In order to provide scientific validation for the human
energy field, theorists and practitioners have attempted to perform
scientifically sound, replicable experiments to measure and quantify the field.
Researchers have also unified the theories of energy medicine with data from
scientific fields to develop hypotheses to explain the observed phenomena. They
have examined factors including electrical emissions, magnetic fields,
temperature effects, and even infrasonic sound. It’s clear there are strong
correlations between these factors and the theoretical aspects of the human
energy field. It is not yet clear if all of the aspects of qi can be measured in
these terms.
The notes below are merely a sampling of the research that
has been done and theories that have developed, and are not meant to be a
comprehensive review of the topic. For more information, please refer to the
sources mentioned at the end of this section.
Are there any fields
produced in and around the body which can be measured?
“Every event in the body,
either normal or pathological, [produces] electrical changes, it also produces
alterations of the magnetic fields in the spaces around the body.” (Oschman, 18)
Several illustrations of
this appear in Oschman’s Energy Medicine. For example, in the 1930’s,
Harold Saxton Burr reported “the timing of ovulation in women could be
determined by daily measurements of the electric field between one finger from
each hand.” (Oschman, 18-19) Other researchers had inconsistent results in
studying this field. This was because the ovulation cycle is only one of many
oscillating electric fields produced by the body, and “detection of the
ovulation cycle requires careful filtering, to eliminate interference from the
electrical rhythms generated by the other organs in the body, such as the heart
and the brain.” (Oschman, 19)
In 1924, Willem Einthoven
received a Nobel Prize for his discovery that heart electricity could be
recorded with a galvanometer; the electrocardiogram and electroencephalogram are
now standard tools for medical diagnosis. (Oschman, 28) In 1963, Baule and McFee
were able to measure the magnetic field produced by the electrical activity of
the heart muscle. This strong pulsating magnetic field spreads out in front of
and behind the body, and instruments are now available that can detect the field
of the heart 15 feet away from the body. (Oschman, 29-30)
Brain fields are hundreds
of times weaker than the heart, yet they are measurable by a SQUID magnetometer,
developed in the 1970’s. Virtually all the tissues in the body generate
electrical fields when compressed and stretched. “Every muscle in the body
produces magnetic pulses when it contracts, … any movement of any part of the
body is ‘broadcast’ into the space around the body as a precise ‘biomagnetic
signature’ of that movement.” (Oschman, 35)
Are these fields a mere
by-product of life processes, or do they serve a purpose?
“The electric fields
produced during movements are widely considered to provide the information that
directs the activities of ‘generative’ cells… these are the osteoblasts,
myoblasts, perivascular cells, fibroblasts, and other ‘stem’ cells that lay down
or resorb collagen and thereby reform tissues so they can adapt to the ways the
body is used.” (Oschman, 54)
These repair messages are
apparently carried by the perineural cells, connective tissues which encase
every nerve fiber in the body and are responsible for overall regulation of the
classical nervous system. “Robert Becker, M.D. … demonstrated that the
perineural cells, or nerve sheaths, carry a direct current of
electricity, prompting the body to grow, heal, or regenerate and repair itself.
For this reason, any change in health is always accompanied by electrical
changes, both at the site of injury or repair and as an electromagnetic field
around the body.” (Cohen, 45)
“The perineural system is a
direct current communication system reaching to every innervated tissue… the
current of injury is generated at the site of a wound, and continues until
repair is complete… [it] attracts the mobile skin cells, white blood cells, and
fibroblasts that close and heal the wounds. Finally, the injury current changes
as the tissue heals, and therefore feeds back information on the progress of
repair to surrounding tissues.” (Oschman, 94) Other bodily tissues are also
sheathed in continuous layers of connective tissue, therefore it is possible
that “a current of injury will arise in any tissue, epidermal, vascular,
muscular, nervous, or bone, that is injured.” (Oschman, 95)
Can this “current of
injury” be replicated by synthetic devices?
A modern medical technique
called pulsed electromagnetic field therapy (PEMF) is used to treat bone
fractures which have failed to heal after several months. A small,
battery-operated pulse generator is placed next to the injury for 8-10 hours per
day, and produces a magnetic field that induces currents to flow in nearby
tissues, and “jumpstarts” a stalled healing process. “The scientific evidence is
that PEMF therapy is effective because it conveys ‘information’ that triggers
specific repair activities within the body. The currents… mimic the natural
electrical activities created within bones during movements. Pulsing magnetic
fields initiate a cascade of activities, from the cell membrane to the nucleus
and on to the gene level…” (Oschman, 75)
Various electrical
frequencies are being tested to determine the types of tissue they affect.
Sisken and Walker found that 2 Hz is associated with nerve regeneration, 7 Hz
with bone growth, 10 Hz with ligament healing, 15, 20, and 72 Hz with
stimulation of capillary formation, and 25 and 50 Hz with synergistic effects
with nerve growth factor. (Cited at Oschman, 76 and 86)
Can healers produce fields
which can be measured?
Electrical and Magnetic
Measurements. During qi gong, the
electrical conductivity of acupuncture points changes dramatically. (Cohen, 45)
Within experimentally designed copper room; qi gong practitioners’ electrical
body potential had frequent surges ranging from 4 volts to 221 volts: 10,000
times larger than EKG voltages produced by a human heart. (Cohen, 49)
In the 1980’s, Dr. John
Zimmerman used a SQUID detector (designed to study human biomagnetic fields) to
study fields produced by a Therapeutic Touch practitioner during a healing
session in a magnetically shielded room. A biomagnetic field emanated from the
practitioner’s hand, pulsing at a variable frequency, ranging from .3 to 30 Hz,
with most of the activity in the range of 7-8 Hz. The field was so strong that
it was outside of the calibrated range of the SQUID magnetometer, so signal
strength could not be quantified.
A study by Seto in Japan
confirmed “a large biomagnetic field emanates from the hands of practitioners of
a variety of healing and martial arts techniques, including qigong, yoga,
meditation, Zen, etc. The fields were measured with a simple magnetometer
consisting of two 80,000 turn coils and a sensitive amplifier. The fields had a
strength of about 10-3 gauss, which is about 1000
times stronger than the strongest human biomagnetic fields (from the heart)…
about 1,000,000 times stronger than the fields produced by the brain… As in
Zimmerman’s study, the biomagnetic field pulsed with a variable frequency
centered around 8-10 Hz.” (Oschman, 79)
These studies did not
document that any clinical healing took place; however, “the evidence shows that
practitioners can emit powerful pulsing biomagnetic fields in the same frequency
range that biomedical researchers have identified for jump starting healing of
soft and hard tissue injuries. This implies that biomagnetism is one form of the
elusive qi...” (Oschman, 80)
Brain wave activity in
healers.
Robert C. Beck has used EEG recordings to study brain wave activity in ‘healers’
from all over the world: psychics, shamans, faith healers, a Hawaiian kahuna,
practitioners of wicca, etc. All these healers produced similar brain wave
patterns when they were … performing a healing… all healers registered brain
wave activity averaging about 7.8-8.0 cycles/second… Beck performed additional
studies on some of the subjects and found that during healing moments their
brain waves became phase and frequency synchronized with the earth’s geoelectric
micropulsations – the Schumann resonance.” (Oschman, 107)
Temperature: During energy healing, it
is common for the client to describe a sensation of intense heat coming from the
practitioner’s hands, even if the practitioner’s hands feel cool to the touch.
Therefore, some studies have examined temperature effects. Oschman states that
“research shows that masters of the QiGong technique can project measurable
amounts of heat from their palms… that increases cell growth, DNA and protein
synthesis, and cell respiration. Practitioners can also produce ‘inhibiting’ Qi,
in which infrared energy is absorbed from the environment. This kind of Qi slows
metabolism.” (Oschman, 82)
In 1988, Ogawa et al used
an infrared color thermograph to measure skin temperature of two qigong masters
and volunteer recipients. Skin temperatures elevated within 3-4 minutes after
the masters began ‘emitting qi’, with temperatures rising as much as 4º C.
Occasionally, the skin temperature of the recipient’s palm became higher than
that of the master’s fingertips. (Abstract in Cohen, summarized in Benor, page
211) It is possible that this temperature rise is a significant factor in energy
healing, it may be a side-effect of subtle energy transmission, or it may merely
be a result of dilation of capillaries in the healer and healee.
Pavek wanted to prove that
the effects in SHEN therapy were due to something other than heat transfer, so
he conducted an experiment where temperature sensors were placed at four points,
with 3” thick foam cushions to insulate subject from practitioner. Initially,
the temperature of the sending hand raised several degrees (partially due to
being placed between two foam insulators.) The temperature then leveled out
(time A). Then, after several minutes (at B), the subject released a mild
myoclonic jerk and breath rate slowed. Ten seconds later (C), the temperature
reading at subject’s stomach began to rise. Finally, fifteen seconds after the
temperature rise at her stomach (D), temperature at the receiving hand began to
rise rapidly, increasing almost a degree before leveling out. “The most exciting
reading was from the third probe… the reading on this gauge never changed,
but remained constant throughout the experiment. This proves conclusively
that the field effect is some medium other than heat or infrared radiation.”
(Pavek, 59)
Infrasonic
Sound.
Researchers in China report that infrasonic sound may be a factor in healing
effects of external qi gong. “Lu Yan Fang… recorded infrasonic sound emitted
from the hands of qigong masters during external qi healings. She was able to
produce healing effects with synthetic infrasonic sound at similar frequencies,
reporting benefits for pain, circulatory disturbances, and depression.” (Benor,
214) Xin Niu’s 1988 study looked at infrasonic waves emanated from 27 qigong
masters when they were emitting qi, and from control subjects. There were
statistically significant differences between groups, including exceptionally
high-intensity infrasonic emissions from the more seasoned masters. In a 1988
controlled study by Xueyen Peng and Guolong Liu, healthy subjects were exposed
to either emitted qi or infrasonic sound. “Intensity of the qi was measured at
more than 70 dB, the infrasonic sound instrument could generate sound in the
range of 60 dB to 90 dB… In changes similar to those produced by medication, the
amplitude of most SEP waves (somatosensory evoked potential) changed
significantly (p <.01)… suggests that infrasonic sound produced from the
healer may be an active force in bringing about changes in nervous system
activity. However, there is no evidence in this study that infrasonic sound in
itself is able to bring about changes similar to healing. It would also be of
great interest to clarify how the healer emits the infrasonic sound.” (Benor,
214-215)
How do external fields
influence our internal rhythms?
The brain’s pacemaker /
free run periods. Brain waves spread out
through the body via the perineural system, regulating the activity of the
entire nervous system. Brain waves are not constant in frequency, but vary from
moment to moment. Research is examining the cellular basis of the rhythms.
“Calcium ions slowly leak into single thalamocortical neurons, which oscillate
for 1.5-28 seconds, triggering and entraining the brain waves… eventually the
thalamic oscillations cease because of the excess calcium built up in the
thalamocortical neurons. During this ‘silent phase’, lasting from 5 to 25
seconds, the brain waves are said to ‘free-run.’ It is probably during this
phase that the brain waves are susceptible to entrainment by external fields.”
(Oschman, 96)
Resonance /
Entrainment. “Any object has a certain
natural or resonant frequency… when two objects have similar natural
frequencies, they can interact without touching, their vibrations can become
coupled or entrained.” (Oschman, 123) (The most common example of this principle
is that if there are two guitars in the same room, and a chord is played on one,
the strings on the other guitar will vibrate in sympathetic resonance.) Evidence
of the ability of human systems to synchronize is clear in the following study:
In 1994 and 1996, Russek and Schwartz studied pairs of subjects sitting in the
same room, sitting quietly with eyes closed, not touching each other. The EKG
and EEG rhythms indicated that their heart and brain rhythms synchronized, and
the synchronization could be enhanced if they were connected electrically by a
wire held in the left hand of one person and the right hand of the other. “If
there is entrainment of rhythms in two individuals who are not touching, what
can we expect from commonly used [hands-on] therapeutic situations?” (Oschman,
109)
Geomagnetic
fields.
“The Schumann resonance is a unique electromagnetic phenomenon created by the
sum of lightning activity around the world. Electromagnetic pulses from
lightning travel around the earth, bouncing back and forth between the
ionosphere and the earth’s surface. At any given point on the earth, the
Schumann resonance shows up as electrical and magnetic micropulsations in the
range of 1-40 Hz.” (Oschman, 99) There is evidence (though controversial) that
geomagnetic rhythms serve as a cue for physiological rhythms. “There is evidence
that geomagnetic pulsations strongly entrain brain waves during meditation and
other practices in which one ‘quiets the mind’ to allow the ‘free-run’ periods
to be dominated by geophysical rhythms.” (Oschman, 102) Oschman hypothesizes
that “if the therapist relaxes into the state of consciousness typical of those
who practice meditation, therapeutic touch and QiGong… it is likely that his or
her brain waves will, from time to time, become entrained with the
micropulsations of the earth’s field. If the patient is also relaxed, both
therapist and patient may become entrained with the earth’s field.” (Oschman,
107)
How are energetic messages
carried throughout our bodies?
Vibration /
Coherence.
“Every molecule in the body, and every homeopathic, herbal, or aromatherapy
preparation, vibrates in specific ways and emits a characteristic energy
spectrum… Because of resonant interactions… nearby molecules interact with each
other via electromagnetic fields… [those interactions] repeated by the millions
of molecules within a cell membrane, tendon, muscle, bone, nerve cell, or other
structure, give rise to huge coherent or laser-like vibrations… Crystalline
components of the living matrix act as coherent molecular ‘antennas’, radiating
and receiving signals.” (Oschman, 128-131)
Herbert Fröhlich states “An
assembly of cells, as in a tissue or organ, will have certain collective
frequencies that regulate important processes, such as cell division. Normally
these control frequencies will be very stable. If, for some reason, a cell
shifts its frequency, entraining signals from neighboring cells will tend to
reinstall the correct frequency. However, if a sufficient number of cells get
out-of-step, the strength of the system’s collective vibrations can decrease to
the point where stability is lost. Loss of coherence can lead to disease or
disorder.” (quoted in Oschman, page 135)
The body as an
interconnected matrix. “Modern cell biology has
recognized that the cell interior is virtually filled with fibers and tubes and
filaments, collectively called the cytoskeleton or cytoplasmic matrix. Likewise,
the nucleus contains a nuclear matrix that supports the genetic material.
Linkers called integrins extend across the cell surface, connecting the
cytoskeleton with the extracellular matrix.” (Oschman, 46) “The living matrix is
a continuous and dynamic ‘supramolecular’ webwork, extending into every nook and
cranny of the body: a nuclear matrix within a cellular matrix within a
connective tissue matrix. In essence, when you touch a human body, you are
touching a continuously interconnected system, composed of virtually all the
molecules in the body linked together…” (Oschman, 48).
Oschman hypothesizes that
“every part of the body… form[s] a continuously interconnected semiconductor
electronic network. Each component of the organism, even the smallest part, is
immersed in, and generates, a constant stream of vibratory information… Complete
health corresponds to total interconnection. Accumulated physical and/or
emotional trauma impair the connections. When this happens, the body’s defense
and repair systems become impaired and disease has a chance to take hold.
Acupuncture and other energy therapies restore and balance the vibratory
circuitry, with obvious and profound benefits.” (Oschman, 71)
Conclusions
Research evidence clearly
indicates the presence of electrical signals in the body, which create magnetic
fields. It appears that these fields are able to stimulate an injury repair
process within the body, whose messages are carried through the perineural
system and the connective tissue matrix. One mechanism involved in this is
coherence: the synchronization of the vibrations of various cells of the body.
These ideas are clearly correlated with the theoretical precepts about the human
energy field. Mainstream medicine accepts
that if the internal injury repair fails, as in the case of a bone that does not
heal for several months, electrically generated fields can jumpstart the healing
process. It appears that healers are able to generate signals similar to these
artificial fields, as well as producing thermal effects and sounds. It is
possible that these are the mechanisms by which energy healers “jump-start” the
client’s energy systems and initiate a healing process. The concepts of
entrainment and the evidence supporting synchronization of brain waves with
other people and with geomagnetic rhythms may explain the mechanisms which
energy theory describes as resonance and re-structuring during energy
healing.
Does Energy Healing Work:
Some Observations from Attempts to Measure the Effects of Energy
Medicine
Literature
review
Benor’s summary states “Out
of 191 controlled experiments on healing, 83 (43.4%) demonstrate effects at
statistically significant levels that could occur by chance only one time in a
hundred or less (p<.01); and another 41 (21.5 percent) at levels that could
occur between two and five times out of a hundred (p < .02 - .05). In other
words, close to two thirds (64.9%) of all the experiments demonstrate
significant effects.” (Benor, 371) If he includes only the studies which met
high standards for experimental design, then 76% demonstrate significant
effect.
Benor also comments on a
meta-analysis of healing studies in the June 6, 2000 issue of Annals of Internal
Medicine, assessing the effects of distant healing (prayer, non-contact
Therapeutic Touch, and other types of distant healing) in a series of studies
(Astin et al). Literature reviews revealed 100 studies. Strict inclusion
criteria required random assignment of study participants; placebo, sham, or
otherwise “patient-blindable” or adequate control interventions; publication in
peer-reviewed journals; clinical rather than experimental studies; and that the
study be on human subjects with any medical condition. Of the 23 studies that
met their inclusion criteria (including 2774 participants), 13 (57 percent)
demonstrated positive treatment effects, 9 (39 percent) showed no effect, and 1
(4 percent) had a negative effect. (Benor, 375)
Some Sample
Studies
Measurable
Effects on Physical Systems.
Healing effects on plant growth. In a controlled study in
the 1960’s, Bernard Grad used saline solutions to water barley seeds. (Salt is a
known inhibitor of plant growth.) Oskar Estebany, a healer, “treated” a flask of
salt water. After several weeks, the barley seeds that had been watered with
healer-treated saline sprouted more frequently and produced taller, leafier
plants with higher levels of chlorophyll, at statistically significant levels.
Grad later used the same
protocol with magnetically-treated water, which had even more vigorous
growth-stimulating effects than the healer-treated water. This indicated some
similarity between energy healing effects and magnetic effects.
Using the same protocol, he
asked depressed patients from a psychiatric hospital to “treat” bottles of
saline. This water depressed the growth of plants. Except for one depressed
patient, who asked why Grad wanted her to hold the bottle of salt water. When
told the purpose of the experiment, she “became elated… and cradled it in her
arms as if it were a newborn baby.” Her water produced accelerated seed
germination and plant growth compared to the untreated control, indicating that
intentionality may affect results. (Gerber, 370-3)
Effects of intention at the
Cellular Level
Benor cites several well-designed studies which explore
the effects of thought and/or healing intention on the cellular level. Pleass
and Dey (1985) found that participants could effect the motility of algae in
test tube culture, with highly significant results. Nash (1982) tested whether
subjects not known to be psychically gifted could accelerate or decelerate
bacterial growth; growth was greater in promoted tubes than in control or
inhibited tubes (p<.05); and greater in promoted than inhibited (p<.001).
Braud et al (1979) attempted to decrease the rate of hemolysis of human red
blood cells that were being stressed by being placed in dilute saline. He
“imagined” them intact and resistant to the saline. Results were highly
significant (p<.00096), indicating that the cell membranes of the red blood
cell may be strengthened by healing. (Benor)
Measurable Results in
Healing of Wounds or Illness
White blood cell
counts.
Garrard (1996) studied the effects of a 20 minute TT treatment on HIV+ men. 9
weeks later, there were significant differences in CD4 counts between treatment
group and control (p<.05) as well as increased resources for coping with
stress. (Benor, 198)
Wound Healing.
Surgical
wounds were created on healthy subjects. Active and control treatments were
daily five-minute sessions of exposure to a hidden Therapeutic Touch
practitioner or to sham exposure. Treated subjects experienced a significant
acceleration in the rate of wound healing at day 8. At day 16, 13 of 23 treated
subjects were completely healed vs. 0 of 21 control subjects. (Daniel P. Wirth,
“The Effect of Non-contact Therapeutic Touch on the Healing Rate of Full
Thickness Dermal Wounds”. Subtle Energy, vol. 6, number 1, 1990.)
Cancers
Skin Cancer. Fahrion (1995) studied 10
subjects with basal cell carcinoma. Well-known healers Mietek Wirkus and Ethel
Lombardi gave healing for 30 minutes every other day for five days, healing done
with hands 1-2 inches from body. Four patients showed tumor reduction or
elimination, confirmed by photographs. One patient had had hundreds of tumors
removed in the past; healing stopped his recurrences. Healing was shown to be
cost-effective: average cost per tumor treated was $160 versus $195 for surgical
treatment. Other advantages: absence of pain, other side effects and scarring,
and improvements in co-existing conditions (Benor, 409).
Subjective
Effects on Perception of Pain
Cancer Pain. Complementary
Therapies (Meditation, Healing Touch, Reflexology, Reiki, Cancer Massage and
Acupuncture) were administered to 18 outpatients referred by their practitioner.
33 sessions were reviewed. Patients were evaluated on Subjective Pain scale,
immediately pre and post treatment. Data from Healing Touch and Reflexology
showed an average 48% reduction in pain after treatment. (Patricia Merritt and
David Randall, “The Effect of Healing Touch and Other Forms of Energy Work on
Cancer Pain”)
Tension
Headaches.
Keller and Bzdek (1986) used 5 minutes of therapeutic touch or mock TT on
subjects with tension headaches. Effectiveness of TT supported by the 28 (90%)
of patients who had reduced headache pain on post-test compared to pre-test
scores on all three pain questionnaires, both five minutes and four hours after
TT treatments (p<.0001) (Benor, 225-6)
Chronic Back
Pain.
Castronova and Oleson (1991) treated 12 subjects with laying-on of hands. Group
reported after weeks 1, 3, and 6 that pain was either all gone or nearly gone.
(Benor, 228)
Arthritis Pain. Peck
(1996) compared Therapeutic Touch and Progressive Muscle Relaxation for 84
subjects with degenerative arthritis. Significant differences were demonstrated
by both TT and PMR when comparing pain and arthritis assessments before and
after treatments. Gordon et al (1998) examined 6 weekly TT healings on 8
subjects with osteoarthritis. (Control group of 8 subjects, 11 mock TT
subjects). TT group demonstrated significant (p<.04-.0003) improvements on
10 out of 13 Pain Inventory Scales and on activity levels. (p<.01-.0005)
(Benor, 229)
Multi-dimensional
Effects of Energy Medicine: Beyond the Physical
Effects of Reiki on Pain,
Mood, Personality, Healing Touch and Faith in God. 120
participants were randomly assigned to four groups, Reiki, false-Reiki,
relaxation therapy, and no treatment. Statistical analysis indicated: (1) Reiki
is effective for reducing pain, depression, and anxiety. (2) Reiki is effective
in enhancing desirable changes in personality and strengthening the faith in
God. (3) Gains made by Reiki tend to persist over longer periods of time. (4)
Attunement seems to be a vital part in Reiki training. (5) Chronically ill
patients experiencing stress and pain tend to be receptive to Reiki. (Linda J.
Dressen & Sangeeta Singg, “Effects of Reiki on pain and selected affective
and personality variables of chronically ill patients.” Subtle Energy, vol. 9,
number 1.)
Cancer Patients’ Responses
to Healing Touch. The Cancer Wellness Center
sent surveys to 92 participants and received 43 responses. Summaries of
participants' responses to HT treatments: Improved relaxation, 98%; Improved
sense of control, 75%; Positive change in energy, 87%; Improved interpersonal
relationships, 63%; Improved sense of well-being, 92%; Decreased pain, 85%;
Decreased side effects of cancer treatments, 77%. (Judy Brannon, “A Patient
Satisfaction Survey for Cancer Patients Experiencing Healing Touch at the Cancer
Wellness Center. “)
Some common
questions
Are effects attributable to
some effect in the standard physical systems (e.g. nervous system)?
Phantom limb pain is a
phenomenon experienced by most people who are missing limbs. Allopathic medical
interventions have had minimal effects on phantom pain sensations. In Leskowitz’
study, three case vignettes are presented, in which a modification of
Therapeutic Touch successfully alters patient perception of phantom pain. Most
strikingly, these patients are able to perceive non-contact energy interventions
on their phantom limb, despite the absence of relevant portions of their nervous
system. (Eric Leskowitz, “Phantom Limb Pain: Subtle Energy Perspectives.” Subtle
Energy, vol. 7, number 3.)
Are results due to “placebo
effect” based on patient beliefs or practitioner’s influence?
Numerous studies on plants,
animals, and isolated cells have shown effects of healing, when clearly there is
no influence from patient beliefs. Numerous studies on human subjects have
attempted to control for this (e.g. with mock therapeutic touch), and appear to
indicate that this “placebo” treatment does not have the same effects as the
true healing intervention.
Are effects attributable to
the mere presence of a caring person?
McAdams
examined
Healing Touch in comparison to Presence in critically ill patients. Findings
indicated that there was a significant difference for diastolic blood pressure
for the group who received HT first as compared to the subjects who received
Presence first. When the descriptive data were reviewed there was a tendency for
the cardiovascular outcomes to show the greatest decrease for the intervention
of HT as compared to Presence. (Kathleen McAdams, “The Effects of Healing Touch
on Cardiovascular and Oxygenation Variables in Critically Ill
Patients.)
Further reading:
-
The Qigong Database™ has bibliographic references for over 1000 qigong science
abstracts from journals and conference proceedings. Can be ordered at
www.qigonginstitute.org
- Abstracts on research into
Healing Touch and other modalities is available on-line at
http://www.healingtouch.net/research/survey/parti.shtml
-
Abstracts from Subtle Energies Journal, published by ISSSEEM (International
Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine) are at
http://www.issseem.org/journal.htm
-
In Energy Medicine, Oschman has a thorough discussion of his theoretical
basis for energy medicine, and the scientific support for this
theory.
