Energy healing promotes healing by enhancing energy flow and correcting disturbances in the “human energy field” or “aura” which permeates and surrounds the body. Improving the flow of energy in the energy field supports the self-healing capacity of the body.
Currnty, there is a kind of revival of ancient understandings about energy healing in the light of modern science. “Laying on of hands”, which appeared in many times and cultures, is being rediscovered and formulated into healing techniques which are accessible to people in the present time. There are also more and more people who are spontaneously becoming aware of healing “gifts”.
ENERGY HEALING WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE ENERGETIC LEVEL OF LIFE
Since everything is energy, all healing ultimately involves energy. Most healing methods are focused on the physical, mental and emotional levels of life, without recognition of the deeper underlying energy. Energy healing works purely with the energetic level of our being. Since everything is made up of patterns of energy, working directly with energy influences the physical, mental and emotional, as well as the spiritual level. Energy healing is thus by nature “holistic”.
If there is an illness or disturbance in the body, mind or emotions, we certainly want to address those levels. Energy healing, however, complements and supports other methods of healing, because it addresses the energy of which the body, mind and emotions are composed.
THE HUMAN ENERGY FIELD
Just as we have a physical anatomy, we have also have an “energy anatomy”. The human energy field or “aura” surrounds and permeates the physical body. The physical body could be thought of as the most dense expression of the energy, and as only one of a number of bodies which comprise our energy anatomy. We also have “subtle bodies”, which are sometimes referred to as the emotional, mental and spiritual bodies.
There are a variety of descriptions and images of the energy field from both ancient and modern sources. There are variations in these models, but many describe the aura as being in layers. Many, though not all, emphasize the importance of the chakras which are energy centers where important exchanges of energy take place. Energy healing effects change by positively influencing the energy field.
ENERGY HEALING AS PART OF ENERGY MEDICINE
Energy healing is part of the larger field of “Energy Medicine”. Use of herbs, crystals or sound are examples of energy medicine in that they contain “vibratory patterns” which influence the energetic patterns at work in the physiology. Energy healing is a unique part of energy medicine in that it involves the conscious use of the energy field of the healer to affect the energy field of the “healee”. Some energy healers may employ crystals or other tools, but more often it is simply the interaction of healer and healee on an energetic level which directs the work. (Excellent references on energy medicine are Richard Gerber’s Vibrational Medicine and James Oschman’s Energy Medicine.)
REFERENCES
Hands of Light by Barbara Brennan
Vibrational Medicine by Richard Gerber, MD
Energy Medicine by James Oschman
Wheels of Light by Rosalyn Bruyere
The Therapeutic Touch by Dolores Krieger