What is energy work, actually?

What You Were Probably Taught

Energy was described as an invisible battlefield between good and evil, making body sensations feel suspicious.

The Historical Context

Many cultures describe emotion, breath, and life force in energetic language. Western science now confirms that attention, breath, and touch change how our bodies regulate.

Why It’s Safe to Be Curious

Energy work is simply noticing the subtle signals your body sends—temperature, tingles, breath pace—and responding with care.

A Simple First Step

Place a hand on your chest, inhale for four counts, exhale for six, and notice how your body responds.

Who Benefits From Your Fear?

When you distrust your own sensations, you’re easier to convince that someone else knows what’s best for you.

Research & Further Reading

This approach is grounded in established science:

• The Polyvagal Theory - How your nervous system responds to safety and threat signals (Porges, 2009)
• Stress and Heart Rate Variability - Meta-analysis on how stress affects physiological regulation (Kim et al., 2018)
• Interoception and Mental Health - How awareness of body sensations supports wellbeing (Khalsa et al., 2018)
• Mindfulness and the Autonomic Nervous System - How breath and attention practices affect physiology