HEALTH & WELLNESS, UNLIMITED VOL. 8 NO. 2 APRIL 2019 he ypnosis xaminer T H E Feature Article: “HABITS: Part 2 - Good Habits” NEW BEGINNINGS Spring and springtime refer to the season and also to ideas of rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection and regrowth. The earth awakens its dormant treasures and new plan growth begins to spring forth giving the season its name. Snow, if a normal part of winter, begins to melt and Good (personally desirable and/or socially acceptable) habits cannot streams swell with runoff. only make you happy with yourself but also increase the happiness of your Frost, if a normal part of entire world. winter becomes less severe. What is a good habit? It is a behavior that is beneficial to one’s In climates that have no snow physical or mental health, often linked to a high level of discipline and self- and rarely frost, the air and control. Once you acquire a good habit and you repeat it, it becomes the ground temperatures increase more rapidly. Many driving force of your life to an extent that you reach a stage on the verge of flowering plants bloom this self-realization. time of year in a long A few examples of good habits are regular exercise, balanced diet and succession sometimes adequate sleep. Forming a good habit can be a struggle but it is well worth beginning when snow is still the effort. Having more good habits can help to achieve better overall on the ground and continuing health or accomplish a larger goal. Some things that you can do to form a into early summer. good habit include identifying your motivation, creating a cue, and tracking Ever ponder what significant your progress. changes take place within us To form a new good habit, there are a few steps that you can take by during spring? making a plan: Think about it for a moment. Set Your Goal. Before you can begin to work on your new habit, it is What new changes do you worthwhile to consider your goal. Figure out exactly what you hope to think you’ll experience this accomplish. Make sure that your goal is specific, measurable, action year? oriented, realistic and time bound to increase your chances of success. ~The Editor Consider what you want to achieve and get as detailed as you can. Here are some questions to help. (Continued page 2) HEALTH & WELLNESS, UNLIMITED VOL. 8 NO.2 APRIL 2019 HABITS (from front page) For example, if you want to stop eating fried, fatty, and sugary foods, you might struggle to give Specific means that the goal is targeted rather than them up all at once. Instead, you might find it easier broad and/or vague. What exactly do you want to to start by eliminating one category at a time. achieve and why? Give yourself time. Forming a new habit can take Measurable means that the goal can be quantified a long time. Some people can form a new habit in as (measured with numbers). What numbers are little as a few weeks, while other people will take associated with your goal? How can it be measured several months. As you work to form your new habit, using numbers? just keep in mind that it may be a while before it is Action Oriented means that the goal is something automatic. Try to be patient with yourself as you form that you can actively work towards and control. What your new habit. specific activities are required for you to meet your Expect obstacles. In the process of forming a goal? How often must you perform these activities? new habit, you are bound to face some obstacles Realistic means that the goal is something you along the way. Understanding that you will face can actually achieve with the resources available to obstacles may help you to overcome them and keep you. Is your goal something that you have the power working towards your new habit. It is also good to and resources to achieve? Why or why not? remember that even if you stumble along the way, that Time Bound means that the goal has a beginning does not mean that you will fail. and ending or a deadline that you will hold yourself For example, if you fail to take your daily walk to. When will you start working towards the goal? one day, don’t get discouraged. Just acknowledge that When do you need to accomplish the goal by? What you had a bad day and take your walk the following will happen if you succeed? What will happen if you day. fail? In the next edition, we will bring you HABITS Identify the Habit You Want to Form. Having Part 3: Bad Habits. good habits that are in line with the goals you want to achieve can improve your chances of attaining your goals. After you have set your goal and worked out all of the specifics of achieving that goal, identify a habit that is part of achieving that goal. Consider your goal and ask yourself, what good habit would help me accomplish this goal? For example, if your goal is to lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks, you might decide that you want to get into the habit of taking a walk every night at 7:00pm. Consider Your Motivation. Once you have identified your goal and the new habit you need to form to accomplish this goal, take some time to consider your motivation. Your motivation is the USUI REIKI reason you want to form this new habit. Good Reiki’s tradition and history is oral and generally motivation can be the difference between succeeding passed from Reiki Master to student during training. and failing at forming a new habit, so take your time Some of the writings tell the story of how Dr. Mikao to consider your motivation. Usui, a Japanese Christian educator, discovered the Ask yourself: What are the potential benefits of ancient healing art in Japan in the late 1800’s. His forming this new habit? How will the new habit revelations paved the way for Reiki’s emergence in improve my life? the United States and the rest of the world. Based on Write down your motivation so that you can ancient Buddhist and Hindu teachings, Dr. Usui return to it whenever you need a boost. evolved a system of healing through study, research Start small. Even if the new habit that you want and meditation. He practiced and taught this method to form is something big, start by making a small using the laying on of hands. In the traditional Reiki change to increase your chances of success. If you lineage, he trained Chujiri Hayashi to continue his make changes that are too drastic, you may not be work after his death. Dr. Hayashi then opened a clinic able to keep up with them. and school in Tokyo (continued page 3) 2 ! HEALTH & WELLNESS, UNLIMITED VOL. 8 NO. 2 APRIL 2019 USUI REIKI (from page 2) Individuals report different experiences. Some say that the practitioner's hands become hot, others where he trained his successor, Mrs. Hawayo Takata, report cooling hands and some people feel pulsating who brought Reiki to the mainland in the U.S. waves. The most common reports are of a release of Between 1945 and 1970, Mrs. Hawayo Takata was stress and deep relaxation. the only living Reiki Master in the world. Between Because of the outstanding experiences of “stress 1970 and 1980, she trained twenty-one (21) Reiki release and deep relaxation,” Reiki has been an Masters. Mrs. Takata’s granddaughter, Phyllis Lei attractive modality to combine with other forms of Furumoto, is the current Grand Master of the Usui therapy. System of Natural Healing (Usui Shiki Ryoho). The field of hypnotherapy is one such practice The word "Reiki" means "mysterious that has been attracted to Reiki. Hypnotherapists and atmosphere, miraculous sign." It comes from the hypnotists have sought certification as Reiki Japanese words "rei" (universal) and "ki" (life practitioners to offer this combined form of therapy energy). Reiki is a type of energy healing. know as Hypno-Reiki. Energy healing targets the energy fields around Hypno-Reiki is a healing modality that the body. Energy can stagnate in the body where beautifully combines two very powerful healing there has been physical injury or possibly emotional therapies, “Reiki” and “hypnosis”. Each treatment pain. In time, these energy blocks can cause illness. method has been found to be extremely effective in Energy medicine aims to help the flow of energy producing healing on all levels of one’s being. This and remove blocks in a similar way to acupuncture includes physical, emotional, spiritual and mental or acupressure. Improving the flow of energy around levels. So, when both methods are used in the body, say practitioners, can enable relaxation, collaboration, the healing potential that can be reduce pain, speed healing, and reduce other achieved with Hypno-Reiki treatment is far greater symptoms of illness. than that of a hypnosis or Reiki treatment alone. Reiki is best held in a peaceful setting, but it can To practice healing modality of Hypno-Reiki, the be carried out anywhere. The patient will sit in a Reiki practitioner must have a second degree or comfortable chair or lie on a table, fully clothed. advanced degree in Reiki. The number of sessions There may or may not be music, depending on the and duration of each session, required to treat a patient's preference. particular condition may vary depending on the Sessions can last between 15 and 90 minutes.