Understanding Energy Medicine and BodyTalk

We are energy beings and we have the ability to tap into our energy reserves and direct them for healing. We have more power to heal our own bodies than we realize. The healing energy modality that works for you….is the one that works for you. That statement sounds very Zen, like meditating on the sound of one hand clapping, but it is profoundly true. Don’t leave energy techniques out of your arsenal as you address any disease.

For anyone who doubts the energetic power of the mind-body relationship for physical and emotional healing, look into the research on acupuncture, heartmath, biofeedback and non local prayer groups. Also, there many books written by physicians detailing the miraculous healing of patients they had sent home to die.

As part of my personal healing protocol for cancer, I work with a BodyTalk practitioner. BodyTalk is a complimentary energy medicine technique. To me, the power (energy) of the mind, body and spirit to heal is obvious. Through bio-energetic processes, the body heals itself every day by healing cuts, knitting bones, replicating cells, etc. The premise of energy medicine is that the body's energy is focused on maintaining life.

Energy is also known as Chi, Ki, Qi, Prana, Force and it is all around us manifesting all living things – birds, flowers, trees and people. We live in a world of energy that we can connect with through various energy healing modalities to heal ourselves and others.

Science has proven that all materials in the physical world are, fundamentally, manifestations of various forms of energy. Everything in the universe is made up of different vibrant frequencies of energy vibrating. At the quantum level, solid objects are made up of vibrational energy fields.

Throughout history ancient people observed and recognized different energy fields and created methods to direct their power for healing and wellness. Fengshui is an ancient Chinese art of harmonizing the energy of people and environment. They believe by harnessing the energy in the environment one can create optimal conditions for living and increases the possibility of success in business ventures, careers, relationship with people, as well as health and wellness.

In the ancient world, Egyptians used cosmic energy through the pyramids for many purposes such as healing, the formation of rains for crops, etc. Every culture has a history of shamans, or energy healers, who were able to heal people through laying on of hands, or could energetically divine where to dig for water wells, or could heal emotional problems through dreams and meditation.

David Feinstein, Ph.D., and Donna Eden in their excellent article, Six Pillars of Energy Medicine: Clinical Strengths of a Complementary Paradigm, tell us the role of energy medicine in the therapeutic process: “six properties of energy medicine give it strengths that could augment conventional health care models. These include the ways energy medicine 1) can address biological processes at their energetic foundations (reach), 2) regulates biological processes with precision, speed, and flexibility (efficiency), 3) fosters healing and prevents illness with interventions that can be readily, economically, and non-invasively applied (practicality), 4) includes methods that can be utilized on an at-home, self-help basis, fostering a stronger patient and practitioner partnership in the healing process (patient empowerment), 5) adopts non-linear concepts consistent with distant healing, the healing impact of prayer, and the role of intention in healing (quantum compatibility), and 6) strengthens the integration of body, mind, and spirit, leading not only to a focus on healing, but to achieving greater well-being, peace, and passion for life (holistic orientation).”

All healings are self-healing and our bodies are endowed with extraordinary abilities to heal. Since we are energy it is possible for us to perform self-healing and to effect healing of others, even over distances.

There are many types of energy healing modalities. Here are descriptions of ten common modalities listed on the website, lotus-happiness.com: Quantum Touch ®, EFT, Reiki, Restorative Touch™, Brennan Healing Science®, Healing Touch, Pranic Healing, ThetaHealing®, Longevitology, The Wonder Method. It is recommended that you research any modality you choose to try and that you follow your inner knowing and personal guidance when choosing a modality or practitioner with which to work. I am doing nonlocal healing sessions with a BodyTalk practitioner in California on Facetime. We met at a past life seminar, a few years ago, and had an instant energetic connection so it is easy for me to work with her. 

What is BodyTalk Therapy? It is based upon the proven principles of energetic medicine, and is a holistic approach to healing that integrates the practices of kinesiology, yoga, psychology, Western Medicine, Ayurveda (traditional healing modalities of India), and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The aim is to enhance and stimulate the body’s natural abilities to reach true physical, emotional and spiritual health. 

The Bodytalk practitioner’ working belief is that a natural state of communication exists between the atoms, cells and all internal systems within the body. These communication lines can become crossed and compromised as a result of every day stress. Ultimately, this decreases overall individual wellbeing. Bodytalk realigns these areas of communication to stimulate and reactivate the body's natural self-healing capability.

Techniques employed to realign the areas of communication in your body include:

1.     Direct communication – with the body via the use of muscle testing (a technique often used in Kinesiology) allowing the body to diagnose itself. 

2.     Breathwork – (based on yogic philosophy) breathwork ensures that the brain, heart and immune system become fully engaged in the session to ensure lasting results. 

3.     Tapping - most often used upon the head gets the body focused on healing. Trigger points on the body are tapped encouraging the brain to focus on their links and repairs.

4.     The Cortices technique –correct imbalances between the left and right halves of the brain, for improved efficiency and overall health. 

5.     Switching - the brain occasionally goes into a ‘switching mode’ as the result of stress, which compromises normal brain function. The practitioner employs the Switching technique to restore normal brain function. 

6.     Hydration – is used to correct the body’s ability utilize all available water thereby improving the efficiency of all body processes.

7.     Body Chemistry technique – corrects immune system imbalances and heightens its ability to recognize ingrained bacteria, viruses and parasites to restore health without pharmacological medication. 

8.     Reciprocals technique – recreates the integrity of the body’s structures. 

Bodytalk has been used to treat and alleviate the symptoms of:

·       Headaches, Migraines 

·       Back, Neck, Joint pain, Arthritis & stiffness 

·       Fibromyalgia, Chronic fatigue 

·       Chronic viral, bacterial, parasitic and fungal infections 

·       Food, chemical, environmental allergies 

·       Digestive disorders & IBS 

·       Constipation, Bladder problems (bed-wetting) 

·       Hormonal disorders, Period pain and P.M.T 

·       Abnormal Blood sugar levels, Food cravings 

·       Fears, phobias 

·       Emotional trauma, Addictions, Eating disorders 

·       Children’s disorders such as Hyperactivity, Sleep problems, infections, Learning disabilities, Dyslexia and Behavioral problems 

The goal of BodyTalk is to rebalance and re-aligning the communication between the body’s cells and systems to facilitate optimal functioning once again.

The key Principles of BodyTalk Therapy are three key principles are: 1. The body is inherently wise and, as such, fully capable of healing itself, 2. Stress hinders optimal functioning and disrupts the natural healing process, 3. The cells and systems within the body communicate constantly. The body has the capacity to effectively heal itself.  However, the constant stressors, such as pollution, the plethora of toxins in our environment and food, the frenetic pace of society, and emotional and physical trauma take a tremendous toll on our physical, psychological, and spiritual health and wellbeing.  These stressors cause a breakdown in functioning and communication within the body compromising its natural ability to heal.

Australian healthcare practitioner Dr. John Veltheim developed the BodyTalk System in the mid-1990s.  Dr. Veltheim trained in both chiropractic and Chinese medicine, as well as, Reiki, bioenergetics, sports medicine, philosophy, and applied kinesiology. 

Over the twenty years, this system has been taught to countless practitioners world-wide.

Many individuals report immediate responses such as:

·       Reduction in overall stress

·       Increased feeling of calm

·       Release of tension

·       Reduction in a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms that were present prior to treatment

·       Greater mental clarity

·       Increased energy levels

·       Improved ability to focus

·       Improved cognitive functioning

·       Better circulation

·       Greater overall body functioning

·       Reduction in pain

·       Reduced recovery time due to faster healing

·       Less anxiety

·       Enhanced spiritual awareness

·       Easier pregnancy and delivery

·       Improved sleep

BodyTalk therapy can be a very effective for treatment for the suffering caused by unresolved trauma and PTSD.  Unresolved psychological trauma can be devastating. When left untreated, the trauma remains stored in the body both physically and emotionally. The individual remains in survival mode and is vulnerable to situations, emotions, and memories that trigger the unresolved trauma.  This creates chaos in the individual’s life. These symptoms may be subtle (e.g. chronic muscle tension or a general feeling of dread) or obvious (e.g. flashbacks or nightmares related to the trauma).  It is important to receive effective treatment as soon as possible following a traumatic event.

http://www.lotus-happiness.com/10-types-energy-healing-modalities/

https://www.bodytalksystem.com/learn/bodytalk/

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nV6QFgd2XI4

Feinstein, D., & Eden, D. (2008). Six pillars of energy medicine: Clinical strengths of a complementary paradigm. Alternative Therapies, 14(1), 44-54.

https://www.naturaltherapypages.com.au/article/body_talk_therapy

Chronic Muscle Pain

Have you ever heard a physician say to you, “I’m looking at the x-rays and the MRI. I don’t see any thing wrong. There is nothing we can do for you except send you to a pain management clinic?” You go to pain management and their solutions are drugs that cloud you mind, destroy your bones and ruin your liver. Or worse yet, they recommend destroying some of your nerves. It is time to become knowledgeable and proactive.

When you experience a deep, aching muscle pain, a tender knotted muscle, a sensation of muscle weakness, tingling, and stiffness, or difficulty sleeping due to muscle pain that persists or worsens over time this is myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). Tight muscle fibers may form in the muscles after injuries or overuse creating sensitive areas called trigger points. The trigger point causes strain and pain throughout the muscle causing other muscles to try to compensate. Over time this pattern of compensation creates further muscle strain creating a cascading chronic pain.

Fascia is a soft connective tissue located just below the skin, which wraps and connects the muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels of the body. Myofascial release is a massage therapy typically done by sports and rehabilitative massage therapists. MPS most often occurs in people between the ages of 30 and 60 years and affects men and women equally.

Tight muscle fibers occur for various reasons including disuse, not enough stretching, or injuries. The fascia and the underlying muscle tissue can become stuck together creating an adhesion. Adhesions restrict muscle movement, create pain and soreness, reduce flexibility, and may limit range of motion.

Myofascial release is also affective in treating patients with sloppy posture, chronic fatigue, severe tension and anxiety, and repetitive stress injuries. Other factors that increase your risk of muscle trigger points are stress and anxiety. The theory is that these individuals, when stressed, are more likely to clench their muscles, which is a form of repeated strain leaving muscles susceptible to trigger points.

Research suggests that myofascial pain syndrome may develop into fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia, a chronic condition, features widespread pain and is believed to occur when the brain has become more sensitive and reactive to pain signals over time.

Trigger points are highly sensitive areas within the muscle, which are painful to touch and may cause pain that is often felt in another area of the body; this is called referred pain. Active trigger points are always sore and may prevent the full use of the muscle leading to weakness and decreased range of motion. A latent trigger point does not cause pain during normal activities, however, it is tender when touched and may be activated by muscle strain, overwork, fatigue, injury or cold.

Often physical therapy is recommended for MPS, which includes stretching, postural and strengthening exercises. Therapeutic massage therapy can loosen tight muscles and relieve cramping or spasms. It is important to address lifestyle factors, such as poor posture, workplace ergonomics, or mechanical problems, hypothyroidism, vitamin D and magnesium levels, as well as stress that contribute to pain.

Lifestyle factors:

•                Improve your posture

•                Reduce your body weight

•                Exercise regularly

•                Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet

•                Learn stress-management techniques

•                Use proper techniques at work, and during exercise and sports

The normal, healthy state of fascia is a relaxed, supple web, like the weave in a loose-knit sweater. Restricted fascia looses pliability and may create pulls, tensions, and pressure as great as 2,000 pounds per square inch. The fascia system is a continuous running from the bottom of the feet through the top of the head and has three layers. Superficial fascia lies directly below the skin and stores fat and water. Nerves to run through it, and allows muscle to move the skin. Deep fascia surrounds and infuses with muscle, bone, nerves, and blood vessels. The deepest fascia interfaces within the durra of cranial sacral [spinal] system.

Fascia restrictions do not show up on MRI scans or X-rays making diagnosis more difficult. Pain caused by myofascial tightness is due to restrictions within the fascial system, which is the web of connective tissue that spreads throughout the body and surrounds every muscle, bone, nerve blood vessel, and organ to the cellular level. These restrictions can play a significant role in the malfunction of the spinal structure; lymph and blood flow in the extremities and proper organ function.

Self care aims to control pain and keep muscles and joints warm and loose and includes:

• Anti-inflammatory pain relievers (herbs such as white willow bark and boswellia)
• Applying heat to soothe constricted muscles or using ice to calm swollen areas
• Performing self-stretching exercises to maintain flexibility and increase range of motion 
• Aerobic exercise to increase blood flow to the affected areas 

Other treatments include: 

• Chiropractic manipulation,
• Physical therapy, or occupational therapy
• Acupuncture

The rehabilitative massage therapist may use light to moderate traction and twisting strokes to apply the appropriate tension on the soft tissue to achieve a full reflex range of the muscle and to unblock fascia and muscle. The therapist may also use a hands-on, kneading-style strokes that are meant to stretch, loosen, soften and lengthen muscle tissues. The stretch is performed until the muscle is totally relaxed and a release is felt.

Myofascial Release is considered a neuromuscular therapy massage. Because painful muscle spasms occur when our muscles lack adequate blood flow. The lack of blood flow allows lactic acid to accumulates in the muscle. Neuromuscular massage disperses the lactic acid so the deficient muscle can accept a clean supply of oxygen and blood flow. 

Does our height need to shrink as we age? Do we need to have age related scoliosis, curvature of the spine? Many body workers, massage therapists say no. They know from the daily practice of their profession that through massage and myofascial stretching people can regain height. There is a theory that some of the shrinking in spinal discs results from the contraction of the fascia---pressing on the discs not allowing proper hydration.

Massage is absolutely essential to healthy aging. And myofascial massage is essential to anyone with chronic muscle pain.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/physical-therapy/myofascial-release-therapy

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/myofascial-pain

Borg-Stein J. Treatment of fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, and related disorders. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2006 May;17(2):491-510, viii.

The Healing Power of Hope

 

We look at a World in chaos and we don’t see the value in being hopeful and positive. Sadly, many people have a bias against having a positive attitude. Positive individuals are stereotyped as childish, naive, and less intelligent.

In contrast negative, angry, hostile people claim to be powerful with high standards and as knowing best ‘what is right’. These frustrated individuals feel justified in acting out their anger believing life will be good once their goals are met.

Hope or Negativity—which is the power position?

Typically, people who are optimistic or happy are more successful in work, school and sports, are less depressed, have fewer physical health problems, and have better relationships with other people (Seligman, 1991; Lyubomirsky, King & Diener, 2005). This confirms hopeful thinking empowers Mind, Body, and Spirit.

Psychologists have been developing positive psychology for decades building on the work of a.) Rogers and Maslow founders of humanistic psychology; b.) Wellness and prevention programs of Albee and Cowen; c.) Bandura and others’ concepts of self-efficacy, research on gifted individuals; d.)  The broader concepts of intelligence (Gardner and Sternberg); and e.) Marie Jahoda work on wellbeing in its own right, not simply as the absence of disorder or distress. 

According to Seligman (2002), positive psychology is a scientific study of the individual’s strengths and virtues that enable her/him to thrive. Positive psychology has three central concerns: positive emotions, positive individual traits, and positive institutions. Hope is a dynamic cognitive motivational system.

A hopeful nature enhances Mind, Body, and Spirit wellness

Hope is more than optimistic thinking—it is proactive attitude and behavior. Hope thinking has three distinct components: Goals, Willpower, and Way power. First, one creates a clear and compelling mental picture of the Goal--this establishes a goal. Waypower is thinking of numerous ways to achieve your goal—this will counteract frustration and fear. Willpower is tapping into Mind and Spirit to muster the mental energy to pursue the goal.

Research has shown that the people who are able to get what they want out of life are the people who have the greatest hope. This means clearly identifying the goal for your self, accessing your mental or spiritual energy (willpower thinking), and generating various paths to your goal (waypower, or flexible thinking.)

The outcome of hope thinking is having a physical life in a good state of equilibrium. Hope is not a new concept in psychology in 1991 Charles Snyder and his colleagues came up with Hope Theory.

Research shows high hope correlates with:

• Lower levels of depression
• The ability to envision a broader range of goals
• Greater will power and energy
• Ability to generate a greater variety of routes to reach one’s goal and objectives 
• Academic achievement

The power of hope expresses in the many arenas of our daily life, the spiritual and religious, emotional and mental processing, as well as our relationships at work, within families, and in athletic team sports. Essentially hope is ethical and leads to success whether it be monetary, good health, happiness, creativity, or effective work behavior.

When workers lose hope they go through the motions and do just enough work to not get fired. Low hope workers fail to produce the quality and quantity of work they are capable of. Research indicates business goals should be concrete, measurable, realistic and challenging to encourage a hopeful work environment. An environment where workers experience success is more productive with less absenteeism and loafing.

When medical professionals’ attitudes shift into hope, communication is improved and patients’ sense of hope is enhanced. Hope creates the medical benefits of the placebo effect, or the expectations of positive outcomes. Viewing the physician as competent also contributes to incresing hope related healing effects.

Hope comes into its own when crisis looms, opening us to new creative possibilities. Hope empowers us to a mindset and strategy-set oriented to success, increasing the chances one will actually accomplish their goals. Positive psychology and Hope psychology are very beneficial in treating PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.)

I recommend reading C. R. Snyder’s book on the power of hope if you feel ineffective in your own life and somewhat depressed. In Psychology of Hope: You Can Get Here from There (2003) Snyder gives us the tools to measure hope, develop hope in ourselves, and nurture hope in our children and our relationships. He gives specific advice on how to envision goals, increase one's energy for pursuing one's objectives, and how to develop a variety of strategies to reach goals.

Emotions follow thoughts. Hope-related thinking is important. By constantly planning strategies to meet one’s goals, and monitoring progress the individual stays on task actively engaged in hopeful learning. Research shows that a hopeful approach to learning goals is positively related to successes from academic achievement to sports to arts to science to business. Hope is a positive motivational state that is based on an interactive thought process of a.) Goal identification; b.) Agency (goal-directed energy); and c.) Pathways (planning to meet goals)”.

Snyder explains how neglect, abuse, parental loss, unrealistic expectations for the child, and inconsistent parenting can erode the child's ability to envision goals, or one’s ability to develop strategies to goals. Finally, he provides practical, research-based information on how hope can be fostered in children and adults. The Psychology of Hope is a book for anyone who seeks to understand the psychological underpinning of this essential psychological virtue.

Research evidence shows high hope correlates positively with being able to cope with severe burns, arthritis, spinal cord injury, fibromyalgia, and blindness. High hope individuals remain energized during the recuperative process. Those with high hope experience less pain and tolerate pain well twice as long as those with low hope.

Characteristics of Hope Therapy:

• Obstacle thinking is grounded in reality and perception, not misunderstanding or negativity.
• Hope can be measured—it is not optimistic guesswork.
• Hope is trait, domain-specific, and state—and can be developed.
• Hope can be found in stories of struggle and success.
• Hope is evident in our daily language—positive affirmations change brain chemistry.
• Therapeutic relationships are hopeful relationships.
• Hopeful relationships can be developed in peer group and family.
• Counseling groups create hopeful bonding.
• Helpers can prevent burnout via hopeful consultation.
• Hope profiling can crystallize and build on hopeful memories.
• Reflecting on mentors and heroes can boost agency (willpower energy.)
• Hope interventions (refer to Snyder’s book) can be conducted anytime, anyplace.
• Hopeful reconnections (family/friends) help us recall hopeful pathways.
• Hope is enhanced via formal programming—(affirmations, neuro-linguistic techniques.
• Hope can be shared vicariously---interact with hopeful people.
• Hope talk can be used to share hope.
• Enhance hope by making small changes and practicing these changes.

High hope individuals remember more positive comments about events and themselves while those with lower levels of hope remember more negative comments and events. Those with high hope feel challenged by goals, while people with low hope feel demoralized by goals. High hope correlates with higher feelings of self-worth.

High hope correlates with resilience. General George W. Casey, Jr., the army chief of staff and former commander of the multinational force in Iraq, November 2008, ordered an initiative to measure resilience and teach positive psychology to create a force as fit psychologically as it is physically fit. “This $145 million initiative, under the direction of Brigadier General Rhonda Cornum, is called Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) and consists of three components: a test for psychological fitness, self-improvement courses available following the test, and “master resilience training” (MRT) for drill sergeants. These are based on PERMA: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment—the building blocks of resilience and growth.” Harvard Business Review, Martin Seligman (April 2011.)

According to Seligman, “how human beings react to extreme adversity is normally distributed. On one end are the people who fall apart into PTSD, depression, and even suicide. In the middle are most people, who at first react with symptoms of depression and anxiety but within a month or so are, by physical and psychological measures, back where they were before the trauma. That is resilience. On the other end are people who show post-traumatic growth. They, too, first experience depression and anxiety, often exhibiting full-blown PTSD, but within a year they are better off than they were before the trauma [due to resilience training]”. For those who need to enhance their resilience, Hope psychology has much to offer. Snyder’s book Psychology of Hope: can be empowering and therapeutic. However, some individuals my need face-to-face work with a therapist, or therapeutic peer group.

Research on Positive Psychology reveals:

•.               Wealth is only weakly related to happiness both within and across nations, particularly when income is above the poverty level (Diener & Diener, 1996).

•.               Activities that make people happy in small doses – such as shopping, good food and making money – do not lead to fulfillment in the long term, indicating that these have quickly diminishing returns (Myers, 2000; Ryan & Deci, 2000).

•.               Engaging in an experience that produces ‘flow’ is so gratifying that people are willing to do it for its own sake, rather than for what they will get out of it. The activity is its own reward. Flow is experienced when one’s skills are sufficient for a challenging activity, in the pursuit of a clear goal, with immediate feedback on progress toward the goal. In such an activity, concentration is fully engaged in the moment, self-awareness disappears, and sense of time is distorted (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).

•.               People who express gratitude on a regular basis have better physical health, optimism, progress toward goals, well-being, and help others more (Emmons & Crumpler, 2000).

•.               Trying to maximize happiness can lead to unhappiness (Schwartz et al., 2002).

•.               People who witness others perform good deeds experience an emotion called ‘elevation’ and this motivates them to perform their own good deeds (Haidt, 2000).

•.               Optimism can protect people from mental and physical illness (Taylor et al., 2000).

•.               People who are optimistic or happy have better performance in work, school and sports, are less depressed, have fewer physical health problems, and have better relationships with other people. Further, optimism can be measured and it can be learned (Seligman, 1991; Lyubomirsky, King & Diener, 2005).

•.               People who report more positive emotions in young adulthood live longer and healthier lives (Danner, Snowdon, & Friesen, 2001).

•.               Physicians experiencing positive emotion tend to make more accurate diagnoses (Isen, 1993).

•.               Healthy human development can take place under conditions of even great adversity due to a process of resilience that is common and completely ordinary (Masten, 2001).

•.               There are benefits associated with [self-revealing] writing. Individuals who write about traumatic events are physically healthier than control groups that do not. Individuals who write about the perceived benefits of traumatic events achieve the same physical health benefits as those who write only about the trauma (King & Miner, 2000). Individuals who write about their life goals and their best-imagined future achieve similar physical health benefits to those who write only about traumatic events. Further, writing about life goals is significantly less distressing than writing about trauma, and is associated with enhanced well being (King, 2001).

•.               People are unable to predict how long they will be happy or sad following an important event (Gilbert, Pinel, Wilson, Blumberg & Wheatley, 1998; Wilson, Meyers, & Gilbert, 2001). These researchers found that people typically overestimate how long they will be sad following a bad event, such as a romantic breakup, yet fail to learn from repeated experiences that their predictions are wrong.

C.R. Snyder, Psychology of Hope: You Can Get Here from There, April 1, 2003

http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/index.html

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/beautiful-minds/201112/the-will-and-ways-hope

https://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/home

http://www.weber.edu/WSUImages/leadership/docs/sq/azusa/general/psychology-of-hope.pdf