“My dog hasn’t been feeling well. He doesn’t seem to have much energy.”

 

“That speaker was so charismatic! Her energy really drew me in.”
 

“I didn’t like that place. It had a weird energy.”

 

The word “energy” is commonly used in a variety of ways: it can describe physical vitality; it is often used in conjunction with an adjective to describe the feeling we get from a person or place; and, it is sometimes meant in a more scientific context to refer to energetic forces such as electricity or magnetism. Energy is everywhere. It surrounds and permeates every living thing on the planet. But did you ever stop to wonder what energy actually is?

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The Vibrational Nature of Energy

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In scientific terms, energy is the result of the movement of the subatomic particles that make up each and every thing in the universe, both animate and inanimate. In other words, everything is vibrating! According to the laws of quantum physics, the surface you’re sitting on as you read this book is not quite as solid as you might think; neither are you or your dog, for that matter. And although we all appear to be separate entities, at a much deeper level, we are all simply fields of energy that interconnect and overlap.

Humans and animals absorb energy through the foods we eat, the air we breathe, and via exposure to various types of vibratory fields. We are constantly surrounded by invisible fields of electric, magnetic, and electromagnetic energy in the form of television, radio, cell phone signals, microwaves, cosmic rays, light waves, and sound waves, to name a few. As Madge the Manicurist used to say in those old Palmolive dish soap commercials, “You’re soaking in it!” Although we do not consciously notice it, we are also continually awash in the vibrational fields of sound, color, and other animate beings we encounter. This energy can affect us more than we realize.

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Life Force Energy

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Energy not only flows around us, but moves within us. Bacteria, insects, plants, you, your dogs, and even your weird Uncle Bob are all animated by the same universal life force energy. In China, it is called qi (pronounced “chee”); in Japan, ki (pronounced “key”); in India, prana. But regardless of where you are in the world, the force is the same.

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In both people and dogs, energy flows throughout the body along pathways called meridians. The meridians form an internal energy network that connects the organs and their many subsystems—for example, the digestive system, the endocrine system, and the circulatory system. Acupuncture and acupressure work by stimulating specific points along the meridians in order to restore a balance in the flow of energy.

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The body also contains specialized centers of concentrated energy called chakras. Their main function is to take in, process, and transmit energies, forming a link between the vital life force and every cell of the body. Although the chakras are not physical structures in the way that organs are, by affecting the flow of energy, they influence the functioning of the physical body. In Sanskrit, the word chakra means “wheel,” and indeed, the chakras may be envisioned as spinning wheels of energy, as well as energy vortexes that extend out from the body to the outer edges of the aura. The chakras are not flat, but rather, spherical, and can be perceived along both the front and the back of the body. They can become unbalanced, spin too fast or too slow (or stop spinning altogether), become distorted in shape, become blocked, or even run backwards (chakras normally spin in a clockwise direction). When these things happen, physical or emotional ills can occur.

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In humans, the seven major chakras consist of five energy centers located along the spine in the area of major organs, the “third eye” chakra on the forehead, and the “crown chakra” at the top of the head. There are many minor chakras as well, including those found on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Dogs have seven major chakras that correspond with ours, as well as minor ones. Each chakra is associated with a specific physiological system, an aspect of consciousness, and a color. Understanding these associations will allow you to focus energy on a particular chakra if needed.

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Note: The concept of seven major chakras, which originated in Indian spiritual practices, is widely accepted in the western world. However, there are other schools of thought which suggest different numbers of chakras; some differ in their placement and attributes as well.

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Your Personal Electromagnetic Field

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Every living person and animal is surrounded by a self-generated electromagnetic field that is “probably emanating from atoms and cells.”1 This field is often referred to as the aura. The auric field may be envisioned as a luminous glow that surrounds the body and extends out on all sides, including above the head and below the feet. It is what allows energy to be exchanged with other beings, whether by proximity, or through intention (as with energy healing).

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The aura is normally invisible to the naked eye, although it can be photographed with special equipment and perceived by some people. It consists of several layers, each with its own unique frequency. These layers correspond with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual matters, and overlap and affect each other. Therefore, if there is an imbalance in one of these auric bodies, it can lead to a state of imbalance in the others. For example, when people become emotionally upset, especially for a prolonged period such as when grieving, the immune system is weakened and illness may result.

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The energy of the aura is not static. Its frequency and strength fluctuates to reflect a being’s state at any given time. For example, the human aura will change when we are ill or stressed, when we feel joy, when we are in a meditative state, or when we are sleeping. A dog’s energy field will be very different depending on whether he is playing, napping, focusing on training, feeling antagonistic toward another dog, missing his human family, or feeling healthy or unwell.

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Imbalance and Dis-ease

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When the body’s energy flow is disrupted, one of the things that may occur is a blockage. If the area of stagnation is allowed to remain, circulation will slow, localized metabolism will slow, and the body will become less able to rid itself of chemical waste through the blood and the lymph system. Once this process reaches critical levels, illness and disease can occur. Disease—literally “dis-ease”—is the result of an energy imbalance in some form. Even though illness begins in the energy field, its effects will eventually be seen in the body.

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Energy healing seeks to restore a state of balance to the entire being. It first affects the auric body, which creates a shift in energy that will in turn affect the physical body. As you will see, it is not necessary to have an extensive knowledge of physiology or metaphysics in order to affect the energy field, and thereby the entire being, through energy healing.

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1 Hunt, Valerie. Infinite Mind: Science of the Human Vibrations of Consciousness. California: Malibu Publishing Co., 1989