicators or responses (not always entirely voluntary) to physiological, psychological, and other emotional conditions.

Some of the modern antidepressants are truely life-savers and life-enhancers for some.

Just a bit to add to the stew.

Reiki all around,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

Thankyou RC,

I took a while deciphering what you meant by 'using Reiki to deal with depression superficially' as my last major depression was aliviated by Reiki helping with very deep roots. But I am guessing you mean that Reiki can be used superficially as well if thats what is needed. After all sometimes we all just need a Reiki 'hug', whilst it helps us deal with deeper issues.

As for Reiki changing the chemical pathways. i've seen Reiki cure Cancer and broken bones. I am sure, and know, in some cases it must be able to change chemical pathways. But maybe it is not meant to in this case.

Reiki is not meant to replace medication after all, or it would put doctors, herbalists, acupunturists, chemists and pharmcuticals out of work, and make the healing qualities of many plants unnecessary. And ofcourse no-one would experience illness, or learn from it or die. Which would not make for a very balanced world.

Thanks for helping me put that in perpective

L&L

Shanta

Finality,

Thankyou, as always.

L&L

Shanta

Roxy,

As I said in my response to RC, it would be an odd world if Reiki cured every ailment.

Thankyou for sharing this.

Shanta

Lady C,

Thankyou

Peace from me to yourself and your guide .

L&L

Shanta

Feather,

Thankyou so much for reminding me that this is part of my journey, not me getting 'lost from my path'.

I have been fustrated by not being able to find a good spiritual teacher/ director in this country, thankyou for reminding me how important one can be.

Love and light

Shanta

Denise,

You sharing has been helpful, thankyou. You have given me plenty to consider, including reminding me that I can work at my own pace, I don't have to deal with it all now.

Peace
Shanta

Fire-keeper,

Cheers (Thanks) for that. Certainly gives me food for thought.

It is suprising me how 'close minded' I have been on the subject of medication. I did not realise i was harbouring such an illogical predujice.

Love and light

Shanta

Firekeeper

Hello, which came first the chicken or the egg, emotion or illness? I have used cognitive therapy, apparently it is proven that our thoughts affect our emotions and therefore our health. Many patients experiencing different forms of depression, some who had taken anti depressants for years had successfuly overcome depression and come off the drugs using cognitive therapy alone. A good book on this subject is MIND OVER MOOD by Dennis Greenberger,PhD and Christine A.Padesky,PhD.

I know a lovely lady reiki master who has a crumbling spine. A few years ago she was almost in a wheelchair and was told the illness is degenerative and that eventually she would not be able to walk. This lady used reiki,crystals and regression to unearth the emotion that caused the physical illness. She is walking around fine and well now really enjoying a successful business and lots of travel. I dont know whether science would say this is possible but i have seen this with my own eyes. A good book on metaphysical healing and approach to health is STEPPING INTO THE MAGIC by Gill Edwards. There is also a tape cassete called THE MAGIC OF HEALTH by the same lady, in which you can make inner journeys to overcome illness.

I agree anti depressants can be life savers[they have been for me],there seems to be a lot of scientificaly unproven alternatives around though. I think its all about choices and what feels right for you.

Love and peace from Denise.

Otoharo!

Shanta, you describe the world I came from. It has balance but with no negatives including all the things you mentioned.

finality

Otoharo!

Denise, I, too have healed completely.

finality

Hi Sutia:

I couldn't offer better advice than Firekeeper.

If you choose to take the antidepressants you may find that it brings you to a calmer place and you will feel more able to do self Reiki. The mingling of the two may be assist you during this time.

Just know that you are loved, that you are not alone and that you have this message board filled with people who want to help you.

Love and light
copper

Denise,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- I would simply offer that we had physiology before we had emotions: no physiology? no essential foundation for emotions; however, I also accept that our emotions are more than the simple sum of our chemicals and physiological structures for expressing emotions.

>:-}}

Yes, cognitive-behavioral therapy is very useful. Yet, in some depressions (and anxiety disorders) C-B Therapy alone will not do the trick - just as at times for many reiki alone will not do the trick (whether with depression, tooth ache, or a myriad of other "dyscomforts")

>:-}}

- this is not to belittle reiki or other non-medical\chemical tratments; it is only to re-iterate that, as far as I know, there are no panaceas

- reiki all around,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

Shanta,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- I too would like reiki to take care of all my aches and pains (actually, it does very well for me - or is it: I use it effectively for myslef?)

bagl

- yet, on occasion after a particualry vigorous session at the gym a bit of ibuprofen is quite appreciated

>:-}}

- have a great weekend

reiki all around,

all blessings,

Firekeeper

I will send Reiki to your situation.And pray that the right spiritual companion may cross your path.
Blessings,
Feather

Otoharo!

Shanta, I thoroughly believe in the saying, "When the student is ready, a teacher will appear". It will happen!

finality