Thoughts on energy; by Shawn, Investigator

Let me make this first statement very clear: I am NOT an expert on energy, nor will I ever be. To state as such, to me, means I have explored every facet within the realm of energy and how it relates to every aspect of life and its applications. In my humble opinion, no one can truly be a complete expert on anything. While people can be very knowledgeable in their respective fields, there is always something new out there to discover. That is not to say that I have no knowledge or even education in the energy world. I will only speak on my own experiences with energy as I cannot and will not place my own interpretations, thoughts, feelings, etc. above anyone else's.

That being said, I am a Certified Reiki Level II Practitioner and Nationally Certified and State Licensed Massage Therapist who has logged well over 125 hours (being generous) of coursework, bodywork, and energy work. I have also explored the use of energy in self-defense as a 15-year practitioner in the martial arts. I am training to become a Reiki Master / Teacher, which includes additional hours working on individuals as well as meditation training, spirit journeys, distance Reiki, and required reading on the subject of energy. Energy work has become part of my everyday life as it has enhanced my intuition, feelings, intentions, and thoughts.

Everyone's energy is different, and that energy varies from day-to-day. Everyone interprets energy differently as well. For me, my hands will become painful when there is injury, pain, or other sort of ailment. My hands will tingle upon contact with positive sensations or when a condition has been aided, such as the aforementioned injury. I am also more sensitive to emotional events, such as acts of kindness or loss. On the whole, I am very empathic and am vulnerable to taking on energies I do not want inside me. I have actually had an energetically trained physical therapist tell me I had a black cloud inside my chest after a particular incident. This incident will be discussed in a bit. Again, not everyone feels or senses things as I do, and that's perfectly normal. I can tell who or what gives me positive or negative "vibes," for a lack of a better term. Meaning simply that if I walk into a room or meet a person, I am either comfortable or uneasy.

The incident in question was and is the most powerful experience I have ever felt. It was a relative who had come home from the hospital with what had become terminal cancer. Before I even saw her upon my arrival, my hands "turned on." This is a phrase I use to describe when my hands inexplicably turn red, except for the middle phalanges of my eight fingers, not the thumbs, which are white. My palms, red and speckled with white, felt like they were beaming out energy in a wide beam everywhere in the house. The pain I felt I can only liken to arthritis, but everywhere in my hands, not just the joints. These sensations went on for hours. Not typical at all, no matter how much I tried to block it out. There was also a three to four foot barrier around the person, much like a bubble. Whenever I feel something like this, it means there is injury or pain. I decided to see what I could do. After some minutes of working, the barrier broke, much like a bubble would if you popped it. It wasn't long after that day that my relative passed. While visiting in the hospice house, I felt a tingling sensation as my hands grew close. There was a protective barrier and I knew I should not interfere with this process; the person was safe and secure, and that was not to be violated via energy. I firmly believe it was meant to prepare for the next phase of the journey. You can call it the afterlife, or whatever, but that is how I interpret it. Seeing the body at the wake disturbed me, and it was the first time I laid hands on someone and felt absolutely nothing. It was unnerving, but also eye-opening.

Not long after, the person's belongings came into our possession. One night, while discussing the person who had passed, my hands turned on again, but rapidly. An energetic, orange-colored haze filled one part of the room and seemed to remain close to those belongings. I curse myself for not grabbing the camera now. Also keep in mind the room was lit, but there was no way for the haze to be created by artificial means, and I was not alone in witnessing this event. To test further, I moved the belongings right next to the light source and to where I was sitting. The haze moved across the room some three or so feet and settled over the items. Again, there were no artificial sources for this phenomenon. Eventually, it dissipated on its own. That's when the footsteps and the feelings of someone watching occurred, mostly at 4:00 AM. My daughter, who cannot fully verbally interpret events as of yet, even was scared and pointed at the hallway in broad daylight as if she saw something. She does not scare easy. These events eventually stopped with no malice or bad intent.

Does that mean something like this will always happen? No. Could it? I don't know. That's the wonder of the universe, I suppose. I do know I am not the only one who has experienced these sorts of events. I have met other Reiki Practitioners and Masters who have had spirit journeys, experienced similar sensations, and the like. Some might be thinking, "What does this guy now? Who does he think he is?" and "This stuff is complete nonsense!" Okay, don't take my word for it, then. Read a book that is required for my Master Apprenticeship: Hands of Light by Barbara Ann Brennan. By the way, Ms. Brennan (and this is paraphrased from the book) is a practicing healer, psychotherapist, and former research scientist for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center following completion of her M.S. in Atmospheric Physics. In other words, very highly qualified. I highly recommend this book because of its explanations and illustrations in energetic, holistic, and scientific terms.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences with you all.

--Shawn, Investigator / Energy Consultant,
Sights Unseen Paranormal