Monday, January 31, 2011

Energy Medicine—An Integrated Approach to Wellness

Energy Medicine—what is it and how does it work? I've answered this question a lot since I began working in the field of Energy Medicine a few years ago. And it seems the answer continues to evolve as my work as an energy medicine practitioner evolves. The simple answer is that Energy Medicine works by integrating all parts of us—mind, body, spirit—to bring deep and lasting effects of healing. It is to draw on our innate ability to self-heal. Energy Medicine is to recognize everything in and around our lives as energy—and to use this energy as a means to enhance every experience and aspect of our existence.

Donna Eden, recognized as a pioneer in the field, says "Energy Medicine awakens energies that bring vitality, joy, and enthusiasm to your life -- and greater health to your body, mind, and spirit!"

In energy medicine, it is believed that we are made up not only of physical matter, but energy, which governs our physical and mental health. Once we embrace this fact, we discover a whole new set of tools with which to run our lives. In particular, when we come to understand that our energy is generally the first aspect of ourselves that feels a disturbance, we can learn to have a better orientation toward understanding what’s really plaguing us. This means that prior to manifesting the more obvious physical effects of an event, such as taking something to heart, experiencing an illness, or having an accident, there is an energetic disruption in our experience—and we actually have the power to head it off before it takes hold and causes further damage to the body.

Caroline Myss's book, Anatomy of the Spirit, is one of the first books I read about the body's energy systems. This book remains one of my favorites today, and it’s the one I most often recommend to my clients because it explains our energy as integrated with our mental, physical, and spiritual health. In her book, Myss writes, "Everything that is alive pulsates with energy and all of this energy contains information." She further states, "Your physical body is surrounded by an energy field that extends as far out as your outstretched arms and the full length of your body. It is both an information center and a highly sensitive perceptual system. We are constantly 'in communication' with everything around us through this system, which is a kind of conscious electricity that transmits and receives messages to and from other people's bodies. These messages from and within the energy field are what intuitives perceive."

Given what Myss writes here about our subtle connection to everything, imagine how easy it is to be influenced by what other people do or say when you have no awareness of this connection to them. To take it a step further, our energy-body is directly connected to Source Energy (otherwise known as God, Spirit, Divine, Buddha, Guru, or whatever "God" is for you). Since energy IS the Source, and we are all from that same source, then, naturally, it is disrupted when assaulted, violated, or not looked after on an energetic, or core, level.

There's a magnificent structure of energy centers called chakras that govern every facet of our lives. When we come to understand the various aspects of each one, we are given a deeper awareness of how our environment affects them, and how they affect our environment. We learn how to guide this more sensitive yet powerful part of us, and lead happier and healthier lives as a result.

The word “chakra” comes from Sanskrit, one of the ancient languages of India, and is commonly heard in the practice of yoga and meditation. The chakras are energetic centers located in the subtle energy field running along the spinal column and are often described as a spinning wheel or disc. The higher the vibration, the faster the chakra is spinning.

The chakras receive and transmit life force energy and, when understood, act as guideposts on our journey through life. Because the chakras vibrate to match a person’s health, it is possible to “read” the chakras to gain a better understanding for one’s overall state of wellness. In other words, because we are energy, when we learn to associate a particular energy center to a potential ailment, we can avoid illness. For example, the heart chakra is related to love, forgiveness, and compassion. If we are harboring ill-will toward someone, we may be more susceptible to issues with our lungs, thymus gland, and, yes, our heart. All these parts of our anatomy are affected by energetic blockages in the heart chakra. Simply put, to “read” the chakras can be as simple as understanding the potential effects blocked energy has on certain areas of the body. Anyone can learn to read their energy-body through understanding the chakra system, and it doesn’t have to be difficult!

It is believed that our bodies have thousands of chakras, but when we focus on healing the seven primary chakras, the others will vibrate to the higher and healthier frequency of the seven major ones. The first six chakras align with and run the length of the spine, starting at the base, or coccyx, and ending at the medulla, or lower back of the skull in the area of the occipital ridge. This back region is considered the negative pole of the sixth chakra; the positive pole is located at the point between the eyebrows, also known as the third eye. The seventh, and final, major chakra is located at the top of the head and is called the crown chakra.

The chakras are powerful, but they are especially sensitive to the energy around us. Have you ever walked into a room and felt tension so thick it could be cut with a knife? This tension is bad energy and, in fact, it should be cut. There are things you can do to cut bad energy and protect yourself against it, which I'll discuss in a later article. But when we don't understand the effects of sustained exposure to such bad energy or what to do about it, it slowly eats away at our very core, manifesting itself over time into poor health or a deep sense of unhappiness.

Embracing all aspects of me as energy—the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional—and marrying the right energy with the right action, has given me the gift of healing my own life. Using energy medicine, I now have skills to approach each day with confidence, will, and determination. I am equipped with more power than I ever knew existed within me. Not only am I better able to help myself, but my work as a practitioner allows me to share this gift with others.

I've briefly discussed what Energy Medicine is, but it is equally important to understand what it isn't. Energy Medicine is not usually a stand-alone treatment—it is actually best used as a "complement" to an already existing treatment plan you may have with your primary health care provider. Energy Medicine falls into the category of "Complementary and Alternative Medicine", or CAM, and the word "complementary" is important to understand.

The below excerpt from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NCCAM, offers an informative description of CAM.

Defining CAM is difficult, because the field is very broad and constantly changing. NCCAM defines CAM as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine (also called Western or allopathic medicine) is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) and D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. The boundaries between CAM and conventional medicine are not absolute, and specific CAM practices may, over time, become widely accepted.

"Complementary medicine" refers to use of CAM together with conventional medicine, such as using acupuncture in addition to usual care to help lessen pain. Most use of CAM by Americans is complementary. "Alternative medicine" refers to use of CAM in place of conventional medicine. "Integrative medicine" (also called integrated medicine) refers to a practice that combines both conventional and CAM treatments for which there is evidence of safety and effectiveness.

According to NCCAM's web site, a 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which included a comprehensive survey of CAM use by Americans, showed that approximately 38 percent of adults use CAM. Perhaps that's why "Dr. Oz" and Oprah both say, "Energy Medicine is the way of the future." I agree!

Look for more detailed information about Energy Medicine in future articles; such as, what a typical energy session is like, how to prepare, and what to expect. Also find out how to protect your personal energy field by learning about some common culprits that disrupt it and how to avoid them!

I hope this has provided a little more understanding about energy medicine and I encourage you to do more reading on the subject. There are many books that offer in depth descriptions of the energy centers. You can find a few listed as recommended reading on my web site under "resources" page.

Until next month! Many blessings of joy!