No childhood is perfect. We all have things we go through growing up that shape the people we are today. As adults we have moments where those childhood experiences come into play again. Trauma like abuse, neglect, prejudice, loss, etc. can cripple our abilities to be fully functioning adults. That child still lives in us in our psyche. The child who didn’t feel loved, the child who lived in fear, that child who lost innocence still exist within. They yearn to be loved, made safe, and to be soothed.
Adults who go through traumas as children often turn to things that make them feel they are getting what that child needs. Sex and food to feel love, isolation to feel safe, bravado and sarcasm to hide their pain are just a few of the ways we cope as adults. There are even those who seek drugs and other addictions to numb the feelings coming from this hurt child. Thankfully there are good choices to deal with this as well. Therapy, art, music, poetry, meditation, ritual, and getting to the core of that need. One way to begin to heal ourselves is through Reiki. We are holistic beings that exist on multiple levels, so it may take more then one method to help heal and empower. Reiki is only one way to heal and should be used in combination with other treatments.
To heal the child self with Reiki it is easiest at Reiki Two. Reiki Ones begin to heal themselves as they are now by doing Reiki treatments on themselves. Reiki Two’s and above have the distance symbol to aid them in healing. The distance symbol connects to the spirit realm where there is no time and no space, because they are all one time and one space. With the distance symbol we can heal ourselves in the past as well as the future. My favorite way to heal when healing the child within is to get my favorite teddy bear when I was a kid to use as a surrogate in a distance healing. The bear holds memories of my younger self and aids me in connecting to this time. It isn’t necessary for you to use an old stuffed animal or toy but it does aid the working.
This healing method takes time. You may start healing the younger self and have more issues and memories come to the foreground of your mind. Let them come, be aware of them, and then let them go so you can go back to the healing you set out to do. After the healing write down in your journal what came up. Was there something that came up that you feel also needs healing? In your next healing session, send Reiki to that moment or issue. Healing is like pealing back the layers of an onion, heal one thing and something else arises. Doing the healing is so much more healthy than ignoring the problem, however. This technique can aid you in healing past issues, but it won’t erase what was done in the past. It will effect how it works itself out in your present.
For your beginning session get your surrogate or visualize your child self between your hands. Chant and visualize the distance symbol. Set your intention to heal your inner child. Follow up with the empowerment symbol and emotional symbol. I like to visualize and chant them in my head while I am doing the distance healing. Let the Reiki flow. Be aware of anything that comes up for you from your childhood and then let it go. You can write these down later. Continue to Reiki your child self until you feel the healing is done. This can be five minutes to a half an hour. When done remove your hands and clap three times, ending the flow. I like to draw Ra Ku to distance myself from the work for objectivity. Journal any feelings, memories, or issues that came up. You may also like to journal about how the healing felt and how you feel now.
In your next session, decide on one of the feelings, memories, or issues that came up and set your intention to heal that one issue. Reiki focused on one issue instead of a broad topic or goal sees a greater effect in healing because it is less diffuse. Remember you are healing and give yourself time and space to just be. After doing this work you might need small breaks between sessions or to seek out assistance and support. As long as you continue the work the breaks in-between sessions can be just as healing.