Energy

What is it?

Pranic healing is a non-touch, energy healing practice that cleanses the person’s aura (energy body), thereby allowing prana (energy life) to flow freely. It corrects and clears pranic or energy blockages or imbalances, helping the body restore its innate ability to heal itself.

This practice was developed by Master Choa Kok Sui, who became interested in spiritual topics and energy healing at an early age. He tested traditional spiritual and energy healing techniques from all different cultures in his own clinics over the course of several years in the Philippines. Master Choa synthesized the most efficient and effective techniques into what we now call Pranic Healing. He did so by thorough and rigorous experiments and observations.

Core philosophy

Main tenets

To understand how pranic healing works, one first has to realize that the human body is composed of two parts: the physical body, which is visible, and the bioplasmic or energy body, which is invisible. This energy body interpenetrates the physical body and surrounds it by a few inches.

One also has to learn about the two laws on which pranic healing is based. The first is the law of self-recovery, which states that the body has the ability to heal itself at a given rate. This means that the body can heal various ailments on its own. The second law is the law of life energy, which states that for life to exist then the body must have life energy or prana. Therefore, when one is unwell, it is possible to accelerate the healing process by increasing the life energy on the entire body as well as on the parts affected by the ailment.

There are three major sources of life energy or prana, namely the solar, air and ground prana. The solar prana comes from the sun and is obtained by exposure to sunlight. Air prana is absorbed through breathing and also directly by energy centers which are present on the energy body (chakras). Ground prana comes from the ground and goes through the soles of the feet, especially when one walks barefoot. Pranic healing requires the healer to absorb as much prana as they can from the various sources so that they can then use it to heal others.

Sequence

Generally speaking, pranic healing has the following steps:

Scanning: As mentioned previously, the energetic body envelopes the physical body by a few inches. The practitioner scans their client from head to toe and from front to back to determine the level of “thickness” of the energetic body. In this process, the practitioner will notice areas that are hollow, which indicates pranic depletion or areas that protrude, which causes energetic congestion.

Sweeping: When cleansing is done on the whole bioplasmic body, it is called general sweeping. When only on one part of the body, it is a localized sweeping. General sweeping involves a series of downward sweeping movements only, starting from the head, working down to the feet. Localized sweeping is done exclusively in the problematic area, and the movement resembles dusting off an object. When sweeping, the practitioner uses a “cupped hand technique”.

Energizing: In this step, the practitioner simultaneously receives pranic energy and directs it towards the client. Through this process, it is important that the practitioner continuously recharges themselves with pranic energy to avoid depletion of energy. In this step, the intention the practitioner sets is critical as it influences the energy directed to the client. Energizing goes on until the treated part is sufficiently energized.

Stabilizing: This is about ensuring that the projected energy remains in the affected area. Without this step, the energy may leak out, which makes the healing less effective. To stabilize, practitioners visualize the energy coming out of their palms as being a very light blue or sky blue with the intention of sealing the projected energy.

In addition to these structured steps, some pranic healers incorporate the crystals in their sessions. The use of crystals can have a therapeutic effect on the different chakras, aiding the healing process.

Reiki and pranic healing

The concept of pranic healing gets confused with reiki often times, but there are some key differences, including:

• Pranic healing involves an energetic diagnosis, which is the scanning side. Reiki, on the other hand, does not require this step.
• Pranic healing is highly systematic. It involves a series of steps, in sequence, with very specific techniques. Reiki is more free-flow and is not nearly as structured.
• Pranic healing does not involve contact. In reiki, contact sometimes may happen.
• Pranic healing is more targeted. In particular, pranic healing addressed the unique set of energy patterns identified in the body’s major chakras. Reiki has essentially one energy technique, facilitates the flow of reiki energy into whatever area needs healing.
• Pranic healing and energetic hygiene. Unlike reiki, pranic healing promotes the concept of energy hygiene, from using meditation to cleaning your space.
• Pranic healing is more accessible. It teaches its practitioners to draw the energy directly from the sun, air, ground and other spiritual sources. Reiki practitioners need to go through an “initiation process” by a reiki master to access the healing energies.

Lastly, pranic healing is a select compendium of energy healing techniques. It draws from ancient practices like reiki and modern observations, to bring a novel way of healing our energy bodies.

History

Grand Master Choa Kok Sui, known to tens of thousands of Pranic Healers and Arhatic Yoga practitioners worldwide as Master Choa or MCKS, was the founder of Modern Pranic Healing. He was born in Cebu, Philippines, to a wealthy Chinese family with a very strong business background. Although he got exposed to the business world early in his life, his focus shifted to his spiritual mission.

At a very young age, he had already read and studied many books on healing. He also became a yogi in his early teens. He considered himself a walking encyclopedia on esoteric knowledge and healing. In his young adult life, he met several men that were his first spiritual mentors, until he met his primary spiritual teacher, Mahaguruji Mei Ling.

MCKS became a scientist. His relentless search for spiritual truths beyond the accepted realities, balanced with his degree in chemical engineering and business acumen, led thousands of people worldwide to change their views on “esoteric” teachings. The practice of pranic healing was a seminal work developed by MCKS, who spent years researching, experimenting and validating the specific techniques introduced in the pranic healing books that have now gained worldwide popularity in over 100 countries.

His first book came out in 1984 and is available in 27 languages. Grand Master Choa founded the Institute for Inner Studies and the World Pranic Foundation to help disseminate his teachings. He also developed Arhatic Yoga, a system that synthesizes the spiritual path of love, and will. It incorporates advanced breathing techniques and meditations, character building and inner purifications to accelerate the evolution of the soul. Today, pranic healing as well as the spiritual lessons brought by Grand Master Choa circle the globe and have thousands of followers.

Benefits and uses

Pranic healing has numerous benefits, which include

• Address ailments: our bodies have the ability to fight diseases and to keep good health going. This works best when we are free from energetic stress. Pranic healing can help treat ailments such as fever, pain, migraine, among many others. Likewise, it can be a powerful complement to traditional medicine, giving conventional treatments the “extra boost” to make them more effective.
• Balance soul: regular pranic healing treatments and an adequate “energetic hygiene” can help a person achieve inner peace by cleansing their aura. This helps us reach higher levels of consciousness and more spiritual balance.
• Improve mental health: there is a correlation between the heart energetic center (chakra) and some common mental conditions like stress and depression. This energetic center is responsible for the joy and happiness in our life. Pranic healing can help restore balance in different energetic centers, including the heart chakra, to promote more mental well-being.
• Increase cognitive functioning: pranic healers believe that energy imbalances cloud our judgment and hinders our intellectual potential. When the physical body is in harmony with our energetic body, we can tap into our full intellectual (and emotional) abilities, thus performing our best.
• Prevent diseases: apart from treating diseases, pranic healing can help prevent future illness. Pranic healing helps us remove negative energies before they can impact our health negatively.

Who practices it

Pranic healing is taught with the oversight of the World Pranic Foundation, which has different bodies in different countries and regions. In the US, people interested in becoming pranic healers can visit a more specific Pranic Healing Site, where they can find authorized centers and instructors in their areas.

In general, anyone above 16 years can learn to become a pranic healer, though there are a number of people claiming to be legitimate healers, when in fact, they are not. The best way to find a qualified pranic healer is, through recommendations and through the guidance of your local pranic healing center (which you can find through your regional pranic healing site).

You can also find practitioners online, though we encourage you to ask the right questions. These questions include learning when and where they received their training, etc. You should also ask what a session looks like and what you can expect. You can cross-reference the answers with your existing knowledge about pranic healing and make a decision on whether that interaction felt good and legitimate.

What to expect

Pranic healing can be done in-person or remote. The first thing when you visit a pranic healer is to discuss why you were seeking a session. It can include mental/emotional difficulties or physical ailments like back pain, menstrual cramps, infections, asthma and countless others. The practitioner will likely ask for medical history and medications.

When the session starts, the client sits or lays down comfortably, closes their eyes and relaxes. There could be subtle music in the background. The practitioner will likely ask two things: keeping the palms facing upwards (it opens up the energy field) and connecting the tip of your tongue to your palate (this completes an energy channel that runs up and down your body). The client will just need to relax and breathe consistently and peacefully for about 45 to 60 minutes.

During this time, the practitioner assesses your energetic field and subsequently cleanses it. To cleanse a chakra or part of the body, the practitioner will scoop their hand near that area. They will “drop the congested energy into a nearby bucket with salt water in it. Oftentimes, the practitioner will use crystals, which usually come while the practitioner energizes the patient. This turbocharges healing, so the practitioner will likely be waving crystals too.

At the end of the session, the practitioner will tell you they finished and will ask you how you feel. There will be questions on whether you felt any improvement compared to before the session. However, the benefits may take a little longer to manifest. Many clients report a deep sense of relaxation, lightness and happiness after a session.

Interesting facts

Here are some interesting facts about pranic and energy healing.

• There are different levels of pranic healing, from the basic four-step process to the systematic use of crystal healing in the session.
• Pranic healing includes the concept of pranic psychotherapy, which centers around removing negative thinking patterns. This bridges the gap between mind, body and energy.
• Pranic healing practitioners go through a process of sensitizing their hands, which takes a considerable amount of time. This is to develop the auric sight.
• Colors are important in pranic healing. They are used when visualizing energy and when using crystals in the sessions. The colors correspond to the different colors associated with the chakras. For example, green energy is good for the heart chakra.
• Pranic healers often use pranic psychic self-defense to protect themselves and help maintain an ongoing positive energy field around them.

Closing statement

Pranic healing is an excellent modality to help alleviate pain and promote optimal wellbeing. This practice gives us the tools to produce faster and more immediate results while protecting us from contamination present in our day-to-day environment.

Pranic healing complements any and all healing modalities. From traditional medicine to alternative medicine. This is why we see many allopathic doctors incorporating pranic healing techniques in their treatments. By the same token, many energy healers use pranic healing as a complement to their own practice. And for all of us, in the same way we have become so mindful in what we eat and how it affects our body, practices like pranic healing help us have the same level of awareness for our energy fields.

What is it?

Healing touch is an energy, biofield-based practice, where practitioners use their hands in an intentional way to influence the energy of the patient. In particular, the energy this practice attempts to influence is the one surrounding the body as well as the energy centers that control the flow of energy in the body.

Healing touch is based on the belief that human beings have fields of energy that interact constantly with their environment. The goal is to purposefully use the energetic interaction between the practitioner and the patient to restore harmony to the patient’s energy system. In doing this, the client is in a position to self-heal.

Core philosophy

Healing touch is grounded in the same principles as Asian traditions, such as qigong, and reiki, which are based on the concept of life energies. All these traditions see the necessity of maintaining a balanced flow of these energies for good physical, mental and emotional health.

The theory behind healing touch is that by opening, balancing, and clearing the energy system, one may facilitate healing of the body, mind, and spirit. All energy therapies focus on removing what’s referred to as “energy congestion” that forms in an individual’s energy fields and/or energy centers. Once these disturbances are cleared, the energy channels are free to complete their task of bringing body, mind, and spirit together to promote healing. It’s also thought that by restoring balance to energy field disturbances, one can prevent future illness.

The specifics of how it works are still somewhat of a mystery. It’s hard to definitely describe the exact mechanisms the healing experienced. However, the cumulative results of many studies on energy medicine and consciousness indicate strong agreement that something is happening. And of course, that recipients of healing touch do respond positively to these kinds of energy therapies.

Healing touch and reiki

A common question about healing touch is its apparent similarities with reiki. While both practices are energy-based and involve touch or near-touch techniques, there are some differences between them. The first one is that healing touch sustains that everyone has the ability to influence healing energy by using intention. Reiki, in contrast, asserts that practitioners need to receive an attunement from a reiki master in order to treat others.

An additional difference is in the approach itself. Reiki tends to have a stronger spiritual component while healing touch sessions follow a standard 10 step sequence. In reiki, the approach is less standard and depends on the practitioner’s beliefs and individual approach. Lastly, reiki training is not standard as the reiki master determines the content. As a result, there are no formal certifications for reiki practitioners at the moment. Healing touch, on the other hand, has a standardized curriculum and there are certifications available.

History

Janet Mentgen

Janet Mentgen, RN, BSN  was an energetically sensitive nurse. Her drive was to deepen and expand the connection between nurses and their patients. She saw the positive effect of touch while using various energy techniques and modalities. Janet began using her energy-based healing skills in 1980.

Janet was a practicing nurse for 43 years. Her early work was with the U.S. Navy, then as an emergency room nurse, and then home health care nurse. Her real love of patients and the nurse connection began emerging as she developed her “healing touch” methods. She shared her methods by teaching continuing education classes for nurses at Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood, Colorado. Her research, with the application within her private practice, and her teaching of energy medicine earned her the Holistic Nurse of the Year Award from the American Holistic Nurses Association in 1988.

Expanding the practice

In 1989, Janet formally created Healing Touch as an energy medicine program. It began in 1990 as the Healing Touch certificate program sponsored through the American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) coincided with the providership of continuing education for nurses by the Colorado Nurses Association. In 1993, Healing Touch was certified by AHNA. That same year, Janet formed the Colorado Center for Healing Touch dedicated to bringing this practice to millions of people around the world.

In 1996, Janet founded Healing Touch International, Inc. as a non-profit educational and membership organization. Its purpose is to administer the healing touch certification process for Practitioners and Instructors. In 2008 the certification process was moved to the Healing Touch Certification Board.

Within these few short years, Janet Mentgen revolutionized the medical model to include a clinical approach to energy-based therapy. Her legacy lives on through the Certified Instructors and Certified Practitioners and thousands of students who are bringing a holistic approach to healing. Due to the extraordinary success of the program, the company began using its other legal name, Healing Touch Program™, in June of 2005. This change recognizes the global expansion of Healing Touch in hospitals, communities, hospices, clinics, schools of nursing, and the long-term care centers throughout North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, Asia, and New Zealand.

Benefits and uses

Research studies suggest that healing touch is effective for physical and mental relaxation, pain management, anxiety and stress reduction, and increasing one’s sense of wellbeing.

Healing touch is used clinically (often by nurses in hospitals) to:

• Promote relaxation before and after medical procedures (such as surgery, childbirth, and diagnostic procedures) to aid in quicker recovery
• Reduce acute and chronic pain
• Promote wound healing
• Manage symptoms of chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia or chronic headaches
• Improve sleep
• Reduce fatigue in cancer patients receiving radiation
• Enhance the immune system

Most clients feel peaceful and calm after a session. Many report an increased sense of relaxation in the body and in the mind. Because the treatment does not interfere with any conventional or alternative therapies, it can be used to increase relaxation and relieve anxiety during many illnesses.

Because healing touch is a noninvasive energetic technique, there are few safety concerns. In addition, practitioners assess each patient and tailor the level of energy therapy to meet each patient’s needs. Healing touch is not a substitute for medical treatment and it is not a cure. Healing touch complements conventional medical care and helps the body heal.

Who practices it

There are close to 100,000 who have completed at least one level of training on healing touch around the world. Healing touch is present across geographies around the world with more countries becoming involved every year.

The first step to finding certified healing touch practitioners is asking your healthcare providers if they are certified or know someone who is. If you are in the hospital, ask your nurse if there are certified practitioners on staff who incorporate healing touch in their professional practice and if you could request a session.

Alternatively, you can also find a certified practitioner by looking at Healing Touch Program and Healing Touch International. Another very useful resource is the Worldwide Directory of Healing Touch Practitioners. The primary considerations in choosing a practitioner are your personal comfort with the practitioner and your confidence in their experience.

Becoming certified as a healing touch practitioner requires several steps. The first step involves a continuing education program that consists of several levels of training. These levels move from beginning to advanced. During this training, students learn more than 25 techniques – from basic to complex. After completion of the classes, students begin a minimum one-year mentorship with a certified practitioner.

What to expect

The first session involves a consultation in addition to the healing touch session. The practitioner will ask a series of questions about your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health issues, and will answer questions about healing touch. Then you lay fully clothed on a treatment table while the practitioner gently places their hands slightly above or on the body.  The practitioner begins the session by focusing the energies and by becoming deeply intentional throughout the session.

While the description of a healing touch session sounds very much like a massage, they are very different. Massage manipulates the muscles through pressure. When doing healing touch the practitioner uses gentle touch and/or makes sweeping movements with their hands near the body.

The session generally lasts 40 to 60 minutes, and people frequently report feeling deeply relaxed and peaceful during and after the session. The number of sessions for healing touch is dependent upon the needs of the client.

After each session, the practitioner reassesses based on the client’s needs and plans the care appropriately. This will include the need for further treatments, referrals to other professionals, and instruction in self-care as needed. 

Interesting facts

Healing touch, like other energy-based treatments, seeks to restore the body’s natural ability to self-heal. Here are some interesting facts based on some studies over the years, all cited by The University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing.

• In 1995, Slater studied twenty-three patients with pain from abdominal surgery. One group received two healing touch techniques and the other group simply had a nurse pay attention to them. Slater found that there was more pain relief with the healing touch techniques than from the nurse’s attention alone.
• A 2001 study by Guerrerio, Slater, and Cook examined the effectiveness of Healing Touch in reducing fatigue from radiation therapy in sixty-two women with gynecological and breast cancers. The healing touch group had a greater reduction in fatigue than the control group, as well as more improvement of their depression, anxiety, and anger.
• A 2003 study by Post-White, Kinney, and others measured the effects of healing touch and therapeutic massage on cancer patients. They found that healing touch was effective in reducing pain, anxiety, and fatigue as well as increasing relaxation.
• In 2006, DuBrey studied the effects of healing touch on patients recovering from alcoholism. The heart rate of those patients went down more, they were happier and had a greater reduction in pain.
• Zimmer, Meier, and Rold reported on the effect of healing touch on children’s pain and comfort in the postoperative period. The study provided preliminary support for the use of healing touch therapy to decrease pain and increase comfort for children during the postoperative period.

Closing statement

Healing touch is a noninvasive, energy-based therapy where practitioners channel the energy surrounding the body in an intentional manner to facilitate physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. The techniques of healing touch allow the practitioner to clear, energize, and balance the human field in a heart-centered way, allowing for self-healing to occur.

Like with other energy-based treatments, the acting mechanism of healing touch is not yet fully understood. However, empirical evidence supports that healing touch provides a positive to patients under different circumstances. Likewise, similar to other energy-based therapies, there is growing adoption of healing touch in different settings, which will open up the opportunity for further research and applications.

What is it?

Yoga is probably one of the terms with the most buzz in recent years. In fact, it can be the trendiest wellness term in our century. According to a national survey conducted by Yoga Journal and the Yoga Alliance, the number of people practicing yoga in the US grew more than 50% from 2012 to 2016. But what is it really about? Keep reading to get more educated on this fascinating practice.

In Sanskrit, Yoga means “union”. The Sanskrit root “Yuj” means “to join”, “to yoke” or “to unite”. As per Yogic scriptures, the practice of Yoga leads to the “union” of individual consciousness with that of the universal consciousness.

In a historical sense, yoga refers to the enormous body of spiritual teachings and techniques developed by the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent over the last 5,000 years. While many assume that yoga is a homogeneous practice, it has thousands of schools, each one with a distinctive doctrine.

From the perspective of a beginning practitioner, the term yoga describes the goal of union sought through practice. One practices postures, breathing, and meditation to harmonize body and mind. From the perspective of an adept practitioner, yoga is a way of being accessible in each and every moment. In this light, yoga clears obstacles that prevent us from being who and what we truly are.

Regardless of doctrines, modalities, or levels, all yoga practices have one thing in common: keep life energy (prana) flowing at its optimal level. From this angle, we like categorizing yoga as a powerful energy practice, similarly to Qigong, despite the fact that its benefits span across body, mind, and spirit. Practiced correctly, yoga can purify and amplify your energy, which provides, in many cases, a framework for physical and spiritual health.

Core philosophy

Yoga is about joining our inner nature and our universal nature. The practice of yoga achieves this through two separate awakenings, the awakening of spiritual energy, which involves the purification of the subtle body, and the awakening and expansion of consciousness to the direct perception of truth.

Center to this is the concept of prana. Prana is an energy that exists throughout the human body, but when dormant, it is stored in sizable amounts near the base of the spine. Through yogic practices, especially breathing techniques called “pranayama”, this energy awakens and begins a gradual ascent through the body, towards the crown of the head.

This dynamic ascent of prana is called “kundalini” in Sanskrit. As the energy of kundalini rises through the body, it opens and purifies the energy hubs along the way. These hubs or centers are the “chakras” and we have seven of them. Gradually, the whole body becomes radiant, bringing deep a deep sense of joy and fulfillment.

The journey of yoga is only partially completed by the process of kundalini and the purification of the body. With the development of inner silence through meditation, we learn to experience peace. This is the awakening to our higher Self, sometimes called the “realization of truth” (Dharma). At this point, the boundaries set by the mind fall apart and we see things pure and just as they are.

The eight limbs of yoga

In order to understand the core of yoga, we need to understand the Yoga Sutra, widely regarded as the authoritative text on yoga. The Yoga Sutra is a collection of aphorisms, outlining the eight limbs of yoga. These sutras (or “threads”) of wisdom, authored by the ancient Patanjali, offer guidelines for living a meaningful and purposeful life. These eight limbs of Yoga are necessary to attain “Moksha”, or the release from the karmic cycle of rebirth. These limbs are the following:

• Yama (universal moral codes)
• Niyama (self-purification by discipline)
• Asana (postures)
• Pranayama (rhythmic control of breath)
• Pratyahara (withdrawing of mind from senses)
• Dharana (concentration)
• Dhayana (deep meditation)
• Samadhi (union with the object of meditation)

Yama and Niyama

Asanas are the mental picture for yoga practices nowadays, even though Patanjali saw it as one component of a much bigger system. Under the commandments of Yama and Niyama, he put forth five principles to guide the way of living and five inner observances to lead a peaceful life. These include:

• Ahimsa: non-violence. this requires being free from fear and anger.
• Satya: truthfulness in thought, word and deed.
• Asteya: not stealing.
• Brachmacharya: life of celibacy and self-restraint. In modern times, it is the art of consistency, sustaining energy, and not depleting vitality.
• Aparigraha: which means “not grasping things”. A yogic maxim says “all the things of the world are yours to use, but not to own”.
• Shoucha: purifying your mind and body. It consists of asanas, pranayamas, bhakti (devotion), food and place of practice.
• Santosha: contentment.
• Tapas: achieving a definite goal in life – leading a disciplined life.
• Savdhyaya: education or daily ready.
• Isvara pranidhana: dedication of one’s actions and will to God.

More modern principles

Yoga has evolved over time and it encompasses now newer principles that form the base of its practices. These four basic principles underline the holistic approach of Yoga in modern times.

• 1st principle: The human body is a holistic entity of various interdependent dimensions, inseparable from one another. The health or illness of any one dimension affects the other dimensions.
• 2nd principle: Individuals and their needs are unique and therefore must be approached in a way that acknowledges this individuality and their practice must be tailored accordingly.
• 3rd principle: The student is his or her own healer. Yoga engages the student in the healing process; by playing an active role in their journey toward health.
• 4th principle: The quality and state of an individual’s mind are crucial to healing.

A more practical and modern perspective on Yoga’s current philosophy is as follows:

• Proper relaxation: by releasing the tension in the muscles and putting the whole body at rest, you revitalize your nervous system and achieve inner peace.
• Proper exercise: achieved through asanas, systematically working all parts of your body. The execution of asanas is beneficial to the body, mind, energy, and spirit.
• Proper breathing: breathing fully and rhythmically, making use of all the parts of your lungs to increase your oxygen intake. Proper breathing should be deep, slow, and rhythmical.
• Optimal diet: what you eat extremely affects your mind. Improper diet results in mental inefficiency and blocks spiritual awareness. A proper diet is one that nourishes both the mind and the body.
• Positive thinking and meditation: the way we think highly affects our way of life. Positive thinking and meditation help your your mind under perfect control.

This more modern perspective emphasizes the importance of exercise, breathing, and meditation, three of the main pillars of modern Yoga.

Popular yoga styles

There are different types of yoga, including Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga. They can be seen as different routes towards the same goal. For example Karma Yoga’s encourages act of service as a means to enlightenment, where Hatha Yoga encourages mindful body positioning and breathing. The mainstream yoga available today is predominantly based on Hatha Yoga and some of the most popular variations include:

• Hatha: “Hatha” is the term for any type of yoga that involves proper positioning and breathing. Hatha Yoga is a slower, softer style of yoga that is perfect for entry-level practitioners.
• Vinyasa: “Vinyasa” means “orderly manner of arranging”. The positions of the body and the breaths must follow a form and sequence. Unlike Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga is a dynamic activity where a pose won’t be held long and may even be set to the rhythm of music like a dance.
• Iyengar: This practice pays closer attention to alignments and anatomy. Precision forms will be the path to excellence and postures will be maintained for much longer. Iyengar is an advanced yogic practice, but still accessible to amateurs.
• Ashtanga: It involves the execution of a series of postures that boost the body’s internal heating elements. By the induced perspiration increased heart rate and synchronized breathing exercises, the body is purified of toxins.
• Hot: Aimed at increasing the flexibility in muscles and the metabolism with a series of yoga postures. During the Vinyasa style routine, the heat can help the body loosen up and make muscles seem more limber.
• Kundalini: Aimed at awakening the Prana or Shakti. It achieves this by including mantra chanting, yoga, breathing practices, and meditation. Kundalini Yoga requires guidance. The breathing exercises and meditation might be the toughest aspects of the practice, but tapping into inner reserves of energy is certainly worthwhile.
• Yin: Much like Hatha Yoga, the breathing is slow and deep. Postures are held for up to five minutes at a time. The time in these postures is for meditation and reflection on the switch between Yin and Yang.

History

It is not farfetched to say that the way we understand yoga now would be completely unrecognizable to the original Yogis. Some might attribute this to the oversimplification of ancient topics to make them more palatable to a technologically advanced civilization.

However, yoga has evolved so much over time that flexibility is the very nature of yoga. We’ll take a brief look at the four main periods which have been most influential to the creation and development of modern yoga.

Vedic Period

This era relates to when the Vedas, four ancient scriptures (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda) were created. The Vedas themselves are the holy writings of Brahmanism. It’s this collection of hymns that contain the oldest known teachings about yoga available. Teachings in the Vedas are called Vedic yoga and they are characterized by ceremonies and rituals that encourage a broadening of the mind to surpass its limitations.

During this period, people relied heavily on “rishis” a Vedic term used to describe an enlightened person. These rishis would act as guides, sages who could instruct people on how to correctly follow the teachings outlined in the Vedas.

While asana and pranayama are important aspects of yoga, they rarely amount to more than a small fraction of content in all the Vedas, Upanishads, and Sutras which discuss Yoga in its entirety. Yoga is more about the cultivation of an important connection with the self, world, and universe as a whole.

Pre-Classic Period

Following the Vedic period came the pre-classical period. In this era, we witness the creation of the Upanishads, a collection of 200 Vedic texts. Many believe that both the Vedas and Upanishads form the basis of religious concepts for Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

The pre-classical period culminated in the creation of the 700-verse Bhagavad Gita, credited as the oldest known yoga scripture and the most famous of Hindu texts. Another important way the Upanishads altered the practices of the Vedic Periods was the practice of sacrifice. Animal sacrifice from the Vedic times was common during the Pre-Classical period and manifested as the sacrifice of the self or the ego.

Classical Period

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are the very foundation of classic yoga. In the Sutras, Patanjali offers guidance to help the reader create peace and achieve fulfillment. A small but important note to make at this stage is that there were several authors by the name of Patanjali and work continues to determine who is the actual author of the Yoga Sutras. Regardless of authorship, it’s hard to refute the importance and subsequent popularity of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

Another defining factor of the classical yoga period is the emergence of the eight limbs of yoga. If you are currently studying your yoga teacher qualification or have recently completed one, this will already be very familiar to you. Patanjali instructions touch on a wide range of other topics of yoga practice. The aphorisms Patanjali used to convey these philosophies and teachings from the foundations for subsequent yoga practices and literature.

Post-Classical Yoga

Yoga came to the West in the early 19th century and predictably, many of its Eastern teachings and philosophies steadily became Westernized. It was this period as well that saw many teachers and gurus travel to the West.

Swami Sivananda was an instrumental figure in the rise of modern Yogic Culture and was responsible for the establishment of many Yoga Schools in Europe and the US. Sivananda codified teacher training and developed a yogic system, based on the Five Principles of Yoga. This was much like writing a prescription for good spiritual, physical, and mental health in the environments he personally observed.

Modern Yoga

The practice of yoga today is the product of many millennia of evolution and adaptation to the need of the times. Yoga and its various practices, techniques, and traditions are subject to change as needed. Yet, the underlying movements, goals, and ideas remain much the same as they have since the Stone Age.

In some respects, modern yoga, the form practiced in studios, gyms, and homes all over the world can be seen as just as complex as the lineages that have come before it. Many current styles are based on hatha yoga, which was initially introduced in the yoga sutras.

Benefits and uses

The benefits that yoga can bring to your day-to-day life at both a mental and physical level are many and varied. In case you needed a few reasons as to why you should incorporate this practice into your life, the following summary could finally convince you.

Yoga not only helps you balance your body and mind but also can help you get the state of inner peace you have been seeking for so long. The benefits of yoga at both a mental and physical level are many and very diverse. You will begin to notice them from the very first session and if you embrace the underlying philosophy of it, it can have lasting positive effects on your life.

Reduces stress

Yoga helps minimize issues that are common for many of us, like stress and anxiety, commonly derived from our busy lifestyle. It reduces our level of cortisol, the hormone that our body releases when we are under stress.

Clears your mind

Only 15 minutes of yoga a day is enough to achieve favorable changes in the brain’s biochemical activity. As a result, it enhances your ability to concentrate and learn, while simultaneously benefiting your memory.

Improves flexibility

Practicing yoga is about, among other things, stretching and toning the muscles. This is why it is helpful in obtaining a more upright posture and the resulting benefits. For this reason, it is especially ideal for those who suffer from back problems, and in general, for anyone who for work reasons is sitting many hours a day in front of a computer.

Increases energy levels

At an internal level, yoga activates the mechanisms the release dopamine, “the hormone of happiness.” In fact, dopamine is closely related to pleasant sensations, which is why yoga ends up “hooking” most of the people who try it and have enough patience to learn to enjoy the practice.

Reduces the risk of illness

The immune system is another great beneficiary when practicing any type of yoga. The different poses or asanas that are a part of the practice, along with the breathing exercises that accompany them, put the immune system to work. This contributes to its strengthening, and as a result, one’s chances of getting sick decrease.

Who practices it

Teaching yoga goes far beyond creating sequences and instructing postures. The yoga instructor’s role is to create a safe and nurturing environment and guide students through mindful practices to quiet the mind and connect to ourselves. In addition to understanding the anatomy of movement and intricacies of yoga postures, a yoga teacher must also know and embody yoga’s philosophy.

Therefore, the role of yoga instructors is twofold. On a superficial level, the instructor must understand the human body to guide movements safely. On a deeper level, the instructor inspires students to live a mindful life and creates subtle transformations in thought patterns.

Many people, in fact, become yoga instructors even if teaching yoga is not their career goal. Oftentimes, train to become a yoga instructor to deepen their knowledge or improve their practice. Aspiring instructors explore topics such as the history and philosophy of yoga, yoga anatomy, and detailed alignments. Practices such as pranayama and meditation, two significant yoga pillars that are mostly absent from yoga classes, are often prominent in yoga teacher training.

To respond to the increasing demand for yoga teachers, yoga schools started appearing worldwide, and programs were developed to mass-produce yoga instructors. In the 1900s, a group of instructors began to discuss the need to establish a national standard for yoga instructor training, and from this, the Yoga Alliance was born.

Becoming an instructor

Today, the typical path to becoming an instructor is to follow a 200 or 500-hour teacher training at a reputable school. A large number of teacher training certifications are registered with the Yoga Alliance or other well-known associations worldwide, such as the British Wheel of Yoga or the Yoga Alliance Professional. While having credentials from an accredited school is a strong plus, some great instructors come from unaccredited schools. Yoga teachers can get hired based on their skills, more so than the school they are coming from.

Yoga is an unregulated practice and therefore, there are no specific legal requirements attached to it. And despite the popularity of the practice, many yoga instructors struggle to succeed financially. In addition to teachers, they are really entrepreneurs. Depending on their employer and schedules, instructors may work daytime, evening, night, weekend, or holiday shifts.

What to expect

If you always wanted to join a yoga class but are too nervous to try, read on! And even if you’re a connoisseur, the following points can help get the most out of your practice.

Do your research

It is worth doing some research on the teacher and the style of yoga. Doing so will help you make the best choice best on any possible expected physical or spiritual outcome.

You will not nail all the poses

You can only push your body so far, and yoga works muscles that you may not have been even aware of before (especially in your first class). If you’re unsure about how to do a pose, pay attention to the instructor or your neighbor.

Talk to your instructor

Your instructor’s purpose is to guide and help you. They are the experts. Because of this, don’t be worried about looking silly or feeling bad for now knowing what to do.

Your instructor will adjust if you’re comfortable with it

Your instructor will likely ask the class if anyone has reservations about being adjusted into positions. If you don’t mind being touched, let them adjust you so they can physically move you into the correct pose. It makes a huge difference.

Follow the class

The instructor will guide the students through the different moves, visualizations, and breathing exercises. Listen carefully while you also put mindfulness in the moment.

Breathing is crucial

Don’t underestimate the importance of breathing. Yoga requires a methodical and mindful way of breathing called pranayama. Often, you’ll hold your breath for several seconds or do a long exhale. This all serves a purpose.

Not all classes are equal

Not only different styles are quite different from each other, but also within a style, classes can vary a lot by instructor. And even with an instructor, your body will react differently in each class. Therefore, keep this in mind and just do the best you can every time.

Rever each other

You will hear “Namaste” before and after the class. It means “I bow to you” and it is a sign of respect and gratitude. It creates a bond between you, your instructor, and your fellow classmates. Typically, Namaste is accompanied by putting your palms together at your heart and bowing.

You can always relax in child’s pose

Child’s pose is commonly used to relax while taking a break. You kneel on the mat, knees separated and toes together, with your arms laid out behind you. If you ever feel uncomfortable, tired, or just want to relax in the middle of class, this is the pose to go to. No one will judge you for taking a break.

Ohming

Many yoga classes start by chanting Om – but if it’s a longer chant it will usually be a call and response. If you don’t want to join, don’t, but chanting is a great way of uniting the energy of the group and you might enjoy it.

Leave your ego at the door

Remember that yoga is not a competitive sport, so you should leave your self-criticism behind. Similarly, don’t refuse the aid of props (blocks, belts, blankets, etc.) just because it makes you “look like a beginner”.

Don’t skip Savasana

Savasana – the relaxation part of the class – can be one of the most challenging parts of the class for beginner and experienced yogis alike but it is also one of the most essential. Savasana is where we fully absorb the benefits of the postures, it can act as a “reset” button, calming the central system and bringing the breath back to normal. It’s the part of the practice where we can truly allow ourselves to simply be.

You will need hydration

Yoga can be strenuous and you will need hydration. Drink plenty of water before you hit the mat, and take a water bottle with you to class. You can take sips of water between poses. Many people keep water bottles at the front of their mat so they can drink during class.

Yoga is always there

Whether you love your first yoga class or are unsure if you want to do yoga again, it is always there. The yoga community is an amazing one and will always welcome you with open arms and a “Namaste”.

Interesting facts

Yoga is in our everyday lives one way or another. Here are some interesting facts about this ancient and far-reaching practice:

• Yoga is the most commonly used complementary health approach in the United States.

• Male yoga practitioners are known as ‘yogis’, female practitioners are known as ‘yoginis’.

• In 2016 there were over 52,000 registered yoga teachers.

• There are more than 100 styles of yoga.

• Yoga has 84 basic asanas or poses.

• Research has shown that practicing yoga can delay aging.

• Yoga classes used to be just for men. Women were not invited until 1937.

• Prisoners in India can reduce their sentences by getting top marks in a yoga test.

• Regular yoga sessions could impact a woman’s sex life with exciting results. It shows marked improvements in desire, arousal, orgasm, and general satisfaction.

Check out the TED video below to see more:

Closing statement

The purpose of yoga is to create harmony in the physical, mental, energetic, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the human being. For many, yoga can be the medicine for nearly every problem given the breadth of facets it impacts.

Moreover, yoga is not just a one-day practice, but a lifelong commitment. In fact, the more you practice yoga, the more you benefit. And ultimately, if you stick to it, it can become a very solid foundation to live on and can contribute to realizing your highest potential.

What is it?

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that uses the concept of energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The Feng Shui Society defines Feng Shui as “the art and science of designing harmonious environments based on the profound Chinese understanding of how people are connected to and affected by their close surroundings.”

In Feng Shui, energy is called “Chi”. Correcting the movement of Chi is called a “cure”. The goal of the many Feng Shui cures is to move energy, or Chi, through a space. Rodika Tchi, a Master Feng Shui consultant states that Feng Shui is “first and foremost, energy work”. She describes Feng Shui as the acupuncture of the space as it opens up powerful energy channels in the home to help it (and you) get stronger and more harmonious.

Feng Shui literally means “wind and water” and comes from an ancient poem that emphasized harmony with nature. A simple way to think about how Feng Shui works with Chi is as if it were a breeze. The goal of Feng Shui is to ensure that the breeze is harmoniously flowing through the space, benefiting the person in it.

Core philosophy

Feng Shui has its roots in Taoism and its belief that Chi (life force) is in everything, including all inanimate objects in nature. Feng Shui has also a pretty close relationship to astrology, as depicted later on with the concept of baguas. Chi can be positive, bringing strength and prosperity or negative, bringing misfortune. Fent Shui attempts to arrange a physical space and its objects in such a way that promotes a steady flow of positive Chi.

Principle #1: Polarity

In Feng Shui, polarity is represented by yin and yang. Like two magnetic poles, in the yin and yang, one side receives force while the other side exerts it. These forces are, in fact, interconnected and highly interdependent. One cannot exist without the other.

In Feng Shui, the aim is to balance opposing forces (also called elements) within a city, building, room, site, or object. As seen below, the elements have their own characteristics and interdependencies.

Principle #2: Wu Xing (the five elements)

The concept of elements also piggybacks on the principle of yin and yang as they all exhibit specific traits and interdependencies between one another. In Feng Shui, the goal is to balance these elements in a space to promote positive energy, balance and harmony in life. Each element has associated qualities, shapes, colors, seasons, areas of life and interactions.

Wood

• Qualities: Vitality, expansive and upward
• Shapes: Rectangular or columnar
• Colors: Blues and greens
• Season: Spring
• Areas: Wealth and family
• Interactions: Feeds fire

Fire

• Qualities: Brilliant, illuminating and passion
• Shapes: Pointy or triangular
• Colors: Red
• Season: Summer
• Areas: Fame
• Interactions: Produces earth

Earth

• Qualities: Stable, grounded and self-caring
• Shapes: Square or flat
• Colors: Brown, yellow and orange
• Season: Transitions between seasons
• Areas: Partnerships, knowledge, and health
• Interactions: Bears metal

Water

• Qualities: Shifting, flowing and downward
• Shapes: Curvy and wavy
• Colors: Black
• Season: Winter
• Areas: Career
• Interactions: Nourishes wood

Metal

• Qualities: Precise, beautiful and efficient
• Shapes: Spherical or circular
• Colors: White and metallics
• Season: Autumn
• Areas: Children and helpful people
• Interactions: Collects water

The goal in Fent Shui is to balance these elements and/or accentuate some elements in areas that need help in your life.

Principle #3: Bagua

Boxes are the basic building blocks of Feng Shui as they help form the Feng Shui roadmap, called the Bagua.

Historically, the Bagua traces back to the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. – A.D. 220) with the “Book of Changes”, which mentions the Lo Shu Square (three-by-three grid). The numbers in the square add up to 15 vertically, horizontally and diagonally. It is interesting to note that the 15 is the number of days in the lunar cycle, hence its connection to Chinese astrology.

The square, later on, evolved to the bagua grid, which includes the elements. There are still relations between the numbers and the elements, but depending on the user, there can be a variety of related material associated with a square.

The bagua grid evolves into the bagua map, also known as “pah kwa” or trigram. Practitioners who use the bagua map will overlay the diagram on a room or house to determine what should be placed in each area, aligning the bottom of the chart with the entrance wall.

The following would promote each area:

• Black (career): Mirrors, fountains
• Blue (skills and wisdom): Books, computers
• Green (family): Plants, family photos
• Purple (prosperity): Sailing ships and related materials, healthy plants
• Red (fame and reputation): Awards, animal-related items
• Pink (love and relationships): Paired items, pictures of loved ones
• White (creativity and children): Artwork, children’s photos
• Gray (helpful people, travel): Religious items, travel souvenirs
• Yellow (health): Pottery, stone objects

Principle #4: Commanding position

The commanding position is where you want to spend most of your time when you are in that room. Feng Shui guidelines suggest that the commanding position is the spot in a room that is the furthest from the door and not in direct line with it.

The basic requirements of a strong commanding position are:

• Point furthest from the door
• Not directly opposite of the door
• Offers a clear view of the door
• Has strong support or backing behind you

History

The true beginning of Feng Shui is still unknown. Some believe it originated more than 2,000 years ago in Southwestern China, while others believe it is older than 6,000 years.

Ancient Feng Shui

Some Feng Shui masters believe Feng Shui is as old if not older than the I Ching. Scientific and archeological research has uncovered artifacts that substantiate this belief. Feng Shui symbols have been found on artifacts at various excavation sites that can be dated to the earlier period.

In fact, the earliest artifacts were found in 1988 during the excavation of a grave that dated back to approximately 4,000 B.C. It surprised archeologists with Dragon and Tiger constellations created with mosaics and the Feng Shui symbols for heaven (round) and earth (square).

Further archeological projects discovered that Feng Shui was used to determine burial sites. Ernest Eitel wrote that the Chow dynasty (B.C. 1122) used this with the belief that the locations of the grave protected the chi of the deceased and gave support to their decedents.

Early Feng Shui uses

The earliest known records relating to the art and science of Feng Shui date to the Han Dynasty between the years 200 BC to 200 AD. During this time, Feng Shui was used to find the perfect spot for homes, villages and graves.

Later on, during the Tang Dynasty (618 to 906 AD), the principles of Feng Shui came together in what we know as Form School or Landscape School. The purpose of this basic form of Feng Shui was to locate places in the landscape that had auspicious chi to keep the people protected. Some key findings of this era include:

• The examination of chi energy. The land surrounding homes was anayzed to determine energies.
• Trees, rivers, lakes, mountains, valleys and hills became factors to determine the appropriate home or building site.
• Poison arrows became important points of consideration.

The Song Dynasty was the era that saw the birth of the Compass School Feng Shui (credited to Yahn Yun Sung). The Feng Shui principles in this evolution of the practice are the basis of much of the Compass School as it is known and studied today. Some aspects include:

• The development of a more scientific approach to Feng Shui, compared to the practical approach of the Form School.
• The addition of elements, such as compass, mathematics, numerology and I-Ching.
• The development of trigrams (Ba Gua), to analyze the energy of a given space.

Modern times

Feng Shui continued to be popular throughout the Ming and Ching Dynasties (1368 to 1911). However, when the Ching Dynasty fell, the ensuing Chinese government discouraged the practice of Feng Shui. Even though the communist government seized control in 1949, many Feng Shui practitioners continued to practice their art.

As Feng Shui found its way to the western world, it became very popular over time. The practice has spread globally, with millions of people applying it or following it. The practices between the East and West somewhat vary. The Western methodology is known as Black Hat Tantric Buddhism Feng Shui (BTB) and it became popular in the 1970s. While BTB embraces basic Feng Shui rules and the use of bagua, it omits some mathematical formulas and practices that “purist” Feng Shui practitioners from the East still believe in. Nevertheless, different variations of Feng Shui continue to captivate people throughout the world.

Benefits and uses

Feng Shui is primarily used in architecture and design. The underlying goal is to create energy harmony between a space and its inhabitants. The main benefits of Feng Shui include:

It promotes healthy circulation of energy in your home

The proper use of elements, colors and general principles of Feng Shui can make a significant difference in how the energy flows. The placement of elements, along with the placement of furniture, electronics, and even plants are the variables that come into play when applying Feng Shui in our homes.

As Feng Shui is inspired by nature, the effective application of its principles can help transform your home into a similarly harmonious setting. While measuring how energy flows in a home is a difficult task, many homes that are designed with Feng Shui principles in mind feel light, airy and welcoming.

It enhances your own energy

The effective design and layout of the spaces you live in can have a significant impact on your own energy. You can optimize areas of your home to boost areas where you are deficient. For example, the fire element, when balanced correctly can bring vitality and passion to your life. Or you can focus on balancing the water element, which brings calm and relaxation.

When you customize your home to cater to your own needs, you also create a sense of resonance with the decor. This helps you connect with your own space and make it yours, elevating the vibration of the home and its owner.

It helps mitigate stress

Creating an environmental sanctuary for the body to rest, relax and restore allows the limbic system to reset and the nervous system to become balanced. You will find yourself a little more relaxed, maybe even more balance. A little happier, perhaps.

Using Feng Shui for stress alleviation works on two levels. First, Feng Shui helps you relax, the main antidote to stress. Second, and not as well known, is that when you incorporate Feng Shui principles into your home, it helps you feel in control of your environment, another powerful antidote to stress.

It can help manifest your intentions

Many energy healers or practitioners say that manifestation is a function of frequency. When you achieve your highest frequency, good things start to happen naturally. Conversely, when you tune into lower frequencies, it can be more challenging.

Feng Shui is one of the various energy tools that you can have in your toolkit to help you elevate your energetic vibration. It can help your place or your office be places that will make it easier, not more difficult, to reach higher frequencies.

Who practices it

Anyone can claim to be a Feng Shui “consultant” or “master” as there is no central governing body for the Feng Shui discipline. There are, however, plenty of choices to study the principles of Feng Shui. The International Feng Shui Guild’s listing is a great resource to find training programs. It presents the approach used by every school and the biographies of the key teachers.

When working with a Feng Shui consultant, we encourage you to:

Research options

The best place to start your search for a practitioner is through referrals. This is a great opportunity to get firsthand information to assess the working relationship between the consultants and clients.

Aside from referrals, many Feng Shui consultants are members of professional organizations. As a matter of fact, for Feng Shui consultants, you can search the International Feng Shui Consultant Guild. It provides an easy-to-use tool to find local practitioners. You can also check with local or regional Feng Shui professional organizations. Shopping into a Feng Shui store may also yield local recommendations from the staff and customers.

Do your homework

You should research the topic of Feng Shui first, which will help you have a more meaningful conversation when evaluating the expertise. When contacting consultant options, you should inquire about the type of Feng Shui they practice, the type of clients they work with, the scope of the service, fee structure, references, etc.

Know the difference between consultants and masters

Both consultants and masters focus on the same goal but how they gained their knowledge is what distinguishes them. Traditionally masters go through extensive training and years of practice and apprenticeship with another master. Generally, they study for longer periods of time than consultants.

However, today there are many programs that train individuals to be a consultant or a master and some even use the term interchangeably. Regardless of credentials, it is very important to do the research and interviews to find someone who can work for you.

Analyze your needs

Some Feng Shui concepts and cures can be a do-it-yourself project. However, there could be many benefits to having a master or consultant if you are dealing with renovations, floor plans or more complex needs.

Nowadays Feng Shui practitioners incorporate interior design training, making the offering all the more appealing. Likewise, many interior designers incorporate concepts from Feng Shui in their own practices.

What to expect

While the format of the consultation with Feng Shui consultants may vary slightly, they tend to share some common steps:

• Overview of Feng Shui and how it can help you: during this process, the consultant will give you a brief overview of how Feng Shui can help you. They will provide examples of problems that have helped other clients address and will give you an opportunity to think of your own goals (if you haven’t already!)
• Goal setting: this is the time to go deeper into the issues or areas of your life you want to improve. The consultant may ask deeper questions to help identify some problem areas in your environment.
• Chi walk: this is where the consultant “tours” your home, going into each space and assessing the Chi – or energy – and how it flows throughout your home. It’s not only examining your space but how you live. It may feel a little more personal, but that’s because so is Feng Shui.
• Working with the bagua: if you have floor plans for your home or space, it is highly suggested you have them available. This helps the consultant give a more accurate reading. Otherwise, the consultant will sketch up a rough floor plan of your current conditions with the bagua map overlaid. This is where the consultant discusses your goals by looking at the different sectors of your home.
• Cures: the consultant will provide a list of suggestions to implement in your space to either enhance or reduce the energy, depending on your specific situation. It is important that there are multiple ways of addressing problem areas, so if you don’t want to paint your wall red, you have some other choices to enhance the energy instead.

Interesting facts

Despite its popularity and longevity, Feng Shui is a very low-key discipline. Here are some facts about Feng Shui that you may now know about:

• Since the mid-20th century, China had made it illegal for citizens to practice Feng Shui. One reason was that Emperor Mao Zedong, knowing the immense power that Feng Shui had, didn’t want the commoners to have any advantage over the government.
• Feng Shui is very popular not only among celebrities but also big corporations and organizations. Examples are the United Nations, Wall Street Journal and Dreamworks. Disney even redesigned Hong Kong Disneyland by moving gates 12 degrees and realigning walkways because of Feng Shui.
• Purifying the air by the act of space clearing is an essential part of Feng Shui. Studies reveal that the burning of medical plants like sage or palo santo is the most antiseptic practice.
• Decluttering is a key to balance and harmony. According to US News and World Reports, the average person spends one year of their life looking for something they misplaced. Feng Shui also states that clutter in the bathroom can cause lack of sleep and intimacy, clutter in the kitchen is sign of not nourishing our bodies, while a cluttered closet can cause weight gain.
• Electromagnetic fields are taken into account in Feng Shui. Consultants also check the electromagnetic fields in the building. Exposure to EMF’s can be dangerous and is linked to insomnia, headaches, stress, cancer and other problems.

Closing statement

The ultimate goal of the use of Feng Shui in planning is the protection and support of the people who live in a community. Feng Shui provides the base of knowledge to enable deliberate planning with the intention of providing this support.

The result will be a high quality of life, greater balance and harmony in all aspects of life, a stronger sense of community, and a greater connection to each other and to the rest of the world.

What is it?

Crystal healing is a popular topic nowadays. From boutiques and stores that carry a huge variety of crystals and gemstones to individuals who carry crystals in their pockets for different purposes. What is behind all of this?

Formally, crystal healing is an alternative medicine practice that uses crystals and other stones to aid in the treatment of some ailments and in the prevention of diseases. In other words, holding crystals or placing them on or near your body can promote physical, emotional and spiritual healing. Crystals supposedly do this by positively interacting with your body’s energy field, or chakra. While some crystals are said to alleviate stress, others purportedly improve concentration or creativity.

Crystals have existed on earth for millions of years. They’re a tool which work the energy field to absorb, focus and direct energies. As a result, they act like tuning forks, helping bring harmony to the energy field of the human body.

Core philosophy

Crystals at a glance

As of now, nobody really knows how crystals work for energy healing purposes. However, the widely accepted view is that crystals and gemstones carry different types of energy that can be beneficial for people.

In fact, crystals and gemstones are formed over millions of years under a lot of pressure and heat. They usually come from cooling magma or evaporating water in enclosed rock formations. The energy it takes to create even one crystal is very intense and creates a purer element (diamonds are pure carbon).

These pure elements, having been intensified naturally, influence us by interacting with the subtle energetic-body and refracts our energy back to us in a different way. This is akin to when a crystal breaks down light into rainbow colors. In turn, we reabsorb that energy, which can help us. Therefore, crystals help us access what we already have. They act as energy purifiers and amplifiers.

Each crystal has its own physical properties of absorption and emission of energy. The way the atoms are structured differs from crystal to crystal and is called the crystal lattice. Depending on the shape of this lattice, the atoms in the crystal can absorb and emit energy of a certain wavelength and vibration. Consequently, these physical properties cause the crystals to be able to affect our energetic fields and chakras. If one of our chakras is low in energy, using the right crystal can work in a re-energizing way.

Crystals and colors

The colors of the gemstones exhibit some generic inherent properties. A quick summary of the effect of the different mineral colors is as follows:

• Black minerals: they absorb all the light and are suitable for “stripping off” excess energies. Mentally, tensions are eliminated as black minerals give us security and stability.
• Red minerals: they have a strong stimulating effect. It also encourages all processes of learning, and the processing of experiences in the mind.
• Orange minerals: they have a vitalizing effect. The function and sensitivity of the sexual organs is improved. Moreover, orange enhances the quality of life and puts us in a cheerful frame of mind.
• Green minerals: they have a harmonizing, neutralizing effect. They help release emotions and makes emotions more intense. Further, green minerals enhance speed and the ability to react.
• Blue minerals: They have a cooling, calming effect. Blue activates elimination and the movement of body fluids. On the mental plane, blue encourages relaxation, openness and honesty.
• Violet minerals: Violet minerals have a cleansing, freeing effect. Violet lends relief in sorrow and helps dissolving traumas. Besides these benefits, violet encourages memory, a wealth of ideas and consciousness.
• Clear, white and silver minerals: all of these are characterized by the fact that they do not absorb light or colours but reflect everything. Clear minerals encourage clarity, purity and the creative power that contains all possibilities. Silver minerals promote self-recognition and bring to the user abundance and wholeness.

Interestingly, each person has seven chakras, each one linked to a specific set of properties and a specific color. When there are deficiencies in one or more chakras, it is always a good idea to use crystals of the same color as the chakra(s) under treatment.

Commonly used crystals

There are numerous crystals, each one with particular properties. Among the most common ones are:

• Moonstone: it invites balance, harmony and intuition.
• Amethyst: it helps manifest dreams, goals and desires. It also activates the crown, third eye and throat chakras.
• Clear quartz: it acts as a window to enlighten one’s atmosphere. Frequently used during prayer, meditation and intention setting.
• Rose quartz: used to amplify feelings of love. It opens your heart up to give and receive love as well as to strengthen your bonds and relationships.
• Agate: it bolsters introspection by enhancing self-awareness, warding off negative vibes and stabilizing emotions. In addition, agate clarifies the mind to help enhance mental performance.
• Geode: improves mood and circulates positive energy.
• Lapiz Lazuli: it helps communication and activates the throat chakra.
• Aventurine: it invites calmness, balance, good luck and abundance.
• Citrine: stimulates wealth and good fortune.
• Turquoise: a symbol of protection and wisdom. Likewise, it fosters clarity, intuition and perception.

Crystal healers help match crystals to specific ailments and people. They not only understand the innate properties of many crystals, but also spend time understanding the person and the ailment to do the best matching possible.

History

Early history

It is fair to say that as long as we have existed, we have had an affinity with stones and crystals. The use of talismans and amulets dates back to the beginnings of humankind. Beads carved of mammoth ivory have been excavated from a grave in Sugir, Russia, dating back 60,000 years, as well as contemporary beads made from shell and fossil shark’s teeth.

The first historical references to the use of crystals come from the Sumerians, who included crystals in magic formulas. The Egyptians used Lapis Lazuli, turquoise, carnelian, emerald and clear quartz in their jewellery. While the Ancient Egyptians used crystals for protection and health, they also used them cosmetically. Other uses were to honor the deceased by including crystals in burials.

The Ancient Greeks attributed a number of properties to crystals. As a matter of fact, many of the names we use today are of Greek origin. The word ‘crystal’ for example, comes from the Greek word for ice as it was believed that clear quartz was water that had frozen so deeply that it would always remain solid. The word amethyst means “not drunken” and was worn as an amulet to prevent both drunkenness and hangovers.

In addition to historical references, crystals and gemstones have played a part in all religions. the Bible, the Koran and many other religious texts mention them frequently. The book of Exodus mentions that the origin of birthstones is the breastplate of Aaron. In the Koran, the 4th Heaven is composed of garnet.

Middle Ages and beyond

In Europe, from the 11th century through the Renaissance, a number of medical treatises appeared extolling the virtues of gems and stones in the treatment of ailments. Authors included HIldegard von Binghen, Arnoldus Saxo and John Mandeville. There are also references to stones with particular qualities of strength or protection. During the Renaissance the tradition of using precious stones in healing was still common.

In 1609 Anselmus de Boot suggested that any virtue a gemstone has is due to the presence of good or bad angels. Other prominent individuals casted doubt on the benefits of crystals, mainly rooted in religious arguments. Thus, in the Age of Enlightenment, the use of precious stones for healing and protection began to fall from favour in Europe.

In the early part of the 19th century, a number of interesting experiments were conducted to demonstrate the effect of crystals on subjects who believed to be clairvoyant. In one case, the subject claimed to feel not only physical and emotional changes when touched with various stones, but also to experience smells and tastes.

More recently, in the 1980s, with the advent of the New Age culture, the use of crystals and gemstones began to re-emerge as a healing method. Much of the practice was drawn from old traditions. Books by Katrina Rafaell in the 80s, and Melody and Michael Gienger in the 90s helped to popularize the use of crystals.

These days there are a large number of books available on the subject, and magazines and newspaper articles frequently feature crystals and minerals as a topic of interest. Crystal therapy is no longer viewed as the domain of alternative culture, but as an acceptable and more mainstream complementary therapy.

Benefits and uses

Crystals can help heal everything from migraines to anxiety and beyond. Healing crystals can also accelerate meditation practices and align the chakras. There’s no limit to the types or level of healing one can get from the right crystal in the right application.

There are essentially three primary ways healing crystals can transform one’s energy and resolve imbalance:

• Clearing: crystals have the ability to absorb and remove certain types of energy from the body. Like a magnet can pick up little pieces of metal shavings, a healing crystal can absorb negative energy from the body.
• Energizing: healing crystals and stones can also push energy in the body, mind or spirit through inducing resonant frequencies. A crystal can harness energy from the quantum field and send it to a person’s energy field.
• Balancing: crystals can be combined to create push/pull effects that can help balance the body. This can help address misalignments and imbalances.

Who practices it

At the moment there are no education, accreditation or standards to become a crystal healer. The practitioner can develop knowledge via self-teaching, some courses or by learning from a more experienced practitioner.

There are, however, some associations that provide some groups and associations that are more popular than others. They provide educational materials or classes, which you can use as reference when you are searching for a practitioner. These associations include The Crystal Academy of Advanced Healing Arts, The Association of Melody Crystal Healers International and Amethyst Rose Healing Arts.

As with divination practitioners, when you look for a practitioner, keep the following points in mind:

• Learn about the practitioner: what is their style? Are they intuitive, practical, predictive, spiritual? Are they straight to the point?
• Find a personal connection: it is hard to know if you have a personal connection with a practitioner until  you have actually had a session with them. You can get a sense by reading their profile, looking at a photo or asking a question prior to meeting.
• Get the details: how long will the session take? Is there a hard limit on time? It is important to feel comfortable with how the practitioner conducts the actual session. You can usually find this information in the practitioner’s FAQ.

• Read testimonials, feedback and reviews: most good practitioners are happy to share client testimonials and feedback about their services. Even better are those practitioners who request your direct feedback immediately after a session.
• Look for experience: how long have they been doing that? What other related skills do they have? Do they teach on their methods or blog about it?

What to expect

A crystal healer provides two different functions: crystal consultations and crystal healing.

Consultations generally address specific questions and help the user pick a crystal based on the desired goal and the person’s own energy. Crystal healing consists of selecting the appropriate crystals for the person and his/her ailment and placing them on specific areas of the body for absorption. 

In a standard healing session, the crystal healer will conduct an intake interview to understand the person and the ailment. The healer then will pick the appropriate crystals, which will match the individual’s energy. The practitioner will then lay the crystals along the key chakra line of the client’s body to aid in balancing the energy field. In many ways, the experience is similar to a Reiki session, although crystal healing involves contact between the body and the crystal.

If you have a crystal that resonates with your individual energy, you can harness the benefits of crystals in other ways, which include:

• Meditating with them: by sitting with crystals and quieting the mind during meditation, one is often able to intuitively receive insights by holding the crystal during the process.
• Sleeping near them: it can help eliminate hurdles the rational mind might be presenting with fear or doubt.
• Moving them around the body: some people use a healing crystal wand to clear negative energy fields from head to toe.
• Placing them in your home or car: healing stones and crystals can be used for protection or to empower an intention.

It is necessary to occasionally cleanse and charge your crystals too. To do so, you can soak crystals in cold water before laying them in the moonlight. You can also nest them on natural salts.

Interesting facts

Here are five interesting facts about crystals:

• Every crystal has a unique mineral structure that aligns with sacred geometry and affects how the crystal works. Crystal constain hexagonal tetragonal, isometric, trigonal, monoclinic, triclinic, or amorphones inner structures that impact the way the crystal operates.
• Quartz crystals can be programmed to work on a specific intention. This makes crystals powerful and effective energetic allies. Quartz develops a relationship with its owner and creates a stronger energetic connection as the years go by.
• Lemurian seed crystals and rutilated quartz contain unique messages and information. This information is stored within their lines and striations can be translated by you during meditation.
• Crystals have magical correspondences and vibrate to specific numbers and astrological signs. There are stones you should work with based on birthday and astrological sign. Each sign has a “totem stone” aligned with the astrological energies of the stones.
• Stones with higher vibration levels can make it difficult to sleep and rest. One should avoid clear quartz and carnelian in the bedroom. Quartz has the highest vibration of all minerals and should be outside of any space where you sleep or go to rest, meditate or relax.

Closing statement

Quantum science has shown that everything that surrounds us, including ourselves, is a seething mass of energy. We know that every particle has an impact on the particles that surround it and this affects the energetic formation of our surroundings. As humans we possess an electromagnetic field known as the Aura. In order for our physical body to remain in a state of health, the molecules in the aura and physical body need to resonate at the base frequency that is healthy.

When the base resonant frequency of our body becomes imbalanced, problems start to develop. Crystal healing is a modality that brings the vibration of the body back into harmony and thus improve a condition related to disease or discomfort. In crystal healing, the energy within the crystal comes close to the patient’s energy field and used to influence the vibration of the patient’s energy field to bring about healing. While different cultures have used crystals in slightly different ways, the common threat is that, throughout human history, we have used and revered crystals.

What is it?

Magnetic field therapy is an alternative medicine practice that uses magnets to alleviate pain, treat illness and maintain health. It is based on the belief that the body’s natural electromagnetic field must be in balance to maintain good health. It is also based on the principle that magnetic fields can induce physical and emotional changes in human beings.

At a high level, there are two types of magnetic fields:

• Static magnetic fields: produced by stationary magnets. Static fields don’t change in flux density or intensity.
• Time-varying magnetic fields: not produced by a permanent magnet, but by moving or alternating current (AC) electricity.

Static magnets are often in bracelets, shoe inserts, etc. to subtly influence tissues that come in direct contact. The nature of time-varied or pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs), means that they have a frequency in addition to an intensity. The frequency and associated wavelength of a PEMF means that it will completely penetrate the volume of the body. In fact, it will go way beyond any local application even at extremely low intensities.

Static magnets are commonly used to either stimulate the acupuncture Meridian system (sometimes also known as acu-magnet) or for localized tissue actions. Currently there is no consistent evidence about its effectiveness, though its popularity has grown over the last several years. Time-varying magnetic fields are used on the other hand for broader applications, including inflammation, stress reduction, oxygenation, etc.

Core philosophy

The fundamental principle behind magnetic therapy is that everything is energy and that all energy is electromagnetic in nature. As a matter of fact, all atoms, chemicals and cells produce electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Similarly, every organ in the body produces its own signature bioelectromagnetic field. Further, science states that our bodies project magnetic fields and that all 70 trillion cells in the body communicate via electromagnetic frequencies.

A crucial concept to understanding electromagnetic measures is the pooling of electric charges around damaged nerves. The pioneering works of Drs. Luigi Galvani and Carlos Matteucci in the late 1700s and early 1800s demonstrated that damaged nerves emit electricity. If the injury is under the skin, electricity will collect and pool around the damaged nerves, interrupting normal flow. This tissue damage produces a pooling of electricity, blood products, lymph drainage and inflammatory mediators. Because pain is, to a great extent, caused by “pooled” electricity, magnetic energy can help pooled electricity to mobilize.

Static fields

For static fields, basic research shows that when a magnet is on the skin, capillary walls relax. This allows for increased blood flow and oxygenation and removal of accumulated pain-producing prostaglandins. Theoretically, these actions relieve muscle spasms and, subsequently, pain. Pain sensations require nerves and muscle to send electric signals, properly aligned magnets could block that action and promote healing. Lastly, when placed on acupuncture points, therapists believe, magnets can have a similar stimulation effect as in acupuncture.

Clinical trials conducted on treatments with static fields show no statistically significant differences with control groups. One factor contributing to this is the fact that static magnetic fields are generally unable to deeply penetrate the body. Hence, they generally must be stronger in intensity and must be applied  for longer intervals of time than PEMF devices. It is worth mentioning that a placebo effect can be a contributing factor in the effectiveness reported by patients.

Pulse Electro-Magnetic Fields (PEMFs)

PEMFs, on the other hand, address impaired chemistry and thus the function of cells – which in turn, improves health. Low frequency PEMFs of even the weakest strengths pass through the body, penetrating cells, tissues and bones without absorption. As they pass through, they stimulate most of the electrical and chemical processes in the tissues. This allows for much deeper treatments that are shorter in duration.

In an episode of the Bulletproof Radio podcast, PEMF expert Dr. Gary Ryan, known as “The Energy Doctor”, explains, “Based on a lot of research that was done at Yale, it is apparent that just about any pathology in the body is preceded by a drop in cell charge. Now we have technology that will reach down to the level of a cell that has lost charge. The high intensity of the pulse can help compensate for it, replicating and producing a more normal cell activity.”

Scientific studies find PEMF treatments widely more effective than static magnets. This is one of the reasons why this modality is more popular and more accepted by the scientific community. PEMF treatments can help treat many conditions that range from the treatment of chronic wounds to stress reduction.

A common misconception of magnetic field therapy is that its emissions could be harmful. Electromagnetic radiation is classified into ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing radiation produces heat and disrupts chemical bonds. Non-ionizing radiation doesn’t carry enough energy to disrupt chemical bonds. It only has enough energy to excite electrons to a higher energy state. Most PEMF systems produce very low frequencies on the electromagnetic spectrum, which do not induce heating actions.

History

Early history

For over 3,000 years, magnetism and electricity have both played significant roles in medical treatments. As with other medical advances and breakthroughs, the history of magnetic therapy is both instructive and fascinating. Origins of magnetism go back to 1000 B.C., when people noted the effects of certain stones on substances like iron. A shepherd named Magnes noticed that the iron nails in his sandals would stick to certain stones as he walked. It is from Magnes where the term magnetism originated.

Like other forces that people often misunderstood, the belief was that magnetism was responsible for all sorts of mystical occurrences. For example, people believed that lodestones were alive given that they caused the movement of certain objects. Consequently, magnets were used to treat many of ailments and diseases, as they were seen as able to bestow life.

Ancient medical practices in both Hinduism and Chinese medicine used lodestones. From treating pain to preserving  youth, early magnetic treatments, people saw these treatments as miraculous cures. In the Middle Ages, Paracelsus used magnets to treat every condition from diarrhea to epilepsy. His experiments investigated the effects of placing magnets on the body, in order to pull diseases from the body.

In the 1500s, a physician named Cardono elaborated on the differences between magnetism and electrical fields. Around the same time, William Gilbert studies magnets and electromagnetic forces, influencing great thinkers including Galileo and Bruno. Noted physician Franz Mesmer used magnets to treat a number of psychiatric disorders, with some success.

Modern history

It was not until the 19th century that we came to understand the link between electrons and magnets. Michael Faraday pioneered both the study of electromagnetism and the introduction of many of the processes we use today. Later, innovators like Nikola Tesla advanced the field in significant ways during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tesla was the investor of the standard magnetic loop coil, found in nearly all magnetic therapy devices today.

In the late 1800s, a Russian engineer suggested that all cells have their own amplitude. He used his understanding of this phenomenon to develop the first devices that used energy for therapeutic purposes. Many electrical devices launched in the market and were largely ineffective, leading to a widespread distrust of electromagnetic therapies and tools.

It was not until the 20th century that magnetic therapy gained more scientific and critical attention. The first PEMF therapy devices came about in the 1980s and quickly spread around the world. After the introduction of PEMF and other magnetic therapy devices, the field rapidly grew. More researchers are examining ways in which magnetic devices can help treat medical disorders and diseases. And while most techniques still remain categorized as alternative or complementary, several electromagnetic treatments have become more mainstream.

Benefits and uses

Treatments with static magnets are usually for localized neuromusculoskeletal pain management. Arrays of magnets are applied in the affected area(s), with the goal of alleviating said pain. It is not yet clear if static magnets have a significant role in pain management, although some research is encouraging. A Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy suggests that 13 of 24 clinical studies investigating neuromuscular-skeletal pain have demonstrated at least some efficacy using static magnetic therapy.

When static magnets are applied on the acupuncture points as therapy, the reported benefits can be wide, including stress reduction, weight loss, increased energy, better sleep among others. This technique (also known as acu-magnet) combines some benefits of acupuncture and acupressure. Bustle reports that Gary Wickman says acupressure is “able to relax the muscles and encourage blood flow.” Wickman points out that it’s all “natural and non-invasive”. The innocuousness and relative low cost of this technique drives many users to try it out.

PEMF treatments have been for decades and used extensively in Europe for injuries and healing. Since the cellular reaction takes place in every body, PEMF therapy can be used to assist with a wide range of conditions. In fact, over 2,000 clinical and university-level, double-blinded studies have demonstrated that PEMFs are capable of:

• Increasing circulation
• Decreasing inflammation
• Accelerating bone healing
• Enhancing muscle function
• Reducing the effects of stress
• Improving blood oxygenation, and much more

Some studies suggest that PEMF treatments can be useful in the treatment of anxiety and depression. One study at Harvard Medical School found that the PEMF device they used prompted greater than 10% significant improvement in mood after just one 2-minute treatment in patients with bipolar disorder and in patients with major depressive disorders. 

Who practices it

Someone interested in magnetic field therapy can get it by going to a professional or by purchasing devices directly. Magnets are usually inexpensive and can be found in many online retailers for DIY application. Acupuncturists or practitioners with knowledge in energetic points in the body are optimally suited to place the magnets properly in the right points. PEMF devices are not classified as regulated medical devices, so the typical user can buy the equipment directly. The price of this kind of equipment is usually high.

Practitioners of magnetic field therapy are usually practitioners in other fields who studied magnetic therapy as an add-on specialization. It is common to find practitioners knowledgeable in this therapy in acupuncturists, physical therapists, chiropractors and allopathic doctors. At the moment, there are a few venues that provide training in this field, such as Pulse Centers, Magnawave (manufacturer of PEMF equipment), among others. The process of educating doctors and other non-medical practitioners is growing all the time and it will take more time until the practice has a supervisory body that standardizes training. As a general rule for patients, it is always advice to look for practitioners who have expertise in the area of magnetic therapy.

What to expect

Chiropractors, acupuncturists or physical therapists can use static magnets as a complement to their practice. Consequently, the experience for the patient will be largely similar to a typical visit. The practitioner may suggest applying magnets in parts of the body that are consistent with the energy meridians. If the patient agrees, a magnet will be placed on said areas and the practitioner will schedule a follow-up visit to discuss progress. Depending on the magnet and the points in the body used, these magnets can stay on for a few hours or for days.

For PEMF treatments, a patient will schedule a session with a practitioner who uses PEMF as a complementary technique, also typically acupuncturists, physical therapists, chiropractors or allopathic doctors. After an intake questionnaire, the practitioner conducts the PEMF treatment around the area of focus. Due to the strength of the magnetic field emitted by the devices, the treatment times are relatively short in duration lasting from 10-30 minutes per session.

PEMF treatments are never painful and can feel good and promote relaxation. Patients can sit or lie comfortably for the duration of the treatment. These treatments are extremely safe, except for patients with a cardiac pacemaker. The user may feel a mild-like pulsation over the affected area and the practitioner adjusts the intensity for individual comfort.

All treatments do not require removal of clothing and practitioners can treat 1-3 areas in a single session. Usually patients notice improvements after the first session; however, many conditions require 6-10 sessions for full beneficial effects.

Interesting facts

Of the overall magnetic field therapy, PEMF is the most well-known one and there are facts and conclusions found in studies and scientific observations. Some of these fact are:

• A sizable body of research shows that PEMF helps slow-healing tibial fractures fuse.
• A small study demonstrated that PEMF therapy reduces pain from chronic pain conditions and fibromyalgia.
• Animal studies show the potential of PEMF therapy in regenerating nerve fibers in the spinal cord and peripheral nerves, which is promising for regenerative medicine.
• In cell cultures, PEMF treatment seemed to activate lysozyme, which is a major step in the bone regeneration process.
• Treatment with PEMF improved osteoarthritis by keeping cartilage from breaking down.
• PEMF impacted the growth of bone cells in cell cultures, which formed bone tissue in last tests.
• Just one month of PEMF treatment improved pain and functional performance in arthritis patients.
• PEMF therapy helped regenerate the liver faster in rats who had part of the liver removed.

Closing statement

The centuries-old practice of treating pain with magnetic fields has progressive evolved into therapeutic measures that have some sound scientific underpinning. These measures are simple, safe and effective, but in this day of high-tech medicine, they are sometimes forgotten as excellent adjunctive measures to any pain treatment regimen.

Pain practitioners should embrace the electromagnetic measures that complement their style of practice, pocketbook and patient profile. Practitioners are urged to select a few electromagnetic measures and master them, as there are some experiential and technological skills required for their use. As many years of evidence suggest, adopting this technique within more established practices will help increase the efficacy of treatments, ultimately helping users feel better.

What is it?

Qigong (pronounced chee-gung), is an energy healing practice, focused on cultivating vital life-force. The term comes from the Chinese words “Qi” meaning “Energy” and “Gong”, meaning “work” or “practice”. Qigong is based on the premise that the human body is an energy system. As long as it has energy, or Qi, it is alive; when the energy is gone, it is dead.

According to the Earl E. Bakken Center, there are two main Qigong techniques:

• Wai Dan: physical movement and concentration, focused on coordinating physical movements and breathing techniques (similar to Tai Chi). Practitioners are able to find the fluctuation of energy within the postures, movements, breathing patterns and transitions.
• Nei Dan: sitting meditation and guided imagery or visualization, which focuses on becoming more acquainted with the breath, body and mind.

Practitioners use these techniques mainly for what it is called “Medical Qigong”. Medical Qigong can be used to heal oneself or to heal others. It is, in fact, one of the main branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the energetic foundation from which acupuncture, herbal medicine and Chinese massage originated.

Medical Qigong can be used for self-healing or to heal others. In self-healing, individuals practice Qigong exercises to enhance their own health. When healing others (also known as Qi emission), Qigong practitioners emit Qi with the intention to heal others.

In addition to Medical Qigong, other practitioners extend the use of the Qigong practice for other purposes. Some people use the principles of Qigong for martial arts, focusing on physical prowess, while others use it in a spiritual way, focusing on enlightenment.

Core philosophy

As one of the fundamental pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qigong has the same underlying principles. Qigong also shares many common philosophies with other practices like Tai Chi, Yoga, among others.

In essence, the simplest belief behind Qigong is that the gross physical is a bio electric mass. It also believes it is generally weak versus to what it can be with development. This overall field is in considerable flux, often at the whim of the proclivities of the individual, diet and emotional strengths and weaknesses.

Qigong and Yoga work to clear away energetically “stuck” structures as a result of habits. In other words, most human systems typically do not utilize and enhance the great “freeways” within – instead they gravitate to smaller roads their daily habits hold them to. Qigong stimulates the natural abilities that would naturally come forth from an unencumbered system.

Meditation lies as a crucial component underneath the Qigong practice. This is for a very good reason as our bio electric mass changes with our deep thoughts, beliefs and emotions and it is crucial to be in touch with them. Incorrect thinking and emotional holds focus the bio electric mass upon that pattern.

Qigong is a powerful energy practice because it involves both a physical aspect (wai dan) and a mind aspect (nei dan) aimed at unblocking energy. This can make it look similar to tai chi, yoga and/or meditation practices. Practitioners in fact use both of these aspects to get in tune with one’s Qi. When they achieve this, they can apply Qigong to heal others in a similar way to Reiki, though it can use additional techniques.

Practitioners believe that to effectively emit Qi to help heal others, Qigong healers need to maintain their personal health. Therefore, they continuously practice self-healing Qigong to regulate their personal health. In mastering this practice for themselves, Qigong practitioners follow this generally accepted set of principles:

• Dynamic and static: in maximizing oneself’s Qi, practitioners know that static Qigong is aimed at accumulating Qi in the Dantian (locations of the body that can store Qi). Dynamic Qigong aims to promote the free flow of Qi in the meridians and muscles as well as to alleviate specific areas of physical energetic congestion. The principle “cherish stillness in motion and motion in stillness” applies as practitioners aim to strike the best balance between dynamic and static.
• Being relaxed and natural: when practicing Qigong, relaxation must be both physical and mental. This does not mean slackness but a balance between tension and suppleness dominated by the conscious mind.
• Coordinating the will and Qi: in Qigong exercise, the will and Qi should move together. The practitioner should not put undue emphasis on breathing mechanics other than what happens naturally through correct practice. It is also not advisable to put undue emphasis on the flow of Qi.
• Active exercise & inner health cultivation: active exercise refers to a series of procedures used to regulate respiration, attain proper posture and relax both mind and body. Inner health cultivation refers to the ongoing commitment to advance the control over one’s Qi.
• Proceeding step by step: Qigong should be practiced in an orderly way. Practitioners follow the saying “haste makes waste”. They put in arduous training to be able to direct Qi to follow changes in body posture, respiration and will.

Many people often confuse Qigong with Tai Chi. Tai Chi involves just the physical (wai dan) aspect of Qigong and is usually more structured. Qi gong can be thought of as a movement you do for a certain situation, as opposed to tai chi form, which is a series of movements that work on the entire body in a flowing sequence. Tai Chi, however, shares many of the underlying principles and people who practice it are able to find optimal levels of health in the same way Qigong practitioners do.

History

The history of Qigong spans over at least three thousand years. It grew a long way from its shamanic roots into a rigorous study only recently confirming its efficacy by the modern scientific body.

The first documented book that references Qi and survived to this day is probably the “Book of Changes” (I Ching) dated 1122 B.C. I Ching describes the study of the relationships between the three natural forces of energies: Heaven (Tian), Earth (Di) and Human (Ren). In the book “Tao Te Ching” during the Jou Dynasty (1122 to 934 B.C.), Lao Tzu stressed the importance of accumulating Qi and achieving softness to achieve health. The Spring and Autumn Annals (770-476 B.C.) states:

“Flowing waters do not stagnate, and for hinges that move do not rust. Our bodies are like this. If the body does not move, the vita essence (Jing) does not circulate; and if it does not circulate, the energy of the body (Qi) will stagnate.”

The “Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine”  (220 B.C.) describes Qigong for medical uses and breathing to increase circulation of Qi. Qigong, however, evolved drastically during the Eastern Han Dynasty (58 A.D.) as Buddhism came to China. Many Buddhists used medication and Qi cultivation practices, with a mainly spiritual goal.

During the Liang Dynasty (502-557 A.D.), an Indian Buddhist monk taught Chinese priests how to transform their health by making their physical bodies strong. Around this time, the priests developed the five animal styles of martial arts: the tiger, crane, leopard, snake and dragon, which imitated the different animals in the way they move and fight. In 581-907 A.D. Chao Yuan-Fang compiled a compendium of Qigong methods listing 260 different ways of increasing the Qi flow. Moreover, Wang Tao, in his Extra Important Secret (Wai Tai Mi Yao), discussed the use of breathing and herbal therapies for disorders of Qi circulation.

During the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 A.D.), General Yue Fei created several internal Qigong exercises. From the end of the Southern Song Dynasty period until the end of the Qing dynasty (1911 A.D.), many new Qigong styles flourished. Since the overthrow of the Qing dynasty in 1911 and the founding of the Chinese Republic, Western culture now has great influence on the Orient, and so the Qigong practice has entered a new era. Various Qigong styles are now being taught openly, and many formerly secret documents are being published. People now have the opportunity to study and understand many different styles of Qigong, and Qigong now has reached a much wider audience than ever before.

Today, millions of Chinese people practice Qigong every day. /Some do this to heal an existing illness, while others aim to stay healthy. Now Qigong is becoming rapidly more popular in the West, especially in North America. Psychological, physiological and medical researchers are studying Qigong with increasing interest.

Benefits and uses

Although it is widely believed in Traditional Chinese Medicine that Qigong practices can help just about all aspects all life, below are some of the main benefits:

Qigong lowers blood pressure and improves heart health

Movement associated with Qigong stimulates natural energy. Practitioners report feeling warmer, more limber, tingly and more energetic after they practice. In western science, this is due to the improvement in circulation and lymphatic drainage.

Qigong can definitely range in terms of intensity, which means it affects the cardiovascular system depending on the style. Studies show that Qigong can often help improve blood pressure by increasing stamina, strengthening the heart, boosting circulation and lowering stress.

Qigong lowers the risk of falling and injuries in older adults

A 2005 study published in the Journal of Gerontology found that a three-times-per-week, 6-month tai chi program effectively decreased the number of falls, the risk of falling and the fear of falling in patients over the age of 70.

They also found that patients experienced significant improvements in overall functional balance and physical performance. This was despite the fact that the patients were physically inactive and limited in their abilities before the study.

Reduces negative effects of stress

A 2014 review published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that Qigong interventions have beneficial psychological effects. Because stress and digestion relate to each other, tai chi and Qigong can also help with issues like gastritis.

Practitioners believe Qigong helps establish the body/mind/soul connection. In this way, it goes beyond what other types of exercises do, often impacting practitioners on a deeper, emotional level.

Qigong improves immunity and cancer protection

The Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University in China reports that of all mind-body interventions used by cancer patients to cope with the disease, Qigong/Tai Chi have emerged as the most effective.

The institution’s research tested the effects of Qigong’s ability to improve quality of life and other aspects in 592 cancer patients. The results showed that Qigong significantly helped reduce fatigue, improved immune function and lowered cortisol level in the majority of patients.

Qigong reduces chronic pain

In 2008, the Peninsula Medical School performed a review of data from 12 controlled clinical trials testing the effectiveness of Tai Chi for treating joint diseases. The study found significant pain reduction in patients practicing Tai Chi compared to routine treatment.

There’s some encouraging evidence suggesting that Tai Chi may be effective for controlling chronic pain. However, researchers point out that more extensive studies are necessary before Tai Chi replaces other standard options.

Who practices it

At present, there is no international governing body for certifying Qigong practitioners. The World Academic Qigong Society in Beijing conducts ongoing efforts to set standards across different countries. However, a standardized program of training in Qigong does not exist yet.

Two organizations provide direction in finding practitioners and training programs. The International Institute of Medical Qigong (IIMQ) offers training programs and certification based on a curriculum from the Medical Qigong College at Haidian University in Beijing, China. The National Qigong Association (NQA) also offers professional certification for their members as an opportunity to enhance and highlight the experience of affiliated practitioners. The Qigong Institute is a non-profit organization that provides resources on Qigong and helps find certification programs. All organizations offer databases to help in locating practitioners.

The National Qigong Association divides its certifications in two:

• Qigong Teacher: with four different levels of seniority – Level I Qigong Instructor, Level II, Qigong Instructor, Level III Qigong Instructor and Senior Qigong Teacher.
• Clinical Qigong: with two levels – Clinical Qigong Practitioner and Senior Clinical Practitioner.

Each of these certifications have different requirements in terms of didactic hours, teaching experience and/or clinical experience.

What to expect

A typical medical Qigong session consists of working with a practitioner to regulate one’s Qi. During the session, there is no need to disrobe. The practitioner often works about a foot away from the client’s body, to guide and manipulate the movement of Qi. The client may feel varying sensations as the Qi moves, such as warmth, tingling, etc., as the stagnant energy releases.

Generally, patients find the sessions extremely relaxing and rejuvenating. Sometimes patients may become aware of uncomfortable emotions that have been suppressed. Having an emotional release is extremely beneficial to one’s psychological and physiological well-being.

After the session, the practitioner will provide exercises to assist in ongoing healing. These medical exercises are tailored to the patient and include physical movement, breathing methods and mental intention to restore the function in the Body.

Patients generally report improvements after one session, but generally they require multiple sessions to achieve long-lasting results. The frequency of the treatment depends on the individual’s condition and it should be consulted with the practitioner.

Interesting facts

Qigong is a practice with a long history in the health field. Below are some interesting facts about this practice:

• There is an enormous number of Qigong styles that exist in China today – literally in the tens of thousands.
• Reaching higher levels of Qigong (“fine tuning of Qi energy”) requires steady practice over longer periods of time.
• Qigong reduces the negative side effects of western drugs, anesthetics, surgical operations, chemotherapy, among others.
• Many Qigong practitioners experience better intuition from day one. Long term practitioners turn often into psychics, healers and clairvoyants.
• Qigong is widely applied in Kung Fu and other well-known Eastern martial arts, enhancing their effectiveness.
• While Buddhist and Taoist schools used some of the Qigong techniques, the general consensus is that Qigong is non-religious. In fact, people across many different cultures and religions embark in learning Qigong.
• Anyone can practice and benefit from Qigong – from people with disabilities, to the elderly, which makes it an alluring practice.
• Many people believe that Qigong is a product only of China, India or other Oriental countries. Internal energy cultivation has also been common in the Western world, though usually within the context of religion.

Closing statement

Qigong is the science of cultivating the body’s internal energy. The Chinese have researched Qi for 4,000 years, finding Qigong effective in improving health and curing illnesses.

While there are many benefits attributed to Qigong, they are not yet proven facts. Although experimental evidence and scientific proof are accumulating, there are still many areas that remain unclear. With this said, many people report significantly better levels of health as a result of practicing Qigong. Most important of all, however, they have found that it can help everyone achieve both mental and spiritual peace.

What is it?

The term Reiki is a combination of two Japanese words rei and ki, meaning universal life energy. It is a form of energy healing that uses “life force” to balance the subtle energies within our bodies. The Reiki practitioner serves as the vessel that supplies healing energies where they are most needed by the recipient.

Reiki aids in restoring the natural balance in the body by balancing our energy systems. It helps us maintain balance in our own health and life. Reiki is a holistic therapy that harmonizes body, mind and spirit and that complements other healing methods and spiritual practices. It does not belong to any religion, cult or belief system. It works independently of whatever your own beliefs or preferences are.

Core philosophy

We know we exist on an energetic level. Science and quantum physics has proven that an unseen energy flows through us and connects all things. Everything that exists in the Universe is energy vibrating at different rates. This is what luminaries like Albert Einstein and Otto Stern called the Zero Point Field, which asserts that there are microscopic vibrations that exist in the space between all things.

Following this logic, your body and every cell in it, is energy vibrating at a slow rate, which makes it into visible physical matter. We also have faster and lighter vibrations that make up our energy field (a.k.a. biofield, aura, etc.). All of the positive or negative thoughts, feelings and experiences in your life have an effect on the  health of our energy field. Positive feelings elevate our energetic vibration while negative feelings lower the energy field, decreasing the flow of ki moving through you.

So how does Reiki work? At a basic level, Reiki is the transference of energy from one system (the practitioner) to the other (the patient). The practitioners and healers of Reiki manipulate the vibrations of the body using intention and gestures of the hands to shift this energy and vibration around in the body. If energy or Ki is not moving flowingly in the body it creates a blockage in a certain area. This blockage then creates itself in the physical by producing ailments or pain.

It is important for the Reiki healers to have a firm grasp of Reiki and the feeling of energy inside their own body’s before being able to manipulate energy in others. Hand gestures and the intentions of the healer move energy around in the body. When energy is flowing strong again, the ailment of that area disappears. Reiki is closely linked with the energy Meridian of Chinese Traditional Medicine, as well as the 7 Chakras of the body.

From a western medical perspective, Reiki is a stress-reduction and relaxation technique. However, as with many alternative medicine treatments, the full extent of how and why Reiki works is not fully understood. The popularity of this practice has been on the rise, with millions of people all over the world praising the physical, mental and emotional benefits it brings to users. An interesting paper on UCLA Health’s website can be found here.

History

Dr. Mikao Usui (born in 1865), a university principal in Japan, discovered Reiki. One day his students challenged him by asking how the biblical prophets healed. Dr. Usui could not answer this, and he decided to dedicate his life to discovering the inner healing powers and the ultimate purpose of life.

Eventually he came across an abbot of a Zen monastery who allowed him to study the sacred writings in the Japanese Sutras (ancient teachings) and Sanskrit Sutras or Tibet. The abbot suggested Usui make a spiritual pilgrimage to Mt. Kurama. Usui meditated there for 21 days in the hope of receiving enlightenment.

On the 21st day, the story says Dr. Usui had a vision that struck him profoundly and an out-of-body experience where he could see the symbols of Reiki, which he had seen in the ancient sutras.. Soon after Usui returned to Kyoto, he began working as a healer in a beggar’s colony, which he did for seven years.

After some time, he noticed that some of the people he had healed would return to beg in the streets. He asked them why they had returned to a life of begging and their response was that it was too hard to live otherwise. Dr. Usui realized that he had ignored their spiritual needs, which were as important as the physical healing. After medicating on this he came up with the Reiki principles. Eventually, Usui left the beggar’s colony and started to teach people how to heal themselves.

Before he died, Usui trained several Reiki Masters to ensure his healing system would continue on. Chujiro Hayashi, a retired Japanese naval officer with a medical background, is believed to be the last Shihan (Reiki Teacher) student of Usui Sensei. Hayashi opened a Reiki clinic at the request of Usui Sensei where he offered Reiki treatments. Those interested in becoming Reiki students received training by volunteering extensive hours in Hayashi’s clinic. He added structure to the teachings by creating a treatment manual and system of giving Reiju (attunement). He encouraged students to receive Reiju from their local teacher on a regular basis.

Hawayo Takata was responsible for bringing Reiki to the West. Mrs. Takata was born in 1900 in Hanamaulu, a territory of Hawaii. Mrs. Takata suffered from multiple medical conditions, and was about to undergo an operation. She sought other options nonetheless and her doctor referred her to Dr. Hayashi’s clinic. Mrs. Takata was treated in Dr. Hayashi’s clinic and as her health problems resolved, she decided that she wanted to learn Reiki. She was the 13th and probably the last Reiki Master that Dr. Hayashi initiated. Between 1970 and her death in 1980, Mrs. Takata taught 22 Reiki Masters. Until quite recently, all Reiki practitioners in the West derived their Reiki from this Mrs. Takata.

Two of Takata Sensei’s Reiki Master students, Barbara Weber Ray and Phyllis Furumoto, were recognized as her successors by two separate groups. In 1983, The Reiki Alliance was formed with PHyllis Furumoto heading the organization intending to preserve Takata’s style of teaching Reiki. Independent Reiki branches began to emerge due to style and practice disagreement that arose among Takata Sensei’s 22 Master students after her passing.

There are now many styles of Reiki ranging from more traditional Japanese practices, to Western style Reiki in the manner taught by Hawayo Takata, and new age styles of Reiki which include elements like Reiki guides, chakras, crystals and more. Teachers have added or removed aspects of the system of Reiki based on their personal inclination, which has led to both subtle and significant differences in how they practice and teach Reiki.

Benefits and uses

Reiki is an ancient yet simple healing technique, with amazing and profound results. Whether you want to receive Reiki for emotional trauma healing or energy level balancing, Reiki has endless advantages on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels. Here are some of the main benefits:

• Promotes harmony and balance. Reiki takes a non-invasive approach to energy transfer that is extremely effective in promoting overall wellness.
• Relaxes and releases tension from the body. What many people love the most about Reiki is that it allows them to simply “be”. The energy transfer through Reiki may make people feel peaceful, relaxed and lighter.
• Breaks down energy blocks and balances the mind, body and spirit. Regular Reiki treatment promotes the consistent and unlocked flow of energy throughout the body. This allows people to feel less stress, enhances learning and memory, promotes mental clarity and physical healing/less physical pain.
• Cleanses the body of toxins and supports the immune system. Reiki technique is used to remind our bodies how to go back into “self-healing” mode. By triggering this state, our bodies begin to cleanse themselves of useless energies.
• Clears the mind and improves focus. Reiki reminds receivers to be in the present moment. The positive energy transfer allows the mind to focus on current events.
• Helps spiritual growth and emotional cleansing. The positive energy transfer through Reiki is extremely helpful in elevating the receiver’s mood and general attitude towards life.
• Helps you sleep better. The kind of relaxation experienced through a Reiki session helps our bodies sleep better, heal better and think more clearly.
• Accelerates the body’s self-healing ability. Reiki balances your internal body level to return to a near-natural state. This means that breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, circulation and other bodily systems will improve. This normal balance will allow the body to heal itself from within.

Who practices it

Because the Reiki profession has grown out of a grassroots movement rather than emerging from academic healthcare programs, many different perspectives and practice style have developed without oversight, and there are no common standards of education or treatment that are agreed upon across all practice styles.

Reiki is different from almost all other healing modalities. It’s actually transferred to each student from a Reiki master during what is called an attunement process. This process is said to open the crown, heart and palm chakras and creates a unique connection between the student and teacher.

There are typically three levels of Reiki training, each one is centered on “attunement”, education and practice. Attunement is what makes Reiki unique from other forms of healing touch and energy work. One can think of the attunement process like a transfer of energy: the master is passing energy off to the student, who will then possess it for life. Below is a brief description of each level:

Reiki Level 1 (Shoden)

Level 1 is a practitioner’s initiation into reiki and is open to anyone. The focus during Level 1 is on opening the energy channels on a physical level, allowing the practitioner to connect to the universal life force energy, which flows from the cosmos through the crown of the head and down to the heart and hands.

Many Reiki masters emphasize self-reiki as the goal of the Level 1 designation, encouraging students to focus on practicing Reiki on themselves. Typically the Level 1 course also includes an overview of the history of Reiki.

Reiki Level 2 (Okuden)

Level 2 gives students the skills to practice Reiki on others and open energy channels more deeply. Students also receive their symbols during this level. There are five symbols in Reiki and each one corresponds to a specific energy (power, harmoney, distance, mastery and completion).

Students are expected to use these symbols to bring the universal energy of Reiki into their everyday lives in more practical ways. The symbols can also help people provide Reiki over long distances or send healing energy wherever in the world.

Reiki Level 3 (Shinpiden) & Reiki Master

In many courses, the Third Degree and Reiki Master are the same designation. However, some teachers separate Level 3 from Reiki Master. The Reiki Master level is traditionally the teacher’s level, and masters are able to walk away and attune new Reiki practitioners. However, many receive the master attunement ,along with the corresponding symbol, yet don’t feel comfortable or practiced in properly attuning others – hence the distinction between Third Degree and Reiki Master.

Becoming a Reiki master also represents a deep commitment to the Reiki practice. Some feel that significant time should pass between achieving the Second Degree status and Master Level.

The University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality & Healing recommends asking certain questions when choosing a Reiki practitioner. These questions include:

• What is your level of training?
• When were you trained?
• How long were the classes?
• Were you trained to each level in separate classes?
• What is your clinical experience? (i.e. what ailments have you treated through Reiki?)
• How do you describe Reiki?
• Describe your sessions, including length of time and fee
• Do you practice Reiki on yourself every day?

What to expect

During an in-person Reiki session, the patient will complete a confidential client intake that identified the areas in your body and life that the patient would like to focus on. This will also help the practitioner monitor the progress from session to session. Once complete, the patient will lie fully clothed on a therapy table and relax. The patient could be facing up or facing down.

The practitioner will place their hands above the patient’s body over various parts in a sequential method. Most people will find the session to be very calming and they report a sense of relaxation and peace. Others report warm, cool or tingling sensations throughout the body and others may even have an emotional response. Any of these experiences are completely normal.

Even if the patient does not feel anything, the Reiki energy is still working. Reiki energy often works on a subtle level, yet has profound results which normally become apparent in the following days or weeks after the session.

At the end of the session, drinking water is always a good idea. Although people typically leave a Reiki session feeling refreshed, sometimes they notice feeling more tired in the evening than usual. This is not an adverse reaction, but expectedly, the body’s natural healing response. People commonly report a sense of calm and mental clarity and sleeping well after Reiki.

The practitioner may suggest a series of sessions. Four sessions is a traditional recommendation and gives the patient time to evaluate the benefits. Patients should discuss with the practitioner to tailor the sessions based on one’s specific needs.

Interesting facts

We know Reiki has gained huge popularity in the last decades. Below there are some curious facts about Reiki:

• Everyone has the ability to channel Reiki.
• The person receiving the Reiki treatment draws the amount of energy that he needs. Not his conscious mind, but a higher part.
• The person channelling the Reiki does not cure the person receiving the treatment. The person receiving the Reiki cures himself.
• Reiki energy can be sent at a distance, anywhere in the world.
• There is a limitless source of universal energy. Reiki does not deplete the energy of the person channeling Reiki.
• A full Reiki treatment covers all the glands, organs and main energy centers of the body.

Closing statement

Reiki is a good integrative therapy to try because people generally start feeling better very quickly with Reiki. As anxiety and pain lessen, and people feel hopeful about regaining their health, they feel more able to incorporate other needed health interventions or make needed lifestyle changes.

Reiki therapy often clears the mind, enabling patients to better evaluate the sometimes conflicting medical information being offered by various specialists, so they can make important treatment decisions with greater confidence. In this way, Reiki can help people become more actively involved in their own health.