Energy Healing Explained
Energy healing is as old as man and references to it have been documented in the archives of many ancient cultures including in Chinese and Hindu texts over 5000 years old referring to this energy as Chi and Prana. Buddha and Jesus were both known as healers before they became known for their teachings and later as Prophets.
The human framework is made up of a beautifully balanced system of energy fields that interconnect to each other, and nourish each other. Our bodies are designed to be self-healing but imbalances in our lives created by blows we suffer that knock us off-centre whether physical, emotional or mental will take its toll on this balance. Couple that with our coping mechanisms often involving excessive consumption of what we may enjoy or makes us feel better but our bodies perceive as toxins and… well, you get the picture! When we’re younger our bodies can heal and rebound to recover the balance and keep running smoothly, but the system gradually gives up if it becomes overloaded or if the person suffers a blow that is particularly traumatic. The blockages in our energy fields then start to manifest as physical ill-health, recurring behavioural patterns, mental illness, or feelings of always being blocked from moving forward in life. That’s when we need external help to rebalance our system to a point where it is running efficiently again and can self-regulate.
Energy healing works holistically using the energy fields around and inside the body. These energy fields work together with the chakra system which effectively collect and distribute energy throughout the body and external energy fields. Through clearing, balancing and strengthening the whole energy system, we can bring back the harmonious interactions between the physical body, emotional state, mental health and spirit of the individual to help them have a better quality of life. Healers always work for the highest growth of the individual in line with the client’s Higher Self.
To understand energy healing you don’t need to hold specific beliefs, you just need to keep an open mind to the possibility that an energy which is greater than ourselves – a universal energy or divine energy - exists. Often people come to energy healers as a port of last resort and not because they believe in it. As the healing sessions get underway, they start to perceive energy shifting in their body, or they feel the healer’s hands on their head and when they look the healer is working on their legs; often they feel a shift happening on their brow and see a fog clearing and get an answer to a problem that’s been bothering them for the past year. This sparks their curiosity about what energy is, how it relates to us, and how energy healing works. Healing is different from a placebo effect, although the placebo effect in itself could be an elegant solution where it is shown to work.
Energy healing is the act of directing universal energy or divine energy in a concentrated form to the client to help bring their whole system back to harmony and health
Photo by Lars Van De Goor
Part of a healer’s role is to act much like a magnifying glass intensifying the sun’s rays. The healer focusses and directs the concentrated energy to the client allowing it to work to release blockages throughout the energy fields, and restore flow and alignment back to the client. Research from the last few decades has shown that during energy healing the brain waves of the client are elevated from the beta state to the theta, delta and gamma states where healing can best happen.
Arguably though, one of the most important aspects of a healer’s functions is to help strengthen the channels of communication between the client and their Higher Self. This enriches the sense of a true confidence and encourages the client to take control of their own healing process to promote physical, emotional, mental and spiritual sovereignty.
How Healing Can Help
Giving physical relief for problems like joint and back problems, strengthening the immune system and gives support for chronic conditions
Resolving trauma and negative emotional patterns that stifle development in personal relationships and in work life
Gaining mental clarity around problems, and easing stress and related symptoms such as panic attacks, depression, migraines, gastrointestinal
Prioritising values and assessing life path and purpose
Strengthening the interaction between the conscious mind, the subconscious mind and the supraconscious mind
Strengthening connection to the Higher Self - bringing body, mind, emotions and spirit back into alignment
Research
There’s really not enough research being done in this field in part because most research is costly and is funded by the large corporates who require a return on the investment.
However, technology is starting to catch up and we do know that healing and regeneration happen when we enter into the theta, delta and gamma brain waves. Research since the 1970’s has shown, using EEG’s on both the healer and client, that not only do the healers enter into these higher states but they also put their clients into the higher mental states where healing is possible. They’re still not sure why this happens but they believe it’s by a process called spiritual resonance.
There is also Kirlian photography which was developed in 1939 by Semyon Kirlian who managed to photograph the first energy layer around the body, the etheric field. The pictures to the right are from research by UCLA. The first photograph showing a man’s finger whilst he was under stress and the second after he’d been given a couple of drinks to relax him. Now you know why you feel yourself shrinking when you’re feeling uncomfortable or stressed, or you feel yourself “unwinding” when you start to relax - your energy literally is! YouTube link is given below in no 4.
A couple of great books below for further reading for anyone interested, and also a link to the Heart Mind Institute who are doing excellent research into this field
1- Healing in a Hospital: Scientific Evidence that Spiritual Healing Improves Health - Sandy Edwards
Sandy Edwards conducted this research with University of Birmingham with Lottery funding, spending over a year just to secure funding for the research.
Dr Michael Dixon LVO, OBE, FRCGP, FRCC; Chair of Council, College of Medicine: “The findings suggest that substantial cost savings could be made by the NHS… ‘Spectacular research results and a very impressive book. Patients and clinicians should take this seriously.’”
Amazon Link
2- The Awakened Mind: Biofeedback and the Development of Higher States of Awareness - Maxwell Cade
Cade’s research using EEG’s on both healers and their clients found that not only do the healers enter into theta and delta brainwaves, but they also put their clients into these states where the deeper healing and regeneration happen. Maxwell Cade also conducted similar experiments with established Zen Masters and Swamis. An interesting read for anyone wanting to understand more about how different brain waves impact us
Amazon link
3- Dr. Rollin McCraty of the HeartMath Institute uses recent data to show that our hearts are not only in sync with the earth’s magnetic field, but are also in sync with each other
Connecting with the Heart's Intelligence: Rollin McCraty
4- Research by UCLA on the human energy field - what we call the etheric layer - using Kirlean photography
Kirlian Photography at UCLA
