Biofield Science and Healing: History, Terminology, and Concepts.

Author: Rubik B1, Muehsam D2, Hammerschlag R3, Jain S4.
Affiliation: 1Institute for Frontier Science, Oakland, California; Integrative Health Studies, California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco; College of Mind-Body Medicine, Saybrook University, Oakland, California; Energy Medicine University, Sausalito, California (Dr Rubik). 2Visual Institute of Developmental Arts and Sciences, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Bologna, Italy (Dr Muehsam). 3The Institute for Integrative Health, Baltimore, Maryland; Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, Portland (Dr Hammerschlag). 4Department of Psychiatry and Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California, San Diego; Consciousness and Healing Initiative, San Diego (Dr Jain).
Conference/Journal: Glob Adv Health Med.
Date published: 2015 Nov
Other: Volume ID: 4 , Issue ID: Suppl , Pages: 8-14 , Special Notes: doi: 10.7453/gahmj.2015.038.suppl , Word Count: 182


Abstract
Biofield science is an emerging field of study that aims to provide a scientific foundation for understanding the complex homeodynamic regulation of living systems. By furthering our scientific knowledge of the biofield, we arrive at a better understanding of the foundations of biology as well as the phenomena that have been described as "energy medicine." Energy medicine, the application of extremely low-level signals to the body, including energy healer interventions and bio-electromagnetic device-based therapies, is incomprehensible from the dominant biomedical paradigm of "life as chemistry." The biofield or biological field, a complex organizing energy field engaged in the generation, maintenance, and regulation of biological homeodynamics, is a useful concept that provides the rudiments of a scientific foundation for energy medicine and thereby advances the research and practice of it. An overview on the biofield is presented in this paper, with a focus on the history of the concept, related terminology, key scientific concepts, and the value of the biofield perspective for informing future research.
KEYWORDS:
Biofield; bioelectromagnetics; biological field; electromagnetic fields; energy medicine; healing
PMID: 26665037 [PubMed] PMCID: PMC4654789 Free PMC Article