Earth energy healing is the belief that, by subtle manipulations of the human body's energy and the energy of the Earth, illnesses and injuries can be healed. Although it has been practiced for centuries in some cultures, with the boom of New Age trends, it has risen in prominence. Many areas now offer these healing services as an alternative, or homeopathic, medicine.
Practitioners believe that, since all life is energy, by using the innate energy of the Earth individuals can be healed of their afflictions. They believe that the human body is made of not only a physical body, but an energy body as well. These layers of energy, called chakras, originate from several different key areas of the human body. Earth energy healing states that, by positively influencing these energy centers, healing can be attained.
Many people who practice this form of healing use tools to aid them. These tools often consist of crystals, herbs, or other items that supposedly have certain vibrational aspects that affect the energy of the human body in a beneficial way. Others do not use any tools and believe that, by intent and willpower alone, they can heal afflictions.
There are a large variety of specific practices included under the umbrella of Earth energy healing. Some more well known methods are feng shui, meditation, reflexology, yoga, and aromatherapy. What these all share is the belief that Earth energy can be manipulated to be beneficial to the human body. One of the most practiced forms is reiki.
Reiki, an ancient form of earth energy healing, is Japanese in origin and roughly translates to "spiritually guided life force energy." It states that by harmonizing the elements of the human bodies energy, health and well-being can be attained. Reiki is not a religion, but it does promote the idea that the unseen healing Earth energy comes from God. People who experience healing through this method are not required to believe in a higher power, however.
While retaining no religious connotations, reiki masters claim that, to be most effective with earth energy healing, one must be at peace and promote harmony. By being attuned to oneself and living in a harmonic manner with others, a practitioner is more likely to achieve success.