Q - I made an emergency yoga call to a friend of mine. She hadn’t slept in three weeks, started a new job which has her hugely stressed, her anxiety was over the top, she was worried about her mom dying her sisters dying, etc. I had her do wave breath, put her in a restorative pose. she almost immediately feel asleep on and off. I didn’t want to take her out of it so I did some reiki. I was feeling lots of stuff in her belly, like a wall pressing down on her (me?) and sometimes experienced a release or nauseau. she had some shudders. at one point I started to really feel yucky and cried softly. I thought of what my reiki teacher said about seeing yourself surrounded by a golden orb and so I did that. It switched the feeling of yuck and negativity into feeling like some good energy was flowing into my friend. so my Q is, would it have been better to stay in the release part of this work, or go to that good flowing stuff? ( I should mention that she also has not been able to eat, has been experiencing what sounds like irritable bowl, and has lost a lot of weight which she cannot afford to do.) Do I trust that I was guided towards that golden light, but then I wonder if I shifted it for my own comfort and that it wasn’t as beneficial for her to keep holding onto that stuff I was sensing.
A - I really prefer not to make emergency yoga calls. But when friendship is involved it is more difficult to hold that decision though it is the best not to intervene. Much better is for friends to stay in touch rather than seek their friendship to be a healing encounter or a take care of me situation. What is needed is bigger than you can give so you loose prana. Only fill her up if your sadhana is solid and rejuvenates you within few minutes of session. If longer than that you are feeding a vasana. Yoga Therapy is to remove them not feed them. Reiki is different than Yoga Therapy; intention is quite opposite really. In YT one only works with clients energy not that which is beyond the body. Different purposes and effects. Restorative pose is good idea. She needs ojas foods and plenty of nurturing. Oil massage better than energy healing. It is like putting something in a black hole no end otherwise. Namaste m
Q - Now I question whether it was reiki energy or something else. Maybe I need to be clearer for myself? it is all still fuzzy for me , what is mine, what is theirs. In that experience I understood how different energy can feel. I understand what you are saying about filling a black hole and that is interesting way to put it that YT is to remove vasanas not feed them, and not use energy outside of the client. gives me food for thought(feel). so I will try to focus on that, what is authentically theirs and not outside of them. I just don't have so much to practice on. when it comes up I am so surprised and befuddled! it did feel counterproductive to fill up with golden light when there seemed like so much needed to be let out. I guess it would take more courage on both of our parts to move thru what was feeling yucky, would you say?
A - You can distinguish between reiki, polarity, Shakti, prana, and chi? I am intrigued by such discernment. It is always about being clearer and doing sadhana. From that can come such distinctions if necessary if not then they do not arise. When there is fuzziness about energy it is usually in the perceiver and the perception. I find for me such distinctions as working only on them give clarity as to what I perceive. Courage is not really needed nor fearlessness. All that is needed for energy work is intention to get to a sattvic state and stabilize that. When that is not there then all other possibilities can arise.
namaste mukunda
Q - Thank you!