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Energy Psychology
Spiritual
practices and ideas often equate life-energy with the breath
The term energy
has been widely used by writers and practitioners of various esoteric forms of spirituality and alternative
medicine[1][2] to refer to a variety of
phenomena, sometimes supposed to be directly perceptible to some observers, who
have usually undergone some form of training or initiation.[citation
needed] This 'energy' is sometimes conceived of as a
universal life force running within and between all things, and in other cases
it is seen as a more localized phenomenon, such as in vitalism, subtle bodies, or somatic energies such as qi, prana, or kundalini.[3] Spiritual energy is often closely
associated with the metaphor of life as breath - the words 'qi',
'prana', and 'spirit', for instance, are all related
in their respective languages to the verb 'to breathe'. It is also often seen
as a continuum that unites body and mind.
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“ |
Energy is
the only life and is from the Body and Reason is the bound or outward
circumference of Energy. Energy is Eternal Delight. |
” |
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– William Blake (1793), The
Marriage of Heaven and Hell |
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The experience of
spiritual energy is described differently depending on the tradition or
practice in question. Sometimes it is described as a physical sensation similar
to the movement of breathe in the body, sometimes as visible "auras", "rays", or "fields",
sometimes as audible or tactile "vibrations".[4] As a rule, these experience are held to be available to anyone, but only
after proper training or sensitization through practices which vary widely
across different belief systems. Spiritual energy is also usually associated
with feelings of bliss of contentment, as in the pleasurable sensations of kundalini, the
ecstatic states of certain forms of meditation, and the 'oceanic feeling'
discussed by western scholars such as Freud and Rolland. There is no scientific
evidence of physical energies of this type.[5]
Esoteric energies
have been postulated in a broad range of cultural and religious beliefs,
usually as as a type of Élan vital, an essence the
differentiates living from non-living objects. In its most ancient forms
this kind of energy is usually associated with breath, such as qi in Taoist philosophy, prana in Hindu belief, the 'breathe
of life' given from God to Adam in the Abrahamic
creation story, and to this extent it was closely associated with conceptions
of animating spirits or the human soul. This is most evident in spiritual
traditions that hold beliefs about reincarnation or an afterlife. Some
spiritual practices, such as Qi Gong or traditional yoga
are designed to open or increase this innate energy, and the philosophy behind
certain martial implies that these energies can be developed and focused.
In modern usage,
esoteric energy has been taken up by a number of New Age spiritual practices and alternative
medicine modalities. These usages often lack the more spiritual or
mystical elements of traditional beliefs. Instead, they focus on the perception
and manipulation of subtle experiences in the body, usually in the belief that
conscious attention to the body's state will draw vital energy to through the
body, producing physical, psychological, and in some cases spiritual benefits.
The approaches
known collectively as "energy therapies" vary widely in philosophy,
approach, and origin. The ways in which this energy is used, modified, or
manipulated to effect healing also vary. For example, acupressure involves manual stimulation of
pressure-points while some forms of yoga rely on breathing exercises. Many
therapies are predicated, as regards the given explanation for their supposed
efficacy, on some form of energy unknown to current science: in this case the
given energy is sometimes referred to as putative energy.
However
"subtle energy" is often equated with empirically understood forces,
for example, some equate the aura with electromagnetism. Such energies are termed
"veritable" as opposed to "putative". Some alternative
therapies, such as electromagnetic
therapy, use veritable energy, though they may still make claims
that are not supported by evidence. Many claims have been made by associating
"spirit" with forms of energy poorly understood at the time. In the
1800s, electricity and magnetism were in the "borderlands" of science
and electrical quackery
was rife. In the 2000s, quantum mechanics
and grand
unification theory provide similar opportunities.
Insofar as the
proposed properties of "subtle energy" are not those of physical energy there can be no physical scientific evidence
for the existence of such "energy". Therapies that purport to use,
modify, or manipulate unknown energies are therefore among the most
controversial of all complementary and alternative medicines.
Theories of
spiritual energy not validated by the scientific method are usually termed non-empirical beliefs by the scientific
community. Claims related to energy therapies are most often anecdotal,
rather than being based on repeatable empirical evidence.
Some
acupuncturists say that acupuncture's mode
of action is by virtue of manipulating the natural flow of energy through
hypothesized meridians,
scientists argue that any palliative effects are obtained physiologically by
blocking or stimulating nerve cells and causing changes in the perception of
pain in the brain. However, this theory fails to
account for the specificity of the locus of successful intervention. The gap
between the empirically proven efficacy of some therapies and the lack of
empirical physical evidence for the belief-systems that surround them is at
present a battleground between skeptics and believers.
DOWSING
"Dowsing is the
detection and transformation of energy with simple tools and the power of heart
and thought. It is used in many ways, for many purposes, including balance
physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energies."
~ Susan Collins
Dowsing amplifies energy. I've
integrated dowsing into my healing work and I use it intuitively and
appropriately where indicated. It can be used on its own or with any other
healing modality.
"The dowsing tool (healing pendulum ) gives a physical response to what we already know
intuitively - but don't know we know. We are in contact with Universal Mind,
Higher Consciousness." ~ Raymon Grace
TOUCH
THERAPY
Touch therapy is very important to
anyone’s healing. It helps us reconnect to our heart energy and our own deeper
truth by releasing stress and rebalancing our energy. Touch therapy complements
any other form of health care practice or therapy anyone is undergoing.
MASSAGE
THERAPY
Massage Therapy is the manipulation of the soft
tissues of the body for therapeutic effects. A range of techniques are used to
reduce stress, tension, discomforts of injuries, and chronic conditions. www.tlcmassage.ca
BEAM
THERAPY
BEAM Therapy™ (Bioenergetic
Emotional Access Method) developed by a Toronto physician Dr. Joan Beattie, MD
is a simple, yet powerful, safe, gentle efficient method of releasing past
unprocessed emotions along with associated toxins.
BEAM is a higher self-directed
internal process based on the systematic use of a simple charka-based procedure
and emotional/toxin vibrational frequencies. BEAM has
been successful in treating mood disorders, depression, fibromyalgia, multiple
food sensitivities, physical and sexual abuse, children's issues, addictions,
headaches and migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, behavior/social/learning
disorders, asthma, post traumatic stress syndrome, traumas, manic depression
and much more.
Trauma is stored in our energy field
and the cell memory can be changed with BEAM. The amount of sessions required
depends on the severity of the problem and age. BEAM does not require that a
person talk, many teenagers love it and it can also be easily used in young
children and infants.
BEAM releases all the layers over
time; it is literally like pealing an onion. The promise is transformation,
wholeness, a new life, a fully integrated human standing in one's own personal
power.
REIKI
Reiki is a Japanese healing method
channeling universal life force energy through the "laying on of
hands". Reiki treats the whole person. The benefits are pain relief, deep
relaxation, balance, harmony and well-being.
After a reiki
session, a client shared this, "I felt broken and then put back
together."
Reiki (霊気 or レイキ?, English: /ˈreɪkiː/) is a spiritual practice[1] developed in 1922 by Japanese
Buddhist Mikao Usui, and uses a
technique commonly called palm healing as a form of complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM).[2]
Through the use of this technique, sometimes refereed to as "tenohira" (meaning "the palm" in
Japanese), practitioners believe that they are transferring "healing
energy" in the form of qi
(or ki in Japanese) through the palms.[3][4]
Within both
Traditional and Westernised forms of Reiki, there are
three forms of degrees, commonly
refereed to as the First, Second, and Master/Teacher degree. At First Degree, a
Reiki practitioner is able to heal themselves, at Second Degree, a Reiki
practitioner is able to heal others, and at Master/Teacher level, a Reiki
practitioner is able to teach and attune others to Reiki.
There is no
scientific evidence for either the existence of ki or
any mechanism for its manipulation, and a systematic review of randomised
clinical trials conducted in 2008 did not
support the efficacy of Reiki or its recommendation for use in the treatment of
any condition.[5][6] The Catholic Church has also sought to stop the
practise of Reiki within Catholic health care
facilities and retreat centres as it is "unscientific"
and therefore "inappropriate for Catholic institutions".[7]
The Japanese word Reiki ("霊気" in Shinjitai Japanese),
meaning "mysterious atmosphere / spiritual power" is a loanword from the Chinese word língqì ("靈氣" in Traditional Chinese,
"灵气" in Simplified Chinese),
which some Chinese-English dictionaries translate as "spiritual influence (of mountains etc) /
cleverness / ingeniousness";[8]
This Japanese compound
joins the words rei (霊),
meaning "ghost, spirit, soul / supernatural, miraculous, divine; ethereal
body", with ki (気),
meaning "gas, air / breath / energy / force / atmosphere / mood /
intention / emotion, attention", here meaning qi, which means "spiritual energy
/ vital energy / life force / energy of
life".[9] Some Reiki translation
equivalents from Japanese-English dictionaries are: "feeling of
mystery",[10]
"an atmosphere (feeling) of mystery",[11]
and "an ethereal atmosphere (that prevails in the sacred precincts of a
shrine); (feel, sense) a spiritual (divine) presence."[12]
Used in English, Reiki is syntactically used
as a noun, referring to either "the
putative energy" or "the therapeutic method based upon it,"
though is commonly used as a verb and an adjective. Through transliterations, a word cannot be
translated with precision pertaining to the original language, and some Western
authors loosely translate Reiki as meaning "universal life
energy".[13] This coinage partially
mistranslates, as ki means "life
energy", though rei does not mean
"universal".
Reiki was
discovered by Mikao Usui (臼井甕男) in 1922 whilst performing a
twenty-one day retreat on Mount Kurama,
involving meditation, fasting, and prayer.[14] Usui
said that by mystical revelation, he had gained the knowledge and spiritual
power to apply and attune others to what he called Reiki, and in April 1922, Usui moved to Tokyo and founded the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai ("臼井靈氣療法學會", meaning Usui's Reiki Healing Society).[15]
Usui was
an admirer of the literary works of the Emperor Meiji (明治天皇), and in the process of
developing his Reiki system, summarised some of the
emperor's works into a set of ethical principles, which later became known as
the Five Reiki Precepts (五戒, or Gokai, meaning "The Five
Commandments").
An aura is
a ray of light that illuminates from a persons body. It is an electromagnetic
energy that many people can see. There are different colours
of auras that have different meanings. Some can see them in colour
and some can just see a brite light. An aura can give
you a glimpse of a persons personality and some
insight into someones mind and soul.
It is very
easy to see your aura. All you have to do is dim the lights, maybe light a few
candles and play some soft music and place you hand on a black surface.
Concentrate and focus. Look around your hand. You should be able to see a ray
of light of some kind forming around your hand. In time, you may be able to see
colours. Once you are able to see your own aura,
start to look at other peoples auras. It may take some
time before you'll be able to see them without having to "zone-out" a
bit, but don't worry, it will happen For more
information on auras and their meanings read: WHAT COLOUR IS YOUR AURA? By Barbara Bowers, Ph.D. It is an excellent book that delves
deep into the emotional, physical and spiritual aspects of the human aura.
BLUE:
Blues possess the characteristics of a nuturing and
caring person. They are the colour most concerned
with helping other people. In doing acts of kindness, they feel fufilled, valued and a feeling of worth. Giving plays an
important role in their lives. Blue is a female energy and reflects the aspect
of feminine energy-the ability to get in touch with one's feelings. One will
rarely find a man with a Blue aura. Blues often spend too little time and
attention on their own spiritual and emotional growth and they can find it difficult
to say no and mean it. Blues greatest gift is their highly developed intuition.
They are extremely sensitive to the emotional vibrations of others. Blues are
very emotional, altruistic, sensitive, conciderate,
reliable, trustworthy and imaginative. They love giving gifts, are deeply
touched by sunsets and cry when they're angry. Blues are team leaders,
supportive, good listeners, earger to help others, spiritual, assertive ans
are proned to headaches when under stress.
Compatibility
With Other Colours Blues are
introspective and intuitive, whereas Reds and
RED:
Physical and sexual expression is the hallmark of a Red. The key to success for
Reds is to act on what they know about physical reality and the tangible
environment. Reds are literal in their interpretation of what goes on around
them. They are not abstract thinkers and they pursue life head first. They
identify with the world by interacting with the physical environment. Their
reality is tangible: if they can see, hear, taste, touch and smell it, then it
is real. The most powerful aspect of Reds is their ability to be in the world
and the ability to manage the aspects and realities of everyday living with
self-confidence and assurance. They are down-to-earth, unaffraid
of hard work, patient, they love action and hate being
still. They never hold a grudge and they never worry about money.
Compatibility
With Other Colours Any realitionships with
YELLOW:
Yellows are restless, addicted to smoking or caffine,
etc. They need an active sex life and a lot exercise and are very susceptible
to knee, elbow, back and shoulder injuries. They are the most childlike
personalities in the aura spectrum. Yellows are bright and creative, happy,
lovable, eager to please, affectionate, full of fun, loyal and trustworthy.
They are also open, naive, childlike and spontaneous. Yellows need family,
home, security and a sense of belonging.
GREEN:
Greens are intellectually intense, productive, creative, organizers, planners,
bright, strategists and self-conscience. Abstract thinkers and analyicle, Green's minds are agitated and leap to outcomes.
They dislike hard, physical labour, but they are
intelligent, quick-witted, rational and logical. Greens are naturally
ingenious, constant rearranging mental information and they look at like as
it's a puzzel to be solved. They become compulsive,
controlling and ridgid when they feel threatened, out
of control, emotionally threatened or fear. Greens often threaten to commit
suicide in order to get a hold of things. They are interested in ideas and by
nature, are not nurturers. They hate emotional demands and are seldom outgoing.
They are also perfect examples of a workaholic and a perfectionist.
ORANGE:
Uplifting and absorbing. Inspiring. A
sign of power. Abilitiy and/or desire to control people. When orange becomes a strong
point, it usually contributes to a yellow halo, which then becomes gold.
VIOLET:
Violets give guilt. They are dependent on people to do them things. The are single-minded, possessive, frugal, extremely
intelligent, very critical and the always ask "why?" Violets are
theorists, their emotions run deep. They see with passion. They may seem cold
and arrogant, but this is a defence to their
vulnerability. They act strong, confident and self-sufficient, when in fact,
they are not. They doubt themselves and many people ridicule them. They are
very sensitve and intuitive and enjoy foreplay.
Violets are capable, confident, energetic, demanding, selfish and great
leaders.
BLACK:
This is a very negative colour to find in some ones's aura. It can represent malice, hatred, pessimistic
thinking, or ill health. It is the absence of positive energies in the mental,
physical, and/or emotional bodies.
WHITE:
Brilliant white, with a blue crystalline tinge, (like fresh-fallen snow). The colour of life essence, and therefore
a sign of high spiritual attunement. As you move into an enlightened
space, the colours that signal the event are
sky-blue, gold, and crystal-white, usually in that order.
SILVER:
The triggering intuitive and creative channeling, including artistic endeavours such as music and writing.
If you have a
child, ask them what they see when they look at people. You may be surprised to
learn that they naturally see the auras that surround us.
It is only our constant abuse of that natural sight that is given to us,
through focusing on everything from blackboards in school to computers and
televisions, that the natural aural site is lost.
This loss can be worsened by the teaching that auras are not important or not
real, which is common and sad, leading children to dismiss this ability and
further damage the idea of the aura in the society of today.
1) Learning to See Aura
Once you have decided that you want to see auras, it
is important to learn about how we see auras and what their effects on us might
be.
To learn to see auras, you must first learn to retrain your eyes, which have
been damaged in a way by the constant bombardment that we expose them to every
day in the form of our computers, our televisions, and the video games that we
play.
To retrain your eyes, you will need to learn how to use a new kind of vision.
You will need to learn to use your peripheral vision to be able to see auras
correctly. If you never learned how to do this effectively, then the following
exercise will help.
2) Activating your Peripheral Vision
The exercise typically refers to a pair of circles. Fold a piece of white paper
in half. About the same distance from the center, draw a red circle on once
side and a blue circle on the other. You will get more of an effect by coloring
the circles in to make them solid. Now draw a black dot on the crease in
between the two circles.
Tape your drawing to the wall, and sit back about five feet from the image. You
want to be able to see the entire paper clearly. Now stare at the black dot. It
is tempting to look around, but you need to focus your eyes on this dot and not
look around or look away.
Doing this without blinking is best, but if that is not possible, do not worry.
After 30-45 seconds, possibly before, you should begin to see a colored aura
around the circles.
3) Why this Works To Help You See Aura
The auras that you see are actually the images being
imprinted into your eyes and your mind. You should notice that the colors
reverse, since the inverse of red is cyan, a shade of blue.
When your eyes are moving, they constantly process things in a slightly
incomplete manner, similar to watching a television show, where frames of
action seem to flow fluidly. By holding our eyes still, we can increase their
processing power and their sensitivity, which helps us to learn how to see
auras.
Do not go out and stare at people quite yet, though, there are other steps to
master.
4) The Next Step In Aura Viewing Techniques
This time you need a few more tools. Cut a couple of thin strips (about a half
an inch) of paper out. Tape these to a new sheet of paper, one horizontally,
one vertically, then color two circles next to each other, over the strips of
paper.
The goal is to create two circles, one with a vertical stripe missing, and one
with a horizontal stripe missing. This can be done more easily with a computer.
The circles should be side by side, and should be different colors.
Your goal with this exercise is to focus your eyes so that the circles appear
to split into four circles. Overlap the center circles and focus until you are
able to see a white cross. This takes practice and can be hard to do at first.
You are training your left brain and right brain to communicate with one
another. A few minutes of practice every day can prove highly beneficial in
being able to see auras.
5) How to Apply It
Find a willing subject and sit them in front of a plain white background to
start out. You should stare at a singular point; the middle of the forehead is
best. After a while, you will begin to see the aura against the background, but
resist the temptation to look away, or you will lose it.
After a good 30-60 seconds of concentrating, close your eyes to see the aura
alone. Be quick! After about two seconds, your eyes will readjust and you will
lose it.
You can also practice seeing your own aura with a plain white background and a
mirror, allowing you to develop your auric sight and
to become more proficient at seeing auras without the need to stare
We need to start by discussing the fundamental premise of EFT
and Energy Psychology:
"The cause of all negative emotions and beliefs is a
disturbance in our body's energy system."
The energy system referred to above is the same energy system
that is used in acupuncture. Acupuncture talks about there being 14 energy
pathways in our bodies called energy meridians. All of
our negative emotions, like anxiety, hurt, anger, shame and so on, are due to a
disturbance in one or more of these energy meridians.
These energy disturbances are linked to memories of painful
events. It is not the memory itself that is painful. Rather, when we think of
the memory, the associated energy disturbance gets activated, which then causes
the negative, painful emotions.
EFT works by intentionally activating an energy disturbance
by thinking about a painful memory or just feeling your feelings. While the energy
disturbance is activated, you tap with your fingertips on a standard set of 10
easily learned acupuncture points in order to clear out the energy disturbance
in the affected meridians. As the disturbance gets cleared through the tapping,
you will experience your negative emotions actually drain away. When the energy
disturbance has been completely cleared, your negative emotions will be gone.
You can then think about the memory with no painful emotional reaction!
Problems in your life that resulted from the original experience will clear up
as well.
It is essential that the energy disturbance remains activated
the whole time you are tapping in order to completely clear it. Therefore, you
have to keep your attention focused on the memory and negative feelings while
tapping until they are gone. Getting distracted or thinking about two things at
once can interfere with EFT working.
Now that we have a basic understanding of how EFT works, we
can learn how to do the actual tapping procedure.
This diagram shows you the 10 points that we will use to
clear all energy disturbances with EFT. The ten points address all 14 meridians
due to the fact that some of the points are located at the intersection of two
meridians. Since we are tapping on all meridians when we do EFT, we don't have
to worry about which meridians have the disturbance in them. We are tapping on
all of the meridians anyway.
See the tapping points diagram. The
names of the points starting at the top of the head and going down the body
are:
• top of head • beginning of eyebrow
• side of eye • under eye • under nose • chin • collar bone • under arm •
inside wrist • karate chop
1.
Top
of head:
Use all your fingers to "pat" the top of your head so that you don't
have to worry about the exact location of the point.
2.
All
the facial points:
Use two fingers on each point for the same reason.
3.
Collar
bone point:
The collar bone points are located just below the "knobs" at the end
of each collar bone. Use a flat fist just below your neck, where a man would
knot his tie, to get one or both of the collar bone points.
4.
Under
arm point:
This point in located on the side of your body a few inches below your armpit.
On a man it is level with the nipple. On a woman it is located in the middle of
her bra band. Use all four fingers running up and down on the side of your body
to tap on this point.
5.
Inside
Wrist point:
Notice the crease between your wrist and your hand on the inside of your wrist.
The wrist point is located three finger widths below the crease. Use your whole
hand to pat this point.
6.
Karate
chop point:
The last point on the pinky side of your hand is called the "karate
chop" point because it is the place on your hand you would hit if you did
a karate chop. You can tap this point any way that you like.
Note: For the points that are located on both sides of your
body, it does not matter which side you use. It's also okay to switch sides
while tapping or use both sides simultaneously. It will work any way that you
do it. EFT is very forgiving that way.
The tapping on each point should be rapid little "thunks." I say little thunks
because you should tap hard enough to feel some percussion during each tap but
not hard enough that you will begin to feel tender after a lot of tapping. You
only need to tap each point around 4 to 6 times, though more is not a problem.
You won't need to count taps because you will be saying a phrase at each point
(see below). Just tap rapidly while saying the phrase, and that will be enough
taps.
1.
Select
the problem that you would like to address with EFT
Most of our current emotional problems are due to painful experiences we had
growing up. Therefore, the most effective way to really heal current problems
in your life is to apply EFT to the painful memories that are the source of
those problems. In addition, it is also possible to apply EFT to relieve
in-the-moment difficult emotions (e.g., anxiety, anger, sadness),
food and substance cravings, physical pain in the body and many other problems.
2.
The
EFT "Reminder Phrase"
Come up with a short phrase used to refer to the memory or problem, the more
specific the better. We call this the "reminder" phrase because we
will use it during the tapping process to stay focused on the memory or current
problem. The way to create a reminder phrase for a memory is to give the memory
a title, like the title of a movie. (For more information on creating effective
reminder phrases, see the last sections, Picking
Good Reminder Tapping Phrases and Using EFT to Heal Painful Memories,
at the bottom of this page.)
Examples:
a. My best friend moved away and I was alone (title of memory).
b. I'm afraid of flying.
c. I have a buring pain in my left shoulder.
d. I'm craving ice cream.
e. I'm furious at Jan for going behind my back.
3.
Rate
the Pain or Intensity Level
Assess on a 0 to 10 scale how painful the memory is or
how intense the emotion or pain is, where 0 is no intensity at all and 10 is
the maximum intensity you can imagine. It is not important that this number be
totally accurate. It will only be used to generally track our progress, so
don't worry about being exact.
4.
Perform
the Set-up Affirmation
You do the set-up affirmation by saying a
self-acceptance affirmation three times while tapping on the karate chop point.
The self-acceptance affirmation has the following form:
"Even though ______________, I deeply and profoundly accept myself."
The blank is filled in with the reminder phrase that you came up with in step
2.
For example: "Even though I'm craving ice cream, I deeply and profoundly
accept myself."
5.
The
EFT Tapping Sequence
Perform two passes through all ten points:
Say the reminder phrase while quickly tapping on each point. You will say the
reminder phrase once per point. This is just the reminder phrase without the
"even though" and "I deeply and profoundly accept myself."
It is important to stay focused on the memory or feelings while tapping on all
of the points. When you have done all ten points, you have completed one pass
through the points. Repeat this for a second pass.
The combination of the Set-up Affirmation and two passes through all of the
points is considered the EFT Basic Recipe.
6.
Reassess
the Pain/Intensity Level
Reassess the pain level of the memory on a scale of 0 to 10. If the tapping is
working, your pain level should come down around 1 - 3 points per basic recipe.
It may come down even more.
7.
Perform
Another EFT Basic Recipe Until Done
Repeat steps 4 through 6 to apply another EFT basic recipe to the memory or
painful emotions. However, if your pain level came down at all, then we change
the wording of the set-up affirmation and reminder phrase a little bit to
acknowledge the progress that has been made.
The set-up affirmation becomes:
"Even though I still have
some _____________, I deeply
and completely accept myself."
The reminder phrase becomes:
"Remaining _______________"
You keep applying the EFT Basic Recipe to your painful memory
or emotions until the pain level, including all of the associated emotions,
goes down to zero. At this point, that memory will be completely healed or your in the moment emotions relieved.
Reiki
and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
Many of us who have received Reiki, from a friend
or a professional practitioner, have experienced the myriad benefits Reiki can
facilitate: increased physical wellbeing, greater mental clarity or a
comforting feeling of warmth and relaxation to name but a few among the most
common experiences. When you train in Reiki, you have this fascinating energy,
both subtle and powerful, available to you at all times. Subtly or otherwise,
changes start occurring in your life. This is not uncommon. Why would you
therefore want to experience or learn another technique – particularly another
energy technique?
Reiki and
EFT share some interesting similarities, which I would like to highlight here.
There is no issue, big or small, that either Reiki or EFT separately cannot
address, and no reason to believe that either system cannot achieve amazing
results, as much feedback testifies. Here I wish to offer the reader my way of
working with both systems, often in integrated or complementary ways. I had an
interesting conversation with a client of mine yesterday, who
has enjoyed Reiki over a period of time and knows its value. At this point in
time, he feels he would like something a little more “physical” and wants to
try EFT. For those who have not heard of EFT, in a nutshell, it is a meridian
energy technique which requires the practitioner or the client to tap in
sequence over a number of acupressure/acupuncture points whilst thinking or
talking about a problem which manifests as emotional and/or physical symptoms
in their lives. (EFT) is a form of alternative psychotherapy, that purports to manipulate
the body's energy field by
tapping on acupuncture points while a
specific traumatic memory is focused on, in order to alleviate a psychological
problem. Critics have described the theory behind EFT as pseudoscientific and have
suggested that any utility stems from its more traditional cognitive
components, such as the placebo effect, distraction from negative
thoughts, rather than from manipulation of meridians,
and the therapeutic benefit of having someone actually listen. The theory of EFT is that negative emotions can
cause disturbances in the body's energy field.
EFT theory derives from similar principles behind those of acupuncture
ISLAM AND SPIRITUAL
HEALING
As Islamic Medicine continues to
perform this transformation with the ideas it comes in contact with, Muslims
are able to benefit more and more from almost any alternative therapy. What
earlier Muslims did was to learn various therapies and sciences from numerous
cultures, take from the information what was true to Islam, and refine the
rest. In doing so, they were able to create a healing system that encompassed
healing practices from
Reiki is one of these emerging
healing arts in Islam. The definition of Reiki, according to various guides on
natural healing, is simply, "universal life energy" and is based on
the belief, that by channeling spiritual energy through the practitioner, the
spirit is healed and the spirit, in turn, heals the physical body.
One translation of "universal
life energy" in Islam would be, "Qudra".
A translation of what happens when
the energy flows from the practitioner to the client would be, "Baraka".
Other definitions of Reiki mention
that Reiki is a therapy based on Eastern concepts of energy flow and the seven
energy centers in the human body and that the purpose of treatment is to heal
emotional, spiritual, and physical, pain through the transmission of universal
life energy, called "Qi" in Japanese (or
"Qudra" in Arabic).
Reiki was "discovered" in
William Rand, in his essay on
"The History of Reiki" states,
"I spoke with a Japanese Reiki
master who is also a Buddhist and has done a lot of his own historical research
into Reiki in
Margaret Gamez,
in her essay, "Higher Energy Systems and Metaphysical Healing",
states,
"As time
goes on, more and more"Reikis" arrive. If we understand Reiki to mean
Universal Life Energy, or Universal Life Force, another name for the Sanskrit prana, or the Polynesian mana,
known by many words in many languages, then all these new systems must be using
the same energy, simply repackaged and presented in some different way."
She believes that the first modern
differentiation of Reiki began when Phyllis Lei Furumoto
and Barabra Ray Weber split ways on the leadership of
the Reiki alliance. When Ray Weber was declined the position of leader in the
organization she started her own organization. Shortly after that Furumoto attempted to trademark the name ‘Reiki" and
since then whenever a person starts teaching a new method of Reiki, they often
seek to trademark their special variety of energy healing which all using
various symbols and incantations as well as various hand positions along
similar energy points.
Sheik Hisham
AlKabbani, in his essay, "Islam and Spiritual
Healing," states that this points are called
"lata’if" and says,
"The lata‘if
(sing. lateefa) are the
points of maximum energy intake and are very important focal points of balance
within the energy system. Disease and illness occur if a lateefa
is unbalanced."
He identifies the 7 lata’if (or points) as, "above and below the heart,
above and below the left breast, above and below the right breast, and one on
the forehead."
He further states that,
"Through meditation these seven
focal points of the lata’if generate energy. Then,
like a magnet, these activated focal points attract more energy from the
universal cosmic energy source in the shape of tiny floating spheres of light.
...Depending on the illness, the healer activates the appropriate lateefa needed to cure that sickness. ...the healer is
energized to the point where he radiates heat from his body through his hands
and projects light from his forehead. As a scientist shoots a laser, the
spiritual healer emits the light and energy that he receives from the universal
force. The healer massages the affected areas and this combination of heat from
the hand and light from the forehead immediately begins the healing
process."
Although Islam has yet to develop
its own official trademark of Reiki, there are various beginnings towards this
such as a method of Reiki called, "Meditasi
Reiki Sufi" which uses the name of Allah and verses from the Qur’an in
it’s Reiki methods.. Dr. Kabbani
also provides a good description of the elements that appear similar to Reiki
in his essay. No one, however, has yet been credited with the discovery of
"Islamic Reiki".This is probably because,
that as with all healing therapies the person credited with "discovering
it" has simply "rediscovered" something that has been used and
known to many various people throughout history.
However, once a person writes down
the method and is able to communicate it through charts and teaching methods to
the general public it becomes an official "method" and this person is
credited with the discovery. In some ways, this is legitimate, for this person
has put forth their own version of a technique and in documenting their methods
they have solidified their technique and made it unique. In other ways, however,
crediting someone with a discovery of a healing technique is misleading because
then people believe that until this technique was "discovered"
previous generations of healers knew nothing about it. As I study more and more
alternative therapies I find that most can trace their roots much father back
than their "discovery date". This is also true in the case of Reiki.
Although not all methods of energy
healing before "Reiki" were the same, they were essentially of the
same essence. Most religions quote instances of energy healing taking place by
their saints, spiritual leaders and healers. Even the Prophet Muhammad used
energy healing. Bukhari relates,
"Al-Bara' said, "... But
when I put my foot down, I fell and broke my leg, for it was a moonless night.
I tied it with a turban and rejoined my companions, and when I came to the
Prophet I told him all that had happened. He told me to stretch out my leg and
when I had done so, and he had passed his hand over it, it seems as if I have
never had anything wrong with it."
As time goes on more and more people
are realizing the universality of Reiki to be true. They are discovering that
Reiki is simply a name given to a method of channeling "Baraka" to
the "Qudra" of a person through the "Lata’if