Reiki

Reiki—The Healing Touch of Universal Energy

By Daisy Villa

 

Reiki is a Japanese technique or system of healing that is administered by the “laying of hands” on the client. Reiki has been described as universal life energy. It is the fundamental energy that creates and sustains the universe. This energy is not electrical or chemical energy. Reiki energy exists on a higher dimension than the physical world. Reiki comes from a High Power and practitioners say it comes from God, the Creator, the Source.

Reiki Practitioners are conduits for this universal higher energy. These may seem like lofty words. Energy is within all of us. This healing energy comes from the transcendental part of all people and connected to an abundant and infinite supply. The word Reiki comes from two Japanese words, Rei meaning Higher Power or God’s Wisdom and Ki meaning Life’s Energy Force. Reiki is spiritually guided Life Force Energy.

Many holistic and spiritual techniques and systems are often considered religions. Reiki is spiritual in nature but it is NOT a religion. Reiki practitioners come from all walks of life. They are free to make their own decisions regarding their religious practices. This is also true for Reiki clients. While Reiki is not a religion and has no dogma, it is important to live and act in such a way that promotes peace, harmony, and good ethics with others.

The most common reference to Reiki in today’s modern world originates from the Usui System of Healing. Its founder is Dr. Mikao Usui. Reiki practitioners of this lineage can trace their teachers back to Dr. Usui. Without learning the traditions, philosophies and techniques from a qualified Reiki teacher, you do not receive important benefits and safeguards. When a practitioner is part of the Reiki training tradition, he or she has the ability to regulate energy and is protected from clients’ issues and illnesses. The ability of Reiki is transferred to a student during an attunement given by a Reiki Master. Through this attunement, the student is able to tap into the infinite supply of the universal energy force. Reiki has been taught to thousands of people. Reiki attunement is available to everyone regardless of one’s background.

Reiki is for relaxation and stress reduction that promotes healing and self-improvement. Everyone can avail themselves to Reiki, which is natural and safe. It has shown beneficial effects on virtually every known illness and has been combined with traditional/conventional medicine as an effective healing tool.

A typical treatment is energy flowing from the practitioner’s hands to the client. The client is fully clothed and is usually lying on a Reiki/massage table. Reiki can also be administered seated or standing. The practitioner places his or her hands in several hand positions on the body starting from the head and down to the feet. Depending on the client’s needs, the hand positions are held 3 to 10 minutes. A standard session lasts from 45 minutes to even 90 minutes. Reiki can be experienced by anyone, including babies and animals and be sent to other at a distance.

During a session, experiences are different from person to person. Common experiences include:

* Drifting off to sleep

* Floating outside their bodies

* Experiencing visions

* Feeling a flowing radiance through or around the body

* Feeling deeply relaxed

* Feeling refreshed

* Having a positive outlook

Reiki is all about harmony, peace, balance and good ethics. Dr. Usui taught and offered these principles:

Just for today, I will be grateful. Just for today, I will not anger. Just for today I will not worry. Just for today, I will do my work honestly. Just for today, I will respect life.

“Just for today” is a great reminder to live for today, because you cannot control the past or the future. I encourage my readers to live a harmonious peaceful and balanced life and enjoy living “Just for today.”

Blessings and Namaste to you all.

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Daisy Villa is a Reiki Master Level 4

I have decided to add quick, healthy and delicious recipes. Hummus  is very popular. Instead of buying hummus, why not make your own with fresh and organic ingredients.
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Make Your Own Fresh Hummus

2 cups of cooked organic chick peas either one 16 oz can (drained) or you can soak and cook your own
1/4 cup of water
3-5 tbsp fresh lemon juice ( use organic lemons )
1 1/2 tsp tahini
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp salt....use Himalayn Salt ( only salt that lowers high blood pressure
2 tbsp olive oil (use a high quality)
 
Blend in a blender and serve! Yummus!

Happy Valentine's Day !!!

Chocolate - The Good and The Bad

by Daisy Villa


Valentine’s Day gives everyone the opportunity to lavish love on their favorite people through gifts like a romantic dinner, a romantic get-away, jewelry, perfume, flowers, wine, champagne and the ever-popular chocolates in the familiar heart-shaped box. Even people on diets enjoy receiving chocolates on special occasions. From the commercial chocolate bar to the expensive chocolate truffle. But how good is chocolate for your health?

The best chocolate to eat is organic dark chocolate. Small daily doses of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate eaten over a two-week period have been found to help the blood vessels to better dilate. Scientists targeted epicatechin, a flavonoid that was absorbed at high levels in the blood. This was particularly beneficial in blood vessel functions. Research has found that elevated levels of epicatechin trigger the release of active substances that increase blood flow through arteries and improve heart health.

Flavanoids, chemical compounds with antioxidant properties found in a variety of plants, have been shown to promote a number of cardiovascular benefits, including decreasing bad LDL cholesterol as well as the body’s inflammatory immune responses and inhibiting the accumulation of blood platelets which contribute to blood clots that produce heart attacks and strokes.

Even with this good news, chocolate lovers beware. Don’t go shoveling down Snickers and Hershey bars just yet. Chocolate is still a processed food and many chocolates are manufactured in such a way that much of the antioxidants are damaged during standard processing. Most consumers don’t understand that chocolate comes from the cocoa bean, which is a plant. Without adding lots of sugar, people would find the cocoa bean extremely bitter. Most chocolate manufacturers remove flavanoids from chocolate because of their natural bitter taste. This leaves only the sugar, fat and calories. Don’t forget that one ounce of dark chocolate still contains 9 grams of fat and 149 calories.

Many people call themselves chocoholics. Being a serious chocoholic is similar to other addicts. Chocoholics can feel guilt, frustration, depression, anxiety and restlessness when exposed to chocolate. All these feelings are felt by people addicted to drugs or alcohol. Of course, that is the extreme of loving chocolate. For many, chocolate has a more subtle meaning beyond the delicious taste of chocolate. It gives fleeting moments of decadent pleasure. Sometimes there is guilt, or eating chocolate can give that elusive bittersweet feeling like an unsuccessful love affair.

So is chocolate good or bad? Despite the benefits of flavanoids found in chocolate, there are healthier options like blueberries, apples, grapes, onions, greens and broccoli. According to the USDA, blueberries are the top-rated food as far as antioxidant capacity is concerned. They have anthocyanins that are more powerful than the flavanoids found in cocoa for protecting against free radical damage. Unfortunately, blueberries and other berries have a relatively short growing season. During those months when fresh berries are not available, you can purchase them frozen at your grocery store.

Chocolate is the perfect food treat for many special occasions. If you want to eat chocolate, here are three considerations: Use moderation when consuming chocolate. Instead of wolfing down chocolate, savor each bite. If you have constant cravings for sweets, you are likely not eating a correct and balanced diet. If you crave chocolate when you are upset, lonely or bored, you might find that there are underlying emotional issues which needto be resolved.

Do not eat chocolate if you have a disease and are struggling with serious health issues. Only eat chocolate if you are healthy. Dark chocolate still contains large quantities of sugar and fat.

Eat only organic (the more organic the better) dark chocolate. Dark chocolate has twice as much flavanoids as light or milk chocolate and white chocolate contains no nutrients.

I still believe in celebrating life, and chocolate can be the perfect food. Use common sense when eating chocolate. If you still feel that tinge of guilt, a good compromise would be to eat berries dipped in chocolate. Valentine’s Day comes only once a year, so go ahead and enjoy some organic dark chocolate.

Wishing you all a Healthy Happy Valentine’s Day!

Getting Started with Yoga

by Daisy Villa

Yoga has been around for over 5,000 years and is gaining worldwide popularity. People are seeking out yoga classes and buying DVDs and books about this ancient discipline and exercise. The translation of yoga is to “join,” “yoke” or “union” of mind, body and spirit. Yoga includes the postures or asanas, meditation, breathing techniques and philosophy.

What considerations should a person have when starting yoga?

It is interesting that before a person begins yoga, one thinks about physical goals, one’s physical condition and even how much time to allocate to practicing yoga. When I started yoga, I thought about these considerations. But as I began my practice, none of these things seemed important after a while because yoga became an important part of my lifestyle. I was dedicated to attend classes and before I knew it, I realized physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.

Should you have a physical exam before you start yoga?

A physical exam will give you useful information whether yoga is right for you. Once you have the peace of mind that yoga is a discipline in line with your physical condition, you can continue cultivating self-awareness and your inner self.

Make sure you make your yoga teacher aware of any physical limitations. A yoga teacher will be able to provide modifications to a student’s routine and practice. This medical information will help you to avoid any injuries.

Should you learn yoga at home or go to classes?

While DVDs and books abound about yoga, it is important to work with a good teacher. A good teacher will be able to refine postures or asanas, meditation and breathing techniques.

Nothing substitutes for human interaction. Research yoga classes that are available in your community before making a final decision.

Choosing the right yoga teacher is important. The right yoga teacher:

* Talks to you and other students with mutual respect.

* Allows students to feel at ease to ask questions.

* Does not show an air of superiority.

* Assists students with problems of alignment and posture form.

* Is able to give verbal cues during practice.

* Does not act dogmatic.

* Is not overly concerned with power, fame or money.

* Should have certified teacher training.

* Should embody qualities of compassion, peace, kindness, joy and equality. Even though we are all at various stages of our personal physical and spiritual journey, it helps to look at a teacher’s ethics and character.

* Beware of a teacher who watches the clock and just wants to get the practice done.

There are different styles and types of yoga. Hatha yoga is the most popular today. Some other types and styles that are gaining popularity are Ashtanga, Kundalini, Iyengar and Bikram. Try different classes before deciding on the style of yoga you feel matches your needs and wants.

When choosing a yoga teacher or class, it is important to pay attention to your good judgment and intuition. Not every class or teacher will meet your needs, even if others find a teacher or class just right for them. Some teachers are more nurturing than others. Some focus more on spiritual aspects of yoga. Some perform adjustments during a practice. And some are overly zealous. It is important to listen to your body and know that not all yoga training is equal. And not all teachers are equal in all areas.

As you continue yoga, you will probably find that you may want to take from different teachers or move from your first teacher to another.

Never feel that you are disloyal if you want to expand or move on. Remember, yoga is about your personal growth.
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Daisy Villa is a certified Yoga Teacher  by YogaSteps LLC