What I can't grasp is how silly it is that most 'adults' focus on mass/matter and ignore the energy around them. Every thing around us is made up of matter with energy holding the molecules together. We can touch and feel the object and think we are only feeling the mass - but the energy is there too!! I studied Chemical Engineering and the first principles we learned were that mass and energy are not 'created or destroyed' but are transferred; so these concepts do exist in a scientific setting.
All that Reiki and other energy based therapies are doing is trying to connect with the energy that surrounds us so that we keep the matter and energy in balance or harmony.
When you think of the cells in our body - yes there is mass but there is also energy keeping our cells together and functioning. It seems very logical to me to try and keep that energy healthy and circulating properly in the same way that I keep the matter healthy - by watching what I eat and exercising my muscles. To do this I do yoga, meditate and have studied and practice Reiki. These are all 'tools' I keep in my toolbox to draw on when I need them.
I often think that people 3 or 4 thousands years ago were much more tuned into the energy around them - and would never think using energy to heal and to survive was 'silly'. But if someone told them that images and sound could be transported around the world from one tiny box to another one thousands of miles away; or that people would climb into giant heavy metal vessels and fly above the clouds - well I'm sure that would be their idea of a silly adult!!
I think we have traded one vision and use of energy for another and have forgotten our past a bit. When you study energy based therapies you are also learning about our history and survival as humans and as much as I love new technology I also think we have a lot to learn from the past as well.
And what if people told you they could fly with brooms? You'd still think they were pretty silly
We haven't forgotten anything, we have just discovered more and realised that in the past, we had a less than complete picture.
Anyway, I'd like you to explain, as a chemical engineer, exactly what form this energy is that we need to keep in balance around our bodies. And how do I measure it to know whether it's balance?
For that matter, how do these activities you mention affect this energy?
I always assumed that believers in these things were referring to some sort of 'spiritual' energy, i.e. something that's not 'real' in terms we can define, but now you're telling me that it's a real physical energy. Please help un-confuse me!
So. Hands (or feet) together now, let`s pray, or feeeeeel the energy flooooow.....
I know better ..... and lots of others do too. If you like to pray like that, why do you think you adopt that position? Because the missionaries adopted that position?
And that what winds me up anbout the woo crowd, their false belief that they look at the world as a whole rather than narrow minded scientists. It's the exact opposite, a refusal to look at the bigger picture, instead a whimsical picture of fantasy is imagined to easily explain things away without any hard work.
energy directed from your fingers, I have more respect for people who like to believe in the force.
Perhaps it's a sign of submission to religious tyrants? Or perhaps someone once told them that if they do it, they get magical forces come from their fingers.
Otherwise we'd get healed by sitting on a hot-water bottle.
So, I assumed it must be some sort of electro-magnetic radiated heat that:
1. Can't be detected. 2. Has mystical powers.
You'd be amazed how mystical those scientists can be.
As explained by scientists!
However I just read a review . To be honest, I think Disney makes better fairy-story movies.
I personnally don't believe in 'healthy energy' - to me energy is what connects and flows between molecules - simple as that. But the foundation behind energy based therapies (Reiki, Accupuncture, accupressure, shiatsu, Thai Chi, yoga......) is that energy must flow freely through the body - if energy is blocked or depleted - then that affects your health. Low energy can be from poor nutrition, blockages can form from physical injury, poor posture. Even though I can't 'see' the energy in my body I know when I feel slow, sluggish, dull and I know when I feel alive, vital, energised. And I have learned from experience that for me yoga, reiki, meditation, massages, all help me go from feeling dull and sluggish to feeling motivated and alive.
When you think about your own body you have to put in effort to try and work towards balance. Again, its about looking after your entire body - the matter and the energy.
The interaction of energy is the same in the body as in nature and science - energy is all around us - unless we live in a vacuum. Energy is present in light waves, sound waves, heat - the medium is the 'space' that surrounds us. We try and use western terms to try define 'Ki' (as in Reiki) (or chi, or prana, or qi) but it is best compared to kinetic energy - in that to keep our bodies healthy the energy should be in motion. I suppose it may be easier for some people to understand the effects of yoga, massage, accupunture on energy flow as there is a physical connection (the medium is the physical body) and I certainly started by practising and studying these. Once you see first hand the improvements in your own health and that of your clients it is easier to move on to hands free therapies such as meditation and Reiki. With these the medium is the 'space' that surrounds us - and the energy that is contained within everything in our environment. This could be heat radiating between the hands of the practioner and the recipient, or energy in the particles of air bouncing about the room. I found this on wikipedia (entry on 'Energy'):
Any form of energy may be transformed into another form. For example, all types of potential energy are converted into kinetic energy when the objects are given freedom to move to different position (as for example, when an object falls off a support).
Of course I haven't done any experiments to measure this energy transfer and I have only used my science background to try and explain what I was experiencing and learning about. What I was hoping to do with this post was not to scientifically justify in 10 minutes what people have been debating for thousands of years - but to try and share the way that I have been able to look at these therapies and maybe encourage other people - especially those with more of a science/physics background - to see the therapies with a slight different perspective.
Yes of course. I am human and have my human doubts - just like the people of the past who would think our current technological advances were impossible follies and just like the people of the present who think the beliefs of the past are silly.
But I wouldn't think it was silly if it was part of my everyday life - just like these ancient practices were to our ancestors and to many cultures and societies still around today.
I think we have forgotten far more than we'll ever know. That's why I love studying these cultures - I feel like I am being given a glimpse into something truly remarkable - and that learning from the past AS WELL AS advancing into the future is what really gives a complete picture.
When i add Vodka to the Red Bull i lose my balance.
What should i do??
cheers
SC
I think I may have answered some of this in my last post - so sorry if I repeat a bit.
The energy (there is more than one type, i.e. potential, kinetic...) that most of the therapies refer to is best compared to Kinetic energy. It is the energy that keeps all the body systems in motion. According to these philosphies (Traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda) when the systems slow down or stop - the body starts to decline. That is the point I was trying to make. There are a lot of 'alternative' elements to Reiki and Energy based therapies but there is also a practical side that I didn't think should go unmentioned. I realise its how the practical side (the energy that your body needs) translates into your health and how the therapies may influence that is up for interrpretation. I personally have really enjoyed studying these therapies and marrying the concepts up with my science background. In fact for me, understanding that energy is all round us - holding molecules together in what appears to be a solid table - made it easier for me to connect with energy therapies.
Yoga - physically improves the movement within the body - The postures have been developed to 'twist' and squeeze the muscles and the organs - improving circulation and the flow of energy. Other postures stretch or relax the muscles. Yoga sessions should be designed so that they work the whole body. And that is working with Kinetic energy - the energy that enables a system to work.
The yogic breathing techniques aid relaxation and this has the same benefits as meditation. When your body is relaxed your parasympathetic nervous system becomes more active - this is when your body can heal and repair itself. A common type of energy imbalance is when one system is given the energy to 'work' over another. With a stressful lifestyle the sympathetic nervous system can hog the energy - so you are in constant 'go' mode. Your body will not 'automatically' balance itself. You do need to take action to address the imbalance. Yoga, meditation, gentle exercise, taking holidays, baths, reading - anything that helps you relax will improve the balance.
This is also where I would classify the benefits of Reiki. A reiki session usually involves lying down in a relaxed comfortable position while someone else focus their attention on you. If you believe that energy can be transferred via light, heat, interaction of particles etc.. (I do) then this transfer would help improve the amount of energy in the recipient's body and improve the flow within the body. If you don't believe in the energy transfer - but maybe have heard from people who swear it works - you may be able justify along the lines of meditation. For 45 minutes or an hour the recipient is relaxed, feeling pampered because someone else is giving them their undivided attention and probably had a consultation at the start where they were given a chance to talk to someone about their troubles. Reiki can also be practised on yourself (how I use it) - and it really is best described as a type of meditation - you have some sayings/mantras - that help you to clear your mind and be focused - when your mind is clear and your body relaxed the energy flows more freely. Again if your can get your head around the 'transfer' concept - Reiki can also help you absorb more energy from your surroundings - or at least be more receptive to it.
Unfortunately there isn't a way to measure if you are in or out of balance - and you usually don't know until you start to feel unwell. It could just be headaches, poor digestion, poor sleep, too much sleep. But if you have your own set of 'tools' in your personal toolbox you can try and address the imbalance quickly. For me, I've also found that yoga, meditation, reiki have helped me to be more in tune to my body so I can react sooner. Or maybe because I have the 'tools' to work on these issues I no longer try to ignore the signs and hope things improve on their own.
With respect to the spiritual side - that is up to the individual perspective. Again, in chinese medicine and Ayurveda - the Qi/Prana is physical, kinetic energy that comes from your environment and is required by your body to function properly. In these cultures, their spiritual beliefs, prayers, religious holidays, practices were so intertwined with their everyday life that I think this is why the spiritual side is often included with the energy therapies. I learned Reiki from a non-spiritual perspective but we did learn the history and origins which did come from a spiritual background. In fact the 'Rei' in Reiki translates as 'Divine' and 'ki' is Energy. I dont' think that they felt that 'energy' was divine, but by keeping your body in a healthy balanced state would make it easier for you to connect to the Divine power. Prayer and meditation took focus, and required a lot of time sittting in one position so if you were physically unwell then you wouldn't be able to concentrate on your prayers so your spiritual side would suffer.
In a reiki treatment a spiritual practioner may user prayer as part of their treatment - there are lots of different styles of all therapies - so even if you don't like one practitioner - you may want to give that therapy another try with someone else.
It's the equivalent of calling someone who hits machines till they work a mechanic, because sometimes, it works.