As we progress into the twenty-first century, modern medicine has made many inroads and advances due to new discoveries in chemistry, biology and physics.  Although we have become proud of our advancements in science, modern medicine has yet to solve our health problems.  The proponents of alternative medicine are not refuting the validity of the discoveries made in conventional medicine, but are merely trying to put some things into perspective.   There are many diseases such as cancer, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and a wide variety of serious as well as chronic diseases where a cure is has been pending for many, many years.  Many people, especially those suffering with seemingly incurable illnesses, are questioning modern medicine, and wondering if they have really made that much advancement at all.  Medical science has certainly progressed in nuclear and emergency medicine, immunology, surgery, epidemiology and medical testing.  These systems are certainly very important, but actual disease prevention and treatment is still eluding the modern medical establishment. 

One premise of alternative and holistic medical theory is that modern medicine, due to its biomechanical way of looking at the animal species, overlooks key factors in determining the cause of disease.  We are not only a complex biomechanical machine but we are also a complex energetic system that is comprised of many other critical factors such as emotions, relationships, the ability to give and receive love, and we are possessed of an enduring infinite relationship with the Divine.  If we look at the human body as a multidimensional energy field that is permeated with consciousness, then we may ascertain that our health and well-being are dependent on the uninhibited life-force or energy that flows into the biochemical cell and organs of each life form.  Any impedance or flow in that energy may cause disease and ensuing death in some cases.  Energy medicine is not so much concerned about cause and effect (past and future), but looks at the imbalance in terms of the present.  A warrior on the battlefield would not be justified in asking where the arrow came from that is sticking in his side, but only to remove the arrow would be the solution to his problem.  How to remove the arrow of disease is the number one inquiry at hand, and number two is the plan how not to get stuck (sick) again.  In the chapters that follow we will discuss many aspects of energetic healing and the solutions that such a modality would serve to offer.  In this paper the terms “energetic medicine”, “energy medicine” and ”energetic healing” will be used interchangeably.  

Conventional Versus Energetic Medicine

The conventional allopathic system of medicine is based on the fifteenth century model of Newtonian or Mechanistic physical science.  The scientists and physicians of this time were certain that all discoveries in science had reached their pinnacle.  Although their have been great strides in science since then, our twentieth century scientists are struggling with their mechanistic understanding of the human body, although we have evolved to an Einsteinian view of reality.  A few of the features of conventional medicine are as follows:  The first aspect of this view asserts that the body is a bio-machine and is comprised of biological functions and processes that work in relation to initial processes like the ingestion, absorption and metabolizing of substances from external processes like digestion, breathing or sunlight synthesis.  The brain is considered a machine (actually as computer of sorts) with its own internal software (consciousness) and power source (electrical activity in the brain).  Neurophysiologists have discovered that emotions affect health and illness through influencing the endocrine system, which send chemicals (hormones) through the body by glandular communication by way of the brain to the rest of the body.  The set of glands that are related to stress are the adrenals, which lie just over the top of the kidneys, with their secretion of adrenaline.  And of course we are all very familiar with the treatments of allopathic medicine ranging from drugs to surgery. 

In contrast to Conventional Medicine we now have an evolving twenty-first century modality called energetic healing; better known as Energy Medicine.  This modern, yet not new way of thinking is presently being accepted by many enlightened scientists and medical doctors. The conventional allopathic system of medicine is based on Mechanistic Science whereas the new model is based on discoveries in 20th century Quantum Physics.  The body is now being viewed as a complete energetic system.  This is due to Einstein’s discovery of relativity - that matter is equal to energy (E=MC2).  As we will investigate further - nothing is solid as it appears.  All matter is comprised of a cloud of atomic particles (electromagnetic or light waves of energy) in a more or less dense arrangement.   Science also sees the brain as being a bio-computer that processes our thoughts.  Energetically we understand that human thought is based on consciousness and initiated by spirit, and not localized in the brain at all, but permeated throughout every cell in the body.  Some examples of treatments from energy medicine accomplished through the medium of our own thinking, which is ultimately connected to consciousness through Spirit, or from a number of natural therapies including body-work (massage), acupuncture/acupressure, or herbal medicine.  We can also stimulate meridian or energy flow with modern electronic devices that produce subtle energetic frequencies that positively affect the body and mind.

What is Energetic Medicine?

In order to understand Energy Medicine we need to become aware that there are certain universal truths that exist.  These truths are really just scientific laws.  Scientists of Isaac Newton’s time understood the laws of mechanistic science.  This simply included the study of moving and non-moving objects along with the movements of the planets around the sun.  Later we discovered electricity, which is obviously subtler than mechanics.  In the last century we have discovered genetics that describe our biological model, and quantum physics, which describe the components of the atom, along with discoveries in computer engineering and astrophysics.  Scientists and philosophers know that in order to progress we must somehow discover newer yet more intangible laws of nature.   Similarly, there are medical scientists including psychologists, psychiatrists, and metaphysicians who have discovered subtle energies that direct the human mind and healing.  Sages, mystics and spiritualists have been aware of these forces since time immemorial.  In our erroneous way of thinking, we say - "when I see it I'll believe it.”    Electricity is a great example - we can't see it but we are absolutely certain it's there, and the proof is manifested energy that powers all our electrical devices.  If we think that electricity doesn’t exist (because we can’t see it), we may be considered either crazy or uneducated.   It is just like the denial in some circles that global warming does not exist.  We may not believe it but it does exist.   All one needs to do is consult an expert on this subject.  If we want to know the truth about any subject, then that is the intelligent thing to do. 

There are no excuses any longer for ignorance in the twenty-first century.  Most knowledge is obtainable with the click of a mouse. When Newton saw an apple hit the ground he saw (realized) the Law of Gravity because he was an educated scientist.   Sometimes we listen to our friend or Pastor talk about things they can only speculate on, due to having incomplete knowledge.  Friends are there for comradeship, and religious leaders teach us about faith and prayer to God, but politics, science, and frequently, spirituality, must be left to those educated in their respective fields of knowledge.  It only makes common sense to seek out experts.  So we are learning from holistic medical experts that in order to heal individually and collectively in the 21st century and beyond, the model for understanding will be –“ if I believe it, therefore I will see it!”  Life must now be seen (realized) in the light of metaphysics.  The old paradigms for discovery must fade and make way for the new.  As the Victorian poet Mathew Arnold wrote – “the free thinking of one age is the common sense of next.”   We know this holds true.  Skeptics said man could never fly because of the erroneous idea that we needed to become lighter than air, which is impossible.  Why do boats float if they are so heavy?  It is due to the principles of buoyancy.   And how to planes fly if they are so heavy?  It is due to the principles of aerodynamics.   Educated engineers understand these laws so they make it all work.  It’s just a matter of discovery through education. 

Energetic Healing and the Subconscious Mind

Energetic healing can also be described as the intent of the human mind to overcome illness.  Energetic healing is being promoted as a 21st century alternative modality, but it is actually ancient, having its roots in Native American Indian, Central & South American Shamanism, Tibetan, and Chinese cultures, to name a few.  Although energetic healing can incorporate traditional methods of healing like Western medicine, its purpose serves to free one's mind to Self-direct (that's Self with a Capital S) the healing process through the subconscious and super-conscious minds.  We should keep in mind that the first step to healing is the acceptance that there is a distortion in our thinking, and subsequently an imbalance has developed. This imbalance may not necessarily be one that we are consciously aware of and the disease may constitute a subtle but rigid thought pattern.

One of many facets of energetic healing is to somehow influence the subconscious or what is also known as the unconscious mind, which is the subtlest part of the mind.  According to psychology this unconscious mind influences our behavior and experience, even though we are unaware of the underlying influences. There are also many other ways to influence the healing process. Herbal medicine, spirituality, meditation, positive thinking, treatments, and prayer are some.  Another important concept to understand is that the practitioner is not the healer per se.  We are naturally our own healer and we can learn to heal through external devices, but most importantly, from our inner Self as well.  Some call the Self God, Spirit, or Soul or names like Jah, Christ, Krishna, Allah, or Adonai.  There are many names for the same universal energetic principle.  It may have a personal religious label as well as an impersonal nature.  But we are talking about the same thing.  The idea is to get in touch with that part of our Self that is beyond the unconscious, known as Super-consciousness or the Subjective Mind, and according to all religious and spiritual beliefs - that is the purpose for everyone on Earth, healthy or not.

Negativity and the Subconscious Mind

There is no negativity, only negative thought.  And thought is an energy that can be changed.  We are not are thoughts.  As Napoleon Hill once said – “we become what we think about most of the time.”   If we think and dream about going to college and becoming a doctor, like many doctors have, it will happen.  If we think about racing cars, we’ll probably become a driver or mechanic.  If we think about drugs, alcohol and the opposite sex – well, you probably get the point.  And if we think about the purpose of life and the existence of God, then there are Infinite possibilities.

Due to the fact that we tend to think of everything as outside of our selves and separate, we become judgmental and negative.  Jesus said – “What you do to the least of them, you do to me.”  That is the Supreme realization of connectedness to everyone.  Have we forgotten the little golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you?”  It wasn’t called golden for nothing.  Others mean all others, without exception.  No discrimination.  No prejudice.  Jesus did not teach an idealistic philosophy.  He was talking about Reality.  How many in the world today would like to see a war in the Mid-East on Israel’s soil?  This is a prime example of negative thinking.  It can happen.  How can thinking so negatively produce a positive outcome like emancipation, like some religionists declare?  It is impossible.  And such an illogical conclusion can only be accepted by the uneducated, or by a negatively brainwashed person.  Some poor uneducated, innocent Mid-Eastern child’s subconscious is being programmed right now to think that if they make the “ultimate sacrifice” by blowing themselves up to kill the infidels (non-Muslims), then a reward in heaven is awaiting.  This is pure nonsense.  Negativity begets more negativity and positivity begets more positivity.  It’s that simple, straightforward and logical.

Healing Through Positive Thought

The healing process must start on a positive note, so we need to start thinking that way, but we have learned since childhood to see everything and everyone as separate from us.  This is the “I, me and mine” consciousness – the false ego.  We tend to live our lives in this mode most of the time.  Life is not all about me or even my family, community or nation.   Life includes everyone and everything in existence.  His Holiness, The Dalai Lama said, “If you contribute to other people’s happiness, you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life.”   In all esoteric and spiritual teachings we learn that everything and everyone is connected.  And that common thread is the Universal Spiritual Energy.  In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna says  “everything rests upon Me, like pearls strung on a thread."  In physics we learn about the Theory of Entanglement.  It has also been stated by ancient Taoists as, "Everything affects everything else." Gravity from planet earth is affecting an influence on the farthest object away that we can conceive of.  That is scientific and Universal Law.  In the same way our thinking, or the energy of our thoughts affects not only our own body and mind, but the mind and body of others as well.  So be careful what you think!  This is one reason why there is so much illness and negativity in the world - selfish thinking and the lack of connectedness to each other, the earth and our environment. 

Energetic Healing for Serious Illness

There is a saying in the East – “trust in God but tie up your camels.” Always first consult with a licensed physician in all matters of health.  They are experts in what they do.  But use your own common sense too.  For example - glaucoma or a fractured hip can be treated by surgery and excellent follow up therapies.  I would just add that by being as fit and healthy as possible before and after these types of issues is a positive step in the right direction.  I think that anyone would agree, but it is the depression, discomfort and pain that work against the quick and complete healing.  The hipbone may not heal properly, especially in the elderly. The bones are sometimes brittle and osteoporosis has generally set in.  And statistics show that fractured hips in the elderly can lead to decline - due to the immobility and depression that follow.  It is depression and the negative emotions that ensue that we really are concerned about. The bone will eventually heal.  If a younger person breaks their hip, then the chances of recovery are very good.  They can usually get through it without too many issues. And depending on the person's age or temperament, an elderly person may get through it pretty well too.  A friend’s mother (age 79) broke her hip recently.  I expressed my concern due to the statistics of decline and death in the elderly following such an incident.  I recently discovered that she is doing very well and driving her car again too, within a few months of the calamity.  But her mother is optimistic and active. She is naturally accustomed to thinking positive. The concern is for those who tend to be negative or depressed. These types may have a harder time healing and may die, unless they change their thought process.

Energetic healing techniques are the same for glaucoma or a broken hip or any thing else for that matter.  Our subconscious mind is like a soldier waiting for its orders.  If we command it to do-or -die, it will.  If we command it to take leave for Hawaii, it will.  Psychologists and researchers know this about the subconscious mind.  Hypnotism works in a similar way. Our subconscious mind needs to be reprogrammed, but in a positive way.  And very importantly, the spiritual aspect must also be included. This is the key. We have to consider that not only do we have a conscious mind and a subconscious mind but also an ego that has to be tamed.  The ego is the I-me-mine aspect of our consciousness covering the true Self.  In India they have a saying – “The ego weighs more than the Himalayas.”  This is certainly true, considering how stubborn we are at time, and always need to be right. The leaders and politicians around the world are prime examples. And there is always trouble brewing.

Reprogramming the Subconscious Mind

Reprogramming the subconscious may be accomplished by many processes - by prayer, meditation, affirmations, biofeedback or hypnotherapy.  The thoughts that aid in the treatment of any disease must be positive and charged with some emotion.  Just like any strong desire we have to attain a good job, money, or a partner, we need to feel the same about our own healing.  Faith is also a very important tool in healing, but we can't see it with our eyes or feel it with our senses; but we can feel it through our emotions. 

As I mentioned previously, one very important key to healing is to keep a check on the ego.  We do this by thinking of and serving others and connecting to Spirit, God or whatever name one ascribes to that Universal Being or Energy. This will help keep one in a more receptive or humble state of mind.  We are trying to learn something extremely important, not only about the process of healing, but about our Self as well, and our relation to it All.  Illness is mostly about our disconnectedness to the Source. This does not mean we are a failure, bad, or anything like that.  It only means that if we are sick, God is trying to get our attention.  And that may be the most wonderful thing that we've ever experienced.  Although it may be difficult to fathom at first, one should actually feel grateful and privileged that God is showing us so much attention.

Once we've made the connection to Sprit and stay with it, then there is no end to the possibilities of healing, prosperity and peace.  But it takes will power and intent.  Try to make a schedule for your "healing work" and stick to it.  And with faith, humility and a positive outlook you will heal!  This pertains to glaucoma or any other disease.  Just don't give up.  No matter how long it takes.  Time is only a linear function of the material world.  If you contemplate it, you will understand that the essence of time is only NOW.  There is no past because you cannot hold on to it and there is no future, per se, until it arrives. The future is NOW.  If you think about this simple Zen-like koan, “Is the future NOW?” - you’ll get it.  If you find yourself becoming discouraged or negative because you cannot perceive your own healing - just remember that time is only a function of the temporary manifested material world and has no basis in Reality.   You are already healed.   This is what present moment thinking is all about.

The following is a simple example of a generic healing affirmation.  You will notice that it is formulated in such a way as to be present moment, connected to Spirit and is completely positive.

"Through the healing currents of love flowing from God within,

I am now whole and complete."

This mantra, so to speak, should be repeated over and over again for at least 10 minutes each time, 3 - 4 times a day, either quietly or aloud preferably with some emotion.  Two of the best times for this meditation are just after awakening in the morning (may be done lying in bed) and at night (can also be lying in bed) just before falling asleep.  At these times the mind tends to be a more relaxed and receptive state.

One important thing to note is that we cannot heal if we play the victim.  This is negative thinking at its worst.  If we are to take responsibility for our own healing, which will be the result of energetic practices, then we need to take responsibility for the cause of the dis-ease (lack of ease) too.  There are plenty of hospitals and nursing facilities to take care of sick and dying, or seemingly helpless and hopeless.  The lazy, addicted or weak minded may stay stuck in the same old mode of thinking.  And that could also be a reason for chronic ill health.  Jesus said, “let the dead bury their dead.”  If you are hopeful and ready for wonderful changes in your life then you will benefit.  But it takes commitment and energy.  And that’s what we are talking about here – energy.  It’s all about energy – Energy healing.  It’s all God’s energy and we are all made of the same Stuff.  God doesn’t discriminate.  We just need to tune up our thinking.  Each one of us has the same potential, and that is to be healthy, happy, and peaceful.

Herbal Medicine and Energetic Healing

A pill prescribed by a MD may also be considered energy medicine but I’ll explain herbal medicinal energy in contrast to Western pharmaceuticals.  Just to make it clear, though, that both herbal decoctions and Western pharmaceuticals do metabolize in the body chemically, so energy is being released from potentiality.  It is the energy that we’re concerned about, not the form.  The reason why the energy will do the work is due to fact that nothing is solid as it appears.  Our body, as well as everything that exists, is made of pure energy.  As everyone knows, our body is comprised of atoms and molecules.  An atom is mostly empty space with movement of energetic particles like quarks, electrons, protons and photons.  These particles are not even particles per se - they are known as wavicles in the scientific arena, so remember that everything’s basic building block is moving energy only.  One energetic vibration is affecting another.  These vibrations affect each other in positive or negative way.  The idea is to gently push the negative aside by affirming the positive.  The positive is Beauty, Love, Truth, God and Eternity, while the negative is some temporary manifestation like an illness.    

In Western medicine, which is proven to be very effective, chemicals in the laboratory are isolated from animal, vegetable or mineral sources.  These chemicals are usually synthesized which means that scientists create the chemical again in the laboratory.  They are usually altered and/or combined with other chemicals to create an effective formula that is then tested and eventually distributed as a pill or other form.  It takes multiple millions, if not billions of dollars in research to create and market these types of medicines.  This is why many allopathic drugs are very expensive. 

Let’s take a look at herbal medicine.  Again these are usually created from animal, vegetable or mineral sources.  The difference between the two types of medicine is easy to understand.  Leave out the chemical altering, heavy investment in research and development, most animal testing, and then label it as natural.  But is it still natural, and what is the energetic principal?  Natural generally means not chemically altered and left in its natural state of existence, the way nature intended.  This is not always the case though, and it doesn’t always mean you get the most energetic or potent medicine.  For this reason bulk fresh herbs or essential oils are known to have the most potent energy, intact.  Although there are scientists of phytotherapy, whose business it is to try to explain and isolate the potent chemicals of the herb, it is actually the energy of the plant that facilitates the healing.  To describe it more simply - the energetic principals or healing properties of the plants fall into a few categories and are easy to understand.  We can describe their energies in terms of hot, cold, sweet, salty spicy or sour.  Simply put, if you feel hot – cool off, and if you feel cold – warm up.  Hot peppers make you perspire and peppermint tea has a cooling effect on the body.  Herbalists through the centuries carefully classified all medicinal herbs this way, especially the Chinese and East Indian (Ayurvedic).   Of course, there are many other principles of herbal medicine and we have proposed, for brevity, only a few.

The Cultivation of Positive Energy – Medical Philosophy From the Far East

Energy in our body is like water.  An example is that water tends to flow downward, like water flowing downstream.  In order to have the energy within us flowing up, we must convert the energy into positive energy, which will then flow upward or in a positive direction.  We do this by expanding our consciousness upward toward the Universe.   This process is known as Inner Alchemy because we changing one energy to another.  Alchemists of yore were also trying to convert one thing to another – like bell metal combined with mercury to make gold.  And modern chemists have actually become alchemist, and can change elements into other elements by using modern scientific apparatus that expel X (rays), alpha and beta waves. 

By using our mind plus specific physical and mental exercises and meditations we can change the negative energies (emotions and thoughts) into positive energy and also increase the amount of positive energy at our disposal.   Psychology has shown us how damaging negative thoughts can be and how beneficial positive thoughts can be.  For example, just talking with a friend who is depressed can change their mental state into a to a positive one.  Or a person whose blood pressure rises on account of being angry, when calm, the blood pressure returns to a healthy normal.  There are many other examples.  If we learn to use conscious awareness and the mind to influence the energy flows within us, we can transform negatives to positives and also increase the positive.  That positive energy can then be used to transform our lives into success, good health and prosperity.

An example to show that the mind can control the flow of energy in the body is:

1.  Make a fist with the left hand.

2. Open and close the left hand in succession about 12 times and release.

 (you will feel a tingling sensation in that hand)

3.  Now, with your mind, transfer the same sensation to your right hand.

 (you intuitively know how to do it) 

In a matter of seconds your right hand (although not as intensively) feels the blood flowing (tingling sensation) like that of your left hand.  You have used your mind to direct the flow of energy, to your right hand.   So through intention and mind power you are directing the energy in your body. This is basically how we create or turn negative energy to positive energy.  Think positive and it will happen.

The Art of Chi Kung for Healing

The now famous Kung Fu (gongfu), developed by Shaolin priests thousands of years ago, and the soft art of Tai Chi, as well as other martial arts, originated from Chi Kung (qigong), which has its roots in ancient Chinese Taoist mysticism.  One of the major theories of Taoist energetic healing practices is to relax and rest the upper mind/brains (in the head and heart), called the observation mind and conscious mind, and use the lower mind/brain (in the gut), called the awareness mind, located around the lower abdominal area, or the lower Tan Tien.  The ancient Taoist discovered when they consciously lowered the upper minds to the lower mind they awakened universal consciousness and awareness.  They also discovered that they could connect with the universe through meditation and become aware of how the universal energies are working. 

Scientists have confirmed that the intestinal area (enteric nervous system) is energetic and similar to the brain.  Both produce small currents of electricity that can be measured.  We can understand and experience “gut instincts” and feel emotions through this center.  We may experience a stomachache, or butterflies, and if we worry too much we can possibly develop an acid stomach.  If anyone has ever studied reflexology they know that there are reflex points in the abdomen that correspond to all the organs of the body, just like the brain has connection points from the nervous system to all the organs.  In this way we can see that the brain and intestines are similar and energetically intimately connected.  It is also interesting to note that scientists have discovered that the intestinal villi hold an electrical charge, like the brain.  The villi are small hair-like fibers on the intestinal wall that help to move the materials through it.  So the largest organs of the body (the intestines) also store energy.   It is also very important to keep the intestines healthy by ingesting a lot of fiber and water, and having daily bowel movements.  With our intestines emptied the energy or Chi flows more smoothly. 

As we have mentioned previously, the area just under the naval and in the center of body is energetically is known to the Taoists as the Tan Tien (second brain), and is the storehouse for Chi, or energy gathered from the Universe.  Once one learns how to rest the upper Tan Tien (brain) in the head and use the lower intuitive brain (intestines) more, then everything becomes easier.  Therefore, cultivation of energy in the lower Tan Tien is one of the most important techniques in the Chi Kung and martial art practices, of which there are many. 

Before the advent of medical science the Taoists realized that the abdominal area could be used to store Chi or universal energy.  For thousands of years exercises and meditations had been developed to store more energy there, and in other organs as well.  There is a very well known Western technique to store energy in the body and that is in the form of fat.  That energy is important for cell metabolism, but is not a good spiritual source, and is generally not an acceptable storage place for most people either.

In the Taoists teachings we also have information that the heart is also considered another brain that has the capacity to think.  We have all heard the expressions to “think with our heart (especially in relation to love) and not with our head.”  There have been countless songs and poetry written about the capacity of heart to feel love.  A famous example of the heart storing thought comes from a book called the “Heart’s Code” by Paul Pearsal, Ph.D.  This book contains the story of an 8 year-old girl who received a transplanted heart from a murder victim.  The 8 year old, after her transplant, started having nightmares about the murder of her donor, whom she had never met.   With this information, as well as a composite drawing of the killer, the police were able to apprehend the killer.

Just like we have at our command our other “brains,” we can also have two lungs and two hearts.   With exercise and meditation we can increase blood flow, oxygen flow and lymphatic flow.  And it is not very difficult to do.  One technique is called “Humor or Laughing Therapy.”  We can activate the glands, circulatory and lymphatic systems by conscious directed laughing.  The purpose of the thymus gland, which is considered not only part of the endocrine system, but as an essential part of the lymphatic system as well, is to manufacture killer T cells or T lymphocytes, that act to prevent cancer cells from spreading in the body, and all we need to do is laugh to activate them.  This also expands the diaphragm that helps distribute more oxygen.   By laughing, the aorta and vena kava pump more blood throughout the body thereby helping to relieve the heart and lungs from working so hard.  Laughing also stimulates the lymphatic system in the abdomen to produce more lymphocytes and circulate the lymph so that it moves more freely within the body.   If the lymphatic system is not working correctly or clogged with impurities then we open ourselves up to several kinds of diseases, of which cancer is the worst.   There are many lymph ducts connected to the intestines, so if we are not careful what we ingest, then that could also cause trouble to the lymphatic system. 

Our spleen, the most important organ of the lymphatic system, along with the bone marrow, produces lymphocytes (white blood cells) that are essential for immunity against different disease. The lymphatic system is also known as the immune system.  The intestines connected with the circulatory system take these lymphocytes and change them into B-lymphocytes that create antibodies against specific foreign organisms and bacteria.  So by doing a belly laugh we help the immune system to stimulate production of the B-lymphocytes.  We have all heard the expression, “laughter is the best medicine.”  Healthy bones are very important too.  The bone marrow produces new red and white blood cells.

Ancient Energetic Healing Wisdom

In meditation we may also use the energies that exist in the universe for positive effect.  By turning the consciousness inward we can become keenly aware of the energy outside of our selves also, including not only the energy of the earth, but that of the moon, planets, sun and stars also.  Everyone knows that the moon has a dramatic effect on earth by turning the tides. The sun obviously warms the earth with tremendous energy, but according to Taoists, the planets, stars and cosmic particles can also have a positive energetic effect on our health.  We just need become aware of it.  Awareness means putting our attention to it – like we did in the hand squeezing exercise.  We can also become aware of the nature of the universe.  The earth is, the planets are, and the sun is, spinning in and around the universe.  These are scientific facts.  The earth is rotating or spinning on its axis at 1000 miles per hour.  The earth is, and therefore we are, rotating or spinning around the sun at 67,000 miles per hour.  Astrophysicists have concluded that our solar system is spinning around the Polestar (North Star) at approx. 300 kilometers per second.  We do not feel like we are moving at all.  Why?  It is because the faster we travel the less we notice it.  An example would be a jet airplane traveling at over 500 miles per hour.  Our minds do not perceive we are traveling that fast, and we actually feel a sense of stillness.  We know that the heart is pumping blood while the electrons in our body are spinning, and the cells in the body are constantly forming new cells, but we hardly feel it at all.

One purpose of energetic healing is to keep all the atoms within the body moving and circulating.  If we keep the body energetic with movement, then we don’t get sick.  Anyone can understand this principle.  If we don’t use our body or exercise, then it becomes weak or sick.  The cells become stagnant.  The bones become brittle, the muscles atrophy and the organs become weak.   The joints don’t work right either.  They may become stiff and we may feel pain in the form of arthritis.  It is the same for the organs in the body.   This means the electrons are not moving very fast.   A perfect example of how all energies are spinning is by examining the cosmos all the way down to the individual atoms.  As I mentioned before, the galaxies and the planets are spinning.  They are all spinning in their respective orbits.  The cells of our body, all 655 trillion of them, are made up of atoms with spinning electrons.  Our DNA is just spinning energy.  Even the construction of the DNA molecule is a spiral. 

The energies around us like magnetic energy from the earth, electromagnetic energy from computers or the myriad of electronic and mechanical devices affect us everyday, and have the potential to cause physical and mental illness.  Learning how to gather these energies and store them is basic to the Chi Kung practices.  The name Chi Kung means “Energy Work.”  Chi is energy.  We can learn to become a mystic in control of our energies and therefore our own destiny.

Other Energetic Forces

Forces that work against nature like corporate conglomerates, the political Right, the War Machine, some Evangelistic Religionists, and, to a degree, the traditional medical establishment, seem to be polluting the world, our minds and bodies with so much physical and etheric toxicity, that we are often becoming ill due to the constant bombardment of that negativity and the results of such.  Need we mention the negative conditioning from our relatives, so-called friends, and antiquated religious thought.  Our energy is being constantly used up without being recharged adequately.

How can we have a positive potent effect on our lives and others when we are constantly in “survival mode”, either due to personally dealing with our own stressful lives, or struggling with a multi-variety of chronic or serious illnesses?  Think about it.  Do we really have enough energy left over at the end of the day to stay healthy?  And do most of us sleep well enough to recharge for the next day’s work?  If not, we are gradually running out of vital energy day by day.  This energy depletion produces premature aging, illnesses like arthritis, cancer and Alzheimer’s, plus a host of others, and eventually a painful demise. 

The average person absorbs energy daily from a limited supply of sources.  Examples are from the food we eat, the air we breathe and the sun.  And unfortunately for many, that little energy is expended through overindulgence in talking, sex, alcohol and caffeine, or taking illegal or pharmaceutical drugs, what to speak of the daily stress from our jobs and possibly unharmonious or abusive relationships.  These things actually cause our internal batteries, the kidneys, to run out of power prematurely.  The kidneys, according to the ancient Taoists, are the location of original energy of the body, inherited from our parents.   We must recharge our kidney energy daily and take care of them consciously if we are to live a long, healthy and prosperous life. 

The good energy, known as Chi to the Chinese, or as Prana to the Yogis of India, as Nee (life breath) to the Lakota Indians, and as Ruach (the breath of life) to the ancient Hebrews, is available in abundance.  And it is free.  One need only understand how to access and use it to one’s advantage.  As we do this we restore ourselves to a condition of harmony with the flow of the forces of nature, thereby creating good health, happiness and abundance. 

The Source of Universal Energy

The Energy of the Universe is within us.  How can this be?  The scientists have taken pictures of outer space.  As you move away and observe the earth further and further into space beyond the planets, sun and stars, even beyond other galaxies, there is mostly empty space.  In the same way when you go inside of your body and deep into the atom, there is again mostly empty space between the particles (electrons, protons, etc.)  The distance between each energetic particle can be compared to the distance between two stars, if their mass is taken into consideration.  In this way outer space (the universe) is likened to inner space (our bodies).  We can use this inner space, the Universe inside of us, to circulate and store more energy in the body.  According to the Taoist, outer space can be used to gather energy to store in our inner space.  The Taoist masters have even gone deeper still into the inner universe through what they refer to as the “mysterious gate” to the origin the universe.  Other traditions also practice similar techniques like the advanced Buddhists or Hindu transcendentalists.  

Where do we find Chi for energetic healing and how can we access it?  The answer is that it is everywhere.  It is not energy like that of a burning log or an inert energy like lit fuel.  It is contained in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat.  But it is not air, it is not water and it is not fuel.  It is pure essence.  It is the energy of God.  It is not unlike us.  But what are we?  Are we a body?  Are we a mind?  All the great spiritual traditions say we are Spirit.  When we die, what dies?  Only the body dies.  The essence of who we are is that which has left the body known as the life force.  So it may be said that Chi is also made up of life force, but it is also a universal force that can be used for healing, manifesting and spiritual works.  It is known as the Primordial Force.  When the Big Bang occurred from the Nothingness there arose the Primordial Force which manifested into infinite universes with its millions of galaxies and solar systems full of suns and planets. 

Modern physics has described the atom as being matter but defined as being comprised of energy (electrons, protons, neutrons and quarks) with mostly empty space. It has been calculated by astrophysicists that our universe is comprised of approximately 90% empty space.  So what is this space made of?  Some call it gravity or a vacuum in space.  This is the original energy of existence and it can be used for all good works.  One need only know how to access it through intentional thought, exercises, yoga and meditation.  It is free and an effective medicine and it is known as Energy Medicine – the new medical paradigm of healing in the 21st Century.  Other popular forms of energy medicine are Acupuncture, Chinese and Ayurvedic herbology, and Homeopathy, to mention a few.  These powerful healing methodologies are becoming more recognized by traditional medical practitioners around the world.  These valuable modalities are being offered as an addition to conventional methods or as a complete regimen for healing where other methods have failed.

Care for the Body

Energetic healing techniques produce immediate positive results by creating a healthy body and mind.  Scientist and physicians from around the world have done studies that prove its effectiveness.  There are many documented cases.  But a medical philosophy is a practical one that promotes body and universal awareness in order to live a happy, healthy, peaceful life.  These processes ground one to Mother Earth along with expanding one’s consciousness of nature and the forces of the universe.  This new paradigm of energy medicine is being revealed and understood in the West.  Traditional Chinese Medicine has always promoted good health and well-being.  The Eastern Indian and Buddhist techniques do expand one’s consciousness of the Universe but sometimes ignore bodily needs.  Of course there are Indian and Chinese systems of yoga but most people need a gentle way to become or stay healthy.  Putting too much stress on the body through over indulgence in calisthenics, weight lifting, extreme sports and even jogging actually cause ill effects to the body over the long run.  So we must “exercise” caution even in our daily exercise program.

We cannot be happy in this world if we do not take care of the body.  It is not minimal either.  Just think of how much care and attention it takes.  Three nutritious meals a day plus cleanliness and dental hygiene are just the start.  Proper exercise is extremely important too, especially as we age.  The body is our connection to the earth and to the universe.  To be healthy and happy takes a lot of energy.  And that energy in the form of Chi can be used freely in passive exercises and meditation, or in a more rigorous way.  By using energetic healing techniques we can heal our selves and in the process learn how to positively impact not only our own lives, but help to heal our planet and the lives of others also.

Conclusion – Twenty-First Century Medicine and Beyond

Twentieth-century medicine has made incredible inroads of discovery including nuclear technology for diagnosis and treatment.  Although modern medicine has made many advances many are still suffering from chronic debilitating diseases and incurable cancers.  Modern scientific medicine has over a hundred years of research and development but does not seem to making valuable and affordable solutions as we progress into the twenty-first century.  And the cost of medical treatment is staggeringly high, especially for diagnostic testing and hospitals visits.  We need a new paradigm for discoveries in medicine.  The oldest medical systems in the world have a history of over 4000 years.  Traditional Chinese Medicine, as it known in the Western world, has survived as a mainstream efficacious form of medicine in China for over 3000 years and Ayurvedic medicine has a 4000-year history.  Herbology and acupuncture seem to be gaining more notoriety in the twenty first century.  These two systems are examples of “Energy Medicine.” 

Ancient sages, by studying nature and the heavens, developed a systematic and effective medical science that was intended to keep a person healthy.  Through the centuries, Energy Medicine has been developed to treat the ill cheaply and effectively.  Doctors of yore were more concerned with keeping their patrons healthy than they were about disease.  In China a doctor was not paid if their patrons became ill.  Now days it is the opposite – the ill provide the doctor with a “healthy” income. 

In the past, the goal of native people of all cultures was to gain knowledge in order to harmonize human life with the great forces of the natural world and the transcendent powers that all cultures sensed behind the physical world.  Science may have taken us very far away from these roots, which begin with Mother Earth.  The famous American Indian, Chief Seattle in his famous speech of 1854 said, “The earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth.”  This speech has been said to be a powerful statement on the environment, culture and the future of humanity.  Scientists like Einstein and contemporary medical doctors like Andrew Weil and Deepok Chopra imbibe this realization of life. 

Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, considered by many scientists and medical doctors as antiquated paradigm of healing, have never abandoned its spiritual principles.  The curriculum taught in Chinese medical school not only covers Western and Chinese Medicine, but also incorporates into the program spiritual teachings that lend respect, awe and admiration for God, the Earth, the Universe and all life within it.  Instead of seeing the interconnectivity of all things, modern biomedicine, the currently accepted system of medicine in the world, sees things in a rigid way.   Modern medicine has been based on a model of linear determination and reductionism – approaches that see the world in very black and white terms.  This approach has gotten society into a lot of trouble, not only with its approach to the human body, but also with its approach to solving world problems.  It is very cause and effect oriented, and is always looking to find the one seemingly ultimate cause that created the dilemma.   

Quantum physicists have discovered the interconnectivity of all things.  Every particle they have discovered has a counter particle.  In life all things and ideas have an opposite – Yin/Yang.  Einstein states in his Theory of Relativity that the same laws that pertain to one part of the universe pertain to the other parts as well.  Or as the ancient Taoists have said “Everything affects everything else.”  So must we throw out the old systems and begin anew?  That would be like throwing out the baby with the bathwater.  Science has always shown to advance due to the discoveries of its predecessors, so a new model of understanding must be incorporated into the existing one.  There is a new term for the incorporation of Allopathic, Ayurvedic, Homeopathic and Chinese medicine and other forms of energetic healing.  It is called Complimentary Medicine.  This new thought for the advancement in science and medicine is sharing ideas not just from university trained scientist, but from alternative medical practitioners, philosophers, sages, metaphysicians, and other intelligentsia of society, thereby keeping in mind the idea of interconnectedness of everything and everyone for the welfare of all of God’s creation.

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