What in the world is energy healing?
That’s the first thing I asked myself when a woman at Ladies Tea at Hank’s Oyster Bar approached me. A few minutes into the conversation she invited me to have a session with her. In full disclosure, I was quite hesitant and somewhat skeptical. However, with the “I’ll try anything once” mentality, I took her up on her offer.
Holistic Health and Healing Touch Certified Practitioner Renata Maniaci welcomed me into her doors for my first energy healing session.
Maniaci quit her full-time job in public health two years ago to follow “a more congruent life path” where she could focus on other forms of healing individuals.
“I usually don’t make rash decisions like this. The reason it made it okay was because it felt very right,” says Maniaci.
Since spring 2015, she has been lending her time and healing to clients at Freed Bodyworks, a radical inclusive holistic wellness center and Whitman-Walker Health. She also has her own space in the Woodley Park area of Washington, D.C.
As a queer-identified woman, Maniaci takes pride in the fact that more than 50% of her clientele are part of the LGBTQ community. “So many people need it and can’t afford it. Lately I’ve been getting a lot of LGBTQ asylum seekers that have been through traumatic experiences. Healing touch helps and I’m happy to do it,” she says.
Many of Maniaci’s clients have used phrases, such as “more relaxed”, “pain reduction”, “clarity”, and “floating” to describe their experience. For this healing practitioner, getting to know the client is key to providing the proper healing techniques based on the individual.
Every client can expect a free 30-minute in-take to assess their situation with full confidentiality per HIPPAA regulations. After that time they get directed to the massage table fully clothed and face up.
When I was on the table, like most of us, my mind began to run with my tasks of the day, like what I’m making for dinner and other unfinished business. Why couldn’t I just concentrate? I realized that I couldn’t force the process, so I allowed my mind to continue to wonder.
Next thing I know, my body and mind went into a state of tranquility. I can only describe the feeling as being in between awake and sleep. My mind was silenced.
What happened during the process wasn’t necessarily that important for me as how I felt afterwards. This experience allowed me to get out of my own way and get out of my head. A feeling that doesn’t happen too often. I truly walked out of my session being more present with a sense of peace.
My experience isn’t to sell anyone on energy healing. I realize some people might be scratching their heads. But, what I learned from this experience is how important it is to keep an open mind because you never know what could come from it.
So, would I do this again? Absolutely. There are different ways to heal and “woosah”, and this is just one unique way to renew and refresh your body.
