Energy medicine is one of those things that most of us roll their eyes at when we hear about it. We can’t help but be skeptical about the idea that it’s possible to cause physical and emotional healing using energy vibrations that vibrate at the same frequency of our bodies. Although, it turns out, a few medical practitioners recommend energy medicine as a complementary approach alongside conventional medical treatment. So before we completely catapult the thought off our minds, we may benefit from taking another look at it. Here is a list of ten things you must know about energy medicine.
1. It Has Been Practiced From Ancient Times
Energy medicine is not a new phenomenon and has been practiced since ancient times. Energy healers across different cultures may have used varying terminologies or methods but they were all based on a relatively similar principle. For example, prana and ch’i derived from ancient Indian and Chinese philosophies respectively, represent the idea of the life force or life energy that is a part of all things living. These ideas form the basis of many energy healing forms around the world.
2. It Is Different From Faith Healing
Many people tend to associate energy medicine or energy healing with that of faith healing. Both these practices may have similar scientific explanations but they are not the same. While faith healing requires a general belief in religion and the existence of god, energy healing does not see this as a prerequisite. Practitioners although, recommended that patients or clients enter the process with an open mind.
3. There Are Different Types of Energy Medicine
Energy healing is not one singular practice. There are several different types of energy healing that are all unique in their own way. Some of the popular types include:
Reiki
Reiki after acupuncture seems to be one of the most sought after energy healing practices. A rough statistic estimates that 1.2 million Americans have tried it. Reiki practitioners are known to place their hands on top of the patient and help the patient initiate his or her own healing process.
Qigong
Qigong is a form of traditional Chinese medicine and is said to help regulate the flow of ch’i or life energy within the body using various exercises, postures and breathing techniques. A qigong practitioner may aid this process by directing ch’i into the patient.
Reflexology
Reflexology involves applying pressure to specific parts of the feet and ears that is believed to be connected to vital organs. Although, benefits recorded seem to indicate that the relaxation caused by reflexology could be attributed to the expected feel-good feeling after any regular foot massage. At the same time, there have been claims that it has helped relieve extreme pain.
4. There Is No Scientific Evidence Yet
According to the National Center For Complementary And Integrative Health, “Several groups of experts have evaluated the evidence on Reiki, and all of them have concluded that it’s uncertain whether Reiki is helpful. Only a small number of studies of Reiki have been completed, and most of them included only a few people. Different studies looked at different health conditions making it hard to compare their results.” Despite the lack of scientific evidence, many people have claimed to benefit from it. It has also been found that the process is completely safe although it should never be used as an alternative to conventional medicine.
5. Alternate Explanations Have Been Proposed To Explain Positive Reports
It might almost seem strange considering there are a large number of people who have claimed to benefit from energy healing while there is still hasn’t been any concrete scientific evidence to support their claims. For this reason, several alternate explanations have been suggested to explain the positive reports. One of these explanations is the placebo effect. The placebo effect takes place when an individual shows improvement from his or her condition solely because of their belief that they have been medicated.
6. Are People Attempting To Study The Phenomenon Of Energy Healing?
The Institute Of Noetic Sciences and Association For Comprehensive Energy Psychology are some of the few institutions that actively work towards gathering more information on the science behind energy healing. One of the major reasons why we have yet to fully understand the extent and potential of this phenomenon might be due to the fact that research in these fields are very poorly funded.
