Moksha:  A Message from Joyce
Just for today, I will not worry
 

[April 07, 2020]    After 35 years in the field of social work Joyce Leesman retired and began a new journey. She became a licensed massage therapist specializing in myofascial release and cranio-sacral therapy working at the Lincoln Springfield Clinic.

She became a Reiki practitioner in 2010. Reiki is a Japanese method of stress reduction that promotes relaxation, healing and overall well-being. She is a Reiki Master/Teacher and offers Reiki sessions and classes through the Moksha Center in Lincoln.
 

Just for today, I will not worry

Our minds are whirling right now with the “what if’s and “I cant’s’”. What if I run out of supplies? What if my loved one gets sick? What if we can’t go on the vacation we have planned? What if… What if…What if….or I can’t do what I want to do. I can’t be with friends. I can’t go where I want to go. I can’t…I can’t…I can’t…

During these stressful times, it easy to fall into negative ways of thinking. We can feel powerless, hopeless, lonely, anxious. Its easy to focus on what might happen or what has been taken away from us.

These worrisome and negative thoughts can influence the way we feel. The way we view situations. The way our body responds to stress. Our body doesn’t know the difference between physical stress or mental/emotional stress. Stress is stress and the same stress hormones are released into the body.

So, by worrying about things that may or may not happen, focusing on what we can not do versus all that we have, we are flooding our bodies with negative energy and stress hormones that are pulling us down physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

One definition of energy is ‘a person's physical and mental powers, typically as applied to a particular task or activity’. We are energetic beings. Different parts of our bodies communicate with each other through energetic pathways.

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Messages are continually sent from one area of the body to another. Did you know our thoughts can influence the flow of our energy? When we have negative thoughts, our energy slows down. We become sluggish, we become unmotivated and it heightens our already negative thoughts.

We can break that cycle. Whenever you find yourself with a negative thought, immediately replace it with something positive. Even the simplest thought of gratitude can change the stress hormones your body releases.

One of the five Reiki principles is: Just for today, I will not worry. So just for the next moment, just for the next hour, just for today tell yourself that you will not worry about what might happen or what you don’t have and focus on what you do have. Acknowledging the simplest pleasures in life can go a long way in this stressful time.

An easy practice is to sit quietly, eyes softly closed and slowly repeat to yourself three times “Just for today, I will not worry.” Do this whenever you feel powerless, anxious, lonely or depressed.

This simple practice can help calm the nervous system, reduce stress and promote relaxation.

[Joyce Leesman, Moksha Center]