What Is Energy Work Anyway?

One of our readers asked “what is energy work?   This very important question because it’s important to know for confidence as to why you are doing what you are doing   There are two ways to manage IC pain in my mind

The first is the matter science approach which is what everyone in the IC community has experienced  You go to the family doc, internist, or urologist and they prescribe pharmaceuticals for your pain  These drugs are molecules that have anticipated effects on your body, like a sedative or antidepressant  This medical science diagnoses disease like IC by measuring molecules  Since there are no specific molecules to measure  in IC bladder pain, there is difficulty in monitoring progress in therapy  At times the best that can be done is to make you comfortable for an hour by instilling a pain reliever like a topical anesthetic

The second way to manage IC from my perspective is to use an energy science medical approach  In this type of medical model of healing the mind and body are seen as an energy field   This is a different yet effective way of seeing the body and is different than the above molecular approach

When you apply healing energy science methods it is termed energy work

Energy work can be used in a loose way but here in my context, it is used in a very specific way   The term “energy work” is thrown around to just about mean anything from reiki to chiropractic work

But in my context “energy work” is rooted in ancient traditions such as the Ayurvedic system of healing or the traditional Chinese medical(TCM) model from which we get the practice of acupuncture   These healing systems go back 1000’s of years and are grounded in the concept that the mindbody is an energy field as well as a molecular field as discussed above

So acupuncture is a well established energy science method of doing “energy work”  In the Ayurvedic tradition the same points used in acupuncture are called marma points   These two energy science traditions parallel one another in many ways

One of the differentiating features of the Ayurvedic energy science healing discipline from that of TCM is that the nutritional science is very “user friendly” and well articulated   Because of the importance of nutrition in the management of IC, I chose the Ayurvedic energy work as the one to help people with their IC

Types of Energy Work

So here are a few examples of energy work

Following a nutritional format for reducing the hot quality is doing energy worrk

Avoiding incompatible food combinations to avoid flares is doing energy work

Taking herbs that have specific subtle effects on the body is energy work  It reminds us that the energy field of the body is subtle and the molecular field is gross

Using hand positions called mudras that have specific physiologic effects as well as meditation is energy work

Using castor oil and specific marma therapy as shown in the accompanying schematic is energy work

Doing vaginal administration of herbs and medicated oils for IC is energy work

Paying attention while eating is energy work

Eating your biggest meal at noon is energy work

Using spices to improve digestive strength is doing energy work

So you can see that when the term “energy work” is used, it implies that the information being applied is based energy science principles that come from one of these ancients disciplines   These principles are based on seeing the body not as a complex collection of molecules but rather as an field of energy  When you apply these practices among many others you are doing energy work to bring about the healing of IC

Energy Work Language

The body’s energy field has been called prana, chi, qi, ru, ruha   These are all terms for the biological energy field that you are   It is distinctly a different way of healing and quite effective in helping people deal with their IC

Einstein’s famous equation E=mc2 tells us that what is matter is energy and what is energy is matter  That you are simultaneously both molecular and energy field

These ancient healing traditions have a tremendous amount to offer us in terms of healing advice  It’s just that you see your body in a different way when you are doing energy work

All the best  DB