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Energy healing

Hands-on healing

การบำบัดด้วยพลังงาน

An age-old gesture of care in which a healer rests their hands on, or holds them near, a person to offer comfort, blessing or 'healing energy'.

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Origin

Many cultures and religions; modern secular forms developed in the United States

History

Ancient religious practice (described in the Bible); secular methods such as Therapeutic Touch date from the 1970s

Licence in Thailand

Not required

01

Where it comes from

Placing hands on another person to bless, heal or pass on authority is one of the oldest gestures found in religion. The Hebrew Bible describes it for blessing and ordination, and in the New Testament it is linked to healing and receiving the Holy Spirit. Many churches still use it today in ordination, confirmation and prayer for the sick.

Similar practices exist in very different cultures: among the San peoples of southern Africa, healers lay hands on the sick to 'draw out' illness, and in medieval England and France kings practised the 'royal touch', believed to cure a skin disease called scrofula, until that belief faded with the Enlightenment.

Secular, 'energy-based' versions appeared in the United States in the 1970s, when nurse Dolores Krieger and Dora Kunz, a leader of the Theosophical Society, developed Therapeutic Touch. Related methods, such as Healing Touch and Reiki, are now sometimes grouped under 'hands-on healing' or 'touch therapies'.

02

The principle

Depending on the tradition, the healer's hands are seen as a channel for divine grace, prayer, or a 'healing energy' or 'energy field' that the healer can sense and rebalance. Some methods use light contact; others keep the hands a few centimetres above the body.

Scientifically, there is no evidence that such an energy field exists. In a well-known 1998 study published in JAMA, 21 experienced Therapeutic Touch practitioners could not detect which of their hands was near the investigator's hand better than chance (44% correct). Reviews of touch therapies report at most small effects on pain from low-quality studies, and gentle human contact and attention are plausible explanations for the comfort people feel.

What people come for

  • To feel comforted and cared for
  • To relax during a stressful time
  • To receive a blessing or prayer within a faith community
  • To explore a gentle spiritual practice
  • To accompany (not replace) medical care
03

How it works on the body

You remain clothed and usually lie or sit while the healer's hands rest lightly on you or stay just above your body.

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04

A session, step by step

  1. 01

    Talking first

    The healer asks what brings you and explains whether they work with touch, without touch, or with prayer.

  2. 02

    Consent

    You agree on where hands may be placed; you can ask for no-touch work at any time.

  3. 03

    Settling

    You lie or sit comfortably, clothed, and close your eyes if you wish.

  4. 04

    Hands on or near

    The healer rests or holds their hands over different areas, often for several minutes each, in silence or with prayer.

  5. 05

    Closing

    You take a moment to come back and share how you feel.

Precautions

  • Hands-on healing is not a medical treatment and must not replace diagnosis or treatment; delaying proven care in favour of energy healing has been associated with serious harm.
  • If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma or thoughts of self-harm, please contact a mental health professional.
  • Any touch should be respectful and agreed in advance; you can stop the session at any time. If you have experienced trauma, a no-touch session may feel safer.
  • Be cautious of anyone who promises cures, discourages medical treatment or asks for large payments.

Complementary practice: does not replace medical advice.

05

In Thailand

In Thailand, hands-on and energy healing is offered by independent healers, some wellness centres and within some religious communities. We found no Thai licence or official standard for it: Thailand's legally recognised healing systems include Thai traditional medicine and Chinese medicine, overseen alongside alternative medicine by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine, so the training of individual healers varies widely. Note that hands-on healing is different from Thai massage, which involves firm pressure and stretching.

Frequently asked questions

Is there scientific evidence for hands-on healing?

Not for the energy explanation. In a 1998 JAMA study, practitioners could not detect a human 'energy field' better than chance. Reviews of touch therapies found only small, uncertain effects on pain, and the main Cochrane review on the topic was later withdrawn. Comfort from gentle touch, attention and relaxation is real, but it is not proof of an energy transfer.

Is it religious?

It can be. In many churches it is part of prayer and ceremony. Secular forms such as Therapeutic Touch present it as energy work without religious belief.

Will I be touched?

Sometimes lightly, sometimes not at all, depending on the method. Ask beforehand and say what you are comfortable with.

Can it be combined with medical treatment?

Yes, as a source of comfort alongside your treatment, as long as it does not replace it. Tell your doctor about any complementary practices you use.

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Sources

  1. Wikipedia – Laying on of hands
  2. Wikipedia – Therapeutic touch
  3. Rosa L, Rosa E, Sarner L, Barrett S. A close look at therapeutic touch. JAMA, 1998
  4. So PS et al. Touch therapies for pain relief in adults. Cochrane review, 2008 (later withdrawn)
  5. Wikipedia – Energy medicine
  6. Cleveland Clinic – Energy Healing
  7. The regulation of Chinese medicine in Thailand (Longhua Chinese Medicine journal)