Hema Malini had earlier said in a video, “It is an ancient science of healing discovered by Mikao Usui. I use it often in my life. I practice Reiki wherever I go, even before my shows. I use it before my shoots and before speaking to the audience. Reiki has really worked for me.” She learnt Reiki around 25 years ago. There are many more like her in this field. Bollywood actor Govinda has also spoken about Reiki and how it has worked for him. Father-son duo, actor Suresh Oberoi and his son Vivek also practice Reiki. TV actress Sakshi Tanwar has completed three stages and believes in the power of this energy healing technique.
Not only our Desi celebrities but also big Hollywood celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Adele, Christina Aguilera, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, Cara Delevingne and others are also using Reiki.
Urvashi Puri, a wellness advocate and trainer with over two decades of experience in integrating Reiki, yoga, counselling and nutrition for holistic healing, who has been in the field for many years and has been helping performing artists, told us about this. “Reiki offers a comprehensive approach to help performing artists manage their unique challenges, giving them a path forward. Holistic Medicine and improved performance through relaxation, introspection, emotional balance, physical improvement and spiritual growth,
Urvashi explains that these challenges include believing that she should see herself through the opinions or judgements of her audience, measuring success by the approval of others, struggling to detach from others’ opinions of her performance, having difficulty maintaining purity of intention and love for her art, adjusting to the idea that she has to create what is accepted by the audience even if they don’t completely agree with it, paying her bills, dealing with insecurities arising from failures, feeling ignored, or receiving critical criticism, and insecurities about her appearance.
Urvashi Puri doing Reiki channeling for a client
Specific Challenges for Artists
Urvashi says, “Artists and actors face additional problems, such as balancing role play with real-life identity, leading to identity issues, fear of criticism and need for acceptance, feelings of insecurity, coping with success and failure, facing disappointment and rejection, dealing with competition and comparison, feelings of jealousy and anger, balancing professional and personal life, often having to pretend that they are not to be accepted in social groups, becoming better communicators and integrating spirituality into their profession, which can enhance their ability to meditate and perform better.” Reiki offers a unique way to address these challenges, providing relaxation and stress relief by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
Sufi and Bollywood singer Kavita Seth, known for chartbusters like Iktara (Wake Up Sid), Tum Hi Ho Bandhu (Cocktail), Rangisaari (Jugjug Jeeyo) and others, has been using the healing power of Reiki for quite some time now. She says, “I am a Reiki channel and I feel the immense healing power of Reiki. I have also given Reiki to my fellow artists and singers and they have also benefited from it.”
How Reiki helps:
Urvashi explains that Reiki offers many benefits that can address many challenges. “For relaxation and stress relief, Reiki activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which balances the body’s “fight or flight” response with a “rest and digest” state. A calm mind enhances appearance and enhances beauty and attractiveness, introspection and confidence.” She elaborates on how Reiki sessions create a calm mood. It allows individuals to introspect and reconnect with themselves and their art, this introspection helps artists gain confidence and belief in their art, manage insecurities and criticism by overcoming the need for external validation, recognizing their strengths and constructively accepting weaknesses. “A calm mood helps artists overcome unnecessary competition and maintain healthy relationships with colleagues and competitors,” explains Puri.
Actor, singer, mindfulness author and motivational speaker Raageshwari Lumba Swaroop says, “Reiki, which originated from Japan, is a powerful healing method because when we heal others it cannot happen without self-improvement and self-realization and that is what makes Reiki so powerful. Its basis is completely energy and I cannot heal you unless I become a source of positivity and love.
So this movement can change the world.”
Physical Benefits:
Reiki helps one recover quickly from long, hard work days, it helps purify thoughts, keeps actors creative and focused, enhances overall creativity, aids actors in their roles and helps directors manage various aspects of a script.
Raageshwari says, “Healing means true belief in the power of love and kindness and this message is very important in today’s times. The purest philosophy of Reiki is that you should be kind, no matter what, because that is your personality, that is your core. The more unkind you are, the more kind I will be, and this alone has the power to transform an unkind person into a loving person. When our ancestors used to pray over water when someone was sick, that is a form of Reiki because you are chanting mantras, you are putting out positive energy, to try and heal the other person. So at a basic level we are all healers because we are all full of love.”
spiritual growth:
Regular self-practice or regular Reiki sessions help artists achieve a balance between art, performance and life, this balanced attitude can make the artist more meditative during performances, promoting personal growth similar to that of a spiritual seeker. Puri concludes, “By incorporating Reiki into their daily routine, performing artists can improve their mental, emotional and physical well-being, allowing them to perform at their best while living a healthy and balanced life.”
