Bolivian reiki therapist helps anxious doctors, nurses find peace amid coronavirus fear
Record ID:
1549366
Bolivian reiki therapist helps anxious doctors, nurses find peace amid coronavirus fear
- Title: Bolivian reiki therapist helps anxious doctors, nurses find peace amid coronavirus fear
- Date: 27th April 2020
- Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (RECENT - APRIL 22, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF REIKI PRACTITIONER, MARCIA CALDERON, ENTERING "BE FREE" INTEGRAL THERAPY CENTER STATUE IN FRONT OF "BE FREE" INTEGRAL THERAPY CENTER EXTERIOR OF "BE FREE" INTEGRAL THERAPY CENTER VARIOUS OF REIKI PRACTITIONER, MARCIA CALDERON, WALKING THROUGH A CORRIDOR (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REIKI PRACTITIONER, MARCIA CALDERON, SAYING: "This project was actually born more than 15 years ago. When I spoke to my dad, who was a doctor, we discussed the importance of addressing all parts of being - of the body, mind and soul, and he said that Reiki is complementary to allopathic health. So I started to think about how to measure the effects and how to do things to include our service within a hospital service for patient support. " CALDERON WALKING PAST CRYSTAL WOODEN HEAD CALDERON EXPLAINING HOW TO BE STILL VARIOUS OF CALDERON MEDITATING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REIKI PRACTITIONER, MARCIA CALDERON, SAYING: "The context obviously changed about a month ago. We saw the need for doctors to be balanced in order to attend to patients who might present themselves in this hospital center since, if their emotions are out of place, everything that becomes tense and disharmonized to us, can be to the patient too."
- Embargoed: 11th May 2020 17:22
- Keywords: COVID-19 Japanese healing practic Marcia Calderon Reiki coronavirus pandemic hospital
- Location: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA AND INTERNET
- City: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA AND INTERNET
- Country: Bolivia
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CB9PMPZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: When Marcia Calderon began her study of reiki almost 20 years ago, she never imagined her knowledge of the Japanese healing art would be used during a worldwide deadly pandemic.
But today, Calderon finds herself at the center of it, working with doctors, nurses and hospital staff to help calm their anxieties, fears and depression.
Reiki is a healing practice with its origins in Japan. It is a technique aimed at facilitating the flow of "life force energy" through the body in the belief that it will help relieve stress and support recovery from illness.
When she started studying reiki, Calderon intended to work primarily with hospital patients healing from an illness.
"This project was actually born more than 15 years ago. When I spoke to my dad, who was a doctor, we discussed the importance of addressing all parts of being - of the body, mind and soul, and he said that Reiki is complementary to allopathic health. So I started to think about how to measure the effects and how to do things to include our service within a hospital service for patient support," she explained.
The onset of coronavirus shifted her focus, however, from patients to hospital workers.
Two COVID-19 patients died at the clinic where she worked, leaving doctors and nurses anxious, depressed and worried about contracting the infection themselves.
"The context obviously changed about a month ago. We saw the need for doctors to be balanced in order to attend to patients who might present themselves in this hospital center since, if their emotions are out of place, everything that becomes tense and disharmonized to us, can be to the patient too," she said.
Although reiki is a hands-on technique, Calderon is doing a hands-off version to practice social distancing. In addition to working with their energy, she is teaching hospital workers to meditate and sending daily messages with encouragement and additional exercises.
Clinic director Patricia Callispieris said the therapy is helping.
"I feel better. Stronger, with greater understanding. After reiki, it is as if the weight has been lifted a little and I can walk a little lighter and understand that it is something that we have to get used to. Something we have to get into our DNA and start doing what is right," she said.
Recently, the leader of the health workers union, Fernando Romero, said a health care worker at Bolivia's National Institute of Health Laboratories died from extreme stress. He added that many medical workers at this time are suffering from insomnia due to anxiety and fear and are self-medicating with anti-depressants.
Bolivia is currently reporting 950 coronavirus cases and 50 deaths.
(Production: Monica Machicao, Kristin Neubauer) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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