Love on the Radio

Tomorrow morning I’ll be a guest on a local radio show, where I’m supposed to discuss Reiki and senior citizens. It’s a natural combination.

In Native American and many other cultural traditions, deep respect for our elders is simply a fact of life. In America, sadly, it’s generally not. Unless you’re in the U.S. Congress, or the Supreme Court, either of which will allow you to share the accumulated and growing wisdom of your lifetime for the good of many. Without getting into politics, at least that’s the theory.

But for regular folks, when you’re old, you’re “over the hill” or “washed up” or “doddering” or you’re just out of it, and frankly, we think you might not have too good a grip on what’s going on around you. Part of that’s because we rip the roots of productivity and self esteem out from under our elders, assuming they have no more to contribute to society, and generally put them out to rot. I mean, to pasture.

Kind of a self-fulfilling prophesy, don’t you think?

So elders tend to start feeling almost like they have to apologize for their existence. The sense of respect isn’t there in the same way that it was when they were younger. People defer to them, but in a sort of condescending way that implies that they’re somehow “less-than” in the same way that people tend to think of children.

So what does all this have to do with Reiki? Well Reiki is one of the most respectful and loving therapies being practiced anywhere today. In Reiki, someone is fully present focusing completely on you for an hour or so. Their sole intention is for your highest and best good, and it’s not up to the therapist to decide for you what that may be.

The treatment itself is profoundly respectful of the person -- there is no physically or emotionally uncomfortable or awkward touching. The focus is on the comfort and well-being of the client. If there is illness, pain or injury, the therapist does not even have to physically place their hands on the person. And best of all, no-one has to take their clothes off.

If the prerequisite for authentic love is respect, Reiki is one of the most loving therapies around. The fact is that it is based on the belief that what is flowing through the therapist to the client is pure loving life energy, guided by love. Reiki is a profound act of love. It says you don’t have to do anything to be worthy to receive love, you are worth my sharing an hour of my life silently being present with you.

Reiki is respectful, affirming, relaxing, healing and loving. Which is why it is my honor and privilege to offer Reiki to our elders.

And that’s today’s holistic health tip.