Other Healing Modalities
There are many different systems of vibrational medicine, and you might choose to complement your reiki practice with study in another branch of energy healing. This section will give you an overview of the more well-known systems.
Barbara Brennan School of Healing
Brennan, whose work was discussed in the chapters on auras and chakras, created an energy healing school for the study of human energy fields and systems and hands-on techniques for healing and personal transformation. Brennan, a former NASA physicist, spent decades researching and working with the human energy field, developing a system for perceiving energy, diagnosing imbalances, and facilitating healing through hands-on techniques. The school offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Brennan Healing Science and a diploma in the Brennan Healing Science Professional Studies, with instruction covering a variety of topics, such as anatomy and physiology of the human energy field, healing with color and sound, ethics and professional boundaries, and self-care for healers.
Craniosacral Therapy
Cranial osteopathy was developed by William Garner Sutherland, DO, who, in studying the cranium, posited that the bones were not ossified and rigidly held in place, as was the consensus view of the time, but rather were designed for respiratory motion, which he called the “Primary Respiratory Mechanism.” 1 Through light touch, a practitioner can sense the movements of contraction and expansion, influenced by the fluctuating flow of cerebrospinal fluid (the “cranial wave”), and reintroduce functional movement as needed to return the system to balance. Sutherland’s methods were further developed by Dr. John Upledger, founder of the Upledger Institute International and creator of CranioSacral Therapy. The method has been adapted in various ways by other practitioners, such as Hugh Milne, creator of Visionary Craniosacral Work, and Franklyn Sills, founder of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. Craniosacral therapy works to bring the entire human system into balance, mirroring our discussion of the holographic perspective of healing in Chapter 4. Hugh Milne writes, “Craniosacral work is based on the understanding that any one bone is a hologram of the … mind-body-spirit unity. When it is balanced, it exerts a profound balancing effect on the whole.” 2
Eden Energy Medicine
Created by healer and clairvoyant Donna Eden, Eden Energy Medicine blends techniques from yoga, acupuncture, qigong, and other modalities to return the human energy system to a state of balance and health. According to Eden Energy Medicine, there are nine major systems composing the human energetic anatomy, many of which have been covered elsewhere in this text. The meridians are responsible for moving energy throughout the entire system as needed, including bringing in nourishment and removing waste. The chakras are energetic hubs, each of which resonates with a different frequency of energy, therefore influencing different areas of life experience, such as relationships, sexuality, communication, and psychic development. The aura is the multilayered container of the human energy system, each layer corresponding to different functions; the Celtic weave patterns and brings together your different energy systems, creating harmonious communication and dynamic equilibrium when it is functioning properly; and the electrics “emerge from the electrical dimension” of the body’s various energy systems, and they “serve as a bridge that connects all the energy systems.” 3 The Basic Grid is what Eden describes as “the foundation of your energy centers,” and she perceives it as a graph of intersecting lines.4 Unlike the chakras, which interface with energies in the surrounding environment, the Basic Grid is entirely contained within the body, and issues at this level can severely compromise the other energy systems. The Five Rhythms aren’t a distinct energetic system but, as the name suggests, a rhythm that runs throughout the body’s energies, and they are synonymous with the five phases or five seasons of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Eden describes them as leaving a “vibratory imprint on your physical attributes, health patterns, and personality traits.” 5 The Triple Warmer is found in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and it is considered to be both a meridian and a radiant circuit, which is more diffuse than a meridian and connects various energetic pathways and centers together. Eden also sees Triple Warmer as intimately connected with the immune system, helping the body ward off invaders while ensuring this response doesn’t go into hyperdrive, resulting in allergies or autoimmune disorders. And finally, the radiant circuits are tasked with harmonizing all the organs and energy systems, redistributing energy where it is most needed and coordinating the various functions within a living system. Eden Energy Medicine works to bring balance to these nine systems through various hands-on techniques and simple movement exercises.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
EFT combines principles from Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupressure with affirmations, and it was pioneered by psychologist Roger Callahan, who paired different ailments with specific tapping sequences based on the Chinese system of meridians. The tapping was performed in conjunction with different statements or thoughts, and he called the system Thought Field Therapy. One of his students, Gary Craig, went on to simplify the tapping sequence and affirmations, making it more accessible for laypeople and creating the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). It is said to support health by maintaining or reintroducing a healthy flow of energy through the meridian system, and practitioners recommend tapping daily to reap the most benefit.6 See page 247 for a tapping exercise.
Traditional tapping is usually paired with an affirmation using the following phrasing: “Even though [state issue], I deeply and completely love and accept myself.” For example, “Even though I feel fearful about my doctor’s appointment, I deeply and completely love and accept myself,” or “Even though I have a strong desire to overeat, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.” Ideally, the affirmations are stated aloud as you move through the tapping sequence, but you can also say the affirmations silently if you don’t have privacy. EFT is currently being used for a variety of applications, such as pain management, weight loss, and treatment of depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Energy Medicine Yoga
Created by Lauren Walker, a student of Donna Eden and yoga teacher Rod Stryker, Energy Medicine Yoga combines Eden’s energy healing techniques with mat-based yoga sequences. In addition to traditional yoga poses, or asanas, EM Yoga incorporates tapping, holding, stretching, and massaging of acupressure points to facilitate a clear flow of energy.7 Walker offers EM Yoga teacher trainings and is the author of Energy Medicine Yoga and The Energy Medicine Yoga Prescription.
5Rhythms
Developed by Gabrielle Roth, 5Rhythms is a movement practice centered on the embodiment of the following rhythms: flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and stillness. Flowing is associated with flexibility, surrender, fluidity, and connection to one’s inner truth. Staccato is all about boundaries and strength, connection to the world through the heart, and the inner warrior standing up for one’s values. Chaos is associated with release, letting go, and breaking free of limitations and illusions to make deeper contact with one’s authentic nature. Lyrical is the emergence from chaos, where one has broken free of destructive patterns and is aligned with the fundamental pulse of existence. Stillness merges the experience of duality—receptive and active, stillness and motion—distilling one’s life experiences into a higher wisdom.8 Classes are available through the Moving Center, founded by Roth in 1977, and at locations worldwide.
Healing Touch
Created in the 1980s by nurse Janet Mentgen, Healing Touch utilizes intentional, heart-centered touch to bring harmony and balance to the human biofield. Similar to a reiki treatment, recipients often experience a sense of deep calm and relaxation. At times, symptoms may briefly intensify as healing is initiated and accelerated. Certification courses are available through the Healing Touch Program and cover a range of topics, such as energy anatomy, how to perform hands-on healing for self and others, meditation techniques, and performing Healing Touch case studies.
Polarity Therapy
This healing system was developed by Dr. Randolph Stone, a doctor of osteopathy, naturopathy, and chiropractic, who believed that life energy was composed of the elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Each of these elements flows from opposing positive and negative poles aligned around a neutral center, and practitioners use bodywork and exercises to bring balance to an individual’s life energy. Bodywork incorporates rocking, stretching, and acupressure techniques, while the exercises combine sound, breath, and self-massage. By balancing our personal energy, we are able to respond to life experiences with greater equanimity, creativity, flexibility, and resilience.9
Pranic Healing
Founded by Choa Kok Sui, a Chinese-Filipino energy healer, Pranic Healing teaches a precise method, called scanning, for identifying energetic disturbances, which are classified as congestions, or energy blockages, and depletions, or energy deficiencies, and sweeping or energizing techniques are used to treat each condition, respectively. Specific healing sequences are employed to target the largest meridians, along which the major chakras lie, to produce the maximum benefit in less time.10 Pranic Healing courses are available worldwide.
Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF)
In PEMF, a pulsing magnetic field with a precise intensity and frequency is applied to the body using different tools, from a pinpointed “pen” device to a full-body mat, and it is used to treat a variety of conditions and to maintain general health. On a cellular level, PEMF is said to improve the production of ATP (a molecule that provides energy for many of life’s vital processes), increase oxygenation, enhance circulation and hydration, support detoxification, and improve nutrient absorption. PEMF has been extensively studied, and the FDA has approved various PEMF devices to fuse broken bones, accelerate wound healing, boost tissue growth, and treat depression, among other applications.11
Qigong and Tai Chi
Both qigong and tai chi are movement practices that work with chi or qi (energy), and they both incorporate breathing and meditation techniques. Qigong can be translated as “working with life energy,” and it can be divided into two main categories: dong gong, which is more active, and jing gong, which is more passive. In the former, the body is visibly moving, while in jing gong, the body is still and qi is moved through precise breathwork, visualization, and mental focus. Qigong can be further categorized by application, such as medical qigong and martial qigong. One form is of particular interest due to its parallels with reiki practice: external qi healing, or Wai Qi Zhi Liao, which is the hands-on practice of transmitting qi for healing purposes.12
Tai chi can be loosely translated as “The Grand Ultimate” or “The Superior Ultimate,” and it is a form of martial arts that, like qigong, utilizes slow, flowing movements.13 There are different styles of tai chi, named after their founders: Yang, Chen, Wu (or Hao), and Sun.14 Precise movements are performed in set sequences, or forms, which are designed to cultivate and move chi throughout the body, removing energy blockages, and with practice, building power, coordination, and vitality.
Quantum-Touch
Created by Richard Gordon, this system utilizes life force energy to facilitate healing, and it is said to be useful in treating a myriad of conditions, such as scoliosis and other structural alignment issues, mental-emotional conditions, infections, cancer, and chronic pain. It is said to integrate well with other modalities, from reiki to chiropractic medicine, enhancing their effects, but it can also be used as a standalone treatment. Practitioners use breath and meditation techniques to raise the energetic vibration of their hands, which can then be used to elevate the client’s frequency through the principles of resonance and entrainment.15 Quantum-Touch teaches that we all have the ability to self-heal; hands-on healing for another is meant to facilitate and support this innate process. Thought is also an important component of the practice, as energy is seen to follow and patterns itself around our thoughts. By using intention and meditation techniques, thoughts can be a tool to elevate one’s energy frequency, inducing healing.16 Quantum-Touch training and a directory of certified practitioners can be found at www.quantumtouch.com.
Shamanic Techniques
Shaman is a Tungus word used by the Ural-Altaic tribal people of Siberia to describe someone who “enters a state of altered consciousness—at will—to contact and utilize an ordinarily hidden reality in order to aquire knowledge, power, and to help other persons.” 17 The term is now widely used by practitioners of non-Siberian descent, although some anthropologists and modern practitioners have adopted the term “core shamanism” to differentiate the use of shamanic techniques, which are practiced by many cultures worldwide, from traditional Siberian shamanism.18 These techniques involve the ability to enter what Michael Harner, anthropologist and founder of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, refers to as a Shamanic State of Consciousness (SSC). This mode of non-ordinary awareness allows the shaman to access hidden realms of reality that contain information and power, often sourced from animals, plants, and spirits, which can effect positive change, typically in the form of healing (physical, mental-emotional, and spiritual). Accessing the SSC is done through a variety of means, including meditation and breathwork, fasting, drumming and other sounds, ritual dance or other movements, and plant substances. See page 346 for a discussion of shamanic reiki.
ThetaHealing
Created by Vianna Stibal, ThetaHealing utilizes meditation techniques to enter a theta brain wave state, which is characterized by a frequency of around 6 to 7 hertz and a feeling of deep relaxation. In this state, one can release limiting beliefs and initiate healing on a physical, mental-emotional, and spiritual level. ThetaHealing also involves a process known as DNA activation, which is said to turn on dormant portions of genetic material, which leads to enhanced healing and intuition, accelerated detoxification, and the ability to access different planes of existence.19 Stibal names seven planes, each of which has a distinct energetic vibration or frequency, from the first plane, which contains all the inorganic material on earth, to the seventh plane, the plane of the “Creator of All That Is” and the source of all energy. It is at the seventh plane that one can tap into immense source energy and transcend many of the limitations inherent in the lower planes.20 The ThetaHealing organization offers classes for practitioners and a directory of certified ThetaHealers.
Touch for Health (TFH)
This modality is based on the work of chiropractor George Goodheart, who developed a system he dubbed applied kinesiology, which uses muscle testing as a way of diagnosing energy flow within the body. In massage school, an instructor demonstrated one way that she used muscle testing in her chiropractic work: She had the patient hold a bottle of supplements in one hand, close to their chest. Then, the patient extended their other arm in front of their body, and if the arm yielded easily when the doctor pressed down on it, the supplement in question was not recommended for this particular patient. If, however, the arm remained firm, the supplement was a good match. I might not have believed this had I not experienced it firsthand. While holding what turned out to be an ill-matched supplement for my body, when my instructor pressed down on my arm, in spite of my best efforts, it collapsed by my side like a wet noodle. When holding the appropriate supplement, however, my arm remained rigid and firm with little conscious effort on my part. Touch for Health uses the principles of applied kinesiology as further developed by Dr. John Thie (and later, his son Matthew Thie) to diagnose a wide range of imbalances. A sequence of muscles is tested, each corresponding to different Chinese meridians, and weakness in a particular muscle indicates an imbalance in the corresponding meridian. Balancing exercises, which include simple movements or holding of acupressure points, are used, after which the muscle is retested. Classes are available through the Touch for Health Kinesiology Association.
Reiki practice is meant to be lived, and sometimes this path will lead you to integrating reiki with other modalities, such as the ones covered in this chapter. Follow your intuition and give yourself permission to explore new ways of weaving reiki into diverse practices and healing traditions.
1. Michael J. Shea, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, vol. 1 (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2007), 3.
2. Hugh Milne, The Heart of Listening: A Visionary Approach to Craniosacral Work, vol. 1 (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 1998), 6.
3. Eden and Feinstein, Energy Medicine, 196 and 198.
4. Eden and Feinstein, Energy Medicine, 204.
5. Eden and Feinstein, Energy Medicine, 213.
6. EFT and Tapping for Beginners: The Essential EFT Manual to Start Relieving Stress, Losing Weight, and Healing (Berkeley, CA: Rockridge Press, 2013), 11.
7. Lauren Walker, Energy Medicine Yoga: Amplify the Healing Power of Your Yoga Practice (Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 2014), 18.
8. Gabrielle Roth and John Loudon, Maps to Ecstasy: Teachings of an Urban Shaman (London: Thorsons, 1995), 54.
9. John Beaulieu, Polarity Therapy Workbook, 2nd ed. (Pennsauken, NJ: BookBaby, 2016), 14.
10. Stephen Co, Eric B. Robins, and John Merryman, Your Hands Can Heal You: Pranic Healing Energy Remedies to Boost Vitality and Speed Recovery from Common Health Problems (New York: Atria Paperback, 2002), 34.
11. Bryant A. Meyers, PEMF—The Fifth Element of Health: Learn Why Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy (PEMF) Supercharges Your Health Like Nothing Else! (Bloomington, IN: Balboa Press, 2014), 12.
12. Kenneth S. Cohen, The Way of Qigong (New York: Random House International, 2000), 4–5.
13. Therese Iknoian and Manny Fuentes, Tai Chi for Dummies (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2001), 14.
14. Iknoian and Fuentes, Tai Chi for Dummies, 48.
15. Richard Gordon, Quantum-Touch: The Power to Heal (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2006), 17.
16. Gordon, Quantum-Touch, 26.
17. Michael Harner, The Way of the Shaman (New York: HarperOne, 2011), 25.
18. Christopher Penczak, The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft: Shadows, Spirits, and the Healing Journey (Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2010), 2.
19. Vianna Stibal, ThetaHealing: Introducing an Extraordinary Energy Healing Modality (Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2012), 2.
20. Vianna Stibal, Seven Planes of Existence: The Philosophy of the ThetaHealing Technique (London: Hay House, 2016), 3.