• Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

The Birth Gem Doula

  • About
  • Doula Services
  • Massage and Reiki
  • The postnatal pantry
  • Blog
  • Birth Art Mandala and Belly Painting
  • Placenta Remedies
  • Contact

Reiki for pregnancy

Pregnancy & birth

7 Jun

The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine of all diseases
Just for today, do not anger
Do not worry and be filled with gratitude
Devote yourself to your work. Be kind to people.
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer.
Pray these words to your heart
and chant these words with your mouth

The founder,
Usui Mikao

Pregnancy can be one of life’s most beautiful and spiritual experiences. It’s one of life's most sacred transitions however, the journey into motherhood can be an epic one. It can create a number of different stresses on the mind, body and soul, you are more open than ever before to make way for this amazing transformation which is a beautiful thing but it can also feel overwhelming at times. Pregnancy is a major shift and regular Reiki treatments can offer healing and balancing energy not only for you but also to your baby. We ARE energy, everyone and everything is, our energy can experience imbalances and blockages often for various reasons, pregnancy is no exception to this. We can create balance of the mind, body and soul, the spiritual principle of Reiki  tells us that simple wonderful truth, that we are all guided by the same invisible life force and that when that energy flows freely we can tap into unknown reserves of power.

What is Reiki and is it safe for pregnancy?

Reiki is a form of hands on energy healing that emerged from Japan developed by Mikao Usui , REI = universal KI = life energy. Similar to the Indian “prana” Reiki is guided by this gentle yet effective life force energy, it beautifully travels from the givers hands to where it is needed most. The body intuitively understands its own energy needs and works in harmony with the energy that flows from the 'attuned' practitioner's hands or your own if your giving a self treatment. During pregnancy and at no risk to your baby it can also flow lovingly through their divine little beings. You may feel a little happy kick as the energy reaches them then a lovely relaxation as you both settle into the treatment. 

Reiki is safe, gentle, effective and compliments any other treatment you may be receiving, it is not contraindicated by anything.

What to expect

Reiki creates balanced energy, harmony and relaxation and treats the whole person. For me Reiki is all about the balance and I'm a big fan of balance! If what you need is energy then that’s what you will receive, if you need balance (who doesn’t) then it will provide that, if you need calm then it will relax you. One of the things I have noticed giving Reiki to mothers during pregnancy is that often a deep sense of peace is felt. Many mothers have a relaxed but energised glow as they leave the treatment and they often report later that they are able to return to this feeling of peace and clarity as they enter into labour. 

and will it work on a sceptic?

The other thing I have noticed is that it works whether you are sceptical or not. Some worry that if they enter into a treatment not fully believing that it will work then it wont. This is the beauty of Reiki, while it is spiritual it's not a 'religion'. It doesn't require a set of beliefs for anyone to benefit from it, it quite simply promotes harmony in all things, it's simple loving energy. This is what Mikao Usui, the founder of the Reiki system of natural healing wished.

Self Reiki practice

We all have the ability to tap into this universal life force energy and give ourselves a little Reiki. I often start and end my day with a little meditation and energy work. 

If you have never done this before It will likely surprise you how quickly you can tune into energy work, like I said you ARE energy. 

To begin any session activate/call in the the energy within yourself. If you can, be in a quiet space away from distractions. I usually give myself a short Reiki practice from my bed in the morning and again in the evening for as long as I feel, usually the morning is quite brief due to the imminent risk of interruption!. 

Close your eyes and take a few rounds of deep breaths,in for 3 and out for 4. Imagine your crown  opening and a stream of healing white light flowing in from the top of your head, into your heart, and out through your arms and hands, you may even feel them tingle or heat up. Scan your body, what do you notice? If you notice any blockages, aches or pains can you let go of this and just breathe it away? Accept this present moment for what it is.  If you find yourself doubting it or if your mind gets busy or wanders simply return to your deep trusting breath. See yourself as a pure divine vessel for healing. Set an intention for the day or night to receive for your highest good.. It can be as simple as I wish to feel good in my body or I wish for peace or a rejuvenating and easy sleep if it’s an evening practice. 

I don’t strictly stick to the standard taught hand positions there are 15 or more for self treatment but I'm using just 9 for this. After many years of this work I have settled into my own rhythms but if you wish to use my basic hand positions for your self treatment they are below, I encourage you to follow your intuition though and not to doubt that you will be guided where you need. Hold each position for 5 - 10 breaths… Or longer, it’s totally up to you, it’s your practice. As you move through each position gently cupping and laying your hands maybe visualise the healing light moving through your chakras.

In order here are the hand positions I use for a simple self treatment that suit  'level 1' I'm sticking to the front of the body for comfort. I use a slightly cupped hand. When you get to position 8 lay your hands on your bump however feels comfortable for however long feels comfortable. If you don't wish to include this then of course skip this position and focus on 9 or lay your hands behind you on your sacrum. To finish as always use your intuition and do what feels right for you. I give thanks and travel back through the chakras finally envisioning closing off my crown almost entirely. I would love to know your experiences with your own beautiful intuitive practice. 

Wishing you love and balance

Share
Tweet
Pin

Leave a Comment

« Positive postnatal plan
Anxiety in pregnancy during the pandemic »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Browse by Category

  • 4th trimester & motherhood
  • Pregnancy & birth
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Doula Services
  • Massage and Reiki
  • The postnatal pantry
  • Blog
  • Birth Art Mandala and Belly Painting
  • Placenta Remedies
  • Contact
Belly bump cakes, birth art, flower baths and more Belly bump cakes, birth art, flower baths and more. This work week has been so full and gorgeous, lucky me that this is my life! 💖
So yesterday I had to re centre myself and remake a belly bump cake with iced mandala which means my family will have to work their way through the unusual treat of a ruined belly bump cake... lucky them, it’s going to take a while to get through! 😆 
This cake will be on its way to @eva_shamanic_doula this morning to join her in a mother’s blessing complete with handmade ivy circlet. 
💖Enjoy the cake beautiful ones 💖
#mothersblessing #blessingway #sacredpregnancy #doula #mandalacake #vegancake #motherlove #birthmandala #redthread
❤️ Thaw ❤️ Over the land freckled with sno ❤️ Thaw ❤️
Over the land freckled with snow half - thawed 
The speculating rooks at their nests cawed 
And saw from the elm-tops, delicate as flower of grass, What we below could not see, Winter pass. 
🌱I’m not sure about you but I’ve never looked forward more than I have done this winter! The approach of Spring always brings with it optimism but this year it has a whole different energy to it. As I walked today I noticed the signs of new growth, so much beauty to be appreciated. The colours, subtle, vibrant and just so much potential. I thought about the energy and life stored in the seed, so quiet yet powerful and full of potential. A fertile void creating it’s magic just below the soil in the dark, much like in our inner own winters. Of course I couldn’t help but think of birth! How lucky I am to witness and be a part of one of nature’s most miraculous cycles, a most sacred reminder that we do not just live among nature. We are nature. 
Our true nature is ever changing, what is blossoming for you right now? What are you looking forward to? #sacredbirth #innerseasons #spring #wearenature #birthdoula #doulauk #motherhood #blossom #sacredfeminine #nurturenature #whispersfrommotherearth #walksinnature
Pie is one of the most perfect postnatal meals to Pie is one of the most perfect postnatal meals to gift. So much goodness can be encased in a buttery pastry crust! 
One of today’s pies is 
💖Scandi inspired salmon pie 
Ingredients:
400g - 500 salmon fillet cubed 
1tsp, pepper, salt, fennel seed, caster sugar
3rsp fresh chopped dill
120 Pearl barley cooked 
1 small diced red onion
Juice of lemon 
150g wilted spinach leaves 
100g chopped sundried tomatoes 
140g creme fraiche 
2tsp whole grain mustard 
1 pack puffed pastry or homemade 
💖 Method 
Put diced salmon in bowl with pepper, salt, fennel, sugar, half the dill. 
Cook and strain the Pearl barely and wilt the spinach, set aside. Put the onion in a bowl with the lemon juice. 
Mix the creme fraiche with the mustard and rest of the dill. 
Combine the diced tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients with the creme fraiche mix and transfer to a pie tin. Roll out the puff pastry and brush with egg white. Lay out Over the tin and roll and press the sides with a fork trimming the excess. With the excess I cut a heart shape and brush on with more egg white. 
💖 Bake for approximately 30/40 mins at 180 or freeze until needed. 
This is good warm from the oven and just as good cooled with a salad. 
The other pie pictured is chicken, squash and wild mushroom pie. It’s a little more faffy but just as nourishing! 
#fooddoula #postnatalnourishment #thefourthtrimester #thefirst40days #whofeedsyou #postnataldoula #doulasupport #motherhood #ahealthybabyisnotallthatmatters
💖Creativity is tool for connection⁠ As I sat 💖Creativity is tool for connection⁠
As I sat and planned some gentle Mothercraft ideas for a new client today I was struck by how much more I have come to value and cherish craft during lockdown life. ⁠
Making things with our hands awakens and deepens our awareness of the beauty and value of them. The slowness, the rhythmic and patient nature of creating something has always been so comforting in what is often a fast paced and loud existence, the comfort and value has grown so much more  during the past 11 months or so. I feel that no matter how simple the craft, how 'non artistic' a person deems themselves, creating and gifting yourself something beautiful always has value and we are ALL born creative, all born an artistic with the ability to create beautiful things with our amazing hands and souls, it's just the value in craft is often lost as we age. For me it's all in the intention, the rhythm of devotion, it's about how it makes you feel. Ultimately in your craft you have birthed something beautiful into the world that didn't exist until you created it and that's just gorgeous isn't it! Consider the preciousness of heirlooms, in the very word itself you feel the sense of a precious thing, though it's value will often be of the heart rather than coin! This embroidery for instance, who poured her love and time into this sweet scene? How much we value a hand made card, a hand written letter. Our precious strings of wooden beads, pressed leaves, pom pom garlands, painted scraps of wood and scruffy hand stitched blankets and rag dolls. Our own Works of art and works of heart matter the, process as much as the result.⁠
#workofheart #mindfullness #creativityforconnection #handcraft #slowliving #mothercraft
Love is all, love is all, love is all. A mantra t Love is all, love is all, love is all. 
A mantra that has served me very well over the past 11 months! 
If serving at the altar of birth and motherhood has taught me anything it’s that the most natural things can be the hardest. Keeping a soft yet strong and open heart is one of those things for me these days. A heart can hold so much and mine feels full to bursting often. It’s sometimes been hard to find love and compassion for myself, accept it from others, find love for others especially those that are hard to love! 
It’s been a struggle to to stay soft and strong on the corona coaster but I continue to remind myself to work and live from the heart.
I believe with all of me that Love is our original state of being, a baby is born to love, born from love, into love and this reminds me all the time that love is all, love is all, love is all 💖
#loveisall #loveisallornotatall #wearelove #doulalove #loveisourtruth #youarelove #softandstrong #motherlove #howmuchaheartcanhold
❤️leading from the feminine 🎶~ liquid bloo ❤️leading from the feminine 
🎶~ liquid bloom, sacred blessing ~
I don’t know about you but during this lockdown finding time alone has been most rare and in those rare moments my time of stillness has often been punctuated by requests for food, answers to questions and you tube videos and memes thrust in to my eye-line! 
❤️Yesterday I was gifted just a couple of hours of breathing space, an empty home, silence and sweet stillness, just a little sacred blessing. As is often our way I quickly slipped into that familiar patriarchal habit of feeling that we must keep active and appear to be ‘productive’ at all times, doing, doing, doing and guilt for not doing enough. I caught myself rushing about cleaning and tidying then felt a little nudge, a call from my heart space to be still and to be led by the feminine. I gave myself a little shake, shook off the doing and became still. I took my Rebecca Campbell oracle cards, sacred feminine incense and connected with my feminine wisdom and surrendered to this sweet time of stillness and those gentle reminders from the cards. How will you gently love yourself today even for just a minute? 
#workyourlightoracle #sacredfeminine #soulenquiry #theeverunfoldingrose #risesisterrise #nourish #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodrising #leadfromthefeminine
🌕Life is all about enjoying the small pleasures 🌕Life is all about enjoying the small pleasures these days. Sitting down after a morning workout for a pot of herbal tea with a book is one of my favourite little rituals. Today is EXTRA special though because the book I am about to open is one I have had the rare honour to follow the progress of over the years and written by my beloved doula sister @eva_shamanic_doula! 
I’m not ashamed to say a few proud tears came when this book arrived. What an inspiration she is and how happy I am that these beautiful thoughts and teachings are out in the world in book form, I know without a doubt that the contents of this book are part of who she is and come from her heart and soul. I’m looking forward to loaning this to my clients who feel drawn to working with the moon in a deeper way during their pregnancy. In anticipation of this book I prepared and saved a special tea for this very occasion! I picked the herbs for drying on the Harvest moon too which feels so special and appropriate. 
As I start to read I can hear her voice and am sending right back to her the brightest of moon beam blessings! ( yes Eva I flipped right to the last pages to read acknowledgements etc first!) 
So today’s simple pleasure has really been a massive one! 
#pregnancybythemoon #moonbeamblessings #sacredpregnancy #doula #doulauk #pregnancybook #doulasisters
❤️ Nourishment ❤️ I love nurturing and nou ❤️ Nourishment ❤️
I love nurturing and nourishing new born mothers. For 10 moons or so she has nourished her baby & will continue to give so much of herself body and soul, it always feels so right to truly nourish her in return. 
True nourishment is about so much more than just filling an empty belly, it’s more than a delicious cookie but can definitely start with one! It’s really about meeting her most basic needs with love, feeding, truly caring for and seeing her. Food made with love and intention nurtures and nourishes in such a special way and on a deep level. You don’t have to have the skills of a trained chef in my opinion, just loving intention. Something simple, intuitive, warming and comforting. A jar of soup, container of cookies or herbal tea left on a doorstep or handed to a partner carries with it so much more than its nutrients, this action is one of the most ancient and heartfelt ways we have of sharing love and appreciation without words during a most tender and open time. 
In a time like this one where physical connection is quite limited sharing the gift of simple nourishment is the perfect way to send deep sister love to a newborn mother. 
#postnatalnourishment #thefourthtrimester #postnatalfood #madewithlove #nursingcookies #foodheals #feedingthemother #motherhood #doula

Contact Details

The Birth Gem - Doula, Massage and Reiki
Boxers,
Royal Oak Lane,
High Hurstwood TN22 4AL
07545061535
Copyright © 2021 The Birth Gem. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy