types of energy modalities
As amazing as our bodies may be, they sometimes let us down. We suffer at times, through stress, illness, or accident. And to help us heal we rely on those who have the skills to ease our suffering, or we seek to help ourselves. Some of these healing methods are described as alternative or complementary _medicines and are often rejected as they employ unconventional _modalities.
The trouble is (at least from the perspective of the skeptic) that they work so well! More of these holistic healing modalities are being accepted into mainstream healthcare environments as people begin to realize that the underlying principles are sound.
Most are rooted in ancient wisdom and include aspects of spirituality – which is why they are usually dismissed by the scientific world.
Nevertheless, the gradual spiritual awakening we are witnessing around the planet has led to a host of different types of energy healing modalities experiencing a rise in popularity.
What is an energy healing modality?
We should begin by asking, ‘what does modality mean?’, in case you had any doubts. The word has varied meanings but, to keep things simple, in this context it basically means ‘method’.
So, when we speak about different types of energy healing modalities, we are referring to the range of methods used by healers from different disciplines, who manipulate energy in some way to bring about the healing of the body, mind, and spirit.
Now that’s cleared up, we can explore some of the best alternative healing modalities.
So, what are these modalities?
It is important to accept that ‘spiritual healing’ focusses on the whole person. The body, mind, and spirit are connected by an energy field that flows throughout the universe.
When the flow of energy out of balance or blocked in some way, then dis-ease occurs which manifests itself as physical or mental illness.
Spiritual healing (also called Energy Work) realigns and rebalances your energies and allows them to flow properly, which brings a release from suffering. And this can be achieved in a number of ways:
CHANNELLING –
In this instance, the practitioner uses themselves as a means through which the healing power flows.
This energy is ‘channeled’ into them and through to the patient, but does not come directly from the healer.
Opinions and ideas as to its origin vary, but essentially this energy is seen as being Divine, or universal.
Some say it is from God, others simply say it is from the ‘Source’. Whichever title you prefer, the results are the same. It is benevolent, healing energy that flows via another person acting as a conduit.
BODY MODALITY (TOUCH) –
The power of the human touch should never be underestimated! We all know how a simple hug can lift our spirits and spark strong emotions.
The ‘laying on of hands’ has been an effective method of healing through the ages – mentioned, of course, in the bible where Christ employed it to great effect and urged his followers to do likewise.
Many disciplines use touch to provide healing, including Reiki – although actual physical contact isn’t absolutely necessary. Shiatsu and Reflexology are body modalities that rely on touch.
Massage, while not itself being particularly spiritual, is incorporated into certain energy healing modalities as it is an effective aid to healing.
CHAKRA HEALING –
The subject of chakras can be quite confusing! Suffice to say, the word chakra _can be loosely translated as _wheel. _Ancient Buddhist, Hindu, and Vedic traditions speak of the human body existing in two dimensions simultaneously – the _physical body and the subtle body (relating to mind, emotion, psychology, and spirit or non-physical).
Our subtle body has energy channels (nadi) that are connected by nodes, which are the chakras. Energy flows continually through these in a neverending cycle – hence, the wheel.
These days, since chakras were introduced into the West in the early 20th century and then later in New Age teachings, most people now accept that we have between 5 and 7 chakras (some earlier teachings believed there were about 88,000. We did say it could be confusing!).
Depending on which source you consult, chakras are either real points within your body, acting as electromagnetic centers of energy, or they exist purely in a spiritual sense.
Either way, they can become blocked or misaligned through emotional, mental, spiritual, or physical trauma. When this happens the energies aren’t able to flow correctly and we feel the effects in our bodies and minds.
By unblocking these centers, healers allow the energy to flow once again, allowing the body, mind, and spirit to heal itself.
VIBRATION/SOUND THERAPY –
Conventional science will confirm that everything is vibrating. Literally everything. Whatever you observe in nature, however still it seems to be, it is resonating at a certain frequency.
These frequencies interact with us on subtle (or not so subtle!) levels, affecting us in different ways.
Two of the most obvious vibrations that we experience are sound and light, which reaches us in the form of waves.
Sound has a huge impact on our moods; music, speech, sirens, bird song, a baby crying, laughter – all these sounds have an impact on our senses. Each one is a vibration that our brain interprets as sound, producing a reaction.
Some healing modalities use therapeutic music, ‘singing’ bowls, or other instruments. Others may use vibrations from magnetized items.
Light plays an obvious role in our lives, but we may not always remember that it is vibrating energy that our brains convert into recognizable images. Light therapy is frequently used to treat people with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) in the darker months.
Vibration, sound, and light therapies are all used in mainstream medicine for a variety of conditions. In complementary medicine, they are also employed to release blocked energy that allows it to flow freely, bringing healing to the patient.
CRYSTAL HEALING –
Crystals have caught our imagination for millennia – we value their beauty and ascribe mystical powers to them.
What adds to their attraction is the fact that the world of science can’t always explain them, though they are quick to assert that they have no beneficial qualities.
Crystals have been described by some scientists as being more liquid than solid, as being ‘almost alive’, and as ‘liquid light’. Whatever the truth, they are an excellent tool for healing! They are employed by a whole range of practitioners from different disciplines, such as Reiki or sound therapy, or simply by a ‘crystal healer’.
Crystals are great for expelling negative energy, and particular crystals or stones can be placed at certain parts of the body where they draw out the impurities that are causing problems.
Each type of crystal, along with its specific color, has its own physical qualities that are used to target particular problems.
MERIDIAN –
Similar to the way that chakras work, meridians are thought to be currents of energy that run through our bodies.
In a sense, the treatment could be classed as body modality, as it involves methods such as acupuncture, acupressure, and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique, or ‘tapping’).
These methods focus on clearing the currents and ensuring they are free from blockages.
Like so many complementary medicines, the meridian system works to bring harmony to the mind and the body. Likewise, it can be used as a preventative medicine by keeping us healthy.
Conclusion
These different types of energy healing modalities are used all around the world, helping countless numbers of people to find relief from their suffering.
And this isn’t just limited to the healing of the body. Conventional, ‘mainstream’ medicine often fails because it targets the symptoms only.
The vast majority of complementary methods aim to heal the whole person, which is just one reason for their increasing popularity.
Some types of healing will use a combination of these modalities listed above to achieve the desired result.
Often you’ll find that they overlap, as healers combine the benefits of more than one.
A quick search on the internet will show that there are hundreds of different healing methods out there.
Some seem obscure or are adaptations of others. Some have been trademarked and commercialized – the ethics of which is a subject for debate.
This doesn’t change the fact that there are thousands of people who are skilled healers and teachers. Amongst the many different methods available, Reiki stands out as possibly being the most powerful healing modality.
The reason behind this is unclear, but the facts speak for themselves.
One possible answer may be the fact that practitioners often use a range of modalities, which enhances the treatment. Another factor could be that we just don’t have enough data from other methods – yet.
Reiki has been gaining support in the medical world in recent times, with sessions available in hospitals. Who knows which other methods will be accepted in the future? One day conventional medicine will wake up to the benefits of these types of energy healing modalities. And the entire world will be all the better for it.
