With everything going on in today’s world it's no great surprise that energy healing has surged in popularity. With stress and anxiety levels through the roof, who wouldn't want to find inner peace and live your best life minus any medical intervention?

 

Proponents of energy healing claim it’s a way of naturally relieving pain, rebalancing and repairing the body and healing trauma and even physical disease. But energy healing has its sceptics. After all, with peer-reviewed, scientific evidence thin on the ground, how do we know if it actually works?

 

According to Antonia Harman, healer and emotional trauma expert and founder of Divine Empowerment, and Stanford-trained physician Dr Leonard Laskow, there are pros and cons of energy healing. Below is what they had to say so you can make your own mind up and maybe find some inner peace in the process:

 

Although it forms part of the modern wellness movement, energy healing actually has roots that go far back into history. ‘Energy healing is the original form of medicine,’ says Harman. ‘Descriptions of the “laying on of hands” to relieve pain have even been found in ancient Egyptian papyrus dating back to1,500 BC. It’s been practiced for four thousand years – probably far longer.’

 

There are many different forms of energy healing but, broadly speaking, it refers to any practice that works on the subtle flow of energy throughout the body, to help restore health (both mental and physical) and a sense of balance. ‘One of the major principles of energy healing is that prevention is better than a cure,’ says Harman. ‘It’s important to keep you vital, healthy and sound of mind, as this can help you to swerve illness.’

 

There is no ‘one’ form of energy healing and, in fact, any therapy that works to restore health energetically can come under this broad umbrella term. It includes (but is not limited to) the following:

 

Traditional Chinese medicine (or TCM) originated in China thousands of years ago. ‘It includes acupuncture, which treats meridians or energy pathways corresponding to organs,’ says Harman. ‘These meridians have even been discovered by mainstream science – they injected dye into meridian pathways versus random areas, and the pathways showed up under CT scans.

 

A major principle of Chinese medicine is that emotions relate to organs, so if you have intense heavy emotions, you may restrict or damage organs. As an example, the lungs and large intestine relate to grief. Anger, frustration, and resentment are the liver and gallbladder. Kidneys are fear of death, while the bladder is general fear, and the spleen and stomach are worry.

 

The word reiki originates from the Japanese words’ 'rei', meaning universal and 'ki', meaning life force.

 

‘Reiki is a popular and nourishing form of energy healing,’ says Harman. ‘It involves the gentle laying of hands, symbols, and intention. Practitioners are a conduit for universal energy, which restores balance to the body mind and spirit.’

 

Many people trust in reiki to alleviate pain, stress and anxiety, which is why it’s now offered as a complementary therapy in some hospitals.

 

This type of healing aims to balance the flow of energy through your chakras, or energy centers. We have seven main chakras, from the base of the spine to the top of the head. They are spinning wheels of light in the colors of the rainbow, which all have individual characteristics and defined locations. One of the most important factors in chakra work is balance. Chakras can be worked on in numerous ways – there are countless chakra meditations on YouTube and affirmations also help, as do colors.

 

While there is no scientific basis for the claim, advocates of crystal healing say stones and crystals hold specific healing properties and that being in the presence of them can affect your wellbeing.

 

Crystals emit energy, so having them close by can heal. Choose the one with the appropriate characteristic for your needs. They do anything from protecting, to soothing, to blocking electromagnetic stress, to drawing in love, to allowing for cohesive thinking and much more.

 

Harman’s own personal brand of energy healing works to dissolve emotional trauma in an instant, from single events to long-standing mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. She says she can also dissolve physical pain and problems.

 

According to Harman, she has had wonderful results with fibromyalgia, as well as sciatica, she says. ‘I teach by awakening people’s latent abilities – abilities we all have, which are locked away. Humans are far more capable than we’ve realized. Anyone can learn Divine Empowerment and the results are humbling, daily.’

 

While even sceptics will understand why some people might choose to consult an energy healer for an emotional issue, what about physical problems, including pain and illness? Being tangible health issues, how might energy healing help?

 

According to Harman ‘Physical symptoms are your body’s way of communicating with you. The body is a map. You just need to learn how to read it.’ 

 

Harman reveals that pain has its roots in specific energetic or emotional origins:

Sounds intriguing or completely out there or maybe a bit of both? If the sceptic in you is crying out for evidence, you may not be surprised to hear that it’s somewhat hard to come by.

According to Harman ‘Medical research is costly and largely funded by big companies to develop drugs,’ Harman says, ‘In terms of energy healing, there is really nothing for them to sell, so the research simply hasn’t been done.’

 

However, there is research out there, including that of Stanford-trained physician, Dr Leonard Laskow, who has found that the structure of DNA can be changed depending on whether it is sent conscious anger (it dies), or conscious love (it heals). A Life Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr Laskow coined the term ‘holoenergetic healing’, and states that love and forgiveness are the keys to health and longevity – something Harman agrees with.

 

Any form of therapy that can reduce stress will help maintain health. Harman says, ‘If you would like to heal yourself on your own, the key is forgiveness and letting things go, completely,’ She also says. ‘It’s looking deeply into your life and relationships and forgiving all parties. Forgiveness is a major theme in religion for this very reason.’ Forgiveness is the root of Ho'oponopono, an ancient Hawaiian modality.

 

There have been several studies into the effectiveness of Reiki healing, including a 2010 review of research finding strong evidence that biofield therapies, such as Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, can alleviate pain, and moderate evidence that they can reduce anxiety in hospitalized patients. Which is why more and more hospitals are employing Reiki Practitioners for their surgical departments and emergency departments. I have had the privilege of giving patients Reiki before they went into surgery and was there when they were in the recovery room.

 

What’s also important to consider is patients’ perceptions of how they feel after energy healing. Harman says, ‘It’s known and well documented that stress causes all sorts of illness, so any form of therapy that can reduce stress will help maintain health.’ Which explains energy healing’s growing popularity, as well as the fact that therapies, including Reiki and Acupuncture are now offered alongside traditional treatments.

 

So, how do you find a qualified professional energy healer? With any therapy it’s important to ensure the practitioner you choose is qualified. It’s not just about checking their credentials – it’s important to ensure you feel happy and comfortable with a practitioner before parting with your money. 

 

The one question I always ask a healing practitioner before I will schedule with them is ‘when did you last receive a session?’ If they tell me things like ‘I work on myself,’ or ‘it’s been a while’ or ‘I haven’t.’ I will not go to them. I want someone who takes their own energetic health seriously, so they are energetically fit to work on me. FYI, I receive energy work a minimum of once a month sometimes more if needed.

 

Harman states, ‘There are countless amazing healers out there. And as with anything, you need to find the therapist who can best suit your needs. It’s important to also feel comfortable with your healer – most healers are happy to answer questions before you part with your hard-earned cash. I for one wouldn’t take someone on as a client unless I was confident, I could help in a significant way.'

 

Now is a really exciting time in the field of energy healing, as new modalities spring up and the whole industry goes mainstream. Whatever style of healing you opt for, it will be nourishing to your soul, so why not give it a try?

 

Always consult your doctor! If you’re interested in energy healing for a specific health complaint, it’s important you view it as a complementary therapy. Do not stop any traditional medicines or treatments you may be undergoing and consult your doctor before making changes to any treatment plan. But you may find energy healing is a good complement to Western medicine.

 

So why not give a session a try? You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain!

 

Pssst… did you know the North Country has amazing energy healers? There are many modalities available to you here in the North Country. Don't be afraid to experiment to find the right practitioner and modalities for you!

 

North Country Spiritual Pathways and Wellness, LLC is moving! We will be moving to the Cottage Park Professional Center at 101 Cottage Street, Suite 7A (across the parking lot from Deep Earth Arts).

 

I will be closed August 29 - September 9th and reopening on September 10th. An open house will be held on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 6:00 - 8:00 PM. All are welcome!