What Is Energy Medicine?

Energy medicine refers to a large group ofReiki - Reiki is a form of energy healing that
complementary and alternative healing therapies.developed in Japan in the late 1800's. In this
Although these therapies have attracted a lot ofapproach, a practitioner acts as a conduit to
attention in the last few years, most have theirchannel universal life energy to the client. The
roots in the world's oldest medical systems andpractitioner transmits this energy to the client
early spiritual traditions. Like their ancientthough a specialized form of "laying on of hands".
counterparts, all such therapies begin with theThe practitioner typically follows a prescribed
assumption that there are subtle energies thatsequence of hand positions, working from head to
surround and penetrate everything in the universe.foot. Training to become a Reiki healer generally
The focus for modern practitioners of energyinvolves a series of ritualistic attunements which
medicine is the invisible vital energy, or life force,are said to allow the healer to tap into the life
that is said to flow throughout the body. It is thisforce of the universe.
energy, which has been called qi, ki, and prana,Therapeutic Touch - Therapeutic Touch is similar
that influences the person's health.in many ways to Reiki, but was developed within
According to practitioners of energy medicine,the American nursing tradition in the 1970's. In
energy flow within the person creates a "biofield"Therapeutic Touch, generally, there is no physical
that can be sensed. Some energy healers sensecontact between the practitioner and patient.
temperature variations corresponding to differentInstead, the practitioner works with the biofield a
areas of the body. Other energy healers see anfew inches above the patient's body. Using long,
aura surrounding the body. Still others simply intuitslow hand motions, the practitioner searches for
fluctuations in the biofield. In any case, when theblockages and constrictions in the biofield. When
internal flow of vital energy is balanced andsuch problems are detected, the practitioner
unimpeded, the biofield is said to be harmoniousattempts to smooth out the constrictions and
and health is at an optimum level. Alternatively, arestore the free flow of energy. Therapeutic
disruption or disturbance in a person's biofieldTouch is now taught in a number of nursing
indicates the presence of a physical orschools throughout the world.
psychological condition that supports illness. DuringHealing Touch - Healing Touch is a variation of
therapeutic sessions, energy healers attempt toTherapeutic Touch that emerged in the 1980's.
interact directly with a client's biofield. Their goal isHealing Touch uses both light touch and near
two-fold: to identify biofield disturbances and totouch to clear and balance the biofield. Again, the
rebalance the flow of energy within the person.idea is to support the body's natural ability to heal
There are many complementary and alternativeby creating an unimpeded flow of vital energy
therapies that accept the basic principles ofwithin the individual. The American Holistic Nurses
energy medicine. For example, acupuncture isAssociation has sanctioned the use of both Healing
based on the idea that the body has identifiableTouch and Therapeutic Touch. Today, about 25
energy channels called meridians. Of specialhospitals in the United States include Healing Touch
interest, however, are those therapeuticas part of their patient care systems.
approaches that are completely non-invasive. InOver the last few years, energy healing has
these approaches, an energy healer transmitsgrown in popularity. At the same time, numerous
healing energy to supplement the client's own vitalanecdotal reports and small scale studies have
energy. The additional energy provided by theprovided support for energy healing as a beneficial
healer helps unblock the flow of energy within theapproach to reduce anxiety, relieve pain, and
client and allows the client's own internal healingspeed healing. However, because it is not yet
processes to function more efficiently. The threepossible to measure the human biofield
most popular, non-invasive forms of energyscientifically, applications of energy medicine
healing include Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, andremain controversial among conventionally trained
Healing Touch.physicians.