An Introduction to Energy

 

Subtle energy is the force that lies between the mental and the physical in our bodies. It gives tangible form to our thoughts, our feelings and our emotions, giving rise to bodily, physical action and reaction.

Subtle energy has many different forms, from its most subtle, such as those we experience in states of deep meditation, through to the more emotional forms such as love, joy, excitement, anger and fear to the mental forms of thought, belief, structure, ambition, drive and reward.

Subtle energy is also the energy we absorb from other people, such as our family members, our friends, lovers or employers. Such energies can have a powerful physical effect on the body.

It is also the energy we experience and absorb during specific times in our lives, such as during our childhood and school years and from certain key events that happen in our lives, such as a trauma, shock or fright.

Although there are many different types of subtle energy, each one has a specific property or characteristic, such as hot or cold, heavy or light, energizing or tiring. Additionally, each one is of a certain element, such as earth, fire, air or water, and most importantly, each one causes a specific physical manifestation when present in the body.

For example, the emotional energy of anger, which is air in element, causes dryness in the body, causing specific muscles to ‘dry out’ and tighten, in this instance, the trapezius and jaw muscles, whereas the energy of love creates warmth, softness and openness.

For our physical bodies to be healthy and happy, there needs to be a state of balance in the subtle energies within our energy system. A little bit of everything, as it were. A little bit of hard, a little bit of soft. A little bit of hot, a little bit of cold. A little bit of structure, a little bit of freedom. An imbalance in subtle energy, for example in having too much of one type of energy and not enough of another, causes a parallel imbalance in the physical condition of the body. For example, too much fear and not enough love creates a physical body in which there is too much cold and not enough warmth, which manifests as heaviness, tiredness and contraction. Whereas a person brought up in a tight, controlling, restrictive family environment will have a similarly tight, hard, restrictive body.

For those curious about energy work or who are beginning to sense that there is something more going on in massage than just the physical bodywork, I offer regular workshops throughout the year.

Topics included in the workshops include:

What is subtle energy?

What does it feel like?

What effect does it have on the body?

Where does it fit into massage and bodywork?

Learning how to tune into and feel the subtle energy in your own body and in the body of your massage client.

The energetic connection between giver and receiver in massage.
Working with the emotions.

Using different types of energy in your touch to bring different types of healing to your clients.
...and for fun...

The energy of colour: The effect of colour on your body and how different colours make you feel.

For a schedule of forthcoming workshops, please click on the Workshop Schedule menu option on this website.