(NaturalHealth365) Energy Medicine, also known as biofield therapy, is a holistic practice that balances the amount and flow of energy in the body. Energy medicine is based on the theory that healing can be made easier and faster, stress and anxiety can be reduced, and one’s physical health and spiritual wellness improved by channeling the energy in the body through the power of touch and resonance.

Treatment is as follows: An energy therapist, or practitioner, uses their hands to treat the 21 chakras (energy centers) about the body, re-channeling and adjusting the flow of bio-energy.

While most of (conventional) scientific research agrees that energy therapy should not be used singularly as a tool for healing, a 2015 paper in Global Advances in Health and Medicine suggests it can offer an additional element of healing for some people and some conditions.

The bottom line: energy healing is a complimentary modality, not an “alternative wellness trend.”

The surprising benefits of energy-based therapies

Energy-based healing therapies include Reiki, qigong, pranic, Therapeutic Touch, color and sound, Quantum Touch, and many others.  Reiki originated in Japan in the late 1800s and is the most mainstream bio-field therapy.  More than 1.2 million Americans have tried Reiki, and more than 60 U.S. hospital have adopted this form of energy therapy as part of comprehensive patient services.

Similar to acupuncture or acupressure, energy medicine works to improve the flow of energy around the body.  By targeting the body’s energy fields, energy healing removes energy “blocks, re-channels energy flow, and changes the frequency of vibration of the body to alleviate aches, pains, stress, trauma, and other pent-up emotions.

By rerouting energy and changing the body’s frequency of vibration, energy therapy can change the way cells grow and the sensory system processes. In other words, the relaxation response created by energy therapy has effects on a cellular level.

Action step: Focus on creating positive vibrations

The entire universe – designed by our creator – is composed of vibrating particles and energy.  Some people refer to is as “quantum physics 101.”

Energy therapy helps one raise their vibrations by balancing the body’s energy systems.  Simply put, it pays to be positive!

The Eastern philosophy behind energy therapy insists the physical expression of an illness, whether it’s stress, fatigue or some other medical condition or trauma, is the result of erratic energy flow. On the flip-side, the body’s natural ability to heal is increased by positive vibrations and good energy flow.

It’s difficult for scientists and researchers to take empirical measurements of the physical or mental benefits of energy therapy.  If one is participating in energy therapy, chances are they have chosen to do so, which predisposes them to thinking it’s a positive and beneficial practice.

An account of experiencing a Reiki or qigong session might look different from a less convinced informant group. Until modern research methods create further advances in the understanding of the field, many questions will remain about the scientific effects of energy medicine. But aren’t any feel-good, hands-on tools to help overcome stress, pain, anxiety, and fatigue worth investigating?

Sources for this article include:

Naturalhealthresearch.org
NIH.gov
NaturalHealth365.com
Washingtonpost.com
NIH.gov
Washingtonpost.com