Energy Healing
March 2008 | Filed under Level I Reiki
What is the life force energy and what makes this energy different from other types of energy? In the words of Einstein, “Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it simply changes form.” All living things are made up of energy. Therefore, nothing can truly die. It can change from one form to another, but it cannot be destroyed.
“Vital life force energy,” is known by many names in the various cultures. In Sanskrit, it’s known as Prana. The Polynesian Hunas call this healing energy Mana. It is known as Ch’i in China, and Ki in Japan. The Chinese place a great deal of significance of the life force energy and have studied it for thousands of years. Ch’I, or Ki, is the life force that affects all living things. It is believed that when this energy departs, life itself departs. In reality, all energy is the same, and all matter is energy.
The NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, charged with researching the effectiveness of alternative therapies, categorizes the various modes of energy healing as “biofield therapies.” From a healing perspective, methods through which healing of the body-mind-spirit is initiated at the spirit level are termed energy healing techniques. Regardless of what the method is called, the portal into the human being is through the spirit. Heal on the spirit level and it manifests on the physical level.
Whether it is the energy of the Earth, the Universe, or the human energy field, Energy can be seen, felt, heard and experienced in various ways. Intervening in these energy, or vibrational fields, is necessary for lasting benefit. Reiki practitioners, as well as all others who practice some form of energy healing, become adept in navigating these subjective realms of of the human body. This skill is often developed through meditative techniques and disciplined spiritual practice.
Thoughts are also energy. Since the mind has a connection to the body and spirit, thoughts can affect both the physical body and the spirit. The well-known saying, “be careful what you wish for, you just may get it,” is a perfect example. The wish begins as a thought and if carried into the subconscious, then to the spirit, and the astral, it then manifests in the physical. The thought is also presented to the physical body; both by voicing it and by the mere fact it has its roots, at least in part, in the brain.
Many traditional health systems have long recognized this vital life force principle and have employed it in healing. Such widely known systems as Oriental Medicine (acupuncture, acupressure, shiatsu, and so on), Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Osteopathy, Chiropractic, and Shamanistic healing use some aspect of this principle in diagnosis and treatment. In addition, practices such as yoga, tai chi, qigong, and some forms of meditation incorporate perceiving and directing this energy flow in one’s own body. Anyone who practices some form of “spiritual healing” will use this life force energy (Ki) to heal, harmonize and balance body/mind/soul, but not all healers will use Reiki. Reiki can only be channeled by those who are attuned to it.
What sets Reiki apart from other forms of laying-on of hands, or Touch Healing, is the process of initiation and Attunements. These Attunements, along with training and practice, create the healer and are passed directly from a Reiki Master to the student. While the Attunements are a very spiritual experience, they will not give you anything you didn’t already have. What takes place during the Attunement is the crown, heart and palm chakras open and aligns what is already there, and already a part of you, with the healing energy. Upon receiving the first Attunement, the Reiki practitioner becomes a channel for this healing energy.
Much more is said about this in the Level I manual. I would post it all on this blog, however, I’ve discovered over the years that whebever this information is posted on the Website (or blog) it tends to end up being posted all over the Internet.
Next up - The Body’s Energy Pathways
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