The Wellness Revolution: The U.S. Military Uses Reiki

I had a lovely meeting with my friend Maia Gilman this week and got to chatting about Reiki, seeing as she is offering a Level 1 Reiki class next weekend in South Orange. Last year, Maia came to my home to do space clearing work and also introduced me to the world of dowsing.

The more I learn about Reiki, particularly after my own Level 1 class with Amy Witmyer of Sacred Space Yoga & Wellness, the more I understand what a benign, beneficial, and relatively accessible modality it really is. I'm often envious of the practitioners I work with, who have such a wealth of knowledge and tools at their disposable. The great thing about Reiki is that while it does involve training, understanding, and practice, it's not a healing modality that requires years and years of formal education before you can practice it on yourself or your family.

Most Reiki Masters suggest that once you've completed an in-depth Level 1 Reiki course, which includes an "attunement," you are prepared to practice Reiki as self-healing or on your immediate family members. Pretty cool. I've been using Reiki to help fall back to sleep at night when woken up at 2 am by one of my sleepless children. I've also used it to calm my boys down before bed. Or help my husband relax after a stressful day at work (on a G-rated evening.)

Here's how potentially beneficial Reiki is. The U.S. military uses Reiki to help soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. According to a USA Today article published last year, the Pentagon has been seeking new ways to treat troops suffering from combat stress or brain damage by researching such alternative methods as acupuncture, meditation, yoga, as well as Reiki. Suicides and violent behavior are at a high among soldiers both those in combat and those who've returned home.

It would seem that traditional therapies are not working. Wired.com reports that the Army last year unveiled a $4 million program to "investigate everything from 'spiritual ministry, transcendental meditation, [and] yoga' to 'bioenergies such as Qi gong, Reiki, [and] distance healing' to mend the psyches of wounded troops."

This is evidence of the Wellness Revolution that makes me smile wide.

If you've seen Men Who Stare At Goats, you probably won't be too surprised by the above news. But I'd like to think that if these modalities are being embraced by the U.S. military, which carries with it a stereotyped reputation of strict formality and convention, then mainstream America might soon follow suit.

Forward, march!

The Wellness Revolution: As If!

It's highly likely that Canada Dry Ginger Ale, when it was first produced for mass consumption, contained a measurable amount of "real" ginger.

But highly doubtful that the latest incarnation of the soft drink, which is being marketed as of late as ginger ale with "Real Ginger!" has little more than a pinch of processed ginger powder as one of the many proprietary ingredients listed on the label as "Natural Flavor."

The fact that the company is spending thousands of advertising dollars on promoting this high fructose syrup-laden SODA as a ginger beverage, though, indicates once again that we are in The Wellness Revolution. In addition to commercials on both TV and radio, there's a huge billboard on Rte. 280W in New Jersey.

While ginger, in its true form, is known for its healing properties (from decreasing nausea to reducing inflammation), you may not count on Canada Dry Ginger Ale to do the same. Sorry. It's yummy. It's my soda of choice on the very rare occasion when I choose soda as a beverage. But it's sugary, processed crap. There is nothing healthy about it. End of story.

Mindful Parenting Workshop On Tap Tonight

I'm heading out to the Mindful Parenting Workshop with Dr. Rob Handelman tonight at 7:45 pm (Shakti Yoga and Living Arts in Maplewood.)

Why am I going AGAIN to this workshop? Well, #1, I'm a sponsor. And #2, do you think mindful parenting comes easy? That there is a magic bullet and you will suddenly approach your child's tantrums and saucy lip with ease? Sorry. Not the case.

Life is a constant refresher course.


Hope you join me. If so, wear comfy pants. We'll be sitting yoga style and doing some deep breathing to start.