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By Lynn, LMT
Former Licensed Massage Therapist at Peaceful Spirit Massage and Wellness Centers
Background of Energy Healing
As we learned in basic science classes as children, energy is what makes up the universe. Everything is energy; everything is made up of atoms arranged into molecules that have an electrical charge and vibrate at specific frequencies. Our sun is an obvious source of energy, but there are other sources that are much more subtle. Even the end table next to me is an energetic body where the molecules are slowed down, making it more of a solid object. Remember, the one thing about energy is that it cannot be destroyed; just the structure of it is changed. Let's take the end table; it's made of wood and comes from a tree. The tree was grown from a seedling and had all the nutrients of earth, air, sun and water to grow. Then it was cut down and its energy was changed once again in the process of making it into a table. Let's say that for some reason it is destroyed in a fire. The energy would be transformed in the process becoming ash, heat, and gas, seen as smoke.
Our bodies are also energy in a semi-solid state. Science has proven that the area around the body is energetic and that different parts of our bodies radiate at different frequencies. Things such as illness and moods affect our energy levels. In addition, we each have a personal space that extends about eight feet around us in all directions. This energy field also seems to project out about eight feet in an electromagnetic field. Scientists hypothesize that the reason for this energy field is that electrons are free to move long distances and often times they are within the eight feet radius (and easily way beyond that); this is known as the butterfly effect.
Energy healing comes from the idea that we are all beings of energy. Through energetic transformations, people can heal themselves and can facilitate healing in each other. We all have the ability to become a healer to some extent and the skill may be learned through intent and practice. Energy healing involves moving energy currents in a non-invasive way to effect therapeutic change in the body’s structure on a cellular level. Energy runs through the energy systems of the meridians, chakras and auras. Energy for healing is said to be universal and cannot be harmful. If nothing else can enhance one's own healing. People receiving energy healing often report feeling heat or tingling and sometimes a cooling to the area being worked on. When a healing session is over, the client often feels calm, relaxed, and meditative.
Energy healing incorporates many different modalities such as:
- Light touch on the body with the hands, (ie. Reiki and Quantum Touch)
- Hands above the body (Pranic Healing)
- Uses of crystals, sounds, color and others.
Basically, by using the principles of electromagnetism and understanding vibration frequencies, giving and receiving energy work becomes very similar to fine tuning into a radio station or TV channel to remove the static.
What is Reiki?
Reiki originated Japan and in Japanese means "spiritual energy." Three levels of learning are required to become a Reiki Master Teacher. The first level teaches the basics of healing and is more geared toward the self and the laying on of hands. Energy for healing flows through the practitioner to the client, so if practitioners have their hands on one part of a person's body and that body part no longer needs the energy, that energy flows automatically to where it is needed. The second level involves learning symbols and is focused on distance healing. The master practitioner level is focused more on the spiritual.
The individual credited with rediscovering and developing Reiki is Dr. Mikao Usui (1865-1926). Dr. Usui is said to have spent some time meditating on a mountain, where he received the vision and the gift of Reiki. During his time he helped many people with healing and teaching. Dr. Usui was followed by Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, and Hayashi taught it to Hawayo Takata. Takata eventually brought Reiki to Hawaii in 1937 and taught it until her passing in 1980. Various styles, techniques and methods of Reiki have since been developed and spread worldwide, with the United States and Germany having the most practitioners of this modality.
What is Crystal Healing?
Crystal healing has been around since prehistoric times in one form or another. It can be as simple as wearing jewelry (with a natural gemstone) or carrying a crystal or stone in your pocket. Another method of doing crystal healing is through “laying on” of stones and crystal grids. Laying on of stones is done by placing crystals and gemstones on the body in correspondence with the chakras as determined by one's intent. Crystal grids are set up by putting crystals along a pathway or a grid either on the floor, or more often (due to limited space), on a sacred geometrical design drawn on paper or poster board. Crystal grids are also decided upon by one's intention. Crystals work subtly when laid on the body by causing a therapeutic resonance change. The resonance can be measured by means of a tuning fork. When a tuning fork is placed next to a crystal that is working in harmony with the body, the tuning fork will ring at the same frequency at which the crystal is vibrating. Because of their physical and chemical structure, crystals and gemstones are inherently energetic and carry their own vibratory frequency. Quartz (on an industrial level) is used solely for its energy conduction, such as in watches and circuit boards. Certain crystals have also been used for medicines: lithium from lepidolite for depression and calcium from calcite for osteoporosis.
The great thing about energy healing, Reiki and crystals is that they can be combined with each other and often with other modalities of bodywork such as massage.
Today many of our clients choose Reiki and other forms of energy work for pain management, to reduce high stress levels and personal development.
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