Soul School

Little Lessons for a Happy Life

Energy Work

The human body contains electromagnetic energy, called Chi or Qi, that runs through our body along lines, or meridians. Many ancient philosophies and traditions believe that this energy is the key to health and wellbeing and modern scientific research has proved this to be true. One series of tools focus on working with this energy to bring about optimal physical and emotional health. I have tried several of these tools and found them to be very useful in my life. If you have not yet explored energy work, I recommend that you give it a try and see what happens. Since energy flows through and around us, energy work has the ability to work on all aspects of a person – physical, emotional, and spiritual – at the same time to bring about holistic health and wellbeing.

Types of Energy Work

Below is a brief summary of each type as I know it. Click on the links to learn more detailed information.

Acupuncture

This is an ancient Chinese practice that uses very thin points to activate various spots on the energy meridians – any number of ailments can be treated, from stress and anxiety to physical pain to infertility. The treatments are very comfortable and last about an hour. Acupuncturists must attend formal training and become licensed through state agencies.

Acupuncture can be done on any living being, including animals, and many veterinarians utilize acupuncture for treatment.

My experiences with acupuncture have been consistently positive. I always experience an incredible calmness that lasts for hours (I call it the “acu zone”) even when I arrive at my appointment at a high level of stress. In addition, I have experienced pain reduction, turned around an impending illness like a cold or the flu, and even a miraculous ending to a raging sore throat after some points were done on my thumbs. Some people worry that the little metal points, called needles, hurt but I don’t find that to be true at all.

Chakras

This practice focuses on the seven chakras, which are energy centers in the body that vibrate to create the aura, or the body’s electromagnetic field. This field has been scientifically proven to exist and can be measured with the right equipment. Each chakra is also affiliated with a different aspect of our emotional wellbeing so if you are having challenges, then you would want to focus on the corresponding chakra. According to Caroline Myss, when a chakra is out of balance, illness can arise in the areas near that chakra. Practitioners use a variety of methods to balance the chakras.

I have worked on my chakras to support both physical and emotional healing. I once had a long bout with a cough that would not go away. No medical treatment worked so in frustration, I started looking at alternative treatments. That is when I discovered chakra work and realized I need to attend to my throat chakra. My physical symptoms were just a manifestation of my inability to “speak up” for myself and I was feeling very silenced in some parts of my life. I did some energy work on the throat chakra (there are great chakra meditations out there), and I also took action by saying what I needed to say. Within weeks, the cough was gone and I felt great.

Craniosacral Therapy

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is used by a variety of medical doctors including Osteopaths, Naturopaths and Chiropractors and other professionally certified practitioners. The brain and spine comprise our central nervous system and when it is out of balance, a variety of illnesses and symptoms arise. CST is based on the idea that the bones in our skull, or cranium, are not fused and therefore flex with the spinal fluid in what is called the cranial rhythm and this rhythm can be brought back into balance through CST. Pracitioners will place their hands on various parts of your skull to detect the current rhythm and then use long-held gentle touches to bring the system back into balance.

My experience with CST has been profound. When I am getting regular CST sessions, I will go months without ever getting sick, even if everyone in my house has the flu. And the sessions make me feel such a sense of peace and wellbeing that I now can’t imagine my life without this practice. Whether you have a specific complaint or just want to feel good, schedule your session today.

Kundalini Yoga

This form of yoga focuses on energy work, specifically moving the energy from the base of your spine up into your other chakras. This particular yogic practice utilizes a lot of repetition and chanting to raise consciousness. The image affiliated with Kundalini is a serpent coiled at the base of the spine and those who have experienced its rising claim that it is life changing.

I have not done this type of yoga but I know several people who find it to be a wonderful practice.

Reiki

Reiki is a Japanese form of energetic healing where the energy flow in the body is balanced to return the person to health. The word Reiki translates to “spiritually guided life force energy” and trained Reiki practitioner serve as a channel for the Sacred to do the healing work. A session involves the practitioner laying his or her hands near or on different parts of the body and the client feels both light pressure and heat as the energetic flow comes through the practitioners hands to rebalance the system. Electromagnetic machines have been able to read the energy flow, proving that energy is flowing.

I really enjoy Reiki sessions and have seen great results. I have personally felt a sudden increase in heat in one or both of the practitioners hands as she was working on a specific area. I have also earned my own Level I training and have experienced the “unexplained” rush of energy through me to another. Reiki is great so you can self-administer it or use it to help any living creature including people and animals you care for. Certainly try a Reiki session but also consider getting trained as it is a skill you can use for the rest of your life.

 

To Find a Practitioner

A simple internet search will lead you to opportunities in your community and further homework will give you information about credentials, customer experiences, training, and other items useful to your choice.

 

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