What is Energy Healing and how to learn it!
There are so many energy healing modalities, many teachers, approaches, courses, etc etc…but where to start???
I got you!!
In this post I will explain what is energy healing, how to find a good energy healer for You, and how to learn energy healing by Yourself!!
To me, energy healing is a very straightforward process. A simple definition would be:
The channeling of universal energy /source energy /chi/ etc, to the body of a person or living being, which helps them to reactivate or enhance their own healing abilities, promoting wellbeing and happiness.
And there are many philosophies and schools of thought around, such as Healing Touch, Theta Healing, and Therapeutic Touch. I have personally trained in Reiki Usui.
The wonderful thing about energy healing is that it is universal and accessible for all!
You do not need to be religious for energy healing to work. You do not need special rituals or crystals or prayers or symbols!!
For example, in Reiki I was taught a series of symbols to strengthen and focus the connection and healing power. But I organically stopped using them and I’ll tell you why:
First: sure, the symbols and tools do work if you resonate with them and trust that they will work. Some healers use crystals, candles and symbols to have an extra boost of energy, or get in the mood, and for the client to also get into the atmosphere of healing, switching from ordinary life into a unique moment.
But my experience, when you are facilitating and receiving a healing, what matters the most is your loving intention. Holding space and consciousness for the process to naturally happen. Also, if you are the facilitator, it is important to clear your own energy to be able to hold your focus and channel the energies from Source, your Healing Guides / Entities that help you.
Your body and your Higher Self already know what to do, and your intention sets things in motion. If you are receptive to the energies, and hold that compassionate desire to help the other person, that is more than enough.
In my case, I switched from the traditional reiki symbols to simply trusting my own body, my spirit guides, and relying own my own creativity. I spontaneously “draw” things in the air while I’m channeling, or softly sway my body, wiggle my fingers and arms in a very intuitive way. It is never the same, and I quite enjoy that! I’ve come to understand it as my own way of making the magic happen!
Ultimately, healing comes in so many forms: in your facilitator’s office, in a heartwarming conversation with a friend, the smile of a stranger, petting your animal companion, cuddling with your partner, an online dance party, and many many more!! What brings you back to peace, wholeness and joy? THAT is healing!
Secrets of an an Energy Healer
Healers gravitate to energy healing because they want to bring more love, wholeness and joy to their lives. They want to heal themselves from the inside out. They seek a gentle approach that includes the totality of the person (intellect, emotions and physicality) their interdimensional and otherworldly connections, intuition, past lives, purpose and more ~ which is usually not the focus of traditional western therapies, or is overlooked and dismissed as pseudo-science. People look for something that fulfills the deepest yearnings of their heart and soul ~ and energy healing is quite awesome for that!
We healers are also humans, we have our own biases and prejudices, and even the kindest of us still have shitty days. We cuss, we feel anger, fear and disappointment!! And this doesn’t make us less of a healer. We carry our humanness and peculiarities with grace, because they matter. We are not meant to negate our humanity or flaws in order to connect to Spirit. Spirit is all about embracing everything!! Light and darkness and everything in between. We don’t want to “transcend” the body and go to another dimension, we need the body, we simply want to be more of who truly are, expand this beautiful, messy, unpredictable humanity and LIVE.
So to be good energy channels we practice and practice and practice, and we first work on ourselves. And this process is no different than building muscle, or learning to dance and paint. It is an art, an ever-evolving process of refinement ~ and fun!! There are times you feel everything flows, others not so much, depending on your mood, or what is happening in the world or your personal life. And all life experiences feed and nurture this gift of healing.
I love energy healing sooo much because it is simply a part of me. I love helping others feel good, and feel good myself in the process!! It’s deeply rewarding to see my clients’ peaceful, relieved smiles after a session. When they tell me they had an a-ha moment shortly after meeting. I love the ease and confidence they exude after a time. When they are genuinely at peace with themselves, loving the person they are.
I also believe we are all healers!!
By the way, when I was at university, I felt so called to spread the benefits of energy healing, that I wrote my Psychology thesis on “Epistemic Orientation and Well-being in Reiki Clients from Lima Peru” (2018) You can download it here (it’s in Spanish, but Google Translate does a good job!)
What to look for in an energy healer / What is a good energy healer like?
TL/DR: Choose your healer/coach/facilitator as if you were to choose a friend!
Compassionate ~ a good healer holds space for you to come as you are. They will never condemn you or shame you, but truly offer you kindness.
Relatable ~ this person feels like a friend, an equal, not a holier-than-thou guru. Good healers know they are facilitators and conduits: they hold space for you to let the healing happen in your body and spirit. And healing is a two-way street, both healer and healee benefit from the moment!
Honest and Authentic ~ a healer is true to themselves, will always be open about their approach and encourage your questions and healthy skepticism. They will never make sensational or urgent claims to instill fear or worry in you. They will never make ominous “predictions” or deceptive suggestions. They won’t sugar coat things either. I love healers who are passionate and no-bullshit truth-tellers!!
Ethical ~ a healer will do their best to help you and will never do something that directly or indirectly harms you. They will never impose themselves on you or think they know better than you. The healer will be candid about their strengths and limitations. If your situation is outside of their expertise, they will encourage you to seek allopathic medicine and/or mental healthcare.
Where do I find a healer??
First, word of mouth! Ask your closest friends for referrals. You can also do a google search for energy practitioners who are similar to you, for example, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ , and also specialize in what you are navigating: for example chronic pain, love and relationships, soul purpose, anxiety, etc. Most of the time, the healer specializes in something very personal to them, which makes them great advocates who will do their best to serve you.
See who resonates with you. Take a look at their website or social media, check their client testimonials, or join their email list and see what they like to share.
You might feel an instant connection with a healer just by seeing their picture or reading a brief post!! hooray!! that is wonderful. Follow that soft impulse, it might be the start of a wonderful partnership!!
Some practitioners will offer you a free or a very affordable discovery session to see if you get along and resonate with each other.
Finding a good healer for You is like making friends, or dating, or finding a good massage therapist. Maybe it takes some trial and error to find someone who clicks with you ~ but the wait is totally worthwhile!
In this field of work, you also have to watch out for the eventual scammers, con artists, spiritual-bypassers and self-proclaimed gurus. Run!! Also if they are charging you an exorbitant amount of money, and are not willing to negotiate. That’s a red flag. It turns my stomach that malicious or ignorant people take advantage of the pain of others, especially in the delicate realm of spirituality and psychology. The damage can be fatal. So don’t fall for that! Trust your own discernment and intuition.
How do I learn energy healing?
You can start by speaking kindly to yourself, being patient and compassionate on yourself, doing something just for fun. Those are small but very meaningful ways you are healing yourself ~ and others!
Just as I mentioned above, look for a course and instructor that resonates with you, and start your learning adventure!
Ask God, your Higher Self, any source of energy or love that you are more familiar with. Learn to meditate, sit with your own feelings and emotions, and really know yourself. You really need to know yourself, and also clear your mind, find calm within you to make room for the universal energies.
Maybe rub your palms together very fast, and then place them in your body. Breathe and imagine that energy is pouring into you filling you with joy and vitality. Stay in that space for as long as you wish, running the universal energy through your body and energy field.
Those are the very basics, and from here you can learn other techniques and delve deeper. But the essence of it remains simple! You can start today!
I consider myself an autodidact that receives mentorship from various teachers (physical and non-physical!). I prefer learning intuitively at my own pace. If you are like me, feel free to ask a healer you trust to mentor you personally. They will be more than happy to help you, and will also become friends for life!!
I hope you enjoyed this post, and thank you so much for reading!!
Feel free to submit your spirituality and healing questions using my contact form or commenting below!
Big cosmic love!
-Ro