Known as qi in ancient China and prana in ancient India, energy has long been recognized by traditional cultures for its influence on the body's vitality and healing. Energy healing seeks to balance and promote the innate flow for optimal health, and it attributes illness to disturbances in the flow.

In recent decades, researchers have measured the body's subtle electromagnetic signals, known as the biofield, leading to new theories and applications. As interest in biofield and energy modalities continues to grow, it raises questions about where and how this practice can be applied.

In this episode, we sit with Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson, the Director of the Fellowship at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine to discuss the energy body.

Dr. Chiasson has a life-long interest in the healing capacity of meditation, consciousness, and energy healing, and studied extensively with indigenous healers. She has authored Energy Healing - The Essentials of Self Care and co-authored Self-Healing with Energy Medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil.

This conversation explores the principles of energy medicine, including how traditional cultures first recognized the body's energy flow, how energy points work, and how we can assess blockages. Dr. Weil tells us about the influence indigenous healers had on his own practice. Dr. Maizes discusses government supported research that examined pain and energy healing. Dr. Chiasson shares how energy medicine works, what it is, and how to find a qualified practitioner.