“Distance Reiki: Intimacy” (Part 4 of 4)
Part 4: Intimacy
Say you don’t want to immerse yourself in Buddhism or Quantum Mechanics. That’s fine. Even if you enter into a Reiki session with absolutely zero belief in spiritual matters, something still happens in that room. At the very least, you will meditate (whatever that means to you) for about 45 minutes in close proximity to another human being. When was the last time you laid down and allowed another person to care for you?
The same goes for Distance Reiki. You lie down in a room in, say, San Francisco, and I’m here in Asheville. I commit to tuning into you for 40-45 minutes with the express purpose of helping you to relax and restore some balance in your mind/body. You can think about yourself or let your mind wander or focus on a single intention, but whatever you do, you do it in tandem with me through the frame of Reiki. Have you ever done that? Have you ever shared that amount of time with someone so far away? What happens when two people do this?
The experience of being in proximity to another person—either physically or psychically—is powerful. We tend to shy away from intimate, non-sexual contact with others. Technology mediates so many of our encounters with one another (like the computer screen through which you’re reading this), and this mediation can make it difficult for people to hold eye contact and engag in genuine conversation beyond the computer or Facebook or whatever. Political divisions make people anxious about strangers they meet on the street. Racist histories live on in the present and make people of color understandably uneasy wherever Whiteness exerts itself. With all of these reasons not to be intimate with a stranger, it’s no wonder that we don’t do it more often. And yet, we should.
We should find these intimate moments that crop up occasionally. Take the dentist. When was the last time you got your teeth cleaned? When was the last time you let a stranger put her hands in your mouth and basically nestle your head in her bosom for the purpose of maintaining your oral health? When was the last time you paid for that experience, since you certainly paid for it, either with insurance or out-of-pocket? Describing the dentist in this way may seem strange, but that’s what’s happening: you are engaging in accidental intimacy. Same with getting a massage or taking a long elevator ride with people. If we look for these moments, we will find them.
Better yet, let’s make these moments! You don’t need to attain spiritual enlightenment to discover the healing powers of holding space with someone else. Reiki is one way to experience what I’m talking about, but it is not the only way. If you’re still asking why should you make these intimate moments, then here’s my final plea: finding intimacy is a way to care for your self on a deep level. We all need nourishment, and not just from food and water. Feed your spirit and your physical body will thank you.
Opening More
If you are a skeptic about Reiki, I ask that you do the work of coming to terms with the philosophical visions of the world that support this art. If you aren’t skeptical but just shy, then what better way to awaken as a person than to explore the care provided by a Reiki practitioner? At stake in my argument against skepticism is a desire for people to open to new experiences in order to see the world anew. The worldview from which Reiki unfolds contains some pretty mind-blowing stuff, like a One that is not merely Sameness, plenitude within emptiness, presence within distance, and self-knowledge though the relaxation of self.
Intrigued? Set up an appointment with me and see what happens.
Want to know more or talk about any of the ideas raised in this post? Connect with me (Will) HERE or send an email: grow[at]invitingabundance.net
