Energy healing covers a rather large portfolio of alternative healing techniques that work with the human biofield (energy field, aura) in order to aid the body into a relaxed state and kickstart the natural healing process (homeostasis). While there is growing evidence that energy medicine supports physical recovery from illness or injury in hospital settings around the world; there are now also a number of studies proving how just one energy healing session with the right healer can balance the mind, bring clarity of thought, reduce anxiety and stress, induce sleep and relaxation, decrease symptoms and triggers around PTSD, let go of trapped emotions, and really support those on a deeper healing or spiritual journey. Want to learn more about energy healing? Keep reading...
What is energy healing?
The concept of subtle human energy fields, or life force energy, has been recognized and folded into traditional healing systems for millennia. 'Energy healing' as it is most commonly known, is a method used to transmit healing energy to a client/patient in order to restore or balance the body's energy field [biofield, electromagnetic field or aura; see image below] and chakra system (energetic vortexes of light throughout the body that cannot be seen by the naked eye), encouraging optimum health on a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual level. While energy healing now has many categories, the same goal applies for every practitioner: to direct healing energy that helps facilitate the persons own healing response; hence why most practitioners will remind clients that they are the ones doing the healing, even if its only at a subconscious level.
Image Above: The human biofield as it extends outside the body. Image sourced from 'Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis', Oschman, J. L Polarity, therapeutic touch, magnet therapy, and related methods. Page 77, Copyright Elsevier Ltd (2000).
Energy healing, whether hands-on, hands-off or via distance, has been used over time to treat numerous health conditions around the world, and is adopted in a number of different cultures to help heal the vital 'life force' (prana, chi, ki) energy that is known to run through. As time has progressed, there are now many studies that prove the effectiveness of Reiki and other energy healing modalities, particularly when done by an experienced healer who is in a healthful state of mind. One study I viewed, shared that "57% of trials with distant healing intervention showed a positive treatment effect on any medical condition" - and that's only relating to the physical benefits! From my personal experience, I often find that distance healing sessions can get a lot deeper, clearer and are naturally faster.
As I will go on to explore below, energy healing or energy medicine is a huge umbrella term for different types of healing so please, stay tuned!
What does energy healing encompass?
My Google search on 'energy medicine' pulled up at least ten different types of healing work that supports those on a healing journey at a holistic level (mind, body and spirit) such as: Reiki, Seichim, contact healing, intention healing, crystal healing, spiritual healing, biofield energy healing, distant healing, qi do, therapeutic touch, polarity therapy, and Qi Gong.
However, upon further investigation, I believe we could also categorise meditation, sound healing, mantra, yoga asana, tapping/EFT and pranayama into energetic healing as they work with life force energy, the being as a whole, the chakra system (energy centres of the human body as referenced in ancient Indian texts), and/or the breath in a way to create a sense of union and internal balance.
“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” Nikola Tesla
These techniques reign from all regions of the world, including Japan, China, India, USA, Europe and Australia; yet all of them will be felt and preformed significantly differently based on the healer and their own lived experiences. None of these energy healing treatments are associated with any sort of spiritual or religious groups wither, which means that anyone can receive a treatment to assist their healing journey, at any time, from any one.
It is also important to note here, that energy healing is not new - it has been woven into the fabric of our existence for centuries and is seen on the walls of the pyramids; in Sanskrit language as 'Prana' flowing through the 'Chakras'; and in traditional Chinese Medicine as 'Chi' or 'Ki' well before it was discovered by Dr. Usui Mikao in Japan and called Reiki (Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy") .
How does energy healing work?
Energy healing is actually based on the science of Quantum physics and the held belief that:
Everything is energy.
We (you and me) are energy, and are contained within an 'energetic body' that connects us to the entire world including animate and inanimate objects.
We (as healers) can channel universal healing energy into our energy body, which then resets the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies held within it in various different ways to bring us back into a sense of harmony, union and inner peace. I believe in medical terms, this is called Homeostasis defined by Oxford Dictionary: "the tendency towards a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes".
We all learned in high school science that matter is made up of molecules. Even something that is solid, such as a chair or your computer is vibrating all the time. As humans, we are vibrating also - as our our thoughts, feelings, chakras, organs and systems.
It's actually quite a simple theory, the only problem is that most people DON'T believe this to be the case, which can sometimes interfere with the bodies own ability and capability to actually heal. Intention is certainly part of energy healing, and so is believing it can work. Everything is connected, everyone is connected, so if you want to change the world - start by changing your self.
“We are all connected; To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe atomically.” Neil DeGrasse Tyson
Want an example of how energy healing can help change your life? Take a breath, and keep reading below...
Expanding on intentional energy healing in regards to physically manifesting LIFE:
If you really wanted to get your dream job, you would do everything in your power to get it right? You would train as you needed to, speak to the right people that could give you a helping hand, get work experience in the field, and apply for the job before nailing your interview. You would be so focused on getting that job, that the thought of not getting it wouldn't even enter your mind. It would consume you. Your life would become so saturated with that energy and intention of getting the dream job, that not getting it, would not even be an option that had entered your mind. It would become your life's most focused mission, your destiny, your soul purpose for being, and so, every fibre of your being would support that goal until you had it. Your energy would be so focused on it, that there was no other choice but to get the job that you had imagined, and felt, and pulled towards you energetically. You get the job, and you feel delighted. You feel grateful. You feel like you are absolutely on a high, and everything around you is rainbows and butterflies. Your thoughts, intentions, actions and ideas had shifted your reality to land the job of your dreams. You did it, and the universe supported what you wanted because you essentially programmed it to.
“You can have everything you want if you can put your heart and soul into everything you do.” Roy T. Bennett
Still with me?
Great!
Now, imagine if life started turning a dark corner and your spouse cheated on you. You would be feeling pretty rotten. You would feel like you weren't good enough, or pretty enough, or smart enough, or all kinds of sense of lack because your partner had 'chosen' someone else. You would be feeling low, lousy, even abandoned. Your root chakra would be feeling stagnant and energetically vibrating at a super low frequency.... and then everything else at a foundational level would start to reflect that low ball energy. Problems at work. Financial concerns. Friendships falling apart. Hip or lower back pain. You didn't plan to feel this way, but because you became so focused on this negative event and your feelings of 'success' became tainted, your energy shifted. As a result, you started attracting more of what the universe thought you wanted - because you were focusing your energy and intention on it.
“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Eleanor Roosevelt
You see?
Whether we are feeling great and positive about something and therefore drawing it to us with high vibrational energy (e.g. faster); or feeling negative and unhappy about something and bringing it to us with low vibrational energy; WE are in control. We are painting the picture we want to see in front of us. We are programming our blueprint for life. We are directing the show. Simply put, we create what we feel we deserve.
Everything that has happened to you in your life, is a result of your energetic imprint and output; your intentions, actions, thoughts and feelings that you are sending out to the universe. So if you are feeling low and energetically depleted right now or being dragged into a land of negativity; now is the time to start shifting that focus with the help of a healer to get you feeling right and seeing the LIGHT.
Oh, and for my empaths and HSP's out there especially, please remember this:
“Stay away from conflictive, negative people that pull you down, because they contaminate your energy and impede your progress. Search for people who look at the world with optimism, that inspire you, make you happy and provide peace of mind.” Pablo
Taking time out to rest, heal and reset is not selfish. It is merely taking time out to refocus your inner world, so you can create a better one outside of yourself - for you, for your family, and for the greater good of the entire universe. As energetic beings we are all connected, and energy travels EVERYWHERE.
What types of energy healing do you offer at Anahata Reiki & Wellness?
Reiki has been my most favoured type of energy healing therapy since I was just nine years old where I was introduced to it through a family friend because it can heal on so many levels. However, much of my personal healing journey is focused heavily around the concepts practised and preached by traditional forms of Yoga including physical postures (asana), breathwork (pranayama), mantra (sounds or Sanskrit words repeated to bring in energy with their intention) and Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep meditation). I have learned and utilised these techniques for over 15 years, and still utilise them daily to keep me sitting in my centre, as well as offering them in one on one and small group settings (coming soon!).
In my intuitive healings, I use a combination of intention healing, crystal healing, essential oils, Reiki, Seichim (Sekhem), oracle cards, intuitive empath ability (emotional and physical), chakra medicine, channelling source, and utilising my unique 'Claire senses' (psychic gifts or siddhis) - so it takes a lot of erm, energy, to stay clear and focused as I help you heal for your highest and greatest good!
For those who like to dive deeper, I have found that distance healings work best as there is no distraction of a physical body. This means I can focus, channel, and meditate more clearly on what needs shifting, and become a deeper container for aiding in the transformation process. Some of the offers I have to support this healing include:
Distance healings with intuitive insights written into an email format (it takes me two hours to channel and write most of these!)
Distance healing and oracle cards to help answer questions that are plaguing your mind
My newest addition: the emotional energy reset which I'm currently testing and has shown GREAT results.
I have so much more to share on energy healing, and all the positive, science backed energy healing manifestos and studies I found; but all I really need to share is that you either feel drawn to trying it; or its not for you. Or, you can keep scrolling and read all the science backed evidence I gained for this blog, and then NEVER used even though I found it a truly fascinating rabbit hole to dive into this month!
Until my next rabbit-whole-research-event (a.k.a.: blog),
I send you into your day and night with...
Love & light,
Monique Elouise xx
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Full Geek-Mode Research Snippets:
Proof Of Reiki Benefits For Physical Healing:
According to Ramadevi Subramani and Rajkumar Lakshmanaswamy in their article about 'understanding approaches to breast cancer' (Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science, 2017, Link here), Reiki intervention was found to improve the quality of life of survivors, including cancer related fatigue which I have also found in my own personal experience, and that of my Reiki Master Teacher, who founded Clinical Reiki Australia. Reiki as defined by Ramadevi and Rajkumar as a "spiritual and vibrational healing intervention that maintains physiological homeostasis through a subtle vibrational field, without the involvement of physical manipulation or the ingestion or application of any substances. This spiritual form of healing not only tends to the physical ailment but also addresses spiritual growth". This, leaving clients and patients in a relaxed state of ease, with a more positive state of mind to tackle life's challenges in various different forms.
Effectiveness Of Reiki On Physiological And Psychological Wellbeing: "1411 Reiki sessions were conducted and included in the analysis. Statistically significant improvements were observed for all outcome measures [of reiki on physiological and psychological wellbeing], including positive affect, pain, drowsiness, tiredness, nausea, appetite, shortness of breath, anxiety, depression, and overall well-being. The results from this large-scale multisite effectiveness trial suggest that a single session of Reiki improves multiple variables related to physical and psychological health" (Click here for scholarly article)
Reiki for general pain management and mental health: “Reiki therapy is useful for relieving pain, decreasing anxiety / depression, and improving quality of life in several conditions.” (click here for scholarly article)
Science backed evidence based on Reiki for symptom management: "Catlin and Taylor aimed to determine whether provision of Reiki therapy during outpatient chemotherapy is associated with increased comfort and well-being. They included 189 patients receiving chemotherapy and patients were randomly placed into one of three groups which were standard care, a placebo, or an actual Reiki therapy treatment. Pre- and post-tests were given before and after chemotherapy infusion. They found that Reiki therapy was statistically significant in raising the comfort and well-being of patients post-therapy" (Catlin and TaylorFord, 2011. Click here for scholarly article)
What Can Reiki Do?
Reiki is an energy healing treatment that works holistically; on the whole body, mind and spirit. Not a system of religious beliefs, Reiki is simply a relaxing treatment whereas natural healing vibrations are transmitted through the hands of a Reiki practitioner (acting as a conduit) to the body of the recipient. The purpose of a Reiki treatment is to relieve stress and pain, induce relaxation, release emotional blockages, accelerate natural healing, balance subtle bodies energies and support other medical modalities including traditional therapies. https://cdn.elebase.io/dbcc75a2-4b9f-4a0e-8e4b-cfa273624e10/6c766633-0ca4-4d05-bc4d-1f485bed2e9a-reiki_really_works-a_groundbreaking_scientific_study.pdf
Reiki As Defined By Mind Body Green:
The goal of a reiki practitioner/energy healer is to direct energy to help facilitate the person’s own healing response. "It is believed that the practitioner’s own state is therefore of paramount importance. Research at the Heartmath Institute in Boulder, Colorado, invited volunteers to sit in close proximity. When one person was feeling empathy, compassion, love, or any similar ‘heart focused’ state, their heart rhythms guided (or entrained) the brain waves of the person they were close to. " - https://drdavidhamilton.com/is-there-science-on-reiki/ also: This process is believed to occur in two ways. First, through the magnetic field of the person’s heart as they feel those positive states, which then entrains the magnetic field of the heart in the person they are sitting with, much in the same way that large pendulums entrain smaller ones, and the second is through a brain circuit known as the mirror neuron system (MNS), which is responsible for the well-known phenomenon of emotional contagion (where you tend to feel the same emotions as the people you spend most time with).
When you are in a such heart-focused state, you help people close to you move towards a similar state. I think most of us have probably noticed this in our own lives, either as the one affecting another person, or as the one being affected. There are people that most of us know who have a natural warming presence. You may be one of them! That you come to feel better (mentally and / or physically) around them is known as the ‘natural healer effect’.
Reiki practitioners are trained to reach these optimum states when working with clients. Their goal is one of service, in the ‘highest good’ of the client. Their predominant state is empathy.
There’s another process that operates at the same time as this. Reiki is typically a restful, or restorative, experience. This in itself assists the body’s natural healing processes as the autonomic nervous system moves towards a greater parasympathetic (rest and digest) state. During this time, the body’s natural healing systems, which includes the immune system, are able to work more optimally. Whether most of the effects of reiki comes from the state of the healer or the restorative experience, we don’t know for sure. It’s most likely due to a bit of both. The experience itself helps to assist the body’s natural processes, and the state of the healer can assist even more, if it’s a heart-focused one.
Ultimately, there’s nothing actually woo woo going on, just physical processes that most people have little knowledge of. Sometimes, it’s just our lack of awareness of available knowledge or research that betrays our attitudes to things. We call things woo woo, not because we’re experts in those areas and know if something is true or not, but because we’re not experts and we simply don’t know about the available knowledge or research.
There is a great deal of available research. I’ve cited quite a bit in my book, ‘Why Woo Woo Works’. In it, I also explain why I’d love to see a closer integration between mainstream treatments and complementary practices. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23890/what-everyone-should-know-about-energy-healing.html
Energy Healing And The BioField:
Accumulating evidence for the existence of these and other subtle, spatially-oriented and biologically-generated human energy fields has been demonstrated through objective testing methods. As a result, in 1992, the term “biofield” emerged to describe this energy. Biofield energy is defined as “a massless field, not necessarily electromagnetic, that surrounds and permeates living bodies and affects the body.”[1]
Biofields are thought to function as a communication conduit that formats and relays information between physiological systems and enables near-instantaneous response times[2]. This inclusive approach affirms core concepts within traditional healing systems while inviting a more expansive model of living systems than is currently offered by biological science[3]. Through the biofield concept, biological systems are integrated both internally and within their environments across time and space. These energetic relationships increase in scale from subatomic and organismic, to interpersonal and cosmic levels[2]. Potential evidence of the latter can be found in the correlation between solar storms and increased rates and severity of myocardial infarctions[1,4].
A number of biofields have been identified, some have been exploited for diagnostic and therapeutic uses, and more are being posited. A few of these include:
Electromagnetic Fields
One of only 4 forces in nature – along with gravity, and strong and weak nuclear forces, electromagnetism is the most important natural force at work in living systems[1]. Electromagnetic fields (EMF’s) generate electrocardiograms and electroencephalograms that have been a standard of medical diagnostics for decades. More recently, biofield investigations show that subtle magnetic fields generated by the heart radiate outwards from the body. This energy is transmissible to nearby individuals, producing a synchronization of EEG waves between the source and recipient[1,2].
Science backed evidence based on Reiki for symptom management for cancer patients who are also taking opioids as part of their treatment: "Birocco et all. investigated effects of reiki therapy on pain and anxiety in patients attending a day oncology and ınfusion services unit. They found that the sessions were considered helpful to improve well-being (70%), relaxation (88%), pain relief (45%), sleep quality (34%), and reduce anxiety. Pain reduction of 50% in mean scores after each treatment. The statistical significance between the first and the fourth treatment (Birocco et al., 2012. Click here for scholarly article)"
Medical Review by Roxanna Namavar, D.O.:
Energy healing is a holistic practice that activates the body's subtle energy systems to remove blocks. By breaking through these energetic blocks, the body's inherent ability to heal itself is stimulated. That definition is a lot to process, so here are five facts that can clear up any confusion or misconceptions you may still have about energy healing:
1. We've been studying the body's energy centers for thousands of years.
Reiki is the Japanese tradition of energy healing, and it dates back to the early 20th century. The seven chakras, the energy transmission centers of the body, were first described in ancient Hindu texts. Meridians, the energy superhighways of the body, helped lead traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to develop acupuncture. These ancient cultures used different modalities to stimulate the body's natural ability to heal, but they all recognized the power of internal energy.
2. Energy healing is based on scientific principles.
We all learned in high school physics class that matter is made up of molecules. Even something that is solid, such as a table, is vibrating all the time. As humans, we, too, are vibrating. When you say someone has "good vibes," you are really talking about that person's vibrational energy—and happy people tend to vibrate on a higher frequency. Places have vibes too. When you walk into a room in which a fight has just occurred, you may feel a dense energy that makes you want to leave right away. The beach has a light vibe due to the salt (a natural energy cleanser) and moving air. The air at the beach vibrates at a higher frequency as well.
Energy healing is a complementary modality that shouldn't exclude any Western medicine you may be taking.
3. Anyone can benefit from energy healing.
Just as you don't need to understand the law of gravity before you can fall down, you don't need to completely grasp the concept of energy healing before you dive into the practice. Any time is a good time to visit an energy healer. I would recommend going in with an open mind for maximum benefit. If you are stressed, anxious, or physically drained, an energy healing session can help you relax and feel more balanced. And if you're already feeling good, it's always possible to feel a little better. It's important to note that energy healing is a complementary modality that shouldn't exclude any Western medicine you may be taking.
4. There are many types of accessible energy healing modalities.
There are many types of energy healers, and you can find them practically everywhere. (You might even be an energy healer yourself!) When you're looking for an energy healer, remember that you have a right to be picky and ask plenty of questions before settling with a practitioner. If you are new to energy healing, consider starting your search by dropping by a yoga local studio or asking a friend who's into alternative healing to get a referral for a reputable practitioner. There are many kinds of energy healing, and each one calls on slightly different tools and techniques. Here's a quick introduction to a few popular ones you'll probably come across:
Acupuncture: Acupuncture uses small needles to stimulate the flow of energy in the body.
Reflexology: This modality frees up blocked energy and promotes healing by stimulating pressure points on the feet, hands, and ears.
Massage: Yep, even massage is an energy healing practice. It releases tension in the muscles, encourages the flow of lymph, and allows for deep relaxation.
5. You can maintain your energetic health from home.
Just as you shower and brush your teeth every day, you should also be cleansing your energy regularly. Once you visit with an energy healer, keep the good vibes flowing by taking a bath in Epsom or pink Himalayan salts for 20 minutes whenever you start to feel the heaviness creeping back into your body. Smudging, or burning sage around you, can also help clear negativity from your energy field. And finally, high-vibe crystals have their own healing properties that can help give your energy a little boost. All you need to begin your energy healing journey is curiosity and a willingness to learn. Who knows? You might just get hooked!
The Science On Reiki:
Reiki "It’s listed as an an ‘energy healing’ technique or a ‘biofield therapy’. Admittedly, these at first sound woo-woo, but a biofield is simply an electric or magnetic field that’s generated by a biological organism." furthermore... "When you plug, say, a phone charger into a wall socket, the electricity (or electric field) is generated by a physical process, so we just call it an electric field in plain language. But when it’s generated by ions like Calcium “Ca(2+)”, Sodium “Na(+”) and potassium “K(+)” that are moving in and out of cells, it’s called a biofield to distinguish the source of the electric field. So, you have a biofield. I have a biofield. All people, animals, plants, birds, fish, and insects have a biofield, as do all of your cells.
Any changing / moving electric field generates a magnetic field. So not only do you have lots of little electric fields in your body and a sum field – the sum of all these electric fields; your overall biofield – but you also have lots of little magnetic fields and larger ones that emanate from areas where there is lots of blood flow (lots of moving electric fields) – like the heart." https://drdavidhamilton.com/is-there-science-on-reiki/
Energy Healing and 'Touch Therapies' evidence for pain management: "A 2008 Cochrane Review meta-analysis of “touch therapies” for pain relief, including Reiki, HT, and TT, included 24 studies and 1153 participants. Pain intensity was reduced, on average, by 0.83 units on a 1-10 scale in patients treated with touch therapy compared to control patients ( -1.16 to -0.50). This review noted that effect size appeared greater for Reiki studies and when more experienced practitioners delivered the treatments. In studies that evaluated analgesic use, touch therapies appeared to reduce analgesic use. Placebo effect in these trials was analyzed, and the authors concluded that no statistically significant (P = 0.29) placebo effect could be identified." (Click here for scholarly article)
References & Further Reading Recommendations:
Reiki Really Works: https://cdn.elebase.io/dbcc75a2-4b9f-4a0e-8e4b-cfa273624e10/6c766633-0ca4-4d05-bc4d-1f485bed2e9a-reiki_really_works-a_groundbreaking_scientific_study.pdf
Scientific Evidence Of Reiki For Pain & Anxiety: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30948444/
Energy Medicine: Is there Evidence?: https://www.reliasmedia.com/articles/134837-energy-medicine-is-there-evidence
Energy Healing Overview: https://journals.sfu.ca/seemj/index.php/seemj/article/view/356/318
Healing Effects Of Reiki: https://www.the-cma.org.uk/Articles/Reiki-Effectiveness-Six-Scientific-Studies-to-Support-Energy-Healing-Technique-6506/
Effect Of Reiki On Symptom Management (Oncology): http://koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO201332479512621.pdf
Effectiveness Of Reiki On Physiological And Psychological Wellbeing: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2019.0022
Effectiveness Of Reiki On Physiological And Psychological Wellbeing: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2019.0022
Energy Healing: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/energy-healing
Is There Science On Reiki?: https://drdavidhamilton.com/is-there-science-on-reiki/
Science And Spiritual Healing: file:///C:/Users/melou/Downloads/Science_and_spiritual_healing_A_critical_review_of.pdf
Centre Of Reiki Research: https://centerforreikiresearch.com/our-research/
Goop: The Science Of Energy Healing https://goop.com/wellness/spirituality/science-of-energy-healing/
Pharmaceutical Drugs & The Human Energy Biofield: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/pharmaceutical-drugs-human-energy-system-biofield-seema-bhattessa-/