Indian Laying Of Hands and Energy Balance

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

Long before Therapeutic Touch became a popular adjunct to Western medicine, shamans of the ancient Americas were healing the sick with the laying on of hands. They used their hands to cleanse the body, to remove heavy energy and to restore physical and spiritual balance. They used chants, drumming and singing to align themselves and their patients with the energy spirits of earth and heaven.

Native American healing traditions date back at least 12,000 and perhaps as much as 40,000 years.1 While researchers, practitioners and opponents argue the effectiveness and validity of such approaches as Therapeutic Touch and Reiki, indigenous healers throughout the Americas are carrying on the work of their ancestors without a thought as to its legitimacy. Energy healing is, and has been for generations, an intrinsic part of their existence.

Although some healing traditions are still kept secret within the tribes, many medicine people have been sharing their techniques and wisdom with the Western world. While studying with a local shaman in Peru, I participated in an extraordinary healing ceremony. For more than eight hours I was hovered over by an Amazonian ayahuasca master who sang lyrically to the spirits for assistance. Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic used by South American healers to access spiritual help. Placing his mouth on my back and certain other areas of my body that he had "seen" as afflicted with imbalance, he inhaled and withdrew the undesirable energy and spit it aside. He blew smoke into my ears and onto my third eye and used his hands to brush away heavy energy. These steps were repeated over and over throughout the night until he finally announced that the task was completed. He proclaimed me completely balanced and whole.

Balance and harmony are vital to good health in the Native American cultures. It is believed that some illnesses occur through an imbalance in a person's behavior or thoughts. But an illness may also be a calling, a spiritual challenge. Throughout the Americas, healers focus on the universal energy as it is represented in nature, as well as the human body. Animals, rocks, sacred places and rituals may all have a part in the energy healing process.

The entire article may be read from here:

http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php?article_id=346

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

Wow that was fascinating to read. I am not familiar with your culture. I think it is great to learn different cultures and perspectives in life. I am a Christian and most Christians would be against this type of "healing service" but i think it is great that you have continued to keep your cultural roots while being in this country.

My family are from another culture and I can relate to the importance of carrying on various practices and tradtions.

I did want to ask you what are your thoughts on depression and anxiety--as far as balance and imbalances?? There is such an overwhelming population of depressed and anxious people in the United States. So many patients, doctors and nurses on anti depressants and anxiolytics?? There has to be a better way than meds--I am a firm believer in that meds are not the answer although many who are on it may want to argue that point. Any recommendations?

I greatly appreciate and respect your feedback;)

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

My own personal belief on depression/anxiety and balance/imbalance from an Indian perspective is that folks lose touch or groundedness from the spirit of Mother Earth. Many have also lost the sacredness for the animals and for their wisdom. Have we not heard often time and time again a pet or having an animal around helps reduce the risk of depression? When we lose the connectiveness to our Earth Mother and with her animals (often via the city and/or city way of life), we lose the spiritual connectiveness to ourselves. Nature is a very spiritual thing with the Indian. This lack of spiritual connectiveness to our world and to our most primal self places one at risk for depression and anxiety. We become imbalanced, isolated, lost, lonely, and without purpose. And in this sense, touch/laying on of hands validates that one exists in this world...and that connectiveness is but within a hand's reach. Therefore, touch can also be a very spiritual process...as well as a healing one. Even Christ, from a Christian perspective, laid his hands upon the ill and he often used parables "of nature" to help explain the seemingly unexplainable...to make visible the invisible. Nature and spirituality and connectiveness often walk side by side.

I hope this helps.

[zenman]

I am a Christian and most Christians would be against this type of "healing service" but i think it is great that you have continued to keep your cultural roots while being in this country.

I've always found it strange that "Christians" would have any problem with this since all religions developed from shamanistic thought. It would be akin to having a horse and buggy and then Henry Ford comes along and pronounces you evil. I may write an article soon addressing this for my site.

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

I see your point--but is believed in Chrisitanity that if you do not come in the name of Jesus that is frowned upon.

I find it fascinating to learn about what other cultures and religions practice. We can all learn from one another.:cheers:

[Nursemiki61]

The Catholic church uses laying of hands as healing. Arent they Christians??

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

NurseMIke

Yes they are Christians--wise guy!!:icon_roll I am not condeming nor advocating the methods that are practiced. I am not even questioning laying of the hands....I was simply discussing the source of the one who is healing. That is how it is looked upon in the Christian religion. Man applies the works--thus laying of the hands--but in the Christian faith it is believed that the power and the healing ultimately comes from Jesus Christ. That is all.....

I am not here to debate religion--I have no desire for that. I would like to enlilghten my awareness of other various cultures and religions. :cheers:

[Nursemiki61]

Hey now!! That was not meant to be smart... It was a serious inquiry.. I was born a Catholic but not raised one.. Just asking!! :)

I practice Reiki.. a Japanese form of energy healing. It is a universal energy and comes from a higher power.. I suppose this is any higher power anyone deems to be their higher power.

It is sad that you were immediately offended.

So sorry .:icon_roll

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

Please, let's keep any religious debate out of the discussion.

We respectfully ask that you only educate yourselves on NAI traditional beliefs and practices to better serve your NAI patients.

Wah doe (thank you).....

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

I apologize

I know how people get about religion--I don't like to see people become hateful or hurtful regarding such a sensitive issue. I have witnessed that and I reacted.

To answer your question--Catholics are Christian.

[zenman]

NurseMIke

Yes they are Christians--wise guy!!:icon_roll I am not condeming nor advocating the methods that are practiced. I am not even questioning laying of the hands....I was simply discussing the source of the one who is healing. That is how it is looked upon in the Christian religion. Man applies the works--thus laying of the hands--but in the Christian faith it is believed that the power and the healing ultimately comes from Jesus Christ.

I think that is the thought behind most practices...that the actual power comes from a higher power. However, some have a better "connection" than others, lol!

[Thunderwolf, MSN, RN]

I applaud your effort and openmindedness, Chica_bella, to learn more of other's beliefs and cultures as it impacts their care and health care. This is one of the many reasons that this forum was created...to become more knowledgeable as health care providers. Cultural and/or spiritual beliefs may/do impact health from a patient perspective. However, religion as an organized structure, by its very nature, tends to separate people into "them vs us"....and as a result, tends to do more damage than good...especially from many Indian perspectives. The Indian have a hard memory, especially the older ones or elders....who still remember the time, when in the name of the Christian religion, children were removed from their mothers and shipped across the country away from them, the name calling, beatings, prejudices, and slurs made by people who called themselves "Christian", the continued desecretion of their sacred areas by Christians, and the forced cohersion to not practice their own spirituality of their fathers. For some, and we need to know this and understand this....calling oneself a "Christian" is a paradoxical word to some Indian, for it had often meant the opposite...often Christian practices of the past towards the Indian were far from Christian. Some Indian remember these days of the past and how they were treated. Again, the memory of the Indian is a long one. However, for many Indian, the heart is a forgiving one...and many do or try to forgive the transgressions made upon them and upon their parents/relatives. Many do not even see it as an issue any more...the past is the past, this is the present. But, there are some who do remember or have heard the tales, and as a result, the heart may remain yet hardened. Many Indian are cross cultural...living in two worlds...the Indian and the non-Indian. Many have embraced both. Many are "Christian" or Catholic or Protestant or another. Many Lakota Indian may be Catholic, yet may still honor the practices of their forefathers, celebrating or keeping the Indian ways of worship as well. Zenman said it correctly....much has to do with spirituality. Spirituality is something we all share. It has nothing to do with religion. The Indian are a spiritual people...not a religious one. We have to know that difference and understand that. Religion has started more wars and has killed more people than any other ideology...and it continues to do so to this very day. So, I guess what I am trying to say is this...when working with the Indian or with any different cultural group, come as a spiritual person, a nurse who wishes to care for them as a spiritual woman/man. Be sensitive to the fact that coming in "the name of a particular religion" may not be well received by some. Memories die hard. Let your spirit touch them as a people...but leave the religion at your doorstep. Personally, I am a Catholic Christian in belief who also honors his Indian heritage as a spiritual person. As you can tell, I do not consider myself religious. I prefer to remain spiritual...less condeming of others, more open to others. I too remember some of the old days as it impacted my own family.

Mitakuye Oyasin

(We are all relatives)