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Chakra healing for ME/CFS

Messages
42
Location
Wales UK
After suffering with a myriad of symptoms, I finally resorted to Chakra alignment meditation the other day and I have to say that for a good week afterwards I did feel much better. I have tried yoga and other similar meditations in the past without any joy, in fact yoga made me feel much worse due to my intolerance to exercise. Has anyone else had any success with this kind of therapy? I am going to continue to meditate as it really helps with the anger and irritability that I seem to battle, although I think that being a mother to three daughters (two in their teens!) hinders me in trying to attain a calm peaceful state! :lol: So I am interested in anyones experiences.
Thanks :)
 

JalapenoLuv

Senior Member
Messages
299
Location
unknown
Reiki believes there is an energy field around the body that develops problems. Science considers it woo because the practitioners can't show they can even detect if a person is present.
 

Mr. Cat

Senior Member
Messages
156
Location
Nothern California
Hi DaisyRuth,

I've done all sorts of meditation, including chakra meditations, and I think it's helpful in general, and probably necessary if you have teenagers. As JalapenoLuv indicated, however, I think meditation is helpful for light to moderate ME/CFS, but difficult/unhelpful when severe brain fog sets in.
There was a period of about 1.5 years of bad brain fog when I had to stop meditating altogether. As I got better, I started meditating again, but rather than doing any type of "focusing" meditation such as breath watching, body scanning, chakra observing or manipulating, etc., I would do "awareness" meditation, where I just sat and watched, without focusing on any one thing, or trying to make anything happen. I was still fairly brain-fogged, and focusing on anything was too much effort for my poor CFS-addled brain. It is only recently that I have recovered to the point where I am able to do focusing types of meditation to some degree, as well as some light yoga and exercise. My approach has been to tailor the treatment (meditation, yoga, chi gung, exercise, etc.) to what my body can handle at the time, and not overdo it.
I'm so glad that you have found something that makes you feel better, and hope the good feelings continue for you!
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I havent ever found any chakra work done on me helpful at all .. neither is reiki or any other kind of spiritual healing Ive tried on the ME/CFS (Ive thou found things like this helpful on other illness). Speaking of chakras thou, Ive found it is around the spleen chakra which is extremely dirty energy in ME patients.. and this energy then can pollute other chakras or places in the body.

With meditation, I used to run an advanced meditation group before I got ME.. when I got ME I found myself unable to meditate properly (after years of experience with this when healthy). This made no sense to me at all until I had EEGs done and found out my brainwave patterns carry the typical ME unspecific abnormality and my brainwaves dont slow down at all how they are supposed to when my eyes are shut or Im relaxed. (I would assume while Im asleep too my brainwaves are abnormal).

So it makes it irronic to me that so many with ME/CFS are told to meditate.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
I've done Chakra work with a therapist and with tapes at home. Although I found it very relaxing it didn't help any of my core ME symptoms.

I enjoyed the tapes until they stopped working and technology moved on. I attended workshops on relaxation and further chakra work and still use some of the relaxation techniques but it doesn't help the ME and I don't have problems relaxing in general.

It's good to find something that we can do with our bodies that doesn't cause PEM. Hope the good feelings continue.
 

CantThink

Senior Member
Messages
800
Location
England, UK
I havent ever found any chakra work done on me helpful at all .. neither is reiki or any other kind of spiritual healing Ive tried on the ME/CFS (Ive thou found things like this helpful on other illness).

This is my experience too. I have found it very helpful with migraine and pain, but the M.E. has not benefitted.

As others have said, I actually have to be at a certain ability level in order to meditate. I need to be moderate to light M.E. in order to get my brain to comply.

Another thing that's interesting is that deep breathing and relaxation does not help my heart rate unless I am actually anxious. If I have increased HR due to OI, no relaxation or meditation or deep breathing helps decrease it. Yet if it was high as I was anxious about dental work, for example, I can control it a bit with relaxation techniques. My dad can decrease his blood pressure in this manner through relaxation and meditation.
 

maddietod

Senior Member
Messages
2,859
I've done a lot of all kinds of meditations. Like Mr Cat, I most often sit in awareness now.

Targeted meditations are most useful when you have an imbalance. Meaning, when I checked in and found chakras with problems, then chakra meditation was useful. Same with my aura etc.

"Useful" has never had anything to do with CFS symptoms like brain fog or physical and mental fatigue. What happens for me is meditation re-centers me, if I'm scattered. Functionally, this means all of me is focused wherever I put my attention.

For example, when I'm scattered, I'm unable to talk one-to-one in a group situation. I get too distracted by all the activity. When I have this focus, I still get tired from all the noise and activity, but for as long as my energy lasts, I can hold a conversation. So the quantity of time out is the same, but the quality of it is entirely different.
 
Messages
42
Location
Wales UK
Yeah I spoke too soon, think I was just having a good week regardless of the meditation... Cos I have kept it up, but feel like crap lol. Clutching at straws is the phrase which comes to mind. Ahh well, if im still breathing, I ain't dying, even if it feels as if I am!!
 
Messages
42
Location
Wales UK
I havent ever found any chakra work done on me helpful at all .. neither is reiki or any other kind of spiritual healing Ive tried on the ME/CFS (Ive thou found things like this helpful on other illness). Speaking of chakras thou, Ive found it is around the spleen chakra which is extremely dirty energy in ME patients.. and this energy then can pollute other chakras or places in the body.

With meditation, I used to run an advanced meditation group before I got ME.. when I got ME I found myself unable to meditate properly (after years of experience with this when healthy). This made no sense to me at all until I had EEGs done and found out my brainwave patterns carry the typical ME unspecific abnormality and my brainwaves dont slow down at all how they are supposed to when my eyes are shut or Im relaxed. (I would assume while Im asleep too my brainwaves are abnormal).

So it makes it irronic to me that so many with ME/CFS are told to meditate.
Its interesting that the brainwaves are actually altered in ME patients, I used to meditate very successfully too when well, but now, the colours are missing, that is to say when I close my eyes now, I dont 'see' anything anymore.. I dont dream either.
 

CantThink

Senior Member
Messages
800
Location
England, UK
so frustrating isn't it. Good to know im not alone though, but also sorry you are in the same boat. :bang-head: :hug:

it is! Have you read this book - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0861716264?pc_redir=1412577936&robot_redir=1

If not, you might like it and find it helpful in your journey. I found it good and the author talks about trying different treatments and them working and later failing, and how she dealt with it. I found it interesting to read someone else's experience.

It's really difficult to keep going through the cycle of having hope and enthusiasm for new options and go through the phase of it working (if it does) and then the aftermath if it subsequently fails to produce long term results.

I never used to dream (for years). I think partly because I never got deep sleep. Then I started on LDN and I managed to achieve deeper sleep and dreams for first time in years. It gave me a period of time where I was really doing well (for me) and then it stopped working as well.

I've stuck with it as when I didn't have it for a couple of days I was worse than when I'm on it. Every time I increased a dose I'd have a herxheimer type reaction, then after about a week on the new dose I'd settle and feel somewhat better. I repeated that with each increase.

I'm dealing with other health problems at the moment and I wonder if that is clouding the LDN benefit I'd experienced. I hold hope that once I've gotten the other things under control, the LDN benefit might be more prevalent - dreams and all!
 

Mr. Cat

Senior Member
Messages
156
Location
Nothern California
It's really difficult to keep going through the cycle of having hope and enthusiasm for new options and go through the phase of it working (if it does) and then the aftermath if it subsequently fails to produce long term results.
...
I never used to dream (for years). I think partly because I never got deep sleep. Then I started on LDN and I managed to achieve deeper sleep and dreams for first time in years. It gave me a period of time where I was really doing well (for me) and then it stopped working as well.

CantThink and DaisyRuth,

Yeah, I have had dozens of things work for a couple days or a week, then stop working. I wonder what that's all about. Sometimes I think ME/CFS is a very smart disease to keep finding ways around the cures we throw at it! In the past, every 2-3 years or so, I would gather up enough energy to make a major "push" - try some new technique or regimen that I read worked for someone else. I can't do that on a regular basis, though, as I think the hope/disappointment rollercoaster would be be just too stressful (and expensive).

DaisyRuth, at least chakra meditations are free!
 

CantThink

Senior Member
Messages
800
Location
England, UK
In the past, every 2-3 years or so, I would gather up enough energy to make a major "push" - try some new technique or regimen that I read worked for someone else. I can't do that on a regular basis, though, as I think the hope/disappointment rollercoaster would be be just too stressful (and expensive).

This is what I find myself doing. I can't find the energy, money or even motivation to attack it in the way I feel it probably should be dealt with. Just the research needed alone is mostly too much for me. I can't get my head around a lot of the scientific stuff or read massive chunks.

I feel a bit like a snail with my approach. This is why, in my case, I'd love a doctor to coordinate testing and treatments. Having someone else helping to figure it out would be so good.

I actually need to get a bit better in order to be able to see a specialist as there's none here, so I'd have to travel. Plus the usual money issue. I'm hoping one day in the not too distant future I might be able to do this - it will be the culmination of many years of my self experimenting approach... If it ever happens!
 
Messages
42
Location
Wales UK
Mr. Cat I agree with you that this must be one smart illness.. first of all it manages to hide from every detectable test and secondly..the medical profession still have no idea what is even wrong with us! CantThink, I try not to read about the research and sciency stuff either, as we will probably be the last to get any new treatment on the NHS anyway! :/ If it has taken them since the 60's to even admit that we have an actual disease and not some psychological issues, then i'm not holding out much hope for a cure.
 

CantThink

Senior Member
Messages
800
Location
England, UK
@DaisyRuth

I've given up on the NHS regarding the M.E. - thy have literally never done anything for me regarding it except try to cause trouble for me and my family or sort of wash their hands of me whenever M.E. related problems occur. I never see them for it now and that's really wrong as we should be getting some help - proper tests for things they can help with like co-infections and heart issues.

I literally only see a doctor now for non-M.E. related symptoms and even then i let myself get to the point where it's so bad I have to see a doctor or go to A&E. So I drag myself to the GP. I am almost phobic of the medical profession.:(

I also never mention it when doctors ask for medical history - but my GPs surgery put it on the records when they send referral to consultants so I can't get away from it. A lot of doctors here still believe it is mind-body psychosomatic based so I try to avoid pointing it out and hope they may care for me a bit better if they are not focused on me having M.E. - so far that strategy has worked to a point, but it feels so wrong to deny something that has affected my life for so long and so deeply.

I agree with you that as depressing as it sounds and is, I don't hold out hope of treatment or cure from the NHS even though we are both young and have years ahead where a cure or viable treatment could be found and offered to us.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
Mr. Cat I agree with you that this must be one smart illness.. first of all it manages to hide from every detectable test and secondly..the medical profession still have no idea what is even wrong with us! CantThink, I try not to read about the research and sciency stuff either, as we will probably be the last to get any new treatment on the NHS anyway! :/ If it has taken them since the 60's to even admit that we have an actual disease and not some psychological issues, then i'm not holding out much hope for a cure.

ME was classified by the WHO as a neurological disease in 1969. There had been outbreaks in the 20th which were investigated seriously and there were doctors with an interest in the disease. We did get some treatment and testing on the NHS. In the 80's they even tried the early immune modulators.

It all changed in the 1990's with the inventon of CFS. It was also challenged in the 70's by 2 psychiatrists who claimed ME outbreaks were mass hysteria.

We go back and forth. The NHS was better for ME patients in the 80's and for sometime in the 90's. There were NHS doctors who knew about ME then.