by Bob Trowbridge

Created on: July 19, 2010

The terminology, energy medicine, is only about 30 years old but the concept of working with human energy fields is ancient. All of the techniques for working with human energy for healing are based on the same fundamental assumption.

All human bodies have an energy field. It is described differently in different systems of thought. Energy medicine, in all of its different forms, however, is always about working with that energy field to affect a healing.

Going back as far as possible, it would be accurate to suggest that primitive and indigenous peoples have always practiced energy medicine. Sometimes it involved actual potions or natural medicines. In addition, it usually involved methods for working with an individual’s energy or psyche.

Drumming, chanting, and ecstatic dance were used to place the practitioner (shaman) in an altered state of consciousness. The patient would also move into an altered state. In this altered state the shaman could view the patient’s energy field and possibly see if there was some curse involved or some kind of evil spirit disrupting the patient’s normal energy patterns.

In Biblical times and throughout much of our early history, energy medicine took the form of laying on of hands and prayer. It would be fair to say that both prayer and some form of laying on of hands is still part of modern energy medicine.

Different Names, Same Stuff

Different cultures have named this basic energy differently. Asian medicine speaks of Qi or Chi. Chinese medicine, specifically acupuncture and acupressure, involve lines of energy throughout the body called meridians. With needles and/or pressure, these points are used to redirect the body’s energy to bring about a healing balance.

In India, this basic energy is called Prana and is prominently featured in Ayurvedic medicine. In all systems of energy medicine, including the Hindu system, energy can be affected with hands-on manipulation or working with energy without touching the body or even at a distance.

Modern Systems

There has been an explosion in interest in and types of energy medicine systems in the beginning of the 21st century. Some of the better-known energy medicine modalities are Polarity Therapy, Reiki, Chinese medicine (working with Qi or Chi), Ayurvedic medicine (Prana), Feldenkrais, and the Alexander Technique.

There are many other systems of energy work and more are being added constantly. What they have in common is two complementary approaches. One

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