Reiki has been shown to primarily help with the reduction of stress, anxiety, depression, and relief of chronic pain. If you are interested in finding more research on Reiki and it’s effectiveness you can visit The Center for Reiki Research.

In writing this article, I wanted to take a look at how Energy Healing can help mental illness, namely illnesses with an element of psychosis. 

I came across a variety of writings from energy healers, psychologists, and shamans. Each one of them held the belief that what western medicine calls psychosis is some sort of spiritual experience. Odette Nightsky author of The Bridge Between Two Worlds believes that people with schizophrenia are deeply spiritually disturbed, and acutely sensitive to the world and the universe – around them. Seth Farber, PhD author of The Spiritual Gift of Madness describes mental illness as an experience of spiritual awakening. He says that those experiencing symptoms are seeing and feeling what is wrong with society and what needs to be done to change it. Dr. Somé, a shaman, explains mental disorders as spiritual emergencies or spiritual crises. Another attribute of those with mental illness is that these individuals are sensitive individuals, often spiritually connected.

In my own life, I have multiple family members with mental illness. From what I have seen personally, I too believe that mental illness is at least partially a spiritual experience. One of my family members experiences delusions as part of their symptoms. One of these delusions that I was present for, happened shortly after a family emergency that was quite traumatic. During the delusion they explained the experience of the trauma to me as if everyone who was present for the event had died when the event happened, that we were living in this other dimension or after life type experience. It was as if the veil between reality and this alternate universe was so thin that they could not tell the difference between both realities.

As an intuitive myself, I have had my own experiences where I have experienced contact with beings from other dimensions, e.g. angels, faeries, spirits who have passed on. In meditation, I have experienced and imagined other realities. So, I do not find it hard to believe that for people experiencing the symptoms of mental illness these alternate realities are very, very real for them. The pain of mental illness is the inability to distinguish one’s inner world from the outer world. However, it doesn’t make their experiences any less real.

In using Reiki or other modalities of Energy Healing for help with mental illness, the goal is the same as every session, to bring the body, mind, and soul into balance. In healing mental illness, we have to learn to take a body, mind, soul approach and heal the whole person. What western medicine does not do is look at the Spiritual aspect. So, integrating Energy Healing into one’s treatment regimen can be hugely beneficial.

It is important to note that Energy Healing is not meant as a substitute for medical, or psychological, diagnosis and treatment. Energy practitioners do not diagnose conditions, nor do they perform medical treatment, prescribe substances, or interfere with the treatment of a licensed medical professional. Energy Healing should not compete with medical doctors and their treatments. All therapies are meant to complement medical treatments.

How do we utilize Energy Healing to assist with the healing of mental illness?

On an energetic level, when mental illness is present there are a few things that may happen:

• A person’s being is fractured. The soul is searching to be complete and whole. Most likely there is a time where this fragmentation took place such as a trauma or illness the person experienced. When this happens, the person’s inner perception of reality changes.
• The boundaries between one’s inner world and their outer world become hard to discern.
• The energy field or aura becomes weak and easily permeable by outside energies. The energetic boundaries are weakened. This person may also experience boundary issues in their experiences with others as well.
• The person may be picking up outside energies, both positive and negative. This can feel like an invasion of the mind, emotions, and spirit.
• The person’s energy is imbalanced and searching for a way to restore balance.

Energy Healing can help someone experiencing symptoms of mental illness to:

• Set and maintain clear boundaries.
• Cleanse the energetic field and establish energetic boundaries.
• Separate your energy from other energies that are not your own.
• Discover the source of when the fragmentation took place.
• Re-frame experiences.
• Assist you in working within the spirit world.
• Put you in control of yourself and your energy.
• Balance the mind, body, and spirit.
• Bring subconscious memories and feelings to the surface.
• Open up blockages and release trapped trauma energy.
• Find your inner voice.
• Bring awareness to what your body and feelings are telling you.
• Integrate your inner world and the outer world.
• Restore a sense of safety.
• Strengthen your sense of self.

Clients with mental illness who add Energy Healing into their healing regimen have reported the following benefits:

• Improved levels of coping and sense of well-being
• Peace of mind
• Relaxation
• Feeling of lightness
• Regain normal sleep patterns
• Increased energy levels
• Improved relationships

Sources:

https://contemporaryshaman.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/the-bridge-between-two-worlds-a-shamans-view-of-schizophrenia-acute-sensitivity-available-now-as-an-ebook/

http://thespiritscience.net/2014/06/16/what-a-shaman-sees-in-a-mental-hospital/

http://www.healingwithouteffort.com/healing-people-with-schizophrenia.html

https://namisantaclara.org/

If you are experiencing a mental health or medical emergency call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. This website does not offer or provide professional psychological treatment, or counseling of any kind. Please seek treatment from a licensed mental health care provider in your area for advice or treatment options for yourself and or your loved ones.