Before I get to my 3 myths about Energy Healing that I would like to bust today, I want to share with you one of my hopes for this umbrella term for multiple healing modalities.
My hope is that one day soon, Energy healing is considered a conventional therapy and commonly accepted approach to health and wellness rather than alternative.
Alternative as in, available as another possibility or choice is fine. Alternative in the sense of unusual, uncommon, non-standard or un-conforming is what I feel needs to change.
To be considered a “complimentary” therapy, sure. To accompany other medical treatments as and when needed. But considering that we are all made of energy, we are energy beings, I look forward to energy healing and energy balancing becoming more mainstream.
I feel that any modality that supports the natural flow of vital, life force energy (chi, prana, qi etc) should not be considered as unusual or in the realm of paranormal.
I would love energy healing to be accepted as a completely normal thing, since this flow of energy is an intrinsic part of our very nature that is fundamental and crucial for good health.
Chinese medicine practitioners, Ayurvedic medicine practitioners, the Hebrews, the ancients, the indigenous peoples have all known this for 5000 years or more.
Prior to modern day, materialist mechanistic science, Vitalism was commonly and widely accepted theory. Vitalism is the theory that the origin and phenomena of life are dependent on a force or principle distinct from purely chemical or physical forces. It acknowledges that there is a life force energy that runs through and animates all living things.
In Hebrew, one of the oldest languages in the world, the name for “vital energy” is Ruah. All ancient cultures and civilisations have a word for this same phenomenon.
Kirlian photography and GDV imaging has played a role in scientifically validating this theory. So, is it a theory? Or is it the very nature of our beings?
Myth #1 Energy healing is only for people with an alternative or “hippy-Dippy” life style.
Based on the premise that every single living thing has a life force energy, a subtle energy system running through and around the body, this would make energy healing relevant to every person, animal and plant. Not just for an exclusive category of people with a certain set of beliefs.
I feel perhaps this myth has come about since people who are classified as alternative or hippy dippy may practice regular meditation or yoga.
Even as little as 15-20 years ago, anyone who practiced these things were considered “a bit out there”. Its only in recent times that Yoga and Meditation has become commonplace in the west.
When one engages in these practices, they eventually become increasingly sensitive and aware of their own subtle energy systems of the body through direct, firsthand experience.
So, this can make them more receptive to energy healing since they know the reality of that level of themselves.
2500 years ago, the Buddha described this energy vibration that is the fundamental nature of our beings and taught Vipassana mediation to help people have a direct experience of this reality. This method is still taught today.
The Latin word Anima describes the spirit, soul or energy that animates life. And now our modern-day scientists describe it as vital energy or bio-energy. It has been shown that if this natural flow of energy is impaired, inhibited or blocked, it will negatively impact the persons physical, mental and emotional health.
Yet many people are yet to experience this subtle energy for themselves because our minds and lives are so busy and loud and almost always outwardly focused. If you sit still and quietly for long enough, you will have a direct and profound firsthand experience of these systems.
You may have experienced this before during meditation, for example. It can feel like anything from a sense of electricity, vibration, tingling a sense of waves of energy flowing through the body and sometimes heat or cold in localised areas. Or a magnetic “pushing and pulling” sensation.
If you have practiced and still can’t manage to feel these systems, keep practicing! But take comfort knowing we now have medical devices and technology that is sensitive enough to analyse and digitally graph the information! One such example is the GDV imaging system developed by Dr. Konstantin Korotkov who is a Professor of Research, Computer Science and Biophysics. This technology is now used in top hospitals in Russia and America and in many other health institutes around the world, as a tool for preventative health. It detects issues well before they have a chance to manifest into physical issues that become more difficult to treat.
It’s a great device for graphing a person’s energy fields directly before and after healing sessions (and other therapies)- I look forward to introducing it into my own practice in the not-to-distant future!
Myth #2 Energy healing is unproven to have any positive health effects
I am going to go ahead and say that this is unequivocally false.
Many amazing scientists have contributed to a huge body or research providing evidence of the efficacy of energy healing modalities.
To name just a few, in more recent times, Dr Korotkov (mentioned above) is also Member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine & the Journal of Science of Healing Outcomes which has contributed hundreds of papers supporting the efficacy of energy healing modalities.
Dean Radin who is chief scientists at the Institute of Noetic Sciences and Marilyn Schlitz, PhD at Institute of Noetic Sciences and Senior Scientist at the Research Institute of the California Pacific Medical Center have also contributed hugely.
Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D., who is a professor of psychology, medicine, neurology, psychiatry, and surgery at the University of Arizona who authored “The Energy healing experiments” and many other great books.
Lynne McTaggart who researched and authored “The Intention Experiments” (As well as “The Field” and “The Bond” which also have relevance to healing.).
Reiki Australia as well as reiki.org has compiled scientific research studies conducted by various organisations on their website.
One research study conducted at Hartford hospital in Connecticut indicates that reiki
- Improved patients sleep by 86%
- Reduced pain by 78%
- Reduced nausea by 80%
- Reduced anxiety during pregnancy by 94%
That is some wonderful results, if you ask me!
I always say the proof is in the pudding! (or I should say the original quote properly “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” But it doesn’t sound as good.) The best way to decide if something is true for you or works for you is to have a direct experience with it and let the results speak for themselves.
This is how I came into healing as a regular recipient and later, as a practitioner. I tried it and it had a profound effect on me. If it didn’t continually yield wonderful results for me and for my clients, I would move onto something else and not keep harping on about it or offering it to people day in, day out.
No conventional or alternative therapy is going to work for every single person and have a 100% success rate, and energy healing is no different. Yet, if you are in the 95%+ of people who will benefit physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually from such therapies, it’s definitely worth sincerely trying for yourself.
Myth #3 Energy Healing is for people who are broken, lost or confused. Or have been seriously abused or traumatised.
I have noticed on occasion, people that say something along the lines of “I don’t need healing- I’m totally fine and in control of my life!” Or “I have not been severely abused or traumatised, so I don’t need healing.”
If you feel genuinely very happy, content and at peace and don’t feel drawn to have Energy healing, that is perfectly fine. Actually- It’s wonderful!
However, I like to call Energy healing “Energy Balancing” because it makes it less stigmatising for someone who’s ego does not want to admit to anything they would perceive as a weakness or admit to needing any support.
Although energy healing can indeed help provide support for people who have endured a profoundly traumatising experience, it is for anyone and everyone at any time.
Partly because everyone alive is, has been or will be exposed to stress of various forms. Stress and anxiety are the 2 main factors that effect our subtle energy systems. Stress is the underlying cause of almost all dis-ease and responsible for up to 97% of doctor’s visits.
With energy healing, you are employing a powerful preventative health measure that will not only reduce stress and its effects but will enhance your happiness, clarity and calmness of mind, creativity, peace & calm in your heart, compassion and forgiveness for those who have pissed you off (industry term), balance your emotions as well as speed up healing in the physical body as well as improve sleep, intuition and reduce any physical pain – and so much more! The list goes on (and on and on..)
If you are feeling joyful and well I find this is also a wonderful time to enjoy energy healing, because if you don’t have other things to process, integrate and heal then you’re now in a great position to use healing to develop your higher qualities and extrasensory abilities, raise your frequency and open your heart even more.
Also, we cannot measure one person’s trauma against another’s. Trauma is anything that caused a strong emotional reaction or response. Anything that was perceived by an individual as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience.
As a child, young adult and indeed at any stage of life we can perceive certain happenings as deeply traumatising even if it didn’t involve physical abuse of some sort. Verbal abuse can deeply traumatise a person. Something you saw, something you dreamt, something you fear consciously or unconsciously, and it holds you back from your going after your dreams or living a peaceful life can be a trauma.
Energy healing/balancing can soften and resolve all these things and more.
Thank you for sharing in my exploration of busting myths around Energy healing! I hope you find the perfect practitioner for you and experience many profound healing sessions to come!