By Michelle McLemore
What’s in a name? That which we call energy therapy by any other name would be valued the same. Or would it? History, Hollywood, and cultural bias have long pitted healing philosophies against each other and, in some cases, ostracized or executed people (in some countries even today) for even a suspicion of one’s involvement with energy manipulation.
Educating myself (and my clients) about the different forms of healing practices has been important. Labels casually thrown about by family, friends, clients, and strangers have revealed ignorance, stereotypes, and my own squeamishness based on not wanting to misrepresent truth nor step on any cultural toes.
In the first year of energy training, the initial conundrum was to wrap my farm-girl, Catholic-raised mind around the fact that an average person—like me, like you—could provide pain relief and sometimes relieve all symptoms of illness for a client. The term “healer” and “healing” was used in classes. Healing, I could see and believe. But, to call myself a “healer?” That didn’t sit well. I made peace by defining myself as a healing “guide” since healing belongs ultimately to a client. My goal was (and is) to assist healing and then educate clients in building their own healthy proactive strategies. My internal conscious meter relaxed—or so I thought.
At some point I attended a group angel reading out of town. When the intuitive’s eyes lighted upon me, she quickly called out, “You are a healer. You need to quit being afraid of people calling you a ‘witch.’” In less than 30 seconds, this stranger had identified, called out, and dismissed a harassing thought. It was true. I was encountering accusing vibes from Christian friends and locals which made them hesitant to reap the benefits of a session. They had no context for understanding healing facilitated from a simple girl next door. So, I began pondering how best to educate fearful people that energy healing was not anti-Divinity?
Training and years went on. I chose to explain the science and research behind energy healing. This helped turn an abstract concept into a more comprehensible idea. The best explanation, of course, was simply when someone tried a session.
Then, a new label arose. Several times in one year, I was appraised (each time by a stranger) and it was declared, “You have Native American blood.” Then, the individual would ask, “What nation?”
I stammered. “Mmmm, no. We’ve no genealogy support of that. Though, my husband is one eighth Cherokee.”
In each instance, the person was not deterred even momentarily in their stance. “No. You definitely have it in your blood.”
What to say to that? I’ve had training by indigenous teachers, but training does not suddenly change one’s genetics. Add to this a friend, familiar with my energy work, one day pronounced he believes I am a Shaman. Inside I recoiled slightly. I quickly clarified, I have not had appropriate training or teaching for that title. He scoffed and said my opinion didn’t match my work.
Time went on. Sessions and casual labels by others continued. My husband and a client friend, Dee, occasionally gave impromptu testimonials to folks. Both jokingly referred to the helpful “Voodoo” that I do.
One day Dee and her sixteen-year-old football player grandson came for his first appointment. They had just seated themselves at the dining room table. Normally, we’d begin reviewing the new client’s health history and set goals. But first, I felt I needed to make a distinction.
“Okay, before we get started, Dee, did you bring the chicken?” Both of their faces went blank with confusion.
“You know, for the blood sacrifice.” The young man’s eyes grew wide, and his head jerked to look at his trusted grandmother. Dee was chuckling and shaking her head. “Okay. I get it now,” she laughed.
I broke into a grin and apologized to the young man. “And that’s one of the reasons this is not Voodoo. Everybody clear?” Color came back into the stocky boy’s face, and he breathed easier.
People psychologically create labels for others to help make sense of the unfamiliar and to categorize threat levels in society. It is the primitive brain’s normal strategy for safety. It is also where stereotypes begin. With new information, or repeat encounters with something or someone different, the advanced healthy brain should reinforce or revise its initial labels and concerns. With increased encounters, usually there is a decline in fear and a decline in the prejudice—typical side effects. But, if someone doesn’t have encounters, they borrow what other people tell them or what they’ve seen from Hollywood, regardless of its accuracy.
Read related article: A Legacy of Healing: The Healing Touch Modality Offers Energy Healing Endorsed by Holistic Nurses
Am I personally worried about being confused with a witch, a native American healer, or a Voodoo queen? No. But, my heart is also very clear on not claiming titles that do not fit what I do or who I serve. “Guiding” resonates with my heart. It will be sufficient regardless of how I do the job.
What someone else thinks of me may influence how they choose to interact with me, but it does not make me what they believe. Like grade school name calling (positive and negative), I am no more an “angel” or “gifted” than I am “a witch” or “charlatan” simply because one doesn’t understand how energy works. In the early years, my concern was others not understanding the work and therefore missing out on an opportunity to heal. I was eager and passionate. Now, I understand that to trust universal energy, is also to learn to trust that the right clients will find their way to me. And at that time, I can educate them on what and how energy works—at least how it works with me. And that is my heart’s direction—to educate, to nurture, and to help people understand the incredible design of this world.
I get to choose each day, each moment, what I will advocate for, who I will show kindness to, and how I will affect the environment around me. All of us do, no matter how we identify, no matter how others assess us. Everything is energy. The physical, the invisible. Thought to action. Sound to Light. The all is the All—Spirit, Ki, Chi, Qi, Prana, Life force. And we are a part of it, not apart from it.
And for the record? Of all the nick name labels I’ve been given, I like “Jedi Master” best.
Michelle McLemore is a certified Healing Touch Practitioner with additional trainings in a variety of other energy modalities such as Sacred Geometry, Reiki, essential oils, and herbs. This synthesized with her degree in psychology, prior teaching experience, yoga, Tai-Chi, and dance instruction and is just the start of her stress management wellness offerings. For more information, visit michellemclemore.com.
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