|
|
|
The Art of Living as an Adjunct to Reiki - Part I : By Veerendra Nath Mittal
When I enrolled in Sri Sri Ravi Shankarâ's course on the Art of Living
(AOL) a couple of years ago, I did not realize that it would eventually turn
out to be a natural adjunct to my regular Reiki practice. After all, the art
of living and the art of healing go together. By this time I was already
into the regular practice and teaching of Reiki, yet I always missed, what I
call, "a sacred space", to prepare me for Reiki Meditation •
something like what perhaps Dr Mikado Usui's, "Joshin
Kokyuu-Hoâ"• The Breathing Technique to Purify the Spirit was
meant to provide. The Art of Living (AOL) filled this gap for
me.
The core of the Art of Living Program is the Sudarshan Kriya (SK) and a set
of unique and effective breathing exercises • three stage
Pranayam(TSP) and Bhastrika Kriya(BK), which are based on rhythms from
nature. The technique involves inhaling and exhaling breath in a rhythmic
pattern. 20 minutes of AOL breathing prior to a Reiki session, brings about
an immediate recharging of the body. One is centered and emotionally
stabilized, ready for the deeper trance of Reiki meditation.
The Art of Living Program has a large worldwide following and is recognized
by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.
Reiki, too, is practised globally. Research, to gather scientific evidence
as to how the two different healing systems affect the human body, mind and
emotions, is being carried out, but research on how they work in conjunction
with each other, is yet to be done. Both techniques are independent of one'
s religious faith and both employ the management of Prana or Ki or Chi as
the means to energise the body and mind • AOL through SK regulating the
breath rhythm, and Reiki by tapping into universal energy. AOL technique
opens up both nostrils to supply oxygen to each and every cell of the body;
similarly Reiki has been medically proven to enhance the uptake of oxygen by
about 30% in the haemoglobin.
The practice of Reiki is known to harmonize and balance the right and left
sides of the brain. A Reiki channel can easily achieve Alpha state, what the
scientists define as the "super-conscious level of the brain", by
regulating the brain wave pattern between 7 to14 cycles per second “
the natural rhythm of the universe and the state conducive to intuition and
creativity. When in this state we tend to achieve many spectacular
results• faster healing, pain control and our creative mind invents and
discovers new horizons. Both The Art of Living and Reiki are founded on the
premise of unconditional love and compassion which emanate from the core of
one' s heart. AOL develops the interrelationship between the breath (Prana -the
life force) and the body, the mind and the emotions, using breath as the
medium. Reiki taps universal life force energy through the crown, spiralling
down to the root chakra and channeling it via the medium of hands. Regular
practice of AOL makes breathing more rhythmical, awakening every cell
in the body. Toxins and negative emotions are flushed out before they
can manifest as disease. The mind experiences deep rest and relaxation,
becomes more focused and more in the present moment, aiding the release of
stress and tension. Reiki, too, detoxifies the body and clears the aura
(ethereal shield around the body) of negative thoughts and emotions,
blocking their entry before they can manifest as diseases in the body.
Its regular practice can rejuvenate, revitalize and recharge our body on the
physical, mental and emotional levels causing our full potential to be
liberated. A major difference though is that Reiki benefits both the giver
and the taker, while the AOL practice is restricted to the benefit of the
practitioner.
The similarities observed in the outcomes of these two spiritual systems
brought about the idea of exploring both of them in combination with each
other, but preserving their uniqueness. The integrated practice of the
two systems has boosted my energy levels astronomically. No concentration,
mind direction or even visualization is necessary. Invoking Reiki with a
simple affirmation for the highest good of everyone and practicing Reiki
with AOL breathing techniques, works excellently.
|