Everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe – a spirit vastly superior to that of man. -Einstein.
What are we? Object vs Energy
So I’ve been educating myself lately around a few things. The first is kinesiology and the second myofascial release. I thought them quite dissimilar at first, however once I dug a bit deeper I realised they are both underpinned by the concept of treating at the level of the body’s energy.
Some people probably still think energy-based therapies a bit pie in the sky (Dear Health Insurers – please read this article). You might need to refer back to my previous post that shows the scientific linkage between emotion, energy and DNA structure: Linking Mood & DNA
But I’m hearing you. I wasn’t far behind on the scepticism front. Until I thought about it like this: Newtonian physics made the case that everything has energy. Einstein followed that up with the discovery that everything IS energy. Now we have quantum physics which would argue that there is no body, no object, ONLY energy (and that it exists all at once in any given moment – all possibilities coexist, already and always…perhaps more mind bending than this article needs to be).
So where is modern medicine with regards to this? We see the body and treat it as an object. Disease (bacterial/viral infection for example) is a thing that can be treated and removed with drugs or medicines. Modern medicine still follows Newton. Hmm…time to look at some alternatives??
Kinesiology
So what’s it all about, this kinesiology? There seem to be lots of different types of kinesiologists and how they practice is largely directed by personal preference. Kinesiology (the word) = mechanics of body movements. In practice, it uses muscle testing as a monitor of stresses and imbalances with the body. It is considered a science of energy balancing and evaluates energy changes brought about by a spectrum of manual and non-manual therapeutic procedures (techniques I don’t know much about, I’m not a kinesiologist). A fundamental premise is that the body has innate healing energy and is doing its best to care for itself, but sometimes needs assistance.
“Kinesiology is really wonderful at illuminating issues around reclaiming energy and releasing tension. I find the therapy works really well for me, but it’s a personal choice, so if there is a calling for you to try Kinesiology then honour that calling. Ultimately this is your health, your life, and your decision. I find the best gauge is always where you feel the strongest calling.” Jenna Ward, Kinesiologist.
Myofascial Release (MFR)
What do fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, headaches and PMS have in common? John F. Barnes, PT would argue they are all related to unrecognised myofascial restrictions.
So first, what is the myofascia?
Fascia is the soft connective tissue that surrounds and infuses ever organ, muscle, bone and cavity of your body. Standard medical testing can’t see it or measure it and when it has been studied it is generally in a model or cadavers – not a living, connected, energetic being. Moral of the story? We’ve been a bit slow in recognising there might be issues that arise from restrictions in the myofascia.
What is myofascial release?
MFR is a technique that applies gentle sustained pressure into connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. John F. Barnes, PT is considered the authority on MFR. He argues that “symptoms, diagnostic labels, and diseases are a blockage of our bio-energy caused by a prolonged inflammatory response. Trauma and the resultant inflammation response create Myofascial restrictions that ultimately create the symptoms of pain and disease processes. The results of inflammatory responses that have outlived their usefulness are labelled: chronic pain, headaches, restriction of motion, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart disease, arthritis, asthma, bowel and menstrual disorders, cancer and the list goes on and on. There is no such thing as disease!”
The Point?
There are of course other types of energy healing. I myself am trained in Reiki. I guess my point in writing this is to try and understand where energy healing has evolved from and how it all works. To give you a better understanding of what it’s all about and assure you it’s not just pie in the sky. Your health insurer may not certify it yet as credible, but there is a Nobel prize-winning physicist whose works suggests it is perfectly logical and scientifically valid. So who would you believe?