Teaching and Healing

Goodman, in Filmmaking and Research: an Intersection, discusses the use of storytelling in research and in filmmaking. He notes that research is presented in a "pretty standard and sometimes bland way. The format of problem, theory, method, results, and discussion is common across most journals." Of research, Goodman states there are 'critical incidents'; he ponders if these may be captured and shared with the reader of research. "For example, in our study on medication errors in hospitals, it might be useful to capture some detailed stories about incidents and make these available to supplement the specific findings in the study. These could be in a video interview format."

I wish to connect this idea of storytelling as it pertains to my experience as an educator and a practitioner of energy healing.

Briefly, energy healing refers to the conscious projection of some form of bioelectricity, known to the ancient Chinese as chi (life-force), which results in enhanced emotional states and thereby optimizing consciousness to generate efficient actions that preserve the wellbeing of an individual. One 'form' of energy healing is what is known as Shamanism. Shamanism refers primarily to tribal cultures of South America, but has been and may be applied to other geographies as well. Where as arts such as Reiki or the ancient Egyptian Seichim are 'hands-on' approaches to energy healing, Shamanism approaches this endeavor imaginatively, journeying as they like to call it, with a person to undergo an experience which dispels negative energies that cause harm or disease. Both the Shaman and the person they're working with undergo a shared dream-like experience that unfolds like a story - http://homelands.org/worlds/shaman.html

This same story-structure may be used by the Reiki or Seichim practitioner as exemplified in the following manner: A women told me she was trying to give up smoking but could not manage to do it. I told her of an experience (story) I had with a friend who, in the middle of smoking a cigarette, looked at it and revolted - declaring 'this is disgusting' and consequently throwing away his pack of cigarettes and never touching them again. I used this story as a medium for the energy behind it, which was intended to be the fuel she needed to make her move.

Such a method of healing combines both approaches and derives a more direct emotional and energetic investment from the person being worked on, since they are being guided through imaginative space at your direction.

To me this is teaching in its essence - helping bring people to life, and enabling them to cherish, protect, and express that life as best suits them.