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Beyond the Energy Centres: What Happens During Energy Healing?

marahagglund2
20 hours ago
10 min read




Exploring the nervous system, biofield science, and the healing process through the eyes of an experienced practitioner.


I've been thinking about something that comes up often in energy healing. We spend a great deal of time learning about the chakras, understanding the energy field, and developing our ability to recognize what we perceive as imbalances. All of this is important, of course.


But what about the healing itself?


What happens between recognizing an energetic pattern and noticing that something has changed? And how much do we really understand about that process?


These are questions I've returned to over the years, both in my work with clients and during my time teaching Advanced Integrative Energy Healing™ (AIEH).


Recently, I found myself revisiting some material from my AIEH training, particularly the Biofield Science teachings of Dr. Melinda Connor, who was one of my favourite instructors.


In her book Advanced Body Reading, Connor explores the relationship between the body's electrical activity, nerve plexuses, and the traditional chakra system.


It got me wondering how much the research has progressed since those earlier teachings, and whether some of the newer findings might help us better understand what we experience during energy healing sessions.


The Body Is Electrical, Too


We generally think of the body in terms of its chemistry: hormones, neurotransmitters, enzymes, and the many processes that keep us functioning.


But our bodies are electrical, too.


Every nerve impulse involves electrical activity. Our heartbeat depends on electrical signalling, and our muscles respond to electrical messages from the nervous system.


These activities also produce magnetic fields, some of which are measurable with specialized equipment.

What I find particularly interesting is that bioelectricity is involved in much more than nerve and muscle communication.


Researchers have been investigating the role of naturally occurring electrical fields in wound healing, cellular movement, and tissue repair. It's a fascinating area of science that continues to develop.


Of course, this doesn't mean we've demonstrated that energy healing works through those same processes. But it does remind us that the body's electrical activity is an important part of its physiology.


And it opens the door to some interesting questions.


Where Do Chakras Fit Into This Picture?


One of the ideas Connor discusses is the possibility that chakras are related to electromagnetic fields generated by nerve plexuses.


A nerve plexus is a network of nerves serving a particular region of the body. The solar plexus, for example, is a familiar term in both anatomy and energy healing, although the anatomical structure and the traditional energy centre are not the same thing.


Connor proposes that electrical activity within nerve networks may contribute to dynamic electromagnetic fields associated with the chakras.


It's an intriguing way of looking at something energy healers have worked with for generations.

However, while the electrical and magnetic activity of the human body is well established, the idea that chakras are rotating electromagnetic fields has not been scientifically demonstrated.


I think it's important to recognize that distinction.


We can appreciate the traditional energetic framework, explore possible physiological connections, and remain curious about what science may eventually tell us.


For me, the interesting question isn't whether we can immediately explain every energetic experience through physics.


It's what we might learn by continuing to explore the relationship between the two.






The Healing Process Begins Before the Table


When someone contacts me about an energy healing session, our work often begins before we meet in person.

There's usually an initial email exchange, followed by a telephone consultation. I listen to what brings them to energy healing, what concerns they have, and any relevant medical history they choose to share.


By the time we meet, I generally have some thoughts about how I might approach the session.


But I don't consider that plan fixed.


People's priorities can change, sometimes even between our initial conversation and the day of their appointment.


During our first interview, I revisit what they've shared. I listen, observe their body language, and pay attention to what I'm sensing energetically.


The client establishes an intention for the session, and I hold that intention throughout our work.


Sometimes what I perceive in the energy field suggests a different area of focus from what I initially anticipated. That doesn't mean I disregard the client's wishes. It means I remain open to exploring what emerges while keeping their goals central.


Another important part of my preparation is understanding the client's health concerns.


If someone is living with a particular medical condition or serious illness, I want to understand how that condition affects the body. I don't want to approach their concerns solely through an energetic interpretation.


Energy healing is complementary to medical care, not a replacement for it.


First, the Nervous System


Before a client gets onto the healing table, I usually begin by considering what might help their nervous system feel more settled.


This looks different for everyone.


Sometimes we begin with a grounding practice, guided meditation, breathing, WHEE, or bilateral regulation. The choice depends on the individual and how they're responding in the moment. I've found that it isn't helpful to assume everyone will respond to the same approach.


Some people are comfortable turning their attention inward. Others may find certain sensations or practices uncomfortable, particularly when there has been a history of trauma.


This is where my background in somatic and trauma-informed work has become especially valuable.


Research into interoception, our ability to notice and interpret signals from within the body, is also providing interesting insights into the relationship between bodily awareness, emotional experience, and self-regulation.


Although this research doesn't directly establish the effects of energy healing, it gives us another perspective on why attending to the nervous system may be relevant to a client's experience.


When Protocols and Intuition Work Together


During my years teaching AIEH, I remember first-year students sometimes expressing concern that the structured protocols and heavy theoretical material were interfering with their intuition.


I understood what they meant.


Learning a new approach requires concentration. There is anatomy and physiology to understand, theory to absorb, and techniques to practise. Sometimes it can feel as though there's little room left for anything else.


I would explain that rigorous training doesn't necessarily take intuition away.


It simply requires a great deal of our attention.


As we become more familiar with the material and develop practical experience, we don't need to concentrate quite so heavily on every step. That can leave more room for intuitive awareness.


In my own practice, I continue to use the AIEH protocols as they were taught. I have a substantial collection of them, developed for different physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual concerns.


The protocols provide structure, but they don't eliminate the need for individual assessment.


When there are several possible approaches, my observations and intuition may help guide my choice. Some protocols also allow opportunities for intuitive work after particular steps have been completed.


I document the protocols I use and the decisions I make during a session.


For me, knowledge, practical experience, and intuition aren't competing elements of energy healing. They each have a place.


That said, protocols being well established within a teaching tradition doesn't necessarily mean their effectiveness has been confirmed through clinical trials. It's important to keep that distinction in mind.


How Do We Know Something Has Shifted?


This is where things become particularly interesting.


During a session, I may perceive changes in the energy field in several ways.


I can experience visual impressions, but more often I notice sensations through my hands.

These may include warmth, coolness, pressure, tingling, density, static, movement, pulling/pushing, or changes in texture as well as colours, images, sounds, or even smells.


Not everyone perceives things in the same way.


Two practitioners working with the same client may have quite different experiences. Within energy healing traditions, this is sometimes understood in terms of training, experience, or the development of perceptual skills.


But I also think it's worth asking how attention, expectations, and personal interpretation might influence what we perceive.


A client's experience is another important part of the session.


They may describe feeling more relaxed, noticing a change in their breathing, experiencing warmth, or becoming aware of an emotion or sensation.


These experiences can be meaningful, but they don't necessarily tell us exactly what has happened physiologically.


And that brings me back to my original question.


What contributes to the healing process?


What Is the Research Telling Us?


There's been considerable interest in biofield therapies over the past several decades.


A 2025 scoping review published in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine identified 353 clinical studies involving biofield therapies, including 255 randomized controlled trials.


These studies examined approaches such as Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch, and other related practices.


The findings were mixed, and the researchers noted that differences in study design and reporting continue to make it difficult to draw firm conclusions about effectiveness for specific conditions.


The review wasn't intended to determine whether biofield therapies work. Its purpose was to map the research that has been conducted and identify areas needing further investigation.


I find that useful.


It tells us that researchers are continuing to ask questions, while also reminding us that the number of studies doesn't necessarily tell us how strong the evidence is.


Meanwhile, research into bioelectricity, interoception, and nervous system regulation is continuing to expand our understanding of human physiology.


These areas don't automatically explain energy healing, but they offer worthwhile subjects for further exploration.


Perhaps Healing Isn't Just One Thing


When I think about the clients I've worked with over the years, I find it difficult to separate the healing process into one simple mechanism.


There is the therapeutic relationship, the client's intention, their physical and emotional state, and the opportunity to feel heard and supported.


There are the practices that may help them become more comfortable and aware of their bodies.

And there is the energy healing work itself, along with the sensations, impressions, and experiences that may arise.


Some of these elements have recognized physiological or psychological explanations. Others remain questions for future research.


I don't think we need to force them all into one explanation.


What matters is being willing to observe carefully, document what happens, and remain open to learning.

A client reporting that they feel more relaxed or settled after a session is worth listening to. Understanding why that happened, and whether the experience leads to lasting benefits, requires a different kind of investigation.


Both are important.


Continuing to Explore: Beyond the Healing Table


Revisiting Dr. Connor's work has reminded me how much there is still to explore about the human body, our energetic experiences, and the processes that may contribute to healing.


But it has also brought me back to something we emphasized throughout our AIEH training: the importance of helping clients continue their own healing journey beyond the session.


During my years supervising student clinics, I had the opportunity to see many of the same clients week after week, often working with a different student practitioner each time.


I also reviewed the students' clinical charting, which gave me another perspective on how they were approaching their sessions.


One thing I noticed repeatedly was that self-care recommendations were often overlooked.


Sometimes students became so focused on completing a protocol that they ran out of time. Other times, they simply forgot to include this important final part of the session.


Yet helping clients find ways to support themselves between appointments was something we had been taught from the beginning.


And I believe it deserves more attention.


A healing session may offer an opportunity for relaxation, greater body awareness, emotional processing, or a different experience of oneself. But what happens afterward?


Does the client recognize when they're becoming overwhelmed? Do they have a simple practice that helps them feel more settled? Can they begin to notice their own responses and make choices that support their well-being?


These don't need to be complicated practices. Sometimes a few minutes of bilateral regulation, a familiar grounding exercise, or simply taking time to notice how the body feels can be a useful starting point.


The choice needs to suit the individual. What feels supportive to one person may not be appropriate for another.


For me, this is an important part of the healing process. It gives clients something they can explore and practise for themselves, rather than relying entirely on what happens during an appointment.


There is still much we don't understand about the mechanisms of energy healing. Research into bioelectricity, interoception, and nervous system regulation continues to raise interesting questions, and I look forward to following where that research leads.


In the meantime, I think we can also learn a great deal by paying attention to the whole therapeutic experience—not only what happens during the session, but how we prepare, how we respond to the individual, and what we offer them to take home.


Perhaps one of the most valuable things we can do as practitioners is help clients recognize that their participation in the healing process doesn't end when they leave the table.


It's something I've come to appreciate more and more over the years.


When the Client Goes Home


There's another part of the healing process that I think deserves attention: what happens after the client leaves.


During my years supervising student clinics, I noticed that self-care recommendations were sometimes overlooked. Students might run out of time, become absorbed in completing a protocol, or simply forget to offer something the client could use between sessions.


But even when a practice was suggested, that didn't necessarily mean the client would remember it.


A healing session can be a significant experience for someone. They may feel deeply relaxed, emotional, or simply absorbed in what has happened. It's not unusual for clients to forget some of what was discussed.


And sometimes we practitioners don't explain things as clearly as we think we have!


I began making small cards for clients to take home. One side had a lovely image and a meaningful quotation, while the other had space to write down a simple self-care practice or reminder.


Nothing complicated. Just something they could refer to later.


I also believe it's important to revisit these practices at the next appointment.


Did the client remember to use the technique? Was it helpful? Did something feel uncomfortable or difficult? Would another approach be more suitable?


These conversations help us understand what is and isn't working for that particular person.


They also remind us that self-care isn't simply another task to assign at the end of a session.


It's an opportunity to help clients develop greater awareness of their own needs and discover practical ways to support themselves between appointments.


For me, that's an important part of the work, and one that can easily be overlooked when we're focused on what happens on the healing table.


Author


Mara Hagglund's early professional life was rooted in creative media, design, and public engagement, including work in visual design and creative project supervision, before her path gradually evolved toward holistic health, consciousness-based healing, and adult transformational education. Her studies included Eastern philosophy and vedic teachings, mind-body healing, the effects of stress and emotion on health, and the body’s subtle energetic and bioelectrical systems. During her time as a senior research intern, she became a faculty member at Langara College, contributing to curriculum development, experiential education, clinical supervision, and mentorship of emerging (Advanced) Integrative Energy Healing practitioners, and supporting local internship and community-based learning initiatives. Her work has focused on trauma-informed and integrative approaches to healing, exploring the relationship between the nervous system, emotional well-being, embodied awareness, and subtle energy-based therapeutic practices.


References & Further Reading


This article is intended for educational purposes. Energy healing is a complementary practice and does not replace appropriate medical or psychological care.

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