# Energy healing



## Anne (Nov 10, 2013)

This is such a fascinating subject for me; this video is long, but worth watching.  I believe we all have this power, but how to activate it??

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/07/19/healer-demonstrates-extraordinary-powers-of-chi/#_

Something I've wondered for so long...if Jesus had the power to heal; and the Bible tells us He did; is it something we've just lost over the ages, or has it purposely been hidden from us??    If so, why??  

Thoughts, anyone??


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## SifuPhil (Nov 10, 2013)

Good article as far as getting the word out about internal energy but not so great about the person they chose to profile. 

John Chang uses all the right words but he is widely viewed in the legitimate healing field as a con man. Chi cannot set paper on fire; if he was truly a master then his patients wouldn't be trembling uncontrollably.

Chi (Qi, Ki) is a very real phenomenon but it has been bastardized by too many people who sell it to the unsuspecting but hopeful public.


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## Diwundrin (Nov 10, 2013)

Thought we could safely leave that one to you Phil. 

Indonesia + Healer = shonky, it's a National Sport there.

I can handle the notion of people who can garner a personal store of 'chi' or whatever.  It's why some survive impossible situations, and some lay down and will themselves to die.  I do hold doubt that it can be passed on to others though.  Shamanism has existed as long as we have, I thought we were over being hoodwinked by faith healers by now, but apparently not.  Motivators, mentors, role models with exemplary philosophies to channel our thinking, yes I can buy that.  Magic tricked up as reality I can't. sorry.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 10, 2013)

Diwundrin said:


> Thought we could safely leave that one to you Phil.



Well, as insane as it may sound I've spent 43 years studying chi and about 35 teaching how to discover, concentrate, store and transport it.

It's certainly a hot potato topic, and opinions run wild whenever there's a discussion of it. 

So what have I learned in all that time? Well, the first thing to know is that the traditional descriptions of chi are necessarily limited. The "power" was first described thousands of years ago in a time when knowledge of how the human body actually worked was quite scarce. In the same breath, the Chinese version of this energy is now being seen to mirror many of the proven bio-electrical processes that take place in the human body. There are tie-ins with adrenaline, nerve networks and biochemical reactions that are influenced by mood and state of mind. 

I see chi as being analogous to the times when a little old lady will suddenly have the strength to lift a car off her grandchild: everyone has the capability, but few will ever develop it to such a level that they can command it.

Martial arts have proven to be a great training regime, since they naturally include strong focusing and body-awareness skills. These are, coincidentally, the same skills needed for the development of chi.

Healing? It's been proven that prayer and "laying-on of hands" are effective modalities in healing certain afflictions. Acupuncture is merely the manipulation of chi through the use of fine-gauge needles; acupressure / Tui-Na / pressure point work / energy healing all use the same principles. 

But these jokers that do non-touch knock-outs from across the room? Setting fire to paper? Healing with a single touch? No, it doesn't work that way. I've been exposed to the real thing and it's nowhere near as Hollywood as these folks would have you believe. It probably helps that I was also an enthusiastic amateur magician for many years and am familiar with many of the ways of the con-man. 



> Indonesia + Healer = shonky, it's a National Sport there.



Many of the underdeveloped nations still employ such trickery for personal gain as well as gaining converts for religions and cults. It's the modern-day form of witchcraft, without the morals.


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## Diwundrin (Nov 10, 2013)

That 'laying on of hands' thing only works, or seems to, with people who already believe that the power is there for others to bestow.  It would perhaps bolster a state of mind already in place, but I doubt it would have an effect on someone who hasn't a clue about it.

There's an interesting phenomonen among the Koori here.  Not much heard of today but very real and common in the past.  It's probably still part of their culture, though I doubt it would work on many these days. I think they lost faith in it when they found it didn't work on the settlers who were taking over their lands.

 It's the ceremony of 'pointing the bone.'  They have/had some rough justice punishments for crimes including spearing in the leg for what we'd judge to be misdemeanors. The 'death penalty', to my understanding of it though, consisted of the elders pointing a bone at the condemned and instructing him to die.  He would be shunned and/or hunted out of the camp and never seen again. 

 The story goes that they would simply walk out a ways, sit down, hum quietly to themselves and do exactly as instructed.  This was said to work even in absentia.  As soon as they got word that the bone had been pointed at them, they were history.  But that they had to be told is the proof that it is an internal mind set, not something transmissable by telepathy.

That wouldn't work on anyone who had no strong conviction of the mind power wielded by the elders who had withdrawn their connection to the tribal 'country'.  That seems a term they apply to place and feeling of belonging, a kind of life force they are connected to. Sound familiar?


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## SifuPhil (Nov 10, 2013)

Diwundrin said:


> That 'laying on of hands' thing only works, or seems to, with people who already believe that the power is there for others to bestow.  It would perhaps bolster a state of mind already in place, but I doubt it would have an effect on someone who hasn't a clue about it.



Yet I have done work on "non-believers" as well as "non-knowers" and have had my share of successes with them, as have many, many other practitioners.

I understand the concept of requiring faith in order to effect a cure, but isn't that a part of every modality including modern Western medicine? A patient who thinks their doctor defecates 24-karat bricks is more likely to become well, and sooner, than one who mistrusts / loathes his GP. 



> There's an interesting phenomonen among the Koori here ...  That wouldn't work on anyone who had no strong conviction of the mind power wielded by the elders who had withdrawn their connection to the tribal 'country'.  That seems a term they apply to place and feeling of belonging, a kind of life force they are connected to. Sound familiar?



Yes it does, but is not a direct correlation to the healing arts that utilize chi. They're essentially performing a brainwashing trick. It's entirely due to the perception and acceptance of group-think - that's why it doesn't work on outsiders, because it relies upon a shared myth.

Acupuncture / acupressure are proven modalities with thousands of satisfied clients. Insurance companies reimburse for treatments, and insurance companies are no dummies - they wouldn't hand over the cash unless something was actually happening. Same with chiropractic, although there I admit you could always point to physical manipulation.

OK, let's do that. There is a practice in Chinese medicine known as Tui-na, somewhat of a parallel to Western massage but with a much different mindset and technique. At it's most basic it is physical manipulation, yet it employs all of the same energetic principles (chi) as acupuncture and acupressure. 

Chinese herbs - their formulation and application depend entirely upon diagnostics rooted in chi. 

Qigong - an exercise / meditation system designed to focus attention upon the generation, storage and healing application of chi.

Taijiquan, Hsing-I, Bagua - fighting arts that utilize both your own and your opponent's chi.

Aikido - ibid. 

So many more healing and martial arts that utilize the concepts and applications of internal energy that have been practiced for hundreds of years. They wouldn't be used in life-or-death situations if they didn't work.


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## Diwundrin (Nov 10, 2013)

I've never been much into that mind training thing, too busy using it playing mind games duels with a master conniver. 

 
I don't write it off, it's just not something I'm prepared to get into at this late stage.

I had a Chinese doctor in Singleton in whom I placed more faith than usual, he played both sides of the medical fence.  He was one of the very few who had not only heard of what ailed me but had bothered to attend a seminar about it which impressed me no end.  He was an acupuncture exponent too, and flogged medicinal herbal potions shamelessly on the side.  He had a lot of acupuncture patients, he set aside time for them.  None that I noticed over the years hobbled any less but they must have felt better or they wouldn't have kept going to him I guess.

All he said to me was "mmmmm, acupuncture may help, but wait and see if '...name your potion here...' works first."
The subject was never raised again.  I've wondered why a few times but didn't push the issue.  Maybe he knew I couldn't afford it at that time.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 11, 2013)

Diwundrin said:


> I've never been much into that mind training thing, too busy using it playing mind games duels with a master conniver.



Well, whomever that may be I wish them luck! 



> I had a Chinese doctor in Singleton in whom I placed more faith than usual, he played both sides of the medical fence.  He was one of the very few who had not only heard of what ailed me but had bothered to attend a seminar about it which impressed me no end.  He was an acupuncture exponent too, and flogged medicinal herbal potions shamelessly on the side.  He had a lot of acupuncture patients, he set aside time for them.  None that I noticed over the years hobbled any less but they must have felt better or they wouldn't have kept going to him I guess.
> 
> All he said to me was "mmmmm, acupuncture may help, but wait and see if '...name your potion here...' works first."
> The subject was never raised again.  I've wondered why a few times but didn't push the issue.  Maybe he knew I couldn't afford it at that time.



It could be that, or it could be that he was following the traditional regimen of treatment. Usually it starts with less invasive methods - massage, acupressure - then proceeds to herbs, then finally to heavier manipulations (Gua-sha, "bone scraping") and acupuncture. 

Or, herbs were just his first love but acupuncture paid his bills. 

There are 5 major categories of Chinese medicine and it's difficult to become skilled in them all, so most practitioners will specialize in one or perhaps two. There's also licensing to consider: here in the U.S. you can be simply an acupuncturist (L.Ac), a Diplomate (higher level of training) or an OMD (Doctor of Oriental Medicine) which is the highest level and involves many years of study. You can also find doctors and nurses that have taken 100-hours of training and are legally allowed to stick needles into you without understanding any of the theory or diagnostics - essentially they're given a chart and a complimentary pack of needles and told to go forth and be fruitful. 

In our local area there has only ever been one OMD (_ahem_), 2 Diplomates and a dozen or so L.Acs, along with a handful of MDs offering "treatments" as a sideline. The folks here are old-school and swear by their pills.


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## Anne (Nov 11, 2013)

Thanks much for the input, Di & Phil.  So, it seems John Chang is another Benny Hiinn; more smoke and mirrors than anything real.  I've only had a Reiki treatment once, and did feel very warm after a few minutes, and she said it was my energy rising to meet hers.  The receiver does the healing, not the giver, so it seems.

I believe it works, but since most of us don't really understand how; we are going to be skeptical at first, like with anything else.  Perhaps it works by faith, as our religious leaders say, if you believe in it, you attract it; if not, it works anyway, but you just don't realize it. 

I did wonder about starting a fire with energy, though - why wouldn't that be possible if this is so powerful??  With quantum touch, one can supposedly straighten a curved spine; heal organs, etc.  Is that power dependent upon the faith of the healer, or the receiver??     More questions..........


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## nan (Nov 11, 2013)

I once had a Polar Therapy treatment for a bad back I had and I know that worked for me, I would much sooner have  a Bowen therapy treatment though, as it is relaxing as well as healing ,and it is also good for animals with muscular problems ,I know of a case where a dog was dragging its back legs trying to walk,a Bowen therapy was done on it and after a couple of treatments was back to normal.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 11, 2013)

Anne said:


> Thanks much for the input, Di & Phil.  So, it seems John Chang is another Benny Hiinn; more smoke and mirrors than anything real.  I've only had a Reiki treatment once, and did feel very warm after a few minutes, and she said it was my energy rising to meet hers.  The receiver does the healing, not the giver, so it seems.




Oddly enough, considering that I'm so into energy work, I'm usually _against_ Reiki. The reason is threefold: first, the structure of this modality rests solely upon belief in God, which is against my own personal beliefs. 

Second, I don't like the cloak of mystery that has been wrapped around it: the secret hand positions, the paying for attunements at several levels. 

Third, the belief that it doesn't matter where you put your hands, that you can have non-contact healing and even distance healing over the telephone. That goes against all of my training.



> I believe it works, but since most of us don't really understand how; we are going to be skeptical at first, like with anything else.  Perhaps it works by faith, as our religious leaders say, if you believe in it, you attract it; if not, it works anyway, but you just don't realize it.





>



The faith angle is a toughie, because there are results from both sides - belief and non-belief. Certainly I'm of the opinion that faith has some powerful abilities to heal, *when coupled with physical treatment*. When I read the stories of people's cancers being instantly cured solely by prayer ... when I see these faith healers on TV slapping someone on their forehead and healing their goiter ... it just doesn't sit well with me nor does it make any medical sense. 

The mind and body are co-dependent, so it makes sense that one can influence the other. I'm just extremely skeptical about some of the ways in which "faith" is employed. 



> I did wonder about starting a fire with energy, though - why wouldn't that be possible if this is so powerful??  With quantum touch, one can supposedly straighten a curved spine; heal organs, etc.  Is that power dependent upon the faith of the healer, or the receiver??     More questions..........



During the seven years I spent studying TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and the 30+ years of practice I never encountered anyone who had the ability to be a fire-starter, nor did I ever read a single documented account of curing a curved spine solely with energy. Healing organs is a different matter, I believe it is possible, but again it would depend upon the severity and nature of the injury/disease.

As I've always told my own TCM students, if I'm hit by a train don't take me to an energy healer or an acupuncturist - take me to the ER. Likewise, if I have a headache or a muscle spasm don't fill me up with pills; get me to an "alternative" practitioner. The battle between Eastern and Western medicine has been a long one and is ongoing, but there are small signs that they are starting to merge into something greater than their constituent parts. It doesn't happen often and you don't read about it every day, but every once in while you'll find a case where both paradigms combine just for a moment and effect a cure.

One last thought about faith ... in my training we learned about medicine that is based upon Taoist principles. Not wholly religious ones and not totally philosophical, but a blend of both. But it was the _principles themselves_ that we studied and used, _not_ the beliefs or faiths behind them. 

We were taught - and in my practice I subsequently proved - that faith has no connection to TCM. That's why I discount the effects of faith in my practice, and why I place TCM above purely faith-based methods.


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## Diwundrin (Nov 11, 2013)

Oh well that's just too sensible.  Where's the fun in a post like that?  siiiiigh.



> As I've always told my own TCM students, if I'm hit by a train don't  take me to an energy healer or an acupuncturist - take me to the ER.



Reminded of a cartoon of a traffic victim, lying in a pool of blood, limbs at all angles,  a crowd gathering around, and the caption is ... "Quick! Someone call an Aromatherapist!!"

There are advantages and limitations in all aspects of 'healing' it's choosing the right horse for the right course that is the trick to it.

Neither form is infallible and since the 'Oriental versions', Herbalists, Faith Healers, Shamans, et al have been around since we first learned to mumble intelligibly without causing a population boom, they don't seem quite as successful as modern medicine in keeping us alive longer than we ought to be.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 11, 2013)

Diwundrin said:


> Oh well that's just too sensible.  Where's the fun in a post like that?  siiiiigh.



I'm sorry - it was just a temporary aberration, I swear, It won't happen again.



> Reminded of a cartoon of a traffic victim, lying in a pool of blood, limbs at all angles,  a crowd gathering around, and the caption is ... "Quick! Someone call an Aromatherapist!!"



Actually, aromatherapy has been proven to -

Hee, hee ... 



> There are advantages and limitations in all aspects of 'healing' it's choosing the right horse for the right course that is the trick to it.



Truth.



> Neither form is infallible and since the 'Oriental versions', Herbalists, Faith Healers, Shamans, et al have been around since we first learned to mumble intelligibly without causing a population boom, they don't seem quite as successful as modern medicine in keeping us alive longer than we ought to be.



I really like that way of putting it - clever! 

That being said, in order to maintain the currently-PC "transparency" I have to state that there were many Taoists that spent their entire lives looking for magic elixirs and life prolongation potions. 

Perhaps our modern Cenegenics folks are at a relatively similar stage of development ...


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## Anne (Nov 11, 2013)

Oh - Cenegenics;  there's another one. Perhaps should look into that some more.   Distance healing is something I question, and I notice they often ask for contact by phone and credit card #...oh no, that can't be why they want to call you first.  

As far as re-adjusting the spine, it is Richard Gordon who claims to be able to do so using Quantum Touch.  I'd love to sit in on a session and see for myself what takes place - I was told it was like Reiki, but much stronger.  I was not aware that it was faith-based, but that it was something that we all had the ability to do.

I only wish that alternative and allopathic medicine practitioners could/would take what works best, and learn from each other....doubt we'll see much of that in our lifetimes.  Too much money involved for that to happen, and too many govt. agencies waiting to regulate and/or stifle studies that might prove an alternative therapy or medicine really works.


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## SifuPhil (Nov 11, 2013)

Anne said:


> Oh - Cenegenics;  there's another one. Perhaps should look into that some more.   Distance healing is something I question, and I notice they often ask for contact by phone and credit card #...oh no, that can't be why they want to call you first.



It's funny also because in TCM there is a totally different view of "distance" healing. First there is the "inner" healing level, where you apply vigorous massage or pressure to the body. The second level is "surface", just making light but firm contact. The third and least-often used is the "distance" level, which is never any more than a few millimeters away from the skin. 



> As far as re-adjusting the spine, it is Richard Gordon who claims to be able to do so using Quantum Touch.  I'd love to sit in on a session and see for myself what takes place - I was told it was like Reiki, but much stronger.  I was not aware that it was faith-based, but that it was something that we all had the ability to do.



I'd like to sit-in on a session as well, or even be a test patient. 

In taking a quick look at their website's store (listed as "_Products_" and holding second place on their main menu only after "Get Started") I see far too many overpriced "specials" and "packages" to give me much faith. I also think it laughable that they have a section just for combining Quantum Touch and acupuncture - the first thing you learn as an acupuncturist, no matter _what_ level of training you're undertaking, is how to concentrate and flow your own energy.



> I only wish that alternative and allopathic medicine practitioners could/would take what works best, and learn from each other....doubt we'll see much of that in our lifetimes.  Too much money involved for that to happen, and too many govt. agencies waiting to regulate and/or stifle studies that might prove an alternative therapy or medicine really works.



That's my dream as well, but as you so astutely said there's probably too much money involved. It doesn't matter whether it's medical marijuana or acupuncture - this government will find a way to levy fees and taxes and licenses on it until it bleeds out.


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## That Guy (Nov 12, 2013)




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## Anne (Nov 12, 2013)

What the heck is the guy in the background holding??!


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## SifuPhil (Nov 12, 2013)

Anne said:


> What the heck is the guy in the background holding??!



LOL!

It looks like he's got his arm up a puppet, at least that's what I HOPE it is ... with Benny you never know.


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