Acupuncture, Reiki, Shiatsu and Chiropractic treatments all have origins in the belief that some energy force flows through the body. These therapies arose from the basic philosophy of managing, controlling or balancing the Ch’i, Qi, innate life force, energy or whatever that particular therapy likes to call it.
However, if healing is simply a matter of balancing or restoring these forces, why have I never seen one of these?
Do something amazing today, give Qi.
My arse
I'm sure I had some spare Qi lying around here somewhere...do you want a full meridian's worth?
ReplyDelete"Acupuncture, Reiki.....all have origins in the belief that some energy force flows through the body"
ReplyDeleteCompletely wrong. The theory came after the practice. It was used to explain phenomena in lieu of a scientific explanation, as is often the case in ancient forms of medicine.
In acupuncture for example, the original practitioners wouldn't have understood the modern explanation that needles encourage the body's response to injury, yielding beneficial and therapeutic reactions like pain relief and sleep regulation. There's been some fantastic study in this area recently, to be published in the journal of neuroimage later this year, but copy/paste seems to have been disabled, so no linky.
The only treatment you mentioned that has no measurable or demonstrable effects is Reiki, perhaps this treatment was formulated after the theory? who knows...
There is an analogue of all of this in martial arts too. Developing powerful chi is an important part of many martial arts' training. Having something seemingly tangible like an energy force coursing through your body is very useful when you're in a fight or trying to focus your concentration. If you want a practical demonstration, go to a wushu class and tell your chi joke. I'm sure they'll oblige you. :)
That’s for the comment John, most appreciated, although it’s a bit like complaining to BBC’s Top Gear about their review of the latest Ford Mondeo, that’s not really what the show’s about. There’s plenty of serious blogs outlining the dangers of alternative therapies.
ReplyDeleteHowever, accepting that the theory came after the practice, as you explain, why do many alternative therapists retain the belief in energy flow in the light of modern medical understanding?
Oh, and energy coursing through the body during a fight to focus concentration? Isn’t that adrenaline?
Seriously though thanks for commenting. Generally appreciated, and always read.
"...why do many alternative therapists retain the belief in energy flow in the light of modern medical understanding?"
ReplyDeleteMoney.