“Mom, my tummy hurts.”* This is a phrase we moms know all too well. I heard it from my little one just last week, and I immediately knew it was time to address the aftermath of Halloween festivities. Even after trying to keep those candy stashes in check, some treats must have slipped by. So, when the tummy aches arrived, I knew it was time to support my 6-year-old’s healing process in a natural, nurturing way.
In our family, gratitude is a big part of how we approach healing, especially since my girls are familiar with energy healing and love when we do Reiki together. Here are three simple ways I helped my daughter shift into the “rest, digest, and heal” state using gratitude:
1. Thank Your Body for Its Warning Signs
When pain or discomfort arises, it’s easy to feel frustrated or upset. But instead, we took a moment to thank her body for signaling that it was out of balance. Pain is a way for the body to communicate with us, offering data and information we can use to take better care of ourselves. By showing gratitude for these warning signs, we start to see them not as obstacles but as helpful messages that guide us back to well-being.
Try this at home: Encourage your child (or yourself!) to say, “Thank you, body, for letting me know something needs attention.” This gentle acknowledgment helps build a positive relationship with our physical selves.
2. Bring Mindful Awareness to Areas of Comfort
Next, we focused on tuning in to her stomach, noticing which areas felt uncomfortable and which areas felt okay. Rather than thinking of her whole body as “sick,” we practiced mindful awareness by zooming in on the specific parts that felt discomfort. This practice highlights that multiple truths can exist at once: parts of us may need healing, while other parts are already healthy and strong.
Try this at home:Ask your child to gently place their hands on their belly and breathe deeply. Invite them to notice which parts feel good and which parts feel sore. This gentle awareness reduces anxiety and shifts the focus from “everything hurts” to “some parts are well, and some parts need a little extra love.”
3. Appreciate and Focus on the "Well" Parts
Finally, we built feelings of appreciation and love for the “well” parts of her body, bringing attention to how well her arms, legs, and heart were functioning. Visualizing these strong areas helped shift her energy into a state of coherence—where mind and body work together for optimal healing. Gratitude for the healthy parts creates a ripple effect that nurtures the whole body and encourages it to enter a state of healing.
Try this at home: Guide your child in visualizing how each well part is supporting their body. Encourage them to say, “Thank you, strong arms,” or “Thank you, healthy heart.” This gratitude practice allows them to connect with a sense of wholeness and well-being, supporting the body’s natural ability to heal.
These small but powerful acts of gratitude not only support the healing process but also teach our children that their bodies are wise and resilient. Healing becomes less about “fixing” something broken and more about reconnecting with what is already whole within us.
Are you in need of a personalized plan to help you and your family heal? I offer integrative Reiki sessions that combine energy healing techniques to guide you back to balance and holistic health. Book a session today and get on track to your journey of healing and self-care.
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