Every week we receive calls about Reiki or our other "alternative" offerings, such as: acupressure, trigger point and Shamanic services. The questions originate from a wide-range of personal interests and perspectives. When we teach our Reiki, Shamanic, or Integrative Bodywork classes, I spend a great deal of time providing examples of well accepted, real-world, energy based concepts. I think the time is well spent because a person may be able to affiliate with some common energy based example that offers a conceptual framework within which they can fit the concepts of these more esoteric ideas. It is hard to fit the classroom discussion into a short blog article - but, I wanted to cover a few reoccurring questions that seem to be on our client's minds.
Does energy work conflict with religious beliefs?
Some people think so, but it shouldn't have to. I'd like to think that I am a very spiritual person. I respect all people (and other living things) and belief systems as long as they have a fundamental basis in treating people well and loving one another. Therefore, nothing I ever do or teach forces any type of belief system or concept onto another person. I am more than happy to help clients understand the concepts and logic behind a service in which they may be interested. This is important because if a person has questions about something; getting a good answer and understanding the work that is being done provides power to the work and can help make things more effective for the client. From my perspective, there is nothing that I do, or service that I provide, that should be in contradiction or opposed to anyone's belief system.
What does holistic actually mean?
A basic concept in anything that we offer is that a person is an "integrated whole." A person is the sum of their energy, emotions, thoughts, physical characteristics and wellness, spirituality and beliefs. Any area that is not optimal, for that specific person, means that they are not in the best place that they can be. Our goal is to help a person be the best sum of their collective parts. That is why our approach is holistic. That is why we offer massage & bodywork, therapeutic hypnosis, psychotherapy and energy work. We want to be able to help the "whole" person based on their specific needs.
Why should a person be concerned about their "energy?"
You can read some of the other blog articles that describe this more, but any lack of smooth, unrestricted flow of energy (which can mean any of the above listed holistic areas are in distress) creates an environment for lack of optimal health, dis-ease or distress. Good energy flow = good overall health.
Can you explain how these "energy" based services work?
Almost everything we do can be explained by a model or reference to some type of concept. We draw upon Asian, East Indian, Native American, Shamanic, Western... cultures to bring together what seems to work for our clients. BUT - - - these are only concepts or models. While these concepts or models seem to be sturdy and based on fact, they are simply some cultures' attempt to explain what may be currently inexplicable. If you think about it, our Western scientific knowledge base is always expanding and changing. Here are some examples:
Remember, not so long ago, almost everyone in the world thought the world was flat? People were tortured and considered heretics if they professed a belief that the world was actually round.
With all our advances in medicine and neurology, we currently still do not know how the brain actually works.
We currently accept that everything is made of atoms - 118 possible elements. Atoms have electrons that are always constantly in motion. That means that everything, even things that appear solid (concrete) is actually in constant motion.
How does the magnetic field created by an MRI actually not hurt our cells as it resonates them to make the image? A microwave oven also resonates cells to cook food - just a different frequency. Yet, it wouldn't be a great idea to hop into a microwave oven. Nor, could you cook a potato in an MRI machine.
Models or concepts like these are readily accepted by us. Yet, they are simply the best current explanation we rely upon to explain things that actually defy explanation. Reiki, acupressure, Shamanic practices, Trigger Point Therapy, depression, emotional pain... are similar attempts at applying models to explain things. In reality, our human existence and life energy is similarly inexplicable. Click here for more information about Wishing Wellness.
