John had wriggled and winced his way through the first morning of my leadership course ? and at lunch time I asked him if he was OK.

?No, not really!? was the short response from the logistics manager. ?I'm sorry,? he continued, ?I'm really interested in what we're learning - but I'm aware that I'm not giving the course my full attention because my back is really killing me.?

I knew John was a really respected member of his company ? and that he took his job seriously, ensuring that customers and staff alike received first class treatment. I was also aware that his father was seriously ill ? and that his mother was leaning on John for emotional support.

As we chatted, John told me that his backache had been getting worse over the last six months ? and that the painkillers he had been taking were becoming less effective. ?I can't carry on like this ? but I don't really know what to do about it.?

?Perhaps your back is trying to tell you something,? I said. Sensing his scepticism, I continued: ?You'd be surprised at just how often a physical symptom is the result of something that needs to be healed on the emotional level.

?Go on,? he said. I explained to John that I was trained in the ancient healing art of Reiki ? and that this, combined with hypnotherapy, might provide the relief for which he was looking.

Willingly, he gave me permission to put my hands on his back ? and for the next 20 minutes we set about deciphering the message that John's body was trying to reveal.

Although he was standing, I used a hypnotherapy technique to allow John to easily reach a light state of trance. As he began to relax, I next asked John to 'travel? down ? in his mind's eye ? to the area in his back which was causing the pain. At this point I was aware of a lot of energetic heat flowing out from my hands and into John's back.

?I can see a red shape,? he responded. ?Good work,? I said, ?And with your inner voice, ask the shape to reveal its message to you.? Knowing that the mind often uses metaphors or symbols, I wasn't surprised when he continued: ?Ah, the redness is receding, and in its place I can see a huge metal rod that is bending under the weight of the burden it has to support. The rod is buckling out of shape ? and its looks old and rusty.?

?With your inner voice, ask if the metal rod represents your back,? I whispered. John nodded. ?Is the message that you have too big a burden to carry?? I asked. Again John nodded. ?Ask now what you need to let go of in order to reduce the burden,? I gently commanded. Barely audible, John replied: ?I need to ask for help. My job has grown over the years ? and yet I am still trying to do it all by myself. Also, I need to ask my brother to help out more with Mum.?

Next, I asked John ? who by now was so relaxed that he was gently swaying - if he was prepared to act upon what he had learned from his back. Again he nodded.

As I gently brought him back to full consciousness, he gave me a strange look, rubbed his back and then threw his arms up in the air, saying: ?I can hardly believe it, the pain's gone!? As we chatted about his experience, he said that he hadn't felt so deeply relaxed for years. ?And the heat coming out of your hands was amazing - the pain just seemed to melt away.?

John heeded the lessons of his bad back ? and after speaking with both his line manager, who agreed that John could recruit an assistant and his brother, who promised to spend more time with their mother, John had finally managed to turn his back on his back problems!