Viewing proven therapies like Osteopathic Manipulations, Reiki, and Healing Touch as Energy Medicine gives you a valuable tool for customizing diagnostic and treatment plans.
This is a very exciting time to be a practitioner of Whole Body Healing. Advances in technology continue to provide opportunities for a better understanding of the science behind the tools we use as holistic practitioners.
A paradigm shift is occurring in the way we view well-being and disease. Alternative medical approaches such as acupuncture (Clemmons R, 2012) and homeopathy (Bell IR, 2012) are at the forefront of a growing body of evidence that proves these approaches to be valid therapies with a scientific foundation. To go even further is to embrace the concept of energy as medicine – examples of this are Osteopathic Manipulations, Reiki, and Healing Touch for Animals. Viewing these proven theories as Energy Medicine gives the practitioner a valuable tool in customizing a diagnostic and treatment plan for each individual patient.
My objective with this article is to provide scientific evidence to support the use of Energy Medicine in clinical practice and a method of how to apply it today.
Different energies affect the body
Studies show that energies such as sound (Clumeck C, 2014) and light (Bonmati-Carrion M, 2014) have an impact on biological functions. Energy has the power to heal or cause disease – an excess or defi ciency of “parts” creates discord in the harmonic fi eld in the physical realm of the body. Cold lasers work beneficially to promote healing, while too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancer. Long term imbalances in the body’s energetic systems lead to adaptive patterns that create disease (Kubzansky L, 2011) and behavioral problems (Mahdavi S, 2014). The ability to “interpret” these imbalances and “resonate” with the innate healing mechanism in order to restore homeostasis is the foundation of Energy Medicine.
Conventional vs. alternative models
The currently accepted Western medical model is based on concepts of Newtonian physics, meaning the body functions in a mechanical style – i.e. it’s a biological computer. The approach of cause (virus, bacteria, trauma) and effect (illness) theoretically explains disease states and dictates treatment recommendations. Evidence of the fallacy of this model is seen every day in practice when a patient does not respond to a standard treatment protocol, or diagnostic tests are inconclusive.
Recent discoveries of the primo-vascular system as possible physical proof of acupuncture meridians open up more opportunities to understand the movement of energy and the effects of energetic restrictions (Park DY, 2014). A simple scar becomes a source of backup into the local tissue environment, creating an imbalance in the flow of information through that area – over the course of time, this area loses communication with the rest of the body, cells revert to a primitive metabolism, and the potential for cancer increases.
The medical model of Alternative Medicine is one that considers the whole individual. This comes closer to the physics theory of Mass-Energy Equivalence put forth by Albert Einstein. His well-known equation of E=mc2, which is widely accepted to be true, states that energy is equal to matter. This theoretical perspective, applied biologically, means that the physical body is also comprised of non-physical energy fields. These energy fields are magnetic and electric, interwoven into a complex system that allows us to function without much conscious awareness of our biological processes.
These energy fields are measured by devices like EKGs, MRIs, and magnetoencephalograms. This energetic system exists in the complex cellular matrix, intra and extracellular, that provides the body with a physical shape. The constant influx of information, whether it is physical such as a drug, or vibrational such as a homeopathic medicine, has the potential to affect the whole “symphony” of the body, for better or worse. An understanding of what is “restricting” the return to flow creates a starting point from which to help unravel the impact of the processes that have contributed to the disease state. The clues are held in the physical story of each individual’s life, their medical history, and their unique energy field, which sets the tone for the response of that “body”.
Testing tools
There are many tools available for the open-minded to “test” if our sense about something is correct – for example, muscle testing, pendulums, biofeedback machines, etc. I found the principles of Applied Kinesiology (Walther DS, 200) worked best for me – I went through a few different models and settled on the use of interlocking fingers to determine “yes” versus “no”.
Each practitioner is best served in finding their own way to the system that helps them feel energy – there are a growing number of classes for veterinarians and laypeople alike, including Reiki, Osteopathy, TTouch, HTA, etc. Once you are able to develop a sense of how your own body reacts, i.e. intuition or gut feelings, then you can move towards using this sense to help guide a patient’s course of action re diagnostics, therapy, nutrition – whatever “resonates” with you as a practitioner.
Mind-body-spirit connection
The mind-body-spirit connection can be explained through a medical model. The brain is the “mind” and allows us consciousness, the “body” is our physical structure and physiology, and the “spirit” is the non-physical energy that interfaces with the body through the Autonomic Nervous System. There exists a three-dimensional perspective to the living being – emotion (senses), structure, and physiology – which is overlooked by the current medical model. For example, chronically stressed people have upset stomachs and/or back pain. It is the interplay of these systems that dictate what is going on with the body at any given moment.
Area of greatest restriction
Using this understanding as a starting point, a practitioner can narrow down an area of focus for diagnostics and treatment. While it is important to have a diagnosis, a treatment plan based on energetics and medical science is most effective if it starts by removing the impediment to healing that is part of the physical symptom. This Area of Greatest Restriction (AGR) is the point at which the body can safely “unravel” these imbalances; a treatment protocol evolves as the “frequency” of healing for each patient is revealed. Treating more deeply in the body before it is ready is one possible reason for a lack of/diminished response to treatment. It’s also a possible explanation for why a first treatment gives astounding results, but subsequent ones do not – if it is no longer the right frequency for supporting that patient, it will not be as effective.
This may explain as well the unexpected outcomes that can occur when too much toxicity is released into an already overloaded system. Remember that homeostasis is a dynamic flow system; if your intuition is “right”, it will be reflected in the improved health and vitality of your patients. An open mindset allows each practitioner to design a customized treatment plan versus treating with a standard protocol.
Vibrational therapies will vary
Treatments will vary at each visit as more layers are revealed – going deeper into the cellular matrix to uncover other causative factors may require a variety of tools. It is beneficial to have an understanding of the various modalities that exist, especially vibrational therapies such as homeopathy, Bach Flower remedies, etc. For example, many of my patients ask for blueberries – in researching why, I discovered they are high in the mineral silicone, which is a key component of insulin.
As you focus more on Energy Medicine, you will find that some patients will head towards wellness, others need palliative care, and still others require conventional diagnostics and medication. Using the skills of both sides of the medical realm enables practitioners to practice to their fullest potential. Using this system, and staying open to the intuitive thoughts that come up, can lead you to a place of greater knowledge and sense of purpose. Utilize both the tools you know as well as other resources for information to support your sense of what each patient needs. As you set your energetic field to “hear” where the imbalance is and what the most effective tool to release it will be, you will notice that your patients get better with less effort.
The success of any tool we use as integrated practitioners, be it acupuncture needles or a cold laser, is related to the frequencies at which they resonate, the timing of their application in the unraveling of restrictive patterns, and their ability to correct disease-causing imbalances in cellular signaling mechanisms. The end result is to lead the body towards the best state of homeostasis it can achieve. Many disease states can be reversed by simply restoring balance to the optimal frequencies so that the correct information can flow.
Energy Medicine, coupled with the tools and benefits of Western medical thinking, has been extremely rewarding in my experience. At last, the use of intuition or gut feeling can be said to be based in science. The concept of Energy Medicine is supported by the theories of Albert Einstein and the evidence provided by Quantum Physics principles.
Case study
“Luke” Segerberg was an 11-year-old N/M Lab who presented with a one one-month history of ADR and weight loss, violent sneezing, wheezing and coughing. Exam findings revealed a very anxious dog with a severe arrhythmia – I was concerned about him going into cardiac arrest, yet he was bouncing around the room with no apparent distress.
Lab findings were within normal limits other than low thyroid (T4 – 0.3, fT4 – <2), and eosinophilia 2744. Radiographs revealed microcardia with no pulmonary edema or interstitial changes. EKG results – sinus rhythm with frequent salvos of VPCs. UA – USG >1.040, sediment – NSF, pH 8.0.
Due to the severity of his arrhythmia, Luke was started on Sotalol, a competitive beta-adrenergic blocker that lowers the heart rate and blocks the effects of adrenaline (Wikipedia). The priority was to normalize his homeostatic mechanism in order for the therapies to benefit this healing ability.
As Luke’s case progressed, and based on what tested at each visit using the AGR system, he was treated with a varying combination of herbs, homeopathic medicines, osteopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic and massage. He was placed on a home-cooked diet of 50% meats, 30% veggies, and grain-free kibble. He continued to come for follow-ups at ever-increasing intervals, with treatment modifications as needed. Over the course of the next four months, he continued to improve and was successfully weaned off the Sotalol.
At his one-year check-up, Luke’s arrhythmia was resolved, he was on no medications, and he continued to go for two to three-mile walks in the woods. He continued to do well for another two-and-a-half years, passing of old age at 15 years.
Using the principles of Energy Medicine and good conventional support, and by clearing Luke’s bioenergetic field, his vitality and longevity confirmed for me the effectiveness of Energy Medicine.
References
Maria Angeles Bonmati-Carrion, Raquel Arguelles-Prieto, Maria Jose Martinez-Madrid, Russel Reiter, Ruediger Hardeland, Maria Angeles Rol, Juan Antonio Madrid. “Protecting the Melatonin Rhythm through Circadian Healthy Light Exposure”. Int J Mol Sci. 2014 December; 15(12): 23448–23500. Published online 2014 December 17.
Seyed Mohammad Mahdavi, Hedayat Sahraei, Parichehreh Yaghmaei, Hassan Tavakoli Biomol Ther. “Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure on Stress-Related Behaviors and Stress Hormones in Male Wistar Rats”. (Seoul) 2014 November; 22(6): 570–576. Published online 2014 November 30.
Walther DS. Applied Kinesiology. 2. Pueblo: Systems DC, USA; 2000.
Park DY, Lee HR, Rho MS, Lee SS. “Effective isolation of primo vessels in lymph using sound- and ultrasonic-wave stimulation.” J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2014 Dec;7(6):298-305.
Bell IR, Koithan M. “A model for homeopathic remedy eff ects: low dose nanoparticles, allostatic cross-adaptation, and time-dependent sensitization in a complex adaptive system”. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012 Oct 22.
Clemmons, R. IVAS Course Notes, 2012.
Clumeck C, Suarez Garcia S, Bourguignon M, Wens V, Op de Beeck M, Marty B, Deconinck N, Soncarrieu MV, Goldman S, Jousmäki V, Van Bogaert P, De Tiège X. “Preserved coupling between the reader’s voice and the listener’s cortical activity in autism spectrum disorders”. PLoS One. 2014 Mar 24.
Laura D. Kubzansky, Gail K. Adler. “Neurosci Biobehav Rev”. Author manuscript available in PMC 2011 May 23. Published in final edited form as “Neurosci Biobehav Rev”. 2010 January; 34(1): 80–86. Published online 2009 July 22.
