Reiki and Pain Relief
by Riley Bartlett (they/them), Reiki Practitioner at Prideful Wellness
When I started practicing reiki, I knew that it might help me relax and release emotions, but I did not know it would relieve my pain. As well as being a reiki practitioner, I am also a dancer and dancers are known to push their bodies to their limits. When I moved to Boulder County and started dancing with a company, I began experiencing severe pain in my ankles. I felt unstable and it hurt to walk. I was often limping to take the pressure off my left ankle, which was much worse than the right.
I went to several physical therapists and no one knew what was wrong. The only thing that released the pain was energy work because it reached the emotional blockages and the tension in my legs. Coupled with physical therapy, my ankles finally stopped hurting and I was able to run and dance again!
I don’t often hear the mind-body connection talked about outside of dance circles, but the theory is that our emotions can create openness in our bodies or can cause blockages and pain. Emotional trauma can affect the body and cause pain as much as any physical injury.
One of my first clients in Boulder dealt with severe back pain for years. She had seen massage therapists, physical therapists, and doctors, but no one could help her release her back pain. During her first session with me, she was not able to turn over on the table because her back hurt so badly. One week later, she came in again and told me her back felt so much better. She was even able to turn over on the table! She had a lot of energetic and emotional blockages causing pain and the reiki helped her release them so she could find relief.
While I would never suggest anyone use energy work as a replacement for massage and physical therapy, reiki is a great addition to a care plan. Sometimes pain is caused, in part, by emotions and trauma. Releasing stuck energy in the body using reiki can only help deepen healing and give those struggling with body pain relief.
Photo credit to Heather (she/her) Hanson @msheathernoel.