What is energy therapy?

An essay by the webmistress

The Western View
The Chinese View
The Indian View
My First Hands-on-Healing Session

Western medicine has no vocabulary to describe the energy systems in the human body, which is why we so often hear them discussed in exotic and unfamiliar terms. The Western world tends to view Eastern medicine with skepticism, as though a tradition of healing so old must be the direct descendant of superstition and witch doctoring. However, the science behind energy medicine is being rapidly uncovered by the study of quantum physics, and the Western world has no idea how to integrate this new knowledge with our understanding of the human body. In this arena, Western medicine is in its infancy and would do well to learn from its elders.

Eastern medicine is based on a paradigm that says that energy precedes matter, which is being proven by modern scientific breakthroughs, and that an individual is an energy system from which the physical body, with both its abilities and symptoms, emanates.

The Chinese view the body as a complex system, a balancing of Yin and Yang, which represent an array of opposites - acid and base, hot and cold, fast and slow. Energy flows through the body along paths known as meridians. The energy itself is known as qi or chi. Illness begins when the flow of chi along the meridians is blocked. Practices such as Tai Chi and Qigong balance the body and keep chi flowing smoothly. Qigong can be used to heal oneself, but can also be used to heal another person. When the blockages become severe, physical manifestation (symptoms) increases, and therapies such as accupuncture may be necessary. Healthy living, including nutrition, exercise, and spiritual practice, are a mainstay.

The Indian view is remarkably similar, but energy is known as prana, which is also the word for breath. Prana flows through the body through a series of chakras, which might be viewed as gateways. Although there are numerous minor chakras, Indian medicine mostly focuses on seven major chakras situated along the spinal column from the pelvis to the crown of the head. When these chakras, each of which has a specific function in the evolution of the being, from lessons of childhood through to self-actualisation, close off, prana cannot circulate and the body and spirit function abnormally. Yoga is the traditional exercise for maintenance of the chakras and prana flow, and when the blockages become more severe, bringing more obvious physical symptoms, Ayurvedic medicine is employed to bring the body back into balance using traditional herbs, medicinal foods, and, when necessary, surgery. Like the Chinese system of Yin and Yang, Ayurvedic doctors also view the human system in terms of correct balance of Vata (air), Pitta (fire), and Kapha (water). It is good for the Western mind to remember that these are metaphors and are not intended to be taken literally.

I have known Nicky a very short while, and my session with her was only the second time we met in person. However, she is the kind of person you like straight away. She is soft-spoken, with deep eyes and a ready smile. I can't even imagine her saying a negative word. She is filled with the joy of having watched so many others blossoming with potential, both in her healing work and with Psychology of Vision.

Although I have enjoyed massage therapy for many years, this was my first experience with energy therapy.

Before Nicky begins the body work, she first focuses the client's mind on the specific area to be addressed. It can be specific or general , you choose. Because Nicky is a teacher of Psychology of Vision, it is natural for her to use one of its tools for focus. She has you pick two cards, one the gift you are afraid of or avoiding, the other the problem, often a behaviour or symptom which you are using to obscure the gift. Because I only have my own two cards to go by, this description may be woefully incomplete! The use of the cards is affirmed in one of two ways: first, the Principle of Synchronicity, which says that everything happens as it is supposed to happen, and you will always choose the appropriate card. If you are skeptical of synchronicity, the second affirmation may appeal to you: although each card is different, each is archetypal, in that each card represents a universal human condition with which we can all relate, some more than others. In any card you are likely to pick you will see some aspect of the area you would like to change, and this alone will focus your thoughts on the issue. In my case, the connection with the gift card was obvious, whereas the connection with the victim card was less so, until I read the complete description in the accompanying book, when it became quite clear. To get a taste of the cards, try a 3-card reading at here.

After reviewing the cards, at which point you may reveal to Nicky as much or as little as you like (so if you are a very private person, don't be put off the process), she will have you lay, fully clothed, on a canvas hammock atop a traditional massage couch. Because I tend to get very cold at rest, I accepted a blanket on top. All you have to do now is relax and think about the issue you want to address, and the cards that you drew. After a few minutes, Nicky will begin the hands-on part, laying her hands gently on your feet, your hip, your shoulder, wherever she feels necessary, but all very non-intrusive. During the therapy, she says that different people experience colours, emotions, memories. I saw purple and black swirls, which I did not see before she began. I also felt a mild tingling in the area she was working on, which was not uncomfortable, only worth noting. In my case, the work was quite subtle - whether it is working on outer layers of my issue, or working deeper I do not know. I don't feel any different yet, but I trust that progress has been made and I am definitely looking forward to my next session!

For a no-obligation initial consultation call Nicky Pilgrim on 07971 520 391 or email: nicola.pilgrim@btopenworld.com

About Nicky