Science explains that energy can be neither created nor destroyed - but can be transformed from one form to another. Discover some of the ancient practices that work to heal and support our energies…
“We are made up of so much more than just the physical body that modern medicine concentrates on.”
Paula Apro, Energy Medicine and Pranic Healer
When doctors talk about our physiology, they consider our organs, skin, muscles, bones and blood. Tangible things they can see and understand. But what is missing from this understanding of the human being, is something unseen. A vital life force, a set of energies that ebb and flow and profoundly impact our wellbeing throughout our lives.
‘Einstein said, ‘everything is energy’, and it’s no surprise that he’s right,’ explains sound therapist Farzana Ali. ‘How we react to the resonance and resistance in our lives, who we surround ourselves with and what we do all have a profound impact on who we are energetically. Problems arise when we are not in balance and our energy is out of sync with our core beliefs.’
Much like a hormone imbalance, an energy balance is key to a happy, healthy body and mind. We can all sense the energy in ourselves and others. We know the feeling we get from “good vibes” versus “bad vibes”, and we experience energy changes all the time through the moon’s phases, the seasons and our own hormonal flux.
‘The moon can change the tides in the ocean, so it’d be naïve to think that the moon couldn’t or wouldn’t impact us energetically too,’ explains Ali. ‘Studies have shown that even if you can’t see the full moon (using blackout curtains for instance), a full moon will still disrupt sleep patterns.’
The seasons, and the weather, impacts us energetically too, says Ali, recalling how thunderstorms are known to cause headaches and migraines in some people, while the darker months trigger SAD in others.
‘The problem, says Ali, is that we’ve stopped paying attention to these energetic ebbs and flows. ‘We’ve fallen out of sync with recognising it, and life is set up in a way to ignore it. For instance, if your body is craving warmth and comfort when the days are cold, honour that. Nature hibernates, and yet we ignore those same cues to slow down and rest during the shorter, darker days.
When your energies are imbalanced, you feel like you are in deep resistance. ‘This is when everything seems difficult, and everything annoys and irritates them,’ says Ali. ‘Their energy might be frantic, and they might be sleeping very badly, if at all.’ You may be in pain, suffering from allergies, indigestion, headaches, fatigue, bad circulation, shortness of breath, a lack of appetite
This is where energy medicine comes in. A collection of therapies and healing practices that aim to bring us back into harmony with these energies, energy medicine balances and soothes us when we are fractured, blocked and out of sync. Some healing treatments require direct contact with the body – such as acupuncture, shiatsu and reflexology, while others, such as reiki, craniosacral therapy, sound healing and quantum healing are absorbed by the body in different ways.
However, this healing is delivered, it focuses on removing energetic blocks so that your body can do what it naturally wants to do – move itself into balance so that it can heal. ‘You can transform all the negative results in your life into positive results – sickness into well-being, lack into abundance, stress into peace of mind, and failing relationships into healthy, strong bonds,’ says Apro.
Sound Healing
Sound is a powerful tool to help move stagnant energy that could be blocking you, and even causing you discomfort or pain. A practitioner uses a series of sounds, frequencies and vibrations – on drums, singing bowls or gongs - to take you into a more relaxed and calm state to shift energy around the body, stimulating when needed or slowing you down.
‘I’ll play higher frequencies in areas that are blocked, and lower frequencies where you need more grounding,’ explains Ali.
‘Different instruments will be selected depending on what you need. For instance, if someone was stuck too much in their masculine energy - I might not choose the gong for them. Or, if someone else was feeling distant and cold and 'shattered', I would properly choose the warming harmonics of Himalayan bowls for them.
Find the full list of sound healers at The Practice Rooms here >>
Acupuncture and Acupressure
Using the meridians of your body – the channels along which your energy flows – acupuncture and acupressure stimulate and open up the flow of energy in the body. Acupuncture uses small needles, while acupressure uses hands to place pressure on specific points on the body to release energy.
Find the full list of acupuncture practitioners at The Practice Rooms here >>
Find the full list of acupressure practitioners at The Practice Rooms here >>
Qijong
Qigong (also spelt Chi Gong or Chi Gung) is a health exercise system from China relating to Chinese medicine. Qi refers to the energy of the body and Gong means work, the two words together refer to an energy workout for the body. There are many different Qigong sets with different movements. The system is thousands of years old and is also the basis of Tai Chi.
Through a series of often slow moving motions, with an emphasis on being calm and present, a continuous flow of energy is encouraged. This helps to repair and balance the body and generate energy for use when it is needed. Benefits include releasing stress, balancing emotions, loosening muscles, building power, improving blood flow, strengthening nerves, ligaments, joints, bones and organs.
Find the full list of Qichong practitioners at The Practice Rooms here >>
Reiki
A Japanese healing technique which uses gentle touch to balance and change the energy fields in a person's body. The word reiki is a combination of the Japanese words rei, meaning universal, and ki, which refers to a flow of life energy. The method of receiving a Reiki treatment from a practitioner is a very simple process. The recipient simply lies on a couch and relaxes. If they are unable to lie down the treatment can be given in a sitting position, the main thing is for the recipient to be as comfortable as possible. There is no need to remove any clothing as Reiki will pass through anything, even plaster casts. The practitioner gently places their hands non-intrusively in a sequence of positions which cover the whole body. The whole person is treated rather than specific symptoms.
Find the full list of reiki practitioners at The Practice Rooms here >>
Craniosacral Healing
A gentle, non-invasive, hands-on healing, craniosacral healing focuses on the pulse of energy that flows between our head and pelvic area, and works to optimise the pulse of this energy’s rhythm. It is a gentle, often deeply intuitive technique, which helps the body to re-establish an unobstructed flow, which may have become blocked.
Find the full list of craniosacral practitioners at The Practice Rooms here >>
Nishino Breathing
Kozo Nishino is one of the leading qi experts in Japan. His eponymous breathing method is designed to cultivate life energy. Comprised of a series of movements, relax, stretch, twist and rotating the body, it is combined with a slow, deep breath. The breath is a key connection between your life energy and your physical existence.
Reflexology
Working in a similar way to acupressure, this healing frees up blocked energy and promotes healing by stimulating pressure points on the feet, hands, and ears.
Find the full list of reflexologists at The Practice Rooms here >>
The above forms of energy medicine are powerful and intuitive, and they can really help to realign and rebalance our energies. But there is also simple energy self-care we can do at home.
‘Start listening to your intuition,’ says Ali. ‘Our bodies constantly collect information from our surroundings, in a subconscious way. That ‘gut’ feeling is very powerful, but many have learnt to ignore and dull the messages coming from it – so start listening again. If the ‘vibe’ aka vibration aka energy is off with someone or something – your body will recognise it before your mind.’
Energy Self Care
Himalayan salts – have a bath with pink Himalayan salts or invest in a Himalayan salt lamp, which can work to diffuse negative energy.
Smudging - burning sage around you helps clear negativity from your energy field.
Gratitude Practice – shifting your mindset can help you become more resilient to negative energy. ‘It really is a protective force,’ adds Ali.
Loving-Kindness Meditation – this is great for reducing negative emotions and increasing positive ones. Practicing kindness is one of the most direct routes to happiness.