| Does energy healing really work? If you ask some | | | | productively influence emotional, mental, physical and |
| health researchers, you may discover that energy | | | | spiritual wellbeing, healthcare services now include |
| healing has clearly earned a prominent place in the | | | | holistic modalities based in part on the |
| natural healing community. | | | | Watson’s transpersonal-caring-healing model. |
| According to a report by Compton Hospice [1], | | | | As a non-invasive complementary therapy, energy |
| the last decade has seen an increase in the | | | | healing is known for its innate ability to connect the |
| integration and usage of CTs (Complementary | | | | mind, body and spirit in order to restore balance to |
| Therapies) to conventional medical treatment, | | | | the body’s self-healing mechanisms. Other |
| due, in part to documented results of decreased pain | | | | forms of energy healing include a variety of natural |
| perception, stress reduction, increased relaxation and | | | | healing techniques including acupressure, polarity |
| an enhanced sense of overall wellbeing. These | | | | therapy, magnet therapy, light therapy, meditation, |
| benefits have been demonstrated in those patients | | | | prayer and visualization. |
| who are in palliative or hospice care. | | | | In a free energy balancing program (healing touch) |
| Energy healing techniques, such as Reiki, have been | | | | offered through Healing Partners at Stanford’s |
| integrated into cancer patient care. Reiki (pronounced | | | | School of Medicine, and in a news release on |
| Ray-Key) is an energy healing system of | | | | Women’s Health at Stanford [4], patients |
| enlightenment and a hands-on healing art developed in | | | | reported feeling an immediate energy flow |
| the early 1900’s by Mikao Usui in Japan. [2] | | | | throughout their bodies. While there is no clinical |
| However, some findings trace this natural healing art | | | | evidence to support these findings, 69% of |
| back thousands of years ago. Based on Qi energy, or | | | | patients participating in the (healing touch) program |
| universal life energy, this energy healing | | | | experienced reduced depression and anxiety; 71% |
| therapy is facilitated to channel spiritual energy | | | | experienced increased energy, and 81% experienced |
| through the practitioner’s hands to heal the | | | | an increased quality of life. So, does energy |
| patient’s spirit; which then is purported to | | | | healing really work? That depends entirely on the |
| initiate self-healing of the physical body. | | | | patient’s receptivity to the therapy, which in |
| In an interesting turn of events, energy healing has | | | | many instances, has proven beneficial. |
| begun making its appearance in the Department of | | | | © 2007 All Rights Reserved - Energy Healing: Does |
| Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Hampton, | | | | it really work?by CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd |
| VA. [3] In order to enhance health care services, | | | | References: |
| energy medicine, such as healing touch has become | | | | 1. The increasing use of reiki as a complementary |
| part of the nursing care system to produce positive | | | | therapy in specialist palliative care. Int J Palliat Nurs., |
| outcomes for persons suffering from spinal cord | | | | 2005 May;11(5):248-53 ( |
| injuries and other major health conditions. Because | | | | 2. |
| findings demonstrate that healing touch can | | | | |