Books
There is a collection of books that should be required reading for anyone interested in energy medicine, energy healing, energy experience, and, ultimately, energy living. Readers of these works will discover that the experiments conducted in our research program complement and extend the body of science and clinical observations that have preceded it.
The first book that introduced general readers to energy healing was Vibrational Medicine, written by Richard Gerber, MD. Currently in its third edition, his book reviews the history of the field, including early bioelectromagnetic devices. A second book by Dr. Gerber is called A Practical Guide to Vibrational Medicine, with the subtitle Energy Healing and Spiritual Transformation. Dr. Gerber appreciates how energy can be viewed as the voice of spirit.
James Oschman, PhD, has written Energy Medicine and Energy Medicine in Therapeutics and Human Performance. These volumes cover some of the latest thinking in how energy healing works. Dr. Oschman has played a major role in shaping the work conducted in the Center for Frontier Medicine in Biofield Science. His books provide an essential foundation and comprehensive approach to understanding the findings and perspectives you have read in the preceding pages of this book.
A collection of books by Daniel Benor, MD, includes Spiritual Healing: Scientific Validation of a Healing Revolution and Consciousness, Bioenergy and Healing: Self-Healing and Energy Medicine for the 21st Century. In these books, Dr. Benor provides a wealth of published findings about how energy healing is integrated with spiritual healing. In addition, Dr. Benor has also written some popular books, including How Can I Heal What Hurts?, which provides useful how-to information.
Larry Dossey, MD, has written more books related to energy and spiritual healing than probably any other single author. His books include Healing beyond the Body: Medicine and the Infinite Reach of the Mind and Reinventing Medicine: Beyond Mind-Body to a New Era of Healing. I was transformed reading his classic works Space, Time & Medicine and Healing Words. Dr. Dossey is currently editor of Explore, one of the leading journals in the field.
In terms of contemporary biology and healing, one of the most important books is by Bruce Lipton, PhD: The Biology of Belief, with the subtitle Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles. Dr. Lipton’s book in the biological sciences is complemented by a book in physics written for the general public by William Tiller, PhD, titled Some Science Adventures with Real Magic. Dr. Tiller’s original book, Science and Human Transformation: Subtle Energies, Intentionality and Consciousness transformed me ten years ago when it was first published.
For a comprehensive review of contemporary quantum physics applied to extrasensory experiences, including effects of one person’s mind on another person’s body, I strongly recommend Entangled Minds, by Dean Radin, PhD, and The Sense of Being Stared At by Rupert Sheldrake, PhD. Dr. Radin’s early book, The Conscious Universe, and Dr. Sheldrake’s first book, A New Science of Life, were both transformative for me; they provided a scientific framework for viewing mind in the context of physics that incorporated what I prefer to term “energy sensory perception” (ESP).
Though there are numerous historic books on the subject of energy and spiritual healing, I would like to mention two in particular here because they were among the first to awaken me to these possibilities. The first was the classic Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer, written by Ken Pelletier, MD, PhD, which focused on mind-body healing but included energy and spiritual healing as well. The second was the classic Blueprint for Immortality, written by Harold Saxton Burr, PhD. I learned of his book while I was a professor at Yale; it turned out that Dr. Burr had been an anatomy professor at Yale and had conducted pioneering research there on energetic communication, especially among plants.
There are books that discuss various levels of physics, from classical, quantum, and advanced physics to new physics, that are also well worth reading. A wonderful review of physics and field theory is The Field by Lynne McTaggart—in my opinion the single best introduction and overview to the contemporary physics concerning bioelectromagnetic and quantum fields and their applications to consciousness and healing. Her second book, The Intention Experiment, extends the physics of fields to consciousness and healing. The book written by Thomas Valone, PhD, titled Bioelectromagnetic Healing and the volume edited by Peter Moscow, PhD, titled Energetic Processes include applications of advanced and new physics to healing.
Books that integrate energy and psychology include Energy Psychology and Energy Psychology in Psychotherapy, by Fred Gallo, PhD, and The Promise of Energy Psychology and Energy Psychology Interactive Self-help Guide, by David Feinstein. These books will be of special interest to psychologists or people interested in the conjunction of psychology with healing.
The book Infinite Mind, written by Valerie Hunt, PhD, with the subtitle Science of the Human Vibrations of Consciousness, is of historic interest because it describes the research and healing journey of Dr. Hunt, whose pioneering work with distinguished healers, including Rosalyn Bruyere, set the stage for contemporary research in energy healing. Also of historic interest is the book Primary Perception, written by Cleve Backster, which reviews his remarkable research on bio-communication between humans and plants, foods, and cells.
Finally, there are numerous books written by healers that illustrate their personal journeys as well as the nature of their healing practices. My favorites include Barbara Brennan’s Hands of Light, Rosalyn Bruyere’s Wheels of Light, Donna Eden’s Energy Medicine, Eric Pearl’s The Reconnection, and M. T. Morter’s The Healing Field. These five books present an inspiring introduction to the diverse conceptual world of contemporary healers and their techniques.
Web sites
Below is a small representative selection of Web sites of organizations that address areas of research and treatment discussed in this book. Together they provide a useful entry to contemporary science and applications in energy healing.
http://lach.web.arizona.edu.
This is the Web site of the Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health at the University of Arizona. The site includes representative research papers described in this book.
www.issseem.org.
The International Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine (ISSSEEM) is an international nonprofit interdisciplinary organization dedicated to exploring and applying subtle energies as they relate to the experience of consciousness, healing, and human potential. The society publishes the journal Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine and holds yearly meetings.
www.scientificexploration.org.
The international Society for Scientific Exploration (SSE) provides a professional forum for presentations, criticism, and debate concerning topics that for various reasons are ignored or studied inadequately within mainstream science. SSE publishes the Journal of Scientific Exploration and holds yearly meetings.
www.psychotronics.org.
The U.S. Psychotronics Association (USPA) defines psychotronics as “the science of mind-body-environmental relationships, an interdisciplinary science concerned with the interactions of matter, energy, and consciousness.” Their publications as well as their annual meetings bridge frontier science and energy healing.
www.bioelectromagnetics.org.
This is the Web site for the Bioelectromagnetics Society (BEMS). They define their mission as promoting “the exchange of ideas to advance the science of natural and applied electromagnetic fields in biology and medicine.” They publish the journal Bioelectromagnetics and hold annual meetings.
www.energypsych.org.
The Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP) is an international nonprofit organization promoting professional energy psychology and collaboration among practitioners, researchers, and licensing bodies. They define energy psychology as a “family of mind/body techniques that are clinically observed to consistently help with a wide range of psychological conditions. These interventions address the human vibrational matrix, which consists of three interacting systems.” (ACEP terms these three systems “energy pathways,” “energy centers,” and the “human biofield.”) They, too, hold annual meetings.
www.justtouch.com.
This site offers an excellent self-help energy-healing system that can even be learned by children. Their videos and manuals are easy to understand and apply.
www.johrei.com.
This site covers the field of Johrei healing, including the Johrei Foundation, the Johrei Fellowship, and the Johrei Institute. Johrei can be learned by children as well as adults, is nondenominational, and integrates Eastern and Western approaches to spiritual energy and healing. They offer an online education course.
www.healingtouchcanada.net.
This site provides an overview to the practice of healing touch. It includes newsletters and annual meetings as well as course materials. The Canadian group is affiliated with Healing Touch International, which offers substantial research.
www.reiki.org.
This is the Web site for the International Center for Reiki Training. The site offers a Web store, free downloads, information about classes, and a newsmagazine.