*** What is Energy Medicine and How Can It Help You?

Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Resident Medical Expert on The Oprah Winfrey show, calls Energy Medicine “the next frontier in medicine.” I agree. I also see it as a medicine of the present with an increasing number of approaches to this work. The basic premise of this approach to health care is that everything that exists, that we see, sense or feel, is made up of energy. It is accepted that our physical bodies are simply energy slowed down to a state that creates physical mass. The unique blend and flow of that mass within each one of us is what creates our individuality.

The energy within our body is both brought in from the outside through our chakras and is created internally through blood flow, muscle movement, organ function, and so forth. In its natural state, this energy is fluid, flowing, and vibrant - the way we feel when we are healthy. However, every thought, feeling and emotion we have is an energetic reality. There are times when we judge ourselves harshly because of what we think, do, or feel. We can hold our thoughts and feelings down, trying to pretend we don’t have them. Every time we do that, the repressed energy literally becomes stuck, stagnant, and creates small energetic blocks. If you could see them, they would look similar to a small cyst. Your energy can also be impacted on a larger scale by belief systems that do not allow you to be who you are. Rather than resulting in something as a small as cyst, a belief system impacts your entire field, not a small segment of it, perhaps making your entire field lethargic, deficient, or excessive. A practitioner can discover one part of a client’s body holding a large block of energy. It can be painful or not felt at all. It depends on the sensitivity and body awareness of the client.

Again, in its natural state, energy is fluid, flowing, and vibrant, the way we feel when we are healthy. When it is not, something, has gone wrong. When we have an illness or disease, an energetic block has developed somewhere in the physical body, thus, the body is not allowed to function as it is meant to. The energy may simply need to be balanced or a block may need to be released. This is when energy medicine is most immediately impactful since its primary function is to eliminate energy blocks, deficiencies and excesses as needed. Once that is achieved the next objective is to balance the energy throughout your body to support optimal functioning.

Thankfully, most of us know how the energy in our body is supposed to feel without even realizing it. This is clear when we sense something is not right, yet when we go to the doctor, she/he cannot find anything wrong. This is our own intuition (inner knowing) in action. On a deeper level, we sense an imbalance in our body, even though it cannot be detected through traditional medical tests. This is because this imbalance is still on an energetic level and is not yet in the physical body. It is great time to deal with the problem while it still has a minimal impact on your life, long before more serious consequences develop. For most of us, energy medicine is sought only when we are in crisis. At those times, we turn to professionals with extensive training and understanding of this process. For others, it can be an approach in self-care used every day with minimal training.

Energy Medicine research has begun to offer further evidence to its validity. For those seeking an energy practitioner, consider their level of experience and education. Some fields have oversight and require extensive education, and for others practitioners may take a weekend class then hang out a shingle. Make informed selections.

Some well-known approaches include:

1. Bio-field Techniques such as Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, Quantum Touch, Brennan Healing Science, The W.I.S.E. ä Method, and Reiki. Consider the depth of training for each of these, some give certificates after a weekend, and some offer programs over years.

One of the most in-depth of these programs is in Connecticut. The Institute of Healing Arts and Sciences, (IHAS) teaches The W.I.S.E. Method of Energy Medicine which encompasses the art and science of working with the human energy field to support physical, mental and spiritual health and wellness in addition to supporting recovery from illness or injury.

In its 660-hour program, it teaches hands-on-healing to bring awareness, balance, and healing to the body by working with the bio-field, meridians and chakras. The psycho/spiritual correlates of physical disease and disorders are a major emphasis of The W.I.S.E.ä Method; at IHAS, attention is paid to what was happening in a client’s life at point of onset or exacerbation (worsening) to support the client’s awareness of their body’s response to stressors. Specific hands-on techniques work with various disorders and diseases to support the client’s healing process whether briefly or in multiple healings to help prevent a reoccurrence. Energy psychology is an integral aspect of this method. It can support you, both in physical health care and in reclaiming your passion, your vibrancy, and your spiritual connection to yourself, the self you may have lost touch with long ago as you took on the responsibilities of your life choices.

2. Acupuncture is an approach to energy medicine using extremely fine needles that are inserted into meridian points throughout your body to release energy blocks, to support a healthier more vibrant flow of energy organically, or to strengthen the immune or other body systems. Acupressure uses the same meridian system, but uses finger pressure on the meridian points rather than needles. Bringing balance to your body through this method supports your body’s natural flow systemically and organically.

3. Chakras are energy centers in the body that have spiritual, emotional and physical components. Most practitioners work with the seven major chakras, though there are many more. These seven are located

1) at the base of the body – the perineum,
2) between the pubic bone and navel,
3) at the solar plexus,
4) the heart,
5) the throat,
6) the forehead, and
7) the crown.

A common approach to working with them includes clearing, reconstructing, or rebalancing. A well-trained practitioner may also work to support the inner dynamics of each while assessing the interactions amongst the chakras, which can affect the client significantly.

4. Some practitioners use Crystals and Stones to change the vibration of a client’s energy field, or to support or deepen a healing. The vibrations of crystals and stones vary between mineral types and each other. Therefore practitioner discretion is used to decide which can be used to strengthen the client’s field during a session, which can be worn afterwards to prolong a healing, or which would gradually increase the vibration of a client to match that of the crystal worn. It is important to be aware of the crystals’ impact since each person and each crystal has its own field and power base. They are used to open a chakra or to increase a natural gift such as clairvoyance, which often needs assistance to develop. In addition, certain crystals clean the healing space, purifying the energy in the room to encourage a more profound healing for practitioner and client.

5. Bach Flower remedies focus on the emotional state and personality of a client. They do not treat physical complaints directly but assist by treating the negative emotional states that provoke or worsen the initial problem. The way to select the correct remedy or remedies is to focus on the sort of person you are and your current emotional state, and forget the physical symptoms. The remedies are developed in liquid form and preserved in brandy. You may need to mix two or more remedies together to match your exact blend of emotions

Some additional approaches to Energy Medicine, which might be worth looking into include: Applied Kinesiology, Emotional Freedom Technique and other forms of energy psychology, homeopathy, intercessory prayer, Core Energetics, or Bio-Energetics, magnetic therapy, qi gong. Tai Chi and Yoga are also helpful in realigning the energy of the body, but are not usually considered Energy Medicine.

Energy Medicine at the hands of well-trained practitioners can be a powerful key to optimal health.