I came from a practical, medical background before moving into energy work.  For me that proved difficult.  I had very specific questions, which people often couldn’t answer.  I doubted energy work, the chakra system.  Who decided what the human energy field looked like?  How did it work – exactly?   ‘Energy’ was invisible, how could you work with it?   I also noticed teachers would often say things along the lines of, “You don’t need all those complicated techniques – or attunements – or meditations.  All you need to do is ….”  

They would then proceed to describe the fairly complicated model of meditation, or healing, that they taught.  There was a ‘mine is better than theirs’ view – even, I noticed, within the Reiki world!   People seemed to focus so much more on the DIFFERENCES, how much better This model was than That one, and so on.  I found this discomforting, for a spiritual view that was supposed to embrace everyone!

As I attended more workshops and courses over the years, and read widely, I began to notice something else, something better  – the SIMILARITIES between healings models.  I noticed where one crossed over with another, or when a technique was similar, definitely recognisable, and would simply have a different name.  I loved this.  It felt uplifting.  Noticing the similarities helped me begin to understand energy work, and the subtle anatomy of the Human Energy Field, much better. 

Similarities spoke to me of a Greater Truth, a deeper history, and that was comforting and enlightening.   I realised the differences were just how the specifics were brought through by different people, added to or altered, depending on their experience and skill, and then given a name. 

I feel the differences are not nearly as important as the similarities.  Similarities prove energy work is in the collective unconscious, part of our heritage as Spiritual Beings.  You might wonder what similarities I’ve noticed.  Quite a number over the years.  Here are some of them: 

GROUNDING

This shows up again and again, in almost every healing model I’ve studied or learned.  Connection to the Earth’s energies, walking on the grass, enjoying nature.  Makes sense to me!  The greatest learning I had about grounding though, how to reinstate it and strengthen it, comes from Energy Field Healing.

EARTH STAR

This interesting energy centre was first introduced to me by my Crystal Therapy teacher in the mid-late 1990s.  I’d read a few books about the Human Energy Field by then, including Barbara Brennan’s “Hands of Light” – with no mention of the Earth Star.  I googled it – yes, all those years ago!  There it was, on a couple of spiritual/energy sites, no more than one or two short paragraphs. 

Later, when my hands began to move in Reiki, I found myself working below the feet of clients, moving my hand in a circular fashion, but not knowing exactly what I was doing, but sensing movement and energy clearing downwards.  A few years later I found I had been working, unknowingly, on the Earth Star. 

I met the Earth Star again when I did my Energy Field Healing training, and I was fascinated to hear of it  – another similarity – and to find out a bit more about it, and how to work with it in detail.

SELF HEALING

Something mentioned in almost all the healing modalities I’ve met, and very important.  But a striking similarity came up between my Reiki training and in Energy Field Healing.

Mikao Usui, who developed the Reiki system, taught a technique called ‘Usui’s Self-Healing Method’.  It consists of sitting or standing, and visualising You in front of yourself.  You put your hands out and ‘give Reiki to yourself’, following the Reiki hand positions.

In Energy Field Healing we use an identical technique, called ‘Show Me, Me.’  It is brilliant, and allows you to use EFH techniques on yourself, and I use this every day to check and balance my own energy. 

SIEVING

This is a lovely, easy technique and I was first taught one version of it while on a course with the Spirit Release Foundation in Malvern, Worcestershire.  Once again, it turned up in EFH, slightly different, very effective, and comfortingly similar.

ENERGY CENTRE in the Lower Abdomen

This is a bit of a puzzle, but something I have noticed.  A number of practices and healing models I’ve come across talk about an energy centre situated in the lower abdomen.  I can’t be sure if it is the exact same energy centre, because each is described so differently, and given different uses and importance.  But here they are:

Cusco (meaning ‘bread basket’) – from the Quero people in South America, introduced during some shamanic training.

Tan Dien (or Dan Tien, or Lower Elixir Field) – from Reiki and Tai Chi Qi Gong practices.

The Hara – described as a centre and a ‘line’ of energy – from Barbara Brennan’s healing practice, but also from martial arts/Tai Chi Qi Gong

The Core Star – the one I am most familiar with, described by Barbara Brennan, but my greatest understanding comes from EFH.  A fascinating energy centre which is tremendously important. 

Noticing similarities and differences in energy work makes me think of other aspects of human life.  The religions of the world, for instance.  Most religions worship at least one ‘supreme Being’, although the deities have different names.  Most religions have basic rules such as ‘Thou shalt not kill’.  But they have different buildings for worship, different dress rules, etc. 

It has occurred to me many times that if humans took a bit more notice of the similarities between us, and less notice of the differences, and if people just let people be – to worship individually as they choose, to marry as they choose, to dress as they choose, to behave in their own individual, even quirky, non-harmful ways – all of course, with equal consideration for others and a reasonable moral compass – the world would be a more peaceful place. 

Perhaps you’d like to have a go at noticing the similarities, rather than the differences, in all aspects of life and any healing models you know. 

DISCLAIMER (The Small Print)       

These are just my current thoughts. 

Thoughts can change as we learn and grow.

I can be wrong, but am nevertheless entitled to my thoughts.

You don’t have to read my blog or take any notice of anything I say.

It is important you always make up your own mind - about everything.

I am not you, and don’t know you or the details of your life. 

Therefore, you are responsible for any decisions or changes you make as a result of reading

my thoughts. 

Finally, nothing in any of my blogs is intended nor should be taken as medical or health advice.  Always research for yourself and talk to doctors or therapists you trust (conventional or complementary).