Reiki Help for the Aged

Age plays a major role in affecting our “resistance” to disease. This is one reason why the elderly are often diagnosed with maladies such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, urinary problems, and so on.

Mainstream medicine does not have an answer for all diseases. Besides this, economic considerations and innumerable side-effects of conventional medicines also drive the elderly, like anyone else, towards exploring complementary, or alternative, therapies that address their health concerns and, at the same time, be compatible with the treatment already pursued by them.

Because of its simplicity, effectiveness and, versatility, Reiki is one such therapy that has found favour with many elderly people worldwide.

A boon for the aged

Reiki can be practiced by anybody, including the aged, anytime, anywhere. The good news is that even the fragile and the infirm can easily manoeuvre and use it in a host of situations. Also, as Reiki easily blends well with all healing modalities, it can be used with or without conventional medications in place. This is not all. With a little training and initiation by a Reiki master, the ability to channel the healing vibrations of the therapy can be easily acquired by the elderly for addressing their day-to-day medical problems.

One more thing. The elderly can also emotionally feel secure and connected with people by using Reiki. Because, Reiki can help them to revive their memory and recollect things they had forgotten for long. In addition, a regular practice of Reiki is highly relaxing, and re-energising. It acts like a stress-buster. It has, therefore, been found to be effective in treating stress-related conditions, such as sleeplessness, headaches, and fatigue.

Also, all types of pains can be easily managed by proper Reiki techniques.

The technique

You can get quick relief – and, even help another senior – by using the following steps. You may, however, seek the help of a Reiki channel, if you are not able to tap into Reiki energy by yourself.

• Remain seated in the chair, or on floor in an easy posture. However, Reiki treatment for some of the diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease is best done while you lie in bed
• Remove your shoes
• Connect yourself to Reiki by a simple intent
• Place hands lightly on each of the “key hand positions” for a few minutes, or as warranted by the sickness
• For a faster and deeper manifestation of Reiki, use appropriate symbols, with the help of a therapist. Also, relief can be obtained even without the use of the technique/s.

Alzheimer’s disease

This is a neurodegenerative malady reaching global epidemic proportions and, perhaps, the most common form of dementia in the elderly. Alzheimer’s is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory, the ability to recognise familiar human faces, ability to learn and also one’s reasoning power. Intellectual activity – and not pills – seems to be most helpful in putting a stop to fading memory and for reviving memories lost, without any side-effects.

The integrated technique of Reiki has been found to be a safe and effective option to treat all types of brain disorders including Parkinson’s disease and cases of stroke. The major chakra involved is the Ajna or the Third Eye [Also, read the article, “Chakra & You,” in this issue].

In the initial stage of the disease:

• Lie on your back or sit in a chair
• Cross your legs with your left ankle placed over the right
• Connect to Reiki by affirmation
• Draw symbols one and two on your palms, if you are a Reiki channel
• Place your hands on the head so that your right wrist is placed over the left while your palms rest on both the back sides of your head
• Give Reiki for 10 minutes in this position
• Now, reverse the position of the hands by placing the left wrist over the right and also reverse the legs so that the right ankle is placed over the left. Give Reiki for 10 minutes in this position.

One problem that may crop up is – Alzheimer’s patients may not remember Reiki hand positions Treatment by a Reiki therapist may, therefore, be necessary.

Treatment by the therapist

• Let the client lie down on his/her back
• Cross patient’s hands on the chest so that the left wrist is placed on the right
• Cross his/her legs so that the right ankle is placed on the left ankle
• Reiki may now be dispensed by the therapist by placing his/her hands on both sides of the temples of the client, allowing the thumbs touch each other on the point of Third Eye, for 10 minutes. The second and the first symbols of Reiki practice may be used for enhancing the effect of treatment
• Now, reverse the positions of the hands as also of the legs and give Reiki on both sides of the temples for 10 minutes.

Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders. It is characterised by muscle rigidity, tremor, postural instability, difficulty in walking, and loss of physical movement. The main glands involved in the disorder are the pituitary and the adrenals.

The treatment for Parkinson’s is quite similar to Alzheimer’s – you may need to take treatment for about a month, or as long as required, to get good results. In addition to the technique described under Alzheimer’s, Reiki may be given on the Third Eye, spine, adrenals, the kidneys and the liver, in patients presenting with symptoms of the disease.

Arthritis

The key hand positions are: the affected joints, eyes, temples, ears, front of root chakra, soles, kidneys and back [Hara].

Urinary problems

With advancing age, the inflamma-tion of the prostate gland is a common problem. This gives rise to difficulty in urination and/or frequent urination especially during night.

This can also cause not only sleep-ing problems, but also serious disorders – e.g., prostate cancer, if the malady is not stalled in the initial stages.

Impart Reiki on – kidneys, lower bladder area, urethra, prostate gland [ovaries in women, who present with urinary problems] and intestines.

There is also another factor that can help. It’s all a game – a game of life and aging.

The elderly would sure find com-fort in Robert Browning’s memorable lines –

Grow old along with me

The best is yet to be.

This writer, a healthy septuagenarian, strongly believes in a positive outlook and attributes his wellbeing to a strict regimen of regular exer-cise, pranayama, yoga, simple food habits – and, above all, his complete trust in the healing powers of Reiki.