HOOK

42 HOOK g fore the mind learns to override those signals. When we allow space for natural movement instead of constantly asking children to be s2ll, we honor their innate wisdom. We teach them that their bodies are not problems to manage; they are allies in healing. As parents, we are o#en taught to think our way through everything, to explain, correct, and manage behavior. But children aren't just listening to our words, they are feeling our nervous systems. They no2ce how we breathe when overwhelmed, how we so#en or 2ghten, how we pause or rush. Regula2on is learned through rela2onships. Children borrow our calm, not because we are perfect, we aren't meant to be, but because we model return. There were many moments when I lost my own center, I rushed, I snapped and I became overs2mulated. What ma3ered most wasn't avoiding those moments, it was what came a#er. Si4ng back down, apologizing, breath- ing together, and reconnec2ng. Those small acts of repair became some of the most pow- erful lessons of all. Touch became one of the most grounding tools in our home. A hand on the back, a long hug, or just si4ng close on the couch and rest- ing a head on a shoulder. Safe, caring touch communicates something deeper than words: you are safe, you belong, you are not alone. Through my professional training and prac2ce of Reiki, a Japanese healing art whose name translates to spiritually guided life force energy, another layer of understanding opened. Reiki is a gentle hands-on or hands- near prac2ce that supports the natural flow of energy in the body, invi2ng relaxa2on and balance on physical, emo2onal, and energe2c levels. It is not 2ed to religion or belief, but to presence, inten2on, and the body's capacity to restore itself. What Reiki taught me most was not that healing comes from outside of us, but that the body already holds profound wisdom. Reiki is a dis2nct prac2ce with its own lineage and teachings, yet it ul2mately points back to something deeply human, our ability to return to balance when given safety, s2llness, and care. Healing energy is not limited to formal ses- sions. We share it every day through presence, through holding hands, through quiet com- panionship, and through the simple act of hearts are strong, and that they can always begin again. And we begin again too, le4ng presence deepen, connec2on grow, and love guide us back to center. https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/facts-about- touch-how-human-contact-affects-your-health-and-re- lationships?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/allover-well- ness-benefits-of-yoga-for-heart-health https://health.clevelandclinic.org/childs- pose?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://www.westernwellness.com.au/blog/enhanced- digestion-yoga-twists-and-turns-for-gut-health Dana Daly is a writer, teacher, and mother of four. She holds a Master's in Education and is a certi- fied yoga instructor and Reiki practitioner. In HOOK's The Art of Parenting column, she ex- plores the tender, transformative moments that shape both parent and child. being fully there for one another. This is where Reiki and soma2c prac2ces gently meet. Reiki of- fers a structured way of working with energy, while soma2c prac2ces bring awareness into everyday life through breath, movement, rhythm, sensa2on, and touch. Together, they remind us that healing is not something we have to chase. It is something we allow by crea2ng space for the body to do what it already knows how to do. When I taught my children to place their own hands on their hearts or bellies during difficult moments, I wasn't teaching a technique, I was teaching self-trust. I was showing them how to listen inward and reminding them that their bod- ies are safe places to land. Balance doesn't come from complicated rou- 2nes. It grows from small choices — choosing breath before reac2on, movement before shut- down, and connec2on before distrac2on. Balance isn't wai2ng somewhere "out there." It lives in or- dinary moments, dancing in the kitchen, stretch- ing on the living room floor, placing a hand on the heart, stepping outside for fresh air, or si4ng quietly beside someone we love. When we teach children how to pause, feel, regulate, and return to themselves, we give them something las2ng. We help them trust their inner wisdom. We show them that their bodies are safe homes, that their "Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor." Thich Nhat Hanh f

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