The word “energy” can refer to a variety of phenomena.
We might say, “This party has great energy.” This doesn’t mean an energy healer set a field of chi throughout the house. It means that the music and conversation is exciting. Here, “energy” is talking about emotion.
Or, “What a crazy day at work! My energy was pulled in ten different directions.” We don’t mean our co-workers were tugging on our chi. We mean our focus was split between meetings and interrupted by emails. Here, “energy” is talking about attention.
What I mean by “energy” is a phenomenon that in the East is called chi or prana, and in the West is called biofield energy.
People sometimes wonder if this energy even exists. They’re often surprised to learn that a half-century of excellent peer-reviewed research provides strong evidence that, not only does it exist, but it affects humans in placebo–controlled trials, along with plants and animals, cellsin a Petri dish, and even inanimate matter, none of which are subject to placebo.
It seems that living cells produce this energy. Depending on their state (healthy, infected, inflamed, etc), they produce a different type, or “signature,” of this energy. And by adjusting the energy around the cells, we can influence the cells to promote healing.
That’s the energy I work with and write about.
Note: “Biofield” can also refer to electromagnetic fields around the body, gas emissions of cells, and other phenomena that I don’t work with.