There are quite a few views and techniques for energy work, but I am writing from the viewpoint of intentional touch. (Some methods of working with energy do not require any type of contact with another’s body.) Some methods view the facilitator as a conduit for the universal life force. Other methods hold the view of balancing a person’s inner energy contained in the body. For several reasons, I tend to work within the latter category.

There are myriad types of beneficial, mechanical things you can do to a person’s body based on anatomy, physiology and kinesiology. I use them all the time and teach them to others. As fascinating as that can be, I am more astounded by the things I see happen to people that are not necessarily mechanical in basis and seemed to be influenced by intent, consciousness, perception and mindfulness.

If I were to discuss these ideas with a shaman, a kahuna or a TCM, they would not need any type of information regarding what the basis for an energetic healing entailed. Even so, in my own cultural tradition, respect for what science and traditional medicine have done also needs to be addressed.

There is no consensus among scientists regarding the nature of a person’s biologic field – whether it involves electromagnetic properties or a combination of these with other uncharacterized properties. Part of current work in bio-energy research involves clarifying definitions and standards for research. Most clinical studies in this area done between 1955 and 2001 have major flaws in their methodology. The researchers I lifted this information from noted that distance healing studies rated higher in quality than hands on studies and that laboratory trials fared better than clinical ones. While there are several groups working on higher research standards and guidelines, I think outcome measurements are going to be a consistent problem.

Energetic healing is a paradox in some ways. It does not attempt to affect cures for people. Rather, it attempts an integration of a person’s essential self with its environment. If you have 40 people present with the same problem and perform energetic work on them, you may have 40 different results – each of which may be a type of healing. Another component which makes measurement difficult is a change of healers. If you added 40 different healers to the 40 people, the complexity of measurement grows since the basic work is facilitation and all 40 healers may relax into different levels of stepping aside or have subtly different intents.

On an energetic level, intentional touch that is requested makes people happier and allows them to let go of short term stress. With sufficient sensitivity, a facilitator can enhance a person’s pleasure at being alive and help them realize they are not alone. We can assist in creating a new vision of how life can be. Actually, that is the short list of what can be done.

Loa

I also have experienced a revitalization on those few occasions when I slept outside under the stars. I did this once when I was too drunk and tired to walk all the way home. I fell asleep on someone’s lawn. Amazingly, no-one disturbed me until I woke up about four hours later. It was just before the morning “get to work” rush hour. I felt TERRIFIC! I was peaceful and full of joy. This was the experience I had when as a boy scout, I hiked a hundred miles through the forests of N.E. Oregon over a period of a week (with other scouts).

I think people who live and sleep close to nature are mentally and physically better adjusted than people who live in an artificial sterile environment. Many people have indoor plants and pets and I think this helps make their environment more natural.

Thomas, I’m just ruminating with the articles and practicing my typing skills to get my left hand up to speed. No reply necessary although I am certainly going to be interested in your thoughts if you decide you have the time at some point. By the way, I plan on putting up the third one sometime today (the one I lost).

Lowell, I know what you mean when you say you experienced a healing of sorts. I am thinking you intended the idea that this healing came about by meditation on your Gohonzon. Actually, this does not surprise me since I think meditations tend to reconnect a person’s sense of unity within themselves. Just having this unity is immensely healing in some ways.

Also, I agree with the statements you made about nature, Lowell. For quite some time, I’ve made conscious decisions to live in or close by natural areas. I spend quite a bit of my mornings and evenings in them.

People’s bodies entrain to the noise inside and outside of them. I find the ‘noise’ of nature to be much more in synch with internal body rhythms than the noise of the city. But I’m sure others have other preferences too – I don’t think it has to be just one way.

Be well
K.

If I were a researcher, I would be focusing on the factors that most efficiently amplify whatever healing the “placebo” produces, and trying to isolate the root causes.

And if “intent” is a strong part of the mechanism of energy healing (and I believe it is the single most vital component) – it would be difficult for me to imagine having a “placebo” Reiki practicioner (for example) do a convincing job of placing hands on or near a person without having some intent to heal sneak through.

Rambling on – I wonder if I really WANT to see studies done. Since I believe my own intent and belief is critical to being an effective energy healer – any studies I might read or participate in (good or bad) which tended to discredit or minimize energy healing would, I’m quite convinced, make me a LESS effective energy healer.

So my instinct is to say that, provided I’m using energy healing as a complementary therapy (ie not replacing traditional medicine but supplementing it) – and hence am doing no harm… and provided I may be doing some good, if only (to skeptical minds) by amplifying the placebo effect, thus bringing the full force of the belief of the patient and those around him into play on behalf of his health… why rock the boat?

But of course, I’m just as curious as to the mechanisms behind all this. So I’m torn.

I saw a program about these monks up in the cold mountains soaking sheets in cold water and then putting the sheets around their bare torso. In a few minutes, through meditation, steam starts coming off of them and they heat up the place by concentrating their energy and drying the sheets. They had film of them doing it. Very cool. Now, if the monks can concentrate in the meditation with physical results, why couldn’t you?

As to loa’s point about nature… I think the energy in nature is the ‘great equalizer’. We are more and less then we think we are. I have a large pack of coyotes hunting my area. Twice they have stopped me in my tracks as they call to one another. There are many, many of them – upwards of 15 or 20 I think- and I know they are near the creek behind the barn- they remind me I am not all that, and can be hurt- They also include me in the pack’s song as they come when I’m feeding- Not that I see them- but I feel them and I’m not afraid. Just kind of high and strong feeling. Is that placebo? Maybe. But it feeds me.

I think the mechanism to be studied is how can we make all our energies work more efficiently. What is it that makes some people good senders or sharers and others not so good. Maybe I’m skeptical about some things… energy seems so real and obvious, I can’t even work up any doubt at all about it.

Hope you are well !!!

Thomas, after reading your comments, I tossed my next installment in favor of discussing yours.

I think the question of whether formal studies should be done is moot since so many researchers are constructing them. Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, studies have been going on for a long time, but they seem to be spiraling together as far as focus and I think SOME thoughts in physics have made the focus possible.

If you think back to someone like Rudolph Steiner and follow the progression of thought, it is heartening to see the progress. In the 60s, 70s and 80s, everyone was concentrating on mechanical mechanisms – you had Montagu’s work on the skin, Harlow’s monkeys, and Grad’s mice and many other studies. Then Krieger’s hemoglobin phenomena was written up and more researchers picked up that line of thought.

The philosophical groundwork is also available. Brentano’s intentionality; Nagel’s bat paper; James’ mental shadows; Chalmers’ naturalistic dualism; Jackson’s qualia and knowledge arguments – this list is also extensive.

The Samueli Institute for Information Biology held a symposium in 2003 focused on clarifying definitions and standards in research for energetic healing studies. Good thought has come from their refining and defining.

Today, people are researching and presenting findings about how what we believe affects us on a cellular level. Bruce Lipton’s book, The Biology of Belief, outlines quite clearly how research in biology is investigating cellular activity at an atomic level.

We agree about the importance of intent. Even so, I see no reason not to establish the mechanism of how intent functions. If physics is able to make tentative conclusions as to the nature of quantum physics, I don’t see any reason why tentative conclusions can not be made about how cellular function upholds transcendent experiences of energy, especially given what we know about electromagnetic frequencies, atomic energy signatures and the apparent telesomatic ability of cells.

I know many people who feel the same as you and are questioning whether the research will ‘spoil’ the intent and ability of the work or if it can even be set up properly.

Being a shameless egalitarian, I would love to remove some of the ‘mysticism’ surrounding these ideas and make them available to the public on a large scale. I believe we are fearfully and wonderfully made and would like as many people as possible to have access to why that is so. If cellular researchers were able to show that a person’s thoughts really CAN change physical makeup, I would be satisfied with that. Then? It is not that much of a leap to outline energetic interplay between humans and show interplay as the ground for energetic healing.

But of course, I’m not a researcher, nor do I want to be one. Since that is the case, I’ve probably left out large gaps of ideas. Still, I’m content to continue working with people and enjoy their responses to the work itself.

I’m not sure how many people read your board, so please allow me to add the following – this discussion in no way is intended to influence anyone to exchange their regular medical care in favor of energetic healing. Energetic healing is intended as a compliment to regular medical treatment.

Be well
K

What you say about everyone knowing they have energies and being capable of affecting others is true and simple to prove. Who has not gone into a room and instantly decided they liked or disliked someone? Who hasn’t ‘sparked’ someone in a romance? Or who hasn’t been able to give their love (or their hate) to someone with no words involved?

I had written an extensive article about having arguments where there is no need for them – I think we all recognize energies whether we admit it or not.

The only difference between the monks you spoke of and the general public is the amount of time and effort the monks have spent on developing their powers of concentration. So you are correct – I think anyone can do it but most people have to do some extensive work on concentration to hit the right place in their head.

My point about nature was this – our bodies tend to speed up or slow down according to environment. I have an affinity for the noise nature makes – if I am able to go outside in an area where there is hardly any people noise for 15 minutes or more, my breathing changes, my muscles change, my pace changes and my mind changes too. So for me, nature tunes me to the state I prefer to be in. The comment you made about feeling one with nature, being made small by it yet enlarged, is an equally good point. I liked how you said it fed you.

This has been interesting to see your thoughts. Thanks!

Be well and have a great holiday.
K.

Last time I was in NYC I stayed on the 32nd floor of some chain hotel… the Hyatt I think, though they all look alike to me- Any way- I remember standing up there looking out over the city and feeling the tension. It was noisy – Like a big electric motor buzz. You know, like the needle buzz on a turn table. I remember thinking that even that high you couldn’t get away from that sound. I was completely exhausted when I left there- I had a great time- don’t get me wrong— But I was overwhelmed completely by the abstract buzz. I remember looking at other people and wondering how they could be so relaxed in all that noise. The city that never sleeps feels very unhealthy. At least for me. My sister from San Fran stayed here with me a few days over the summer and “all this damn quiet” felt the same to her. Made her edgy and nervous. I am with you on natural resets.

I agree there is no need for most arguments. How many times have you walked in a room with a couple in it and feel the tension? I am capable of freezing a body whole or pissing someone off so bad flames come out of their ears without saying a word. Sadness, fear, apathy can all be felt and sent out.
I’d love to read your articles about arguments.- I only have feelings and no real evidence or organized thoughts about it.

Good to see you exercising your hand. I hope you are feeling much better my friend.
c