Reiki and Positive Psychology

Until 1998, a person’s psychological state was generally categorised as either normal or abnormal. If mental illness was not at play, it was widely accepted that there was nothing left to do—that is, until psychologist Martin Seligman coined the term Positive Psychology.

We now know there’s more than simply existing. We know that “normal” doesn’t have to be good enough. We can pursue a euphoric mental state, complete with feelings of happiness, contentedness and well being. We can focus on our strengths, rather than our weaknesses—or bolster the good instead of always trying to fix the bad. As a whole, the professional psychological community can give us more ways to make the good better, rather than simply making the bad tolerable.

But what’s all that have to do with Reiki?

The similarities between Reiki and Positive Psychology

Reiki is well-known among progressive healers. It promotes relaxation and innate healing processes by aligning the body’s energy centres.

What isn’t as widely recognised is the ability of Reiki to help us go deep within, to find out who we really are, to enhance our overall wellbeing.

Recently, I was speaking to a schoolteacher about Reiki. I asked her what she knew about it. She thought it was only for people who were sick and in need of healing. I was able to share with her the benefits of learning Reiki as a pathway to spiritual awakening.  She later joined the Reiki I class, proceeded to Reiki II, and then on to her Master training. She has profoundly enjoyed Reiki’s benefits, on both a personal and spiritual level.

We don’t have to be sick. We don’t have to be lost. We can simply want more. We can use Reiki to find and define what makes us happy.

Sounds a lot like the concept of Positive Psychology, doesn’t it?

Here’s the truth: When our energy is balanced on all levels,—physical, emotional and spiritual—the attention we give to Positive Psychology will be more fruitful.

Professionals have been intensively studying Positive Psychology since the dawn of the concept, and they have uncovered a number of truths:

• Feeling gratitude makes us happy. By finding things to be grateful for, on a daily basis, we will enhance the intensity and frequency of happiness and well-being (Seligman, Steen, Park & Peterson, 2005).
• Oxytocin can be called the love hormone, or the cuddle hormone, and plays a significant role in our social lives and relationships—two very important aspects in human wellbeing. It is released when we hug others, and it promotes things like trust, morality and empathy. It plays a big part in Positive Psychology (Barraza & Zak, 2009).
• Those who regularly perform acts of kindness, which are Positive Psychology boosters, experience greater feelings of wellbeing (Layous, Nelson, Oberle, Schonert-Reichl, & Lyubomirsky, 2012).

What can we learn from these findings? That Positive Psychology is real. That when we intentionally shift our perspectives, the results are obvious.

Intrigued? Here are more examples of Positive Psychology’s effects[1]:

• It alleviates depression symptoms. A study of 4,266 participants showed that it increases feelings of wellbeing when incorporated into therapy sessions.
• It can help brain injury patients to flourish. Even when people were unable to interact with others, express themselves, taste and smell like they had before their accident, Positive Psychology helped them to be more appreciative and happier than before the incident.
• It enhances performance. When participants were exposed to positive imagery, they experienced heightened confidence and increased performance in field tests (Koehn, 2013).
• It multiplies motivation. People who practice Positive Psychology experience more heightened moods, positive life events, and better coping skills. This results in greater motivation to pursue more goodness.
• It promotes self-control. When an individual is under the influence of Positive Psychology, they are more likely to make better choices (because they don’t feel compelled to “find happiness” with sugar, alcohol, or procrastination, for instance).
• It reduces stress. Positive Psychology not only lowers cortisol levels and helps us to stay present, but it also acts as a coping mechanism for future stressful situations.
• It moderates food cravings. When willpower is the only defence against overeating, cravings often get stronger. When Positive Psychology is used to accept and embrace those cravings, they are more manageable.

Reiki not only has many of these same benefits, but it can also open pathways that make the principles of Positive Psychology more effective.

Let’s talk about how learning the art of Reiki can compound the effects of Positive Psychology.

[1] Positive Psychology’s Fascinating Facts, Pennock, 2014

How learning Reiki promotes Positive Psychology

Learning Reiki establishes a connection with your own inner guidance, leading to greater happiness and peace, as well as the ability to make life decisions that will lead to greater harmony.

We know that the principle of Positive Psychology relies on enhancing the good. But in order to do that, we’ve got to find the good…the good within ourselves, within our circumstances, within those sharing space with us.

And even though there’s no limit to the amount of goodness at our disposal at any given moment, there can be times when it doesn’t seem to be abundant; times when we have trouble finding it. That’s where Reiki comes in. It establishes a connection with all that’s good, so there’s always a plentiful supply for growing with Positive Psychology.

As a beginner learning Reiki, you will attune to, feel and utilise positive energy to empower you, both personally and professionally. You will take charge of your health, wellbeing, healing and life. If you choose to study on a more advanced level, you can learn Reiki symbols…even become a practitioner, or simply use your skills to help family and friends. A master in Reiki learns to elevate their levels of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual consciousness.

All levels of Reiki students experience the joy of healing energy, learn to access and trust intuition, and can even support their loved ones using what they’ve learned.

Reiki will fast-track you on the way to inner happiness and greater energy so you can move through self-healing, wellness…and there’s more. It will inspire more joy and fulfilment, and awaken your creativity through the power of positivity.

If you are drawn to the benefits of Positive Psychology and Reiki, there’s no reason to put off learning more. Register for a Discover Reiki Evening with Lisa Brandis, Australia’s first Intuitive Reiki Master and teacher, and director of Intuitive Reiki, International. There’s no better time than the present to put yourself on the fast track to happiness.