Exploring energy medicine

Through out my naturopathy studies I have uncovered an interest in energy medicine. What I mean by 'energy medicine' is diagnosis and healing by means of the energy bodies or by using the energy harnessed in natures substances. The energy body comprises a number of bodies - according to a nifty book entitled 'Chakras for the 21st century', by Claire East. The physical body as we know and can concretely observe, vibrates with energy. The etheric body is the life force energy, chi, qi and the likes. It might also include the energy that remains post-amputation/loss of a limb. I'm not sure if this is related, but scientists have observed a certain arrangement of energy (there was another word they used in the report but I can't think of it right now) around the site of an amputation. The etheric body extends beyond the physical body. The astral body is also known as the star body or commonly as our aura. It provides consciousness and movement. And finally the spiritual body is purely an energy body and relates to or is the soul body. Again, this is just one idea from a resource based on chakras. Chakras themselves are known as the energy or light centres held in the astral body. The chakras deal with spiritual energy and cultivation of physical energy from the spiritual energy. Modalities that are based on or utilise energy medicine include - flower essences, homeopathy, acpuncture, kinesiology, certain approaches to diet and reiki. Below I will describe what I understand and find intriguing about each of these. Traditional Chinese Medicine has a point of view of health that I can get behind. Practitioners do not see a disease in a body. They see the individual's experience and the imbalances occurring in their bodies. Everything has yin and yang aspects. The practitioner observes cool, heat, damp and dry, again within this yin and yang framework. Acupuncture in TCM is based on the meridians which are channels in the body carrying Qi and blood. Qi is not directly translatable to 'vital energy/vitality' but is often explained in English in that sense, for want of a better word. From whatI can understand, particularly in relation to the book 'The web that has no weaver' by Ted Kaptchuk, Qi is neither energy or matter, but is both. There is Qi in the organs, the meridians as mentioned, the blood, there exists what is known as the 'protective Qi' and there is Qi of the chest. Qi can be deficient or excessive or can be coursing through the meridians efficiently, suggesting good health (amongst other contributors within the TCM system). TCM is so m uch more broad than this. I feel have a very Western medicine influenced view which might impede on my understanding or perhaps that is what makes me so intrigued by TCM principles, ideas, philosophies and treatments. Especially when acupuncture, tui na, moxibustion and heat lamps have been so effective for myself personally. Reiki was developed in Japan. A Reiki practitioner harnesses the universal energy and channels it into their subject, focusing energy and healing them physically and emotionally. I like this because it is an emotional healing that isn't necessarily talking about psych. This can work on the chakra energy system. I would like to write more but I haven't delved into it too much. Homeopathy harnesses the energy system of natural substances which become significantly diluted and vigorously shaken. There are other principles in homeopathy but I'm just going to talk about the energy part. The medicine used is referred to as 'dynamic' and is aimed at the vital force within all of us and therefore encourages the natural healing by n nature that our bodies are all capable of. This is a quote that I like. I think it explains it. It comes from the Organon of Medicine by Hahnemann whom pioneered homeopathy and who I like because he questioned a well established medical system based on the humorals during his time. In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force (autocracy), the dynamisthat animates the material body (organism), rules with unbounded sway, and retains all the parts of the organism in admirable, harmonious, vital operation, as regards both sensations and functions, so that our indwelling, reason-gifted mind can freely employ this living, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence. Flower essences again harness the healing power of nature. Flower essences can be based on the doctrine of signatures and are so beautiful for emotional health. One aspect of energy medicine that intrigues me is the idea of how emotions can become stored in organs. I feel like when I learn about emotional health it always comes back to psychology, the mind and emotions and consequential behaviours. The physical manifestation of emotions expressed and especially suppressed, is overlooked - and I want to know more! Evette Rose is someone I can recommend to look further into. Her book 'Metaphysical Anatomy' is so interesting to me and I feel for me it provides more depth in relation to ideas that Louise Hay talks about. That's a few of my thoughts on a broad subject that I am discovering more about all the time. I want to write about kinesiology and diet in separate posts. Thanks for reading!