This is the beginning of overview of the category of complimentary practices referred to as Energy Work: which practices are most common, how they are implemented, what they have in common and what the difference are. This certainly isn't going to be an exhaustive list but rather an introduction to the more well known and available modalities. We’ll start with the philosophical basis of these practices and next time we’ll go into more depth of the individual practices.
Let’s start with the category name itself, Energy Work. This is a general term whose practitioners accept the founding principal that living beings consist of energy/energy fields/life force that can be stimulated, manipulated and redirected, through a variety of techniques to promote wellness, balance (emotional and physical) and overall health. This concept of energy force can be traced back to major ancient healing cultures: India it's prana, China it's Qi and in Japan it's ki.
These practices are all built on the foundation of “…these modalities is the idea of energy flow in the body. Practitioners of these modalities believe that keeping the body's energy in a balanced state is the key to maintaining health. In each of these modalities, the practitioner seeks to help the patient rebalance energy in the body, by stimulating, unblocking, or dispersing it. The result is a greater sense of energy and wellbeing.” (Dr. Candace Pert)
Let’s review some of these methods general philosophies:
Acupuncture is an ancient method of energy work developed more than 2500 years ago in China. This method seeks to affect the flow of energy, or Qi (pronounced chee), in the body, through the insertion of needles into the skin at specific points. Qi circulates along a system of conduits, the principle ones being channels or meridians. There are twelve principle bilateral channels of Qi, and when the flow of Qi becomes unbalanced through physical, emotional, or environmental insults, illness may result.
Shiatsu is a form of energy work that uses the thumbs, hands, forearms, knees and feet to apply pressure to the body in order to stimulate the flow of energy and restore balance. Shiatsu, which literally means "finger pressure," is a type of acupressure, and the terms are often used synonymously.
Therapeutic touch (TT) is a form of energy work that seeks to correct energy imbalances by affecting an invisible human energy field that surrounds the body. Practitioners restore balance by assessing the client's energy field, clearing it, and transferring their energy to the client.
Polarity Therapy is a comprehensive health system that works with the human energy field to restore a balance of energy to the mind and body. Polarity therapists employ energy-based bodywork, dietary and nutritional counseling, polarity yoga, and psychological counseling that all emphasize positive thinking and self-awareness. Polarity therapy is based on the belief that the whole of nature, including the human body, consists of a polarity between positive and negative energy charges that must be in balance in order to prevent illness and pain.
Reiki
Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is a type of energy work that makes use of touch and visualization to access the universal life force and restore health. Practitioners, called Reiki Masters, place their hands on areas of energy called chakras, as well as the major organs and glands of the body, in order to balance the energy of the body, mind, and spirit. Reiki is Japanese for "universal life energy" and underscores the belief that Reiki Masters transfer energy that is universal, rather than personal, during their sessions.
Reflexology
Reflexology is a type of bodywork in which practitioners apply pressure to the foot (and sometimes the hand) in order to improve circulation and relieve congestion and pain. Reflexology is based on the theory that the foot represents a microcosm of the body and that specific parts of the foot-reflex zones-–correspond to organs and other body parts. By pressing on these reflex zones, practitioners can help alleviate problems in the corresponding body parts.
Bioenergy
Bioenergy is a type of therapy that seeks to free up blocked energy that has been restricted by suppressed emotions and behaviors, which manifest themselves physically as muscle tension, pain, and illness. Bioenergy practitioners use a combination of psychotherapy, grounding exercises, and deep breathing to re-establish a normal energy balance.
More to come.....
