What is Energy Healing?

Energy healing is a broad term for a branch of alternative medicine, including modalities that are spiritual, metaphysical, and intuitive in nature. Acupuncture, integrated energy therapy, chakra balancing, craniosacral therapy, reflexology, and tai chi are just some examples of energy healing. There are forms of energy work that are ancient and traditional, such as ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. New age practices, like reiki, follow in their footsteps. Reiki began in Japan in the early 20th century and is currently practiced in many different ways around the world.

In general, these practices are based in a belief that an unseen life-force energy is embodied in each person. This is derived from several religions and cultures around the world. Taoism is an ancient Chinese philosophy that has had a major cultural impact and includes the principle of chi (or qi.) Simply put, in Chinese philosophy, everything has unseen energy and it's own vibrational life-force that can be balanced and channeled with certain rituals or practices. This idea is similar to the Shinto/Japanese concept of ki and India's ayurvedic prana.

Energy healing is complementary therapy, which means patients are encouraged to continue seeing their modern western medicine doctors and therapists throughout treatment. Practitioners of energy healing may not be legally allowed to diagnose ailments or prescribe medication. Recommending common herbs or over-the-counter remedies instead, energy healers gently coach their clients to empower them to give their body the things it's signaling a need for. Despite many practices coming from a rich cultural background, the average American can benefit from these forms of healing, even if they're unsure how it works. Practitioners are trained to adhere to their traditions, but they also learn to trust their intuition.

You can learn to practice many forms of energy work on your own. Whether you read, listen, watch videos, or learn in person, finding information on your chosen healing art isn't difficult. Knowing which expert to trust can be daunting, but as you develop your own practices, you'll grow your intuition and be able to follow your instincts to the authors, podcasts, filmmakers, and instructors that are right for you.

If you'd like to see a specific topic covered in this column, please email thehealingherald@writeme.com

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