Do you believe you have the power to heal yourself? The power to heal others?
When most of us think of healing we imagine going to a bona fide “healer,” someone who purports to possess the rare and mystical power to heal. This could be a spiritual or religious person, or even a member of the medical community. Why do we think they have a special power and we do not? Is it something that they were granted at birth or developed later on? Would it be a surprise to discover that we have this same power to heal within each of us? Though it’s often thought to be relegated to a very few, we all have the power to heal.
It is often said that our greatest fear is not that we do not have power, but that we are afraid to discover our own power. Is this power something to be hidden away until we cannot remember how to use it or where to find it? Confronting this fear within ourselves allows the healing energy to emerge. It allows dynamic energy to be directed to heal our bodies, minds, and ultimately the world.
In a world where disease indiscriminately touches everyone, regardless of age, economic background, political affiliation, etc., healing practices reign supreme. While many of the great traditions have healing at their core, Yoga seems to cajole this great power to emerge through its myriad practices. Beginning with ourselves, this emerging energy grants us the ultimate power to return to wholeness. By directing and enhancing the pranic (energetic) life force, mysteries are revealed that many of us have only heard about or can imagine.
Considering digestion, recovery time, and mental and emotional health is a good way to assess one’s need for healing.
A good way to start to understand the need for healing is to observe how well our bodies function. Is the body able to digest and assimilate the foods it is given? Does a wound or injury heal well? Do you have all the vitality you need to fulfil your daily routine? Do the emotions and the mind support your well-being? As you observe the body, the mind, and emotions, notice if fluidity is present. Can you observe an ability to grasp new concepts and search new frontiers? Are the emotions able to let go of what is unnecessary and accept the positive instead of embracing the negative?
After considering the body, we are then able to shift our observation beyond our small circle and to the greater world. Are we able to give to others and make a difference in healing our planet? We may not think that one person can do very much in the vastness of what is required, but in even the smallest gesture of healing the whole world is elevated.
When we touch someone with our hands, we are touching them with our hearts.
Of the many practices that are used for healing, the simple practice of laying on of hands has survived the test of time. The hands are the servants of the heart. When we touch someone with our hands, we are touching them with our hearts. Laying on of hands is one of the oldest forms of healing, often relegated to the clergy or religious. Yet, this practice becomes an everyday wonder when a small child holds up a hurt finger to be kissed or a gentle touch is given for emotional comfort.
Try this simple practice on yourself or a good friend and notice if you can feel the emergence of healing energy bestowed on both parties.
Sitting quietly, take in a few deep breaths to calm the body and mind and to open the heart.
Begin to feel energy moving from your heart down into your arms and hands.
Place your hands together and begin to rub them quickly. After a few minutes you will feel heat generating.
Very slowly start to move your hands away from each other and feel the energy between them. You may need to play with the energy a little bit until you feel it.
Hover your hands about two inches above a physical location where healing is needed. For instance, if there is an issue with a knee, place your hands on either side of the knee so that the pranic energy surrounds it. You can do this on a shoulder, a hand, a foot, or on any part of the body.
Let your hands remain there for a few minutes, keeping the mind and heart focused on healing.
As you gently withdraw the hands, sit quietly once again to notice the energy.
With great attentiveness to the Yoga practices and principles, the dynamic (kundalini) energy within is unleashed. We are then blessed with unlimited healing power and vitality for healing of ourselves, others, and the entire planet.
