Healing Hands

Motivation was high this week. Pleased with my first author talk at Seville Community House (with author Debra Marks), I

Healing Hands

returned my focus to the intimidating task of editing. I even managed a little writing, but mainly I'm writing choreographies for my Majickal Bellydance class.

Busy days usually tire people out. But not me! The busier the day the more hyper I get and the harder it is to get to sleep. This week I have been employing breathing exercises, visualisation and calming techniques. I've learned how to settle my mind, but physically, I've been pretty wound up.

Recalling what I wrote about Dimension One (the body) of human consciousness in my book, I used a self-soothing strategy I call the Healing Hand. It can be used anywhere, but I focussed on the period of time right before sleep when I was in bed.

You don't have to be a mum, a reiki channel or a massage therapist to invoke the power of therapeutic touch. The Healing Hand technique calms the physical body with natural soothing power. It's an innate ability that stimulates our own self-healing processes. The hands contain energy centres that send and receive electromagnetic energy. Directing this energy toward the navel assists in a physical way, addressing Dimension One of human consciousness. Directing this energy toward the navel also assists on an emotional level, which I call Dimension Two of human consciousness. These two levels form our creature consciousness. It has also been described as the inner child. The creature/child needs to be settled if we are going to sleep.

The Healing Hand

1. Inhale deeply and then release the air in a big 'sigh.' Repeat a few times, slowly.
2. Place your hand gently against your navel, noticing the rise and fall generated by your breath.
3. Concentrate on your navel area, breathing in to the count of 4, hold for a count of 4, release the breath to a count of 4, remaining in the stillness for a count of 4. If this count causes tension in your chest adapt it to suit yourself. Some people's count might need to be 3 and others up to 5 or 6.  If it's uncomfortable stop and return to normal breathing. Otherwise, continue for 5 or 6 breathing cycles, before returning to normal breathing. 
4. Pay special attention to the area beneath your hand as your abdomen falls with each exhalation. What, if any sensations can you feel there? Don't be surprised if your belly starts to rumble as energy moves around. 
5. Notice your body becoming deeply relaxed as your attention is focused on your hand and your navel. By working with the navel energy centre, you are connecting with primal energies that instinctively soothe and calm.
6. Energy healing doesn't work on a timetable. You are finished when you have had enough, or you are bored. When that happens, move your hand up to your solar plexus, which is a sensitive area located just below your sternum (where your ribs meet at the centre of your chest). Repeat the breathing exercise with your healing hand on your solar plexus energy centre, feeling the ribcage expand and contract with each breath.
7. If you would like to, repeat the exercise on your heart energy centre as well. Each hand position will encourage a different state of consciousness. You might need charging up more in one place than another. Use your intuition and stop if you become agitated or bored. If you are ready for healing your body will open up to receive it. If not, try again another time. 
8. Add the benefits of aromatherapy by placing a drop of lavender essential oil in the palm of your hand. 

Most of my life I have been trying to raise energy and get more done. I've also struggled with insomnia since I was a child. I can't remember not having it. Now I realise that if I want to get anything done, I also need to know how to reduce energy. Too much energy can create anxiety and restlessness, eventually burning us out or leading to pain and illness. Our culture often encourages more activity, but I suspect that many people don't know how stressed they are - until they try to sleep.

Note: I learned from my yoga teacher that PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can obstruct our ability to comfortably perform breathing exercises. After suffering a relapse of PTSD in 2010 I found this to be true. Although I had nearly 30 years of prior experience with meditation and conscious breathing, I found that engaging in breath work had become an anxiety trigger. If this happens to you, hang in there. It can be reversed. Simply do what you can for as long as you can and then stop. This might mean you start with a single breathing cycle of 2 or 3 counts.  Under these circumstances you might find it helpful to use a Healing Hand on your chest to soothe your heart energy centre. I found that with regular practice I have been able to recover most of my former comfort with conscious breathing. Although in some ways it was like starting again, the results were quick. One of the most important parts of PTSD recovery for me is to not cause further trauma by forcing myself to do things. So if you feel anxious using the Healing Hand technique or the breathing technique, stop immediately and try again another time. To be effective, it's important that relaxation exercises be associated with a feeling of ease. 

Sleep Well X

Leanne Margaret © 2018