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Phenomenology and Therapeutic Touch

© Donna L. Quesinberry

Phenomenology is a study of the structure of consciousness from the first-person point of view and then adds psychological conditions of experience. Therapeutic Touch conveys the flow of chi or prana (life energy field) in a medicinal and/or sustaining manner as to enact curative result to the individual. Therapeutic Touch teaches that every "living" thing has an energy field beyond the body surface generating an aura. If the energy field becomes out of sync, due to negative phenomenological life experiences, it can result in a lack of health and wellness.

Gestalt theories of psychology describe phenomenology as a reflection of the levels of awareness and degrees of focus people attend to in giving meaning to their lives. With the phenomenological approach to therapy, observation and description of life phenomenon becomes paramount to the therapeutic process and to its resultant success. The process of feedback is the tool that brings greater awareness and consequential change or adaptation to the individual engaged in therapeutic visioning.

When phenomenology is recognized and conjoined with therapeutic touch, gentle touch, verbal dialogue, active listening, the entire Gestalt Process, imagery, metaphor, movement, and humor to invite the body into the healing process it is total body health and wellness in initiation. It is unfortunate that throughout time we have in our drive toward societal success, ventured away from some commonalities of human engagement such as active listening and humor. Touch is often restrictive, or even viewed as inappropriate, yet we know that energy healers massage even the air just a few inches above the surface of the body to relieve and cure individual's in their charge.

"Quantum theory states that all of reality is made up of energy fields and that over 99% of the universe is simply space."

Dialogue is used as a method to encourage open engagement of phenomenology (between therapist and client). The intent between therapist and client is to allow growth through the field of interpersonal transaction. Again, the therapeutic touch sessions also rely on interpersonal transactions through manipulation of the energy fields surrounding the human entity.

These two methodologies when combined are proactive in reaching toward a healing state. It goes without saying that if we seek to communicate, to touch, to sense one another's needs, to listen actively, to view and engage the aural perceptions of the human psyche through the acts of compassion such as therapeutic touch and Gestalt interactivity-we will induce homeopathy of the psyche amongst ourselves.

The copyright of the article Phenomenology and Therapeutic Touch in New Age is owned by Donna L. Quesinberry. Permission to republish Phenomenology and Therapeutic Touch in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.