As featured in our winter issue of GALWAYnow magazine. Words by Amber Doyle, of Amber Moon Holistic.
If you had a heavy sensation sitting on your chest, anxious feeling in the pit of your stomach, and a constant tremor of unease over the past eighteen months, you’re not alone. The Covid-19 global pandemic has been tumultuous, frightening, isolating and harsh to say the least. Our everyday ‘normal’ was ripped out of our hands.
With this encouraged move to the ‘new normal’, comes a wealth of triggers and emotional upheaval for many. The expectation of this transition back to the ‘daily grind’ and ‘getting back to how things were’ has created an undercurrent of unease. Throughout the past eighteen months, people were living in ‘fight or flight’ mode and suffering from chronic stress. However, now that the crisis seems to have eased, many are unknowingly enduring post-pandemic exhaustion. The sheer length of the lockdown’s, the financial strain on families, and the yo-yo effect of good news followed by bad news has left people deflated and worn down. In short, people are suffering from emotional, mental and physical burnout.
Constant stress has taken its toll, with many people feeling physical ailments due to the body being in a constant state of anxiety and worry. Burying emotions and ‘bottling things up’ can manifest in to pain, discomfort and tension in the body over a period of time. The pandemic catapulted me in to my own healing and spiritual journey. During the third lockdown, when tensions were high and moods were deflated, I felt compelled to train as a Reiki Practitioner and to help others heal.
Reiki is a complementary therapy that can be used alongside traditional medical care to help restore well-being and balance. It has a holistic and multi-layer approach to help the client heal their mind, body and spirit. Clients may be unaware of the baggage they carry on their shoulders, the grief and heartbreak that sits on their chest, and the repressed past emotions that weigh down their knees until they leave the treatment room and immediately feel as light as a feather. Practicing Reiki has made me realise that no two bodies carry energy the same way, and that every experience has been incredibly different. Some clients have approached the treatment with an open-mind, some have been nervous and others skeptical. However, the one thing I have noticed is that all clients have left the treatment room with a brighter spirit, feeling uplifted and more at peace within themselves. Whether pain was dissipated, negative energy released, old wounds resurfaced to heal, pent-up tears released, or clarity of mind gained, most felt a heavy weight lifted from them during the session. Some clients have even continued their healing journey by engaging in talk therapy, booking additional Reiki treatments or trying alternative healing therapies.
As we collectively begin to pick up the pieces and dust ourselves off after a troubling time, we must continue to do our inner healing and focus on what really matters. Nourishing your mind, body and soul with healthy thoughts, wholesome foods, and holistic healing is a necessity during this in-between period. When it is all said and done, the pandemic has shifted our perspective and made us realise how fleeting life truly is. It has made us realise the importance of self-care, self-nurturing and self-healing. The remedy for moving forward can be peeled back to its most simplistic form, which is: heal yourself, hug your loved ones, find peace in solitude, enjoy spontaneous adventure, express your emotions, be present in the moment, maintain a healthy balance, and dance with friends.
Amber Moon Holistic Nadia Beauty Salon, Doon, Kilrickle, Co. Galway
Facebook: @ambermoonholistic
Instagram: @ambermoonholistic
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