Energy Healing: How Chakras, Acupuncture, and Crystals Effect Energy [2020]
Rei means “God’s Wisdom or the Higher Power.” Ki means “life force energy.” When those two phrases are put together, it results in Reiki, which means, “spiritually guided life force energy.”
The stronger a person’s life force energy is, the better they will feel throughout the day, both physically and emotionally. However, when their life force is low, they are more likely to get sick or feel sad.
Unfortunately, a person’s energy isn’t going to be the same throughout their lifetime. It will fluctuate on a constant basis. After all, energy likes to move and can get stuck.
Emotional trauma is one of the biggest sources of energy blockages. This is because any issues that impact the mind can create pain in the physical body. However, energy medicine can promote healing and help energy move through the body smoothly.
Reiki, which is the Japenese practice of energy healing, is a type of energy medicine. It is a holistic practice that reduces stress and promotes healing. It brings the chakras into alignment in order to create balance and harmony in the energy body.
How Energy Healing Relates to Chakras
Chakras are the energy centers of the body. There are seven chakras located in the navel, upper abdomen, heart, throat, head, and in between the eyes. Although each chakra is located in a different spot, they do not function separately. They are all part of a single, whole energy system. Chakra healing is incredibly important because when one chakra is out of alignment, the whole body will suffer.
Although the chakras work together, they are each impacted by different types of trauma. Fear can impact the root chakra. Guilt can impact the sacral chakra. Shame can impact the solar plexus. Grief can impact the heart chakra. Dishonesty can impact the throat chakra. Illusion can impact the third eye chakra. And attachment can impact the crown chakra. When one of these chakras is blocked, energy healing is the best way to unblock the chakra, realign the body, and cleanse the mind.
Types of Energy Healing
A Reiki practitioner does energy work for a living. Their healing touch can restore balance to the body. However, it is not the practitioner who is directly impacting energy. “The practitioner does not cause the healing, nor are they the source of the energy. The practitioner is a channel for the energy.” (1)
Not every Reiki session will look the same. The healing process can involve different tools and techniques, depending on a person’s personal preference. Some people prefer crystals and smudging while others prefer acupuncture and massages. To break down the options, here are a few ways to get rid of negative energy and create a smoother energy flow:
Acupuncture is the most popular type of energy healing. Small needles are placed into the body in order to stimulate the flow of energy. Meridians, the path through which the life-energy known as qi flows, helped traditional Chinese medicine practitioners develop acupuncture. Although acupuncture is considered pseudoscience, since it is not based on any scientific knowledge, it is safe when performed by a professionally trained practitioner using clean, single-use needles.
Reflexology, which is also known as zone therapy, stimulates certain pressure points. These pressure points are located in the hands, ears, and feet. A professional reflexologist will use thumb, finger, and hand massage techniques without any oil or lotion. This is meant to free up blocked energy and cause energetic healing.
Massage therapy is also a form of energy healing. A masseuse will ask their client to spread out across a massage table, a massage chair, or a mat on the floor. Then they will perform different techniques with their hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, or even feet. This is meant to reduce tension in the muscles, which helps the body and mind relax. This type of therapeutic touch is a soothing way to restore energy and increase vibrations.
Smudging, or “saging”, involves the burning of herbs. It is a sacred, ancient practice that can clear negativity from a human energy field. It will invite positive energy into the space instead, thereby promoting a person’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being. In order to perform a smudging ritual, the only necessary tools are sage, a candle to light the sage, a fan to spread the sage, and a vessel to put out the sage once the ritual is complete.
Crystal healing is another form of spiritual healing. High-vibe crystals, such as Selenite, Quartz, Calcite, Danburite, and Labradorite, have healing energy. A healer may place crystals across a person’s body and leave them there for a certain period of time (typically twenty minutes or so) in order to heal the body. However, some people also wear crystals on a necklace or keep them in a pocket in order to have them nearby at all times to increase their energy field.
Benefits of Energy Healing
Energy therapy has countless benefits. An energy healing session can decrease stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. It can also help someone feel more balanced and in touch with their emotions. According to a study by The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, people who have gotten a Reiki treatment have shown “statistically significant improvements in many physical and psychological symptoms common to a wide range of diseases such as mood problems, anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain, and nausea.” (2)
It’s important to attend an energy healing session regularly. In order to find an energy healer or practitioner, ask a local yoga studio for a referral. However, it is also possible to learn energy healing techniques to use at home.
Over 800 American hospitals offer Reiki training for free (3). It only takes about ten hours to learn everything there is to know about Reiki energy and become a Reiki master. Most people will complete the course in only two weekends. Then they are free to practice energy healing on their own, without a healer to assist them.
However, keep in mind the fact that energy healing is based on pseudo-scientific beliefs. This alternative medicine is not a replacement for conventional medicine. If someone is experiencing a health issue, they should visit a doctor to make sure they are getting the proper treatment. Energy medicine can be taken in addition to taking conventional medication, but it should not be used as a substitute.
Sources:
(1) Effect of Reiki Therapy on Pain and Anxiety in Adults
(2) A Large-Scale Effectiveness Trial of Reiki for Physical and Psychological Health