By Janet Goldenbogen-Self, RN,
Holistic Health Educator
Published in the Blue Star Gazette
April/May 2007 Issue
If you are considering experiencing energy medicine, yet are skeptical, have experienced its benefits or are an energy-medicine-practitioner, this information is for you.
Would you like the opportunity to move towards wholeness and wellness? I’d also like to offer you this opportunity to view “how to get well” differently than, perhaps, you have in the past. My assumption here is that many in this culture have never considered energy medicine, energy balancing or shamanic healing practices as “first line therapies” for healing the daily wounds of body, mind and spirit. Many have and do consider these modalities without a full understanding of what is occurring. In this essay I will explore the underlying premise of vibrational medicine, also known as subtle-energy therapies or energy medicine. It is important to understand this premise to know why energy medicine is a credible choice for health care. My goal is to help you understand why energy medicine and shamanic practices are credible, viable healthcare options.
Vibrational or energy medicine’s core philosophy realizes that everything in the universe including humans have a multidimensional vibrating energy frequency. Chi, Ki, Prana, vital energy field are all terms that refer to this vibrating energy frequency. When this energy frequency is rhythmic and harmonious , we are well. When it is discordant, the rhythm and feeling of wellness disappears. Now let’s back up a bit to understand better the roots of this theory. Before we begin, remember that this “new found” information is actually ancient and is now being “refound”.
Think of yourself as more than your 3 dimensional physical form. Can you? Where do your thoughts take you? Perhaps these were questions that scientists such as Einstein, Bohm, Farady asked themselves as they embarked upon scientific studies to prove that more than 3 dimensions exist, to explore field theory, to understand how and why the ancients knew that acupuncture needles, hands-on-healing or shamanic practices were healing modalities.
Richard Gerber, M.D. (2001) writes, “The current practice of medicine is based upon the Newtonian model of reality…a viewpoint which sees the world as an intricate mechanism. Doctors conceptualize the body as a type of grand machine which is controlled by the brain and peripheral nervous system: the ultimate biological computer. But are human beings really glorified machines? (p. 39).
Isaac Newton saw only 3 dimensions. To him time and space were one and the same. The western medical model is built upon this Newtonian theory. In 1905 Albert Einstein published his Special Theory of Relativity and shattered all the principal concepts of the Newtonian world view. Space is not 3 dimensional and time is not a separate entity. Both are intimately connected and form a four-dimensional continuum.
Quantum theory of the 20th century describes how electrons surround the nucleus of the atom and other subatomic actions. Electrons don’t orbit like planets, they form blurred clouds of probabilities. In the quantum universe, everything is energy. Essentially the only difference between physical matter and etheric matter is the electromagnetic frequency at which it vibrates or resonates. For example, a solid chair has a very slow vibrating electromagnetic frequency. A multidimensional human aura vibrates on a variety of frequencies, depending upon which dimension we are referring to and upon the level of wellness of the individual.
So Einstein determined that space and time are not separate. Quantum theory determined that everything is energy and that the only difference between physical and etheric matter is the electromagnetic frequency at which it vibrates. Now we can better understand the underlying premise of vibrational medicine where Gerber states, “Vibrational healing methods work by rebalancing disturbances of structure and energy flow within the context of our multilevel interactive energetic fields” (p. 495).
The goal of energy medicine is “a return to order”of the electromagnetic frequencies of the subtle body energies. Energy medicines challenge the defense and repair systems to respond by introducing a signal that cancels a discordant or pathological frequency that is disturbing the body. This is where energy medicine and shamanic healing modalities enter the scene.
The signal can be, for example, sound, acupuncture needles, the centered, with intention emanations from a bodyworkers own tissues, shamanic practices, flower essences, whole foods, homeopathics, herbs, whole foods, self meditation, chi kung, tai chi, gems, colors.
Dorothy Krieger, co founder of Therapeutic Touch states that, “The concept of a fundamental Order lies at the heart of the TT process, for healing is essentially concerned with correcting a state of imbalance through the intentional reorganizing of dynamic functions, feelings, ideas and motivation. Ordering principles appear to be at the core of the nature of the world itself.
- Samuel Clarke, a contemporary writer referred to the concept of order as “the eternal fitness of things”
- The ancients referred to this concept of order as ”The Great Chain of Being”.
- It is this wonder at the evidence of Nature’s inner workings that has stirred writers, scientists, religious leaders in trying to conceive of the strategies used by the universe to maintain the integral interrelatedness of all things” (pp. 26-27).
A simple example to help you understand this return to order concept is to look at how the cut you received on your finger while cutting vegetables last week is already close to being healed.
Now, I’d like to give examples of when to seek an energy medicine or shamanic modalities. Are you experiencing any of the following: irritablity, forgetfulness, losing or breaking items, chronic illness, depression, physical, emotional or mental maladies, are full of anxiety/pain as your proceed in the dying process. If so your vibrational energy field is discordant. An energy medicine or shamanic “signal” may be all that is needed to return your energy rhythms to a harmonious dance.
Beware of any energy medicine practitioner who wants you to discontinue your medical treatments or medicines. Often we need both, at least for awhile, until the new energy signal can take hold.
I will end with two examples of how I’ve seen a return to order occur. 1.) I was in a car accident and experienced uncomfortable personality and mood changes along with physical pain. My dear friends sent an energy medicine body worker practitioner to my home. One session brought me back to a functional harmony and rhythm. 2.) I offer Therapeutic Touch to hospice clients. Recently an individual who was working really hard to die, to transition, received a centered, intentional TT signal to help her pass. Within 20 minutes, that person did die peacefully and gracefully.
My hope is that this information will, in some way, offer you the information you need to reach for and/or to better understand the Energy Medicine continuum.
References
Gerber, Richard. (2001). Vibrational Medicine: The #1 HANDBOOK OF SUBTLE-ENERGY THERAPIES. Rochester, Vermont: Bear & Company.
Krieger, D. (2002). THERAPEUTIC TOUCH: As Transpersonal Healing. New York; Lantern Books.
