Energy MedicineEnergy Medicine

Two World ViewsTwo World Views

Cartesian

“All science is certain, evident knowledge. We reject all knowledge which is merely probable, and judge that only those things should be believed which are perfectly known and about which there can be no doubts.”

20th Century Physics

An electron may either have particle or wave like properties, depending on its environment. Neither the electron nor any other atomic object has any intrinsic properties independent of its environment.

“The Turning Point” Fritjof Capra“The Turning Point” Fritjof Capra

“The resolution of the particle-wave paradox forced physicists to accept an aspect of reality that called into question the very foundation of the mechanistic world view – the concept of the reality of matter…We can never predict an atomic event with certainty; we can only predict the likelihood of its happening.”

One thing that has not changed with 20th Century physics

One thing that has not changed with 20th Century physics

• The scientific method• Systematic observation, measurement and

experiment• Formulation, testing and modification of

hypothesis• Repeatable steps

Comparison of complexityComparison of complexity

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

• The revolution in physics allowed the understanding of the H atom - what governs its behavior, and that it can be predicted

• The human body consists of quadrillions of atoms:7,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 - all interacting with each other.

DefinitionsDefinitions

• Biomedicine: based on chemicals, cells, cell membranes, organs and body systems

• Biomedicine focuses on the physical body, and has two interventions: drugs and surgery.

Energy MedicineEnergy Medicine

• We absorb light nd heat from the sun, bu also produce our own internal energy fields

• Electro-magnetic forces are active in Earth’s atmosphere and in binding of a hormone to its receptor

• The integration of complex systems within the human body reflect the integration between the body and the external world.

Definitions: Energy MedicineDefinitions: Energy Medicine

• Body-person is moving, changing, metabolizing, and

• All parts are linked, thus the whole is represented in the parts, and the parts in the whole

• Energy is non-local: one part can treat another, the energy of an organ can be found everywhere

Energy Medicine cont’d:Energy Medicine cont’d:

• Homeodynamics/alostasis: our “balance” point is constantly changing

• Cassidy: energy medicine works more with what is felt than measured: qi, prana

• Perhaps we don’t have a name, and thus no way to measure, energy changes.

Diagnostic procedures using energy

Diagnostic procedures using energy

• Sonograms• X-rays• MRIs• EKGs• EEGs• PET

• Motoyama machine (measures energy in meridians)

• Bioelectrography (visualizes the corona discharge - advances Kirlian photography)

“We are spiritual beings, emanations of something beyond us, as well as bodies and minds. We are connected to oneanother, to the earth, and to that beyond in ways that are

more powerful and deeper than any of us may know. Disease represents an imbalance within ourselves and between ourselves and the natural, social and spiritual

world. Our health depends on restoration of that balance.”James Gordon, “Manifesto for a New Medicine” p 165

“We are spiritual beings, emanations of something beyond us, as well as bodies and minds. We are connected to oneanother, to the earth, and to that beyond in ways that are

more powerful and deeper than any of us may know. Disease represents an imbalance within ourselves and between ourselves and the natural, social and spiritual

world. Our health depends on restoration of that balance.”James Gordon, “Manifesto for a New Medicine” p 165

Chinese Medicine as Energy Medicine

Chinese Medicine as Energy Medicine

• We cannot see or measure meridians• We treat based on correspondences that are not

physically linked (LR=wood=spring=anger=rancid=sour)

• Dietary and herbal therapy based on energetics of the food, not its vitamin/mineral make-up

• Qi gong/tai chi are neither aerobic nor anaerobic

What constitutes an “energy treatment”?

What constitutes an “energy treatment”?

• Touch

• Encouraging patients to sense changes in their bodymindspirit

• Treatment modulated by “working signs”• Improvement is found in the whole

bodymindspirit

“[It is] a model of reality that experiences body-persons as

responsive, changeable, dynamic-positing that their

malfunctions can heal and their biases can be controlled so that

disorder can be prevented as energy pattern returns toward

their own homeodynamic.”

“[It is] a model of reality that experiences body-persons as

responsive, changeable, dynamic-positing that their

malfunctions can heal and their biases can be controlled so that

disorder can be prevented as energy pattern returns toward

their own homeodynamic.”

Different Energy systemsDifferent Energy systems

• Meridians of Chinese medicine

• Chakras of Yoga

• 10 Sephiroth form the Tree of Life in the Kabbalah - from Jewish mysticism

• Lightwheels - heart of the medicine wheel and shamanic practice of Native Americans

What in the bodymindspirit changes in an “energy treatmen

t”?

What in the bodymindspirit changes in an “energy treatmen

t”?

Energy treatments include:Energy treatments include:

• Chinese Medicine• Homeopathy• NAET• Reiki• Healing Touch• Healing Thoughts• Prayers

• Aromatherapy• Ayurveda• Energy Psychology

Therapies• EFT, NET

• Hypnosis

• Thought Field Therapy

• Applied Kinesiology• And many more…

How can we measure some of these mindspirit changes?

How can we measure some of these mindspirit changes?

Ways to measure energetic shifts

Ways to measure energetic shifts

• “…every event in the body, either normal or pathological, produces electrical changes, and alterations of the magnetic fields in the spaces around the body…Disease states can be detected by measuring changes in the electrical conductance of tissues, making possible early diagnosis and treatments” Oschman

Research to support this:Research to support this:

• Magneto encephalography (MEG) is a technique for mapping brain activity by recording magnetic fields produced by electrical currents occurring naturally in the brain.

Other ways to measure energetic shifts:

Other ways to measure energetic shifts:

• Institute of Heartmath found that heart rate variability, or heart rhythms, stood out as the most dynamic and reflective of inner emotional states and stress. It became clear that negative emotions lead to increased disorder in the heart’s rhythms and in the autonomic nervous system, thereby adversely affecting the rest of the body. ..positive emotions create increased harmony and coherence in heart rhythms and improve balance in the nervous system.

They believe the heart is, in fact, a highly complex, self-organized information processing center with its own functional "brain" that communicates with

and influences the cranial brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways.

They believe the heart is, in fact, a highly complex, self-organized information processing center with its own functional "brain" that communicates with

and influences the cranial brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways.

Thought Energy Therapy: a new psychological approachThought Energy Therapy: a

new psychological approach

Thought energy (including electrochemical, electromagnetic and

biomagnetic) can interact with the body at the neural, molecular and

atomic levels.

Thought energy cont’d:Thought energy cont’d:

• Thinking about a troubling aspect of one’s life, the electrical system would “weaken”, as shown by muscle testing.

• The electrical system can be strengthened by tapping on a series of acupuncture points.

Will these measurements be accepted by Western medicine?

Will these measurements be accepted by Western medicine?

Research on different “Energy” modalities

Research on different “Energy” modalities

• Distance healing: meta-analysis showed a small but highly significant effect in changes in the SNS as measured by skin conductance.

• Qi Gong practitioners show greater blood flow to the hands using their intention alone

• Cortisol levels were lowered by the short-term practice of qi gong

Research cont’d:Research cont’d:

• Qigong groups showed more improvement or better survival rates than conventional methods alone in treating cancer.*

• Some evidence of qigong lowering SBP.**

• Battlefield Acu protocol: patients had significant improvement in pain control and QOL in 4 week study***

Research cont’dResearch cont’d

• Very mixed results on prayer and long-distance healing, with very many confounding factors:• When you consider objective medical measures, (#of

days hospitalized) there is no change

• When you do see a link between prayer and good health, you don’t know which came first.

• Regular attendance at religious services is reasonably predictive of decreased mortality rate, decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and depression.

More research:More research:

• Emoto’s findings regarding water crystals

• “Intention May alter the structure of water”• There is one study that has been able to

corroborate some of his results

What do you think?What do you think?

“The scientist knows that in the history of ideas, magic always

precedes science, that the intuition of phenomena

anticipates their objective knowledge.” Gauguelin 1974

“The scientist knows that in the history of ideas, magic always

precedes science, that the intuition of phenomena

anticipates their objective knowledge.” Gauguelin 1974

Scientific establishment attitude towards discovery:

Scientific establishment attitude towards discovery:

“Advance in detail is permitted: fundamental novelty is barred. This dogmatic common sense is the death of philosophical adventure.” Alfred North Whitehead (1948)

“Either you repeat the same conventional doctrines

everybody is saying, or else you say something true, and

it will sound like it’s from Neptune.” Noam Chomsky

“Either you repeat the same conventional doctrines

everybody is saying, or else you say something true, and

it will sound like it’s from Neptune.” Noam Chomsky

What is your attitude toward ideas that don’t fit the

commonly accepted world view?

What is your attitude toward ideas that don’t fit the

commonly accepted world view?

• Wholehearted acceptance?

• Complete rejection of crazy ideas?

• Healthy skepticism?

• Be conscious of your automatic reactions!

Blow Your Mind IdeasBlow Your Mind Ideas

• Bigu: Living without food for years, while living in the modern world

• Multiple personalities where one personality has a life threatening disease, and another personality does not.

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard itDo not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored

by manyDo not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your

religious booksDo not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers

and eldersDo not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for

many generationsBut after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees

with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, accept it and live up to it. (Kalama Sutta, pp 188-193)

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard itDo not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored

by manyDo not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your

religious booksDo not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers

and eldersDo not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for

many generationsBut after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees

with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, accept it and live up to it. (Kalama Sutta, pp 188-193)

How will you evaluate new ideas, claims, findings?

How will you evaluate new ideas, claims, findings?