Elaine Grundy: looking for Urban Enlightenment

Beating Stress From The Inside Out

Press Release

New Singapore survey findings shine light on ways to reduce stress

Singapore, 12^th January 2012: With Chinese New Year just around the corner, many families are underway with planning their celebrations to welcome in the Year of The Rabbit. Although enjoyable to many, arranging such events can be challenging and stressful for others. However, help is at hand.

A new Singapore based study of 550 respondents shows that stress can be reduced and happiness increased in some of the simplest of ways.  The detailed findings from the survey, conducted by Singapore based The Reiki Centre, have been published in the book ‘Reiki, Pure and Simple’ - written by Reiki Master Elaine Grundy.

According to the book, 80% of people experience less stress after learning and applying Reiki, a Japanese energy therapy.  87% notice more peace after applying Reiki on themselves and 80% are happier.  These results are significant in implying that simply using Reiki can have profound effects on peoples’ stress and happiness levels.

Reiki, which was first discovered in Japan in 1922, is a form of natural therapy that claims to balance a person’s energy and can be passed from one person to another through the hands.  No particular gift or talent is required to tap into this energy, which can be learnt in a weekend class.

Author Elaine Grundy commented “When I first discovered Reiki I was working in the high stress advertising industry in Hong Kong. After learning Reiki, what was extraordinary was that I noticed positive results while not changing anything about my lifestyle. Following just half an hour of Reiki in the evening, I felt more energetic and effective in the morning.  Having more energy in your body, can help you to rejuvenate, improve your immune system and feel a much deeper level of peace, as the survey shows.”

One of the key messages in the book is the important concept of looking to yourself for healing.  Instead of looking to the outside world and others for answers, Elaine suggests that it is critical to keep balanced inside.  The survey relates many case studies of people overcoming anger, anxiety and depression simply by applying Reiki.  According to Elaine, Reiki energy is used by the body to ‘reset’ itself.  “Many of us are stuck on a stress response and don’t even realize it.  By flicking the switch back to our normal growth response allows us to experience peace and a more healthy way of relating to our environment” explains Elaine, “there is no magic to this, children do it all the time, we’ve just forgotten how.”

With straightforward examples, case studies and data, Reiki, Pure and Simple, which is now on sale at Kinokuniya and other bookstores, offers advice and hope about easily and simply lowering stress and increasing  happiness.

The Reiki Centre Singapore offers regular weekend classes that are open to anyone to attend.

Fact Sheet – ‘Reiki, Pure and Simple’

About The Book:

• List Price: S$18.95
• Author: Elaine Grundy
• Publication Date: January 2011
• ISBN: 978-981-08-6587-0
• No. of pages: 130
• Format: Softcover
• Available from bookstores and www.reikicentre.com.sg

About the Author

Elaine Grundy has been teaching Reiki for over 15 years, started her training in Hong Kong and has since been teaching around the world in the UK, Portugal, USA, Malaysia and Singapore.  Elaine has trained hundreds of Reiki practitioners whilst keeping her feet firmly planted in the corporate world, having spent over ten years in advertising, market research, training and coaching.  For years she has balanced her corporate life with a deep respect and love of spiritual teachings.  Elaine, who was born in Hong Kong, is currently based in Singapore where she runs the Reiki Centre in the East Coast.  www.reikicentre.com.sg

Lessons in Life

I was reminded of this classic poem today and wanted to share it:

AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS

by Portia Nelson

I

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost ... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.

II

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place
but, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit.
my eyes are open
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

V

I walk down another street.

 

Qualities of Reiki

Exerpt from Reiki, Pure and Simple

Reiki’s uniqueness as a healing therapy comes from five main qualities:

1.  Reiki energy is osmotic: Reiki energy flows as if by osmosis and once it enters the body it will be used where it is most needed. There is no requirement to direct the energy.  In osmotic terms there is a flow from high Universal Life Energy (the air surrounding us) to low Universal Life Energy (our tired and exhausted bodies!).  The energy will flow as long as there is a difference in concentration. When there is no longer a difference in concentration, the body is in equilibrium. When Reiki is flowing it is drawn to areas of high need, it is an automatic process that requires no conscious direction or focus on our part.

2.  Reiki energy is all-encompassing: It works on all levels: physical, mental and emotional. ‘One size fits all’ due to the neutral state of the energy as it enters the body. The energy is used by the body and does not act on the body.   Like potential energy (for example, energy present in calories that is dormant until released by our cells), it is inert until ‘funnelled’ into the body via our hands. Reiki energy will drive whatever work needs to be done: on a physiological level it can be used to repair damaged cells, reproduce, build immunity, create more efficient communication between different parts of the body, or release toxins. On a mental or emotional level it can be used to promote relaxation and calm.

3.  Reiki energy flows automatically: Reiki will ‘switch’ itself on or off with no personal effort, skill, or special gift required by us. Anyone can be attuned to Reiki. Reiki flow switches on and off depending on the osmotic flow of the energy and without any conscious effort or belief on the practitioner’s part.  So just as Reiki will flow to where it is most needed without our direction, so it will also be regulated by the body’s need in terms of the amount of flow required.  This quality manifests itself whether Reiki is being given or received.

4.  Reiki energy is complementary:  Reiki is complementary with any other form of healing or medication. There are no known contra-indications. Because Reiki is a neutral energy it has no innate quality of its own so it is both complementary to other forms of treatment – such as chemotherapy – and safe to use when other treatments might be precluded – such as for pregnant women and babies.

5.  Reiki energy is universal and limitless: Reiki does not use up personal energy or drain you in any way. Neither does it rely on your state of health. People who are already very sick can use Reiki to treat themselves or others. This quality makes Reiki very different from many other energy healing methods, for example Chi Gung (Qigong) healing, in which Chi (which is believed to be the life energy of the body) needs to be built up within the healer and then pumped into the person to be healed, dispelling their negative Chi. This leaves the Chi Gung Master depleted of energy. Reiki has the opposite effect in that, after treatment, practitioners often feel rejuvenated themselves having absorbed some of the energy that has been flowing through them to the other person. It is a significant benefit of Reiki that, by giving Reiki to another, you also receive it yourself.  It also means that no matter how sick you are, you can still begin rebuilding your own energy without relying solely on others.

To buy or view my book, Reiki Pure and Simple, take a peek at Amazon.com or the Reiki Centre website

The Reiki Centre website also has afew more Book Excerpts.

The Reiki Book is published!

After a long year of writing, editing, rewriting, research and design I am SO delighted to announce Reiki, Pure and Simple is at last out and ready for your digestion ;-)

Reiki, Pure and Simple S$18.95

Note: for international orders the higher book price is due to higher postage.  All orders are posted by normal airmail.

For USA purchase please visit www.createspace.com/3503479

or Amazon.com

Country

Singapore $18.95 International $26.95

Description:

Written clearly, thoughtfully and practically, Reiki, Pure and Simple is the ideal book for those looking for a straightforward, all-round introduction to Reiki.   As well as explaining how Reiki works, how to best use it, and what benefits to expect, Elaine also takes you through the remarkable healing journey of many other practitioners and clients, presenting quantitative data and key findings gleaned from an international Reiki survey carried out in 2010.

87% of people noticed more peace after Reiki
80% noticed more happiness
80% experienced less stress
75% were less anxious or worried
73% were less angry

A great believer in the power of Reiki as a self-healing tool, Elaine firmly and convincingly argues her case here, backed by strong supporting evidence.  It is Elaine’s hope that, as holistic and conventional medicine continue to converge, with Reiki gaining greater acceptance in the medical profession, hospitals, emergency rooms, and care homes, we will all benefit from a more complete and effective way of taking care of our health and wellness.

“I don’t lash out so quickly.  When I am stressed or frustrated, I can get myself to calm down quite quickly.  I am not as sick, I have been able to stave away any office-born illness.  I feel more awake.” M.G.

“I have a different view of my life and the world in general. I am clearer about what is important to me. I have few aches and pains for my age (60) compared to friends of the same age.“ Helen

When Helping Backfires...or so you think

I was part of a great conspiracy yesterday!  I got an sms from a friend telling me about these abandoned dogs in Pasir Ris, only 2 weeks to live and they will be put down, 75 dogs, all pure breed and left to their fate, blah blah.  As I have just started a 'gratitude' facebook page called Big Thanks, and this month happens to be 'kindness' month, I thought - WOW what a great opportunity to do something kind and pass it on, maybe I can help?  So I forwarded it to my phonebook and felt all happy and smug.

A while later, another friend told me it was a fake - her friend had called the place on the sms and they had never heard such a thing.  Red faced and tail between legs (excuse the pun), I sms my friends again to say, 'oops, I was wrong.'  Then I sat and reflected on what just happened, funnily enough when I get one of these email things, I either automatically delete it, or I google it to check its validity and its almost always a fake. But for whatever reason, the fact it was an sms, so easy to just forward, it felt good sitting waiting for the bus and doing something pro-active as well, it was just the simplest thing to forward without thinking.  It brought me to notice that kindness should not be blind.  When we are trying to be kind, its important to be awake and to be responsible.  There's no point getting angry at the person who started it (though I did go there - 'why would someone start something like this, what sort of sick mind must they have?' blah blah)  because ultimately I chose to forward it without checking first, and so the mud has to stick onto my face.

The second thing that came out of it was that another friend, in the midst of all this flurry of sms, reminded me of all the fun she was having reconnecting with a whole bunch of people and it lit me up like a lightbulb - wow!  She was so right, I had a great 15 minutes connecting with people, sms beeping all over the place, little conversations going on with many people at once, it was a lot of fun!

The final lesson was really a reminder of the first - RESPONSIBILITY! When I got home my original source sms me to say her friend was volunteering at the shelter, so it was real, I laughed out loud and jumped online and sure enough, both my friends were right.  There have been dogs abandoned, they have been rescued and need a home, but they are not at the address as stated in the sms, which is an unauthorised spam.  Someone else who thought they were being kind had started an sms ring but the info was both misleading and the address incorrect, so it was causing a lot more problems.  My final reminder that kindness without responsibility is often not very helpful at all!

So to get to the original source, take a look at www.dogmilllrehomers.blogspot.com, and maybe you'll be moved to show a little kindness today too!

Botox makes you less angry

This is great, seen on Science Daily researchers have found that when you can't frown, you can't understand negative emotions associated with language as well as when you do frown.

"To test how blocking a frown might affect comprehension of language related to emotions, Havas asked the patients to read written statements, before and then two weeks after the Botox treatment. The statements were angry ("The pushy telemarketer won't let you return to your dinner"); sad ("You open your email in-box on your birthday to find no new emails"); or happy ("The water park is refreshing on the hot summer day.")

Havas gauged the ability to understand these sentences according to how quickly the subject pressed a button to indicate they had finished reading it. "We periodically checked that the readers were understanding the sentences, not just pressing the button," says Havas.

The results showed no change in the time needed to understand the happy sentences. But after Botox treatment, the subjects took more time to read the angry and sad sentences. Although the time difference was small, it was significant, he adds. Moreover, the changes in reading time couldn't be attributed to changes in participants' mood.

"There is a long-standing idea in psychology, called the facial feedback hypothesis," says Havas. "Essentially, it says, when you're smiling, the whole world smiles with you. It's an old song, but it's right. Actually, this study suggests the opposite: When you're not frowning, the world seems less angry and less sad."

Briliant!  Time to go get me some of that :)

I'm in Pain...is that True?

Here's a tip I have just discovered, pain is not all it seems!  Katie is fond of asking her clients, as they sit there writhing in anger ..."You are angry...is that true?"  Her suggestion to us all is that we have our emotions so well labeled we don't ever check to see if they are real, or imagined. 

This may seem ridiculous except that on closer examination I have discovered it to be true.  This week I have seen my yoga practice deepen to a whole new level simply by asking myself, while contorted in the most ridiculous positions, 'I'm in pain, is that true?'  One of the most loathsome of all poses is Pigeon, it's one of those positions whereby I feel that my hip will rip like a chicken leg off its socket and I will be left, on the floor, with floppy legs and eminent death.  So whilst in this most excruciating of poses I asked myself about the pain.  I simple noticed and delved into the sensations and the feeling and the actual physical 'whatness' of it all.  I noticed a most remarkable thing, it was actually quite enjoyable!  Once I got past the fear and the thought of 'my leg is going to rip off!' I noticed that the sensation was tingly, intense, heaty, deep, and then I noticed it started to move and glow and I could feel it pulsing and almost expectant.  I kid you not, I was most impressed.  Whilst delving into the sensations I noticed my fear left and I simply stayed in the position, and deepened the position, with no problem.  I could also hold it for the commanded time without flopping into a one-sided heap.

Since discovering that yoga pain is actually just a tingly, intense, heaty sensation I have been able to do a whole bunch of poses I could never do before - how bizarre is that!

So, next step is to shift this Inquiry into bigger emotions like anger and sadness.  I have noticed with sadness I am often mistaking the feeling of compassion for sadness.  When someone tells me a 'sad' story I may feel like I am sad too, but when I really look - I am actually feeling love.  Anger is the same, while I'm having one of my temper tantrums, what am I really feeling?  Tingly head, pulsing blood, constricted throat muscles...hmmm...interesting...look how the body reacts when I think 'I am angry'...I wonder where it goes next? 

Next time you feel an intense emotion, delve into its sensation and let me know, what is it really?

Creating Breathing Space - Part 2

Another aspect of looking for the space is to look for space around your thoughts.  Many of our beliefs and thoughts are so TIGHT there is no way we can release them, and it feels like that too – like if you released it you would explode – like it’s the ONE thing holding you together!

A wonderful example is taken from a conversation with a friend, see if you can relate to this.  She has a relationship with her dad whereby she can only stand a few moments before the tension starts to build.  He starts talking, and talking and talking and she things ‘oh my god, I can’t STAND this!’  I have this with one of the mums at school, I almost can’t look at her for fear of setting her off on one of her tirades.  Funny, but I think I am going to slap her – it’s such a strong reaction to this poor woman who is literally just standing next to me opening her mouth and making sounds.  Somehow I think the sounds are going to make me explode!

My friend had this epiphany…what would happen to me if I just stood there and listened?  WOULD I actually explode?  The belief that you can’t stand it anymore slowly loosens – there is space.  So she tried it, next time she visited her father she thought to herself, I’m here for an hour, I’m dedicating my time to this, there is nowhere else to be, nothing else to do.  Just sit, listen, engage.  And she did.  Just like that.  Amazing.  Now her thoughts are looser, there is space around it, she knows she CAN stand it, she knows she isn’t going to explode.  With this new information, who knows what can happen?

I was inspired by her.  I tried it with my school mum, I looked her in the eyes, she set off on a run with a minute by minute account of her day from 7am till we met and what else she had to do till 10pm that night.  I listened, nodded and then slapped her on the face.  Heehee, only kidding! 

Ok, so I’ve still got a way to go to loosen this particular one!  If you’ve got a sticky one like this, here’s what I’m doing which helps:

1.       She is so annoying because: (list all the reasons why you think they are so annoying)

2.       If I listen to her/him, what do you fear will happen?

3.       What advice would you give them to help them be less annoying?

For no. 1, turn it around on yourself – can you find examples where you have done this too in your past?

For no 2, do Inquiry – is this belief true? How do you behave toward them when you think its true?  Who would you be without this thought?  Turn it around.

For no 3, turn the advice around on yourself – feel the truth of it and where you could apply it in your own life.

Annoying people are truly a gift for us, they highlight areas we are trying to improve in our own lives, or blind spots that could use a bit of improvement.  Think about your own friends who find others annoying and test it – it’s always easier to see it from the outside.  Honestly, is what they complain about in others also areas that could do with some polishing in their own lives?

The outside world is always our mirror, there are no accidents that what irritates us is what needs fixing in us.  It’s very often hard to see (or admit to) but if you want your own peace, you need to get down and dirty and honest.  If you like your stress, then by all means keep your denial :)