What is Energy Medicine?

Healing Touch
Healing Touch is a system of gentle, hands-on or near-touch healing techniques. It is a therapy that can complement other treatments or as a stand-alone therapy. Healing Touch can be used to assist people for stress reduction and relaxation, pain relief, acceleration of wound healing, decreasing side effects of chemotherapy, offering a sense of well-being and a connection to ones' spiritual self.

Touch as a healing therapy has been used throughout human history. From infancy through the life-span to old age, humans are nurtured and helped through touch. Healing Touch is based on the concept that the body is a form of energy. When energy is blocked in the body disease or dis-ease (physical, emotional or spiritual) can occur. Another primary concept is that healing is always self-healing. The Healing Touch practitioner helps by intentionally assisting in re-aligning the body's energy flow. Healing Touch re-activates the body/mind/spirit connection to eliminate blockages to self-healing.

The Springs offers courses in Healing Touch on a routine schedule and the classes are open to anyone who would like to learn how to use the hands to help or heal.

Reiki
Reiki is a natural healing method that uses the hands of a practitioner to channel energy to another person. We have three main energy fields that flow through different areas of the body in different directions to support muscle tone, as well as, provide warmth, movement, and vitality to all organs and systems. Energy follows our thoughts; so therefore, we can develop blocks to the flow of energy through tension, accumulated rage, avoidance of fears, and physical or mental trauma, which leads to imbalance of the energy and eventually disease. Hands on healing techniques such as Reiki (pronounced Ray-Key) help bring the body into balance so it can heal itself. Reiki, which means "Universal Life Force," has been practiced for thousands of years. Dr. Mikao Usui of Japan introduced it in the 1800's.

Recent quantum physics theorize that emotions condense as energy particles. If they are not expressed, they become lodged in spaces between atoms and molecules and this is the point at which the person feels pain or discomfort. Once a particle, it is more difficult to release, so ideally, expressing emotions in their purest energy form is most beneficial to avoid disease.

Reiki assists the body to heal in a natural way and release energy that is stuck or emotions that go unexpressed. Following a session, organs and systems begin operating in a stronger, more normal way. Results that can be seen include:

• Stress Reduction and improved sleeping patterns
• Increased energy level
• Reduction in the discomfort and symptoms of chronic illness (I.e., diabetes, heart disease, cancer, digestive disorders, allergies, etc.)
• Reduction in the use of medication
• Improved immune function
• Acceleration in healing following an injury or surgical procedure
• Relieves discomfort in the body that does cannot be identified by medical testing

Reiki has proven to benefit in so many ways because it seeks to balance all organ systems leading to maximum health mentally, physically and spiritually. It complements traditional medicine in that it results in shorter recovery times from stressful events, illness, or surgical procedures. Increasingly, many institutions including hospitals, and outpatient clinical areas have sought training for their staff, including staff at Clifton Springs Hospital. In addition, some hospice, visiting nurse associations, and nursing homes often provide access to Reiki Practitioners.

The positions used on the body are flexible so the presence of medical equipment does not interfere in the session. In addition, Reiki can be performed over any type of cast or surgical dressing. The Practitioner will first assess the client's medical and emotional history and discuss current issues. The client will then lie fully clothed on a table or sit in a chair. For comfort, a blanket may be applied. The Practitioner will scan the energy field around the body for interruptions in flow, indicating areas needing attention. Hand positions over the body include the torso, head, back and legs. Once the Practitioners hands are placed at these positions, the energy is felt usually as heat and sometimes as a slight vibration or tingling. Relaxation follows and healing begins.