Energy Healing and Natural Killer Cells
At The School of Chi Energy Training we take a holistic approach to the services and products we provide for our students and clientele alike. Chi development requires the integration of a healthy mind with a healthy body. One of our Certified Instructors, Don Brown [who is an Engineer by trade], is writing a series of articles to show the relationship between science and Chi and how it related to this particular method of Chi development. In this article, Don provides us with an overview of the biological processes that take place within the body that will enhance the body’s ability to fight off sickness, enhance health, and as a result; help the body grow in strength and endurance.
NK Cells
Natural Killer cells (NK cells) are the body’s first-line of innate immune defense. The term “natural killer” is a misnomer, coined during initial research in the late 70s and early 80s where biologists at the time were not completely aware of what triggered these defense mechanisms; it was originally thought these cells immediately patrolled the body upon creation looking for pathogens. This is not completely true. NK cells work in conjunction with other white blood cells, “T” and “B”, and seek out specific pathogens the others are unable to destroy.
Research has shown that NK cells are produced in the bone marrow, and reside in the lymph nodes and the tonsils. “Natural killer cells burst forth from the tonsils, lymph nodes and spleen, and destroy infected and cancerous cells while the immune system’s T and B cells are still mobilizing,” says Münz. “Without natural killer cells, threatening conditions can get a strong foothold before the adaptive immune response kicks in.” (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/02/040206075307.htm)
By releasing the proteins perforin and proteases onto the membrane of the virus, the NK cell induces apoptosis; a process similar to infecting the invading cell with a programming sequence causing it to self-destruct. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_killer_cell)
This is a preferred mechanism when compared to lancing, (physically cutting through the membrane of the invading organism), which would only release the contents of the invading cell into the body.
There is something interesting I found during my research, however, that I would like to share at this juncture and echoes many sentiments shared within this particular chi gung community. It turns out that a healthy “mind” does indeed lead to a healthy “body”, and the ability for NK cells to operate.
Stress: the NK Cell Suppressor
There have been countless studies on the detrimental affects of stress on the body: physical; emotional; and psychological stresses all do terrible things to the human body over prolonged periods of time.
- Dan Kenner, Ph.D., OMD, noted: “When confronted by emotional or physical stress, the brain produces a neurotransmitter that helps initiate the fight or flightIt directly suppresses NK cell function and other aspects of cellular immunity that relate to innate immunity.” (http://www.ahccpublishedresearch.com/wwwroot-ahcc/studies/AHCC_04_1002.html)
- Kenner goes further, explaining that “emotional stresses such as grief and fear are shown to suppress cellular immunity and favor inflammatory immune responses, as are physical stresses such as heavy metal poisoning, chemical exposure, nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances, accidental injury and medical procedures.”
NK Cells and the Mind
Here at, we offer both breadth and depth with regards to meditation techniques and instruction, so at Mindful Life by Design we provide you with not just coping mechanisms, but means of overcoming the pressures of physical living. We understand the connection between the mind and body, and know that with proper nutrition, exercise, and healthy thought practices, you can assist your body in operating effectively and efficiently.
Through consistent practice, daily meditations cannot only reduce the effects of stress, but actually rid yourself of stress altogether. Remember, stress actually suppresses NK cells: the longer and more often we are exposed to stressful situations without the tools with which to successful transcend, the greater the likelihood that the body succumbs to pathogens, viruses, and cancers alike.
NK Cells and Chi Energy Training
The specifics of “Chi Energy Training” enhance NK cell potency and efficiency. The particulars of the The School of Chi Energy method, each and every exercise, promote the development, cultivation, and functionality of NK cells. As previously noted, NK cells originate from within “bone marrow”. Interestingly enough, “Bio-magnetism: An Awesome Force in Our Lives”, an article published by Reader’s Digest (January 1983), highlights some of the [still] cutting edge concepts the scientific community is, and has been, practicing:
“When a patient with a broken leg that is not healing properly comes to Dr. Basset (Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City, NY), he is likely to go home with two heavy pads connected by wires to a box that can plug into an electrical wall socket. The patient puts one pad on each side of his broken bone and turns on the device. Coils of wire in the pad induce a pulsing electromagnetic field into his flesh and bone — a field of energy that somehow commands the bone to heal itself.”
The electrical impulses that heal a broken bone; make healthy a broken bone, assist in the overall healthy and functionality of the bone; e.g. bone marrow can make more and more NK cells when stimulated with electricity.
Although NK cells originate from bone marrow, the cells themselves reside in the lymphatic system, tonsil, and spleen. We can intuit from Dr. Basset’s research that the same benefits from exposing bones to low-level electric pulses assist in their healing, consistent exposure to similar electrical phenomena will also assist the organs in a similar fashion. Specifically, in this instance, providing the spleen with health enhancing energy will in-turn, super charge the NK cells residing in said organ.
Finally, it should be noted that NK cells travel to the infected sites within the body through blood within the veins and arteries. The School of Chi Energy’s primary flow pattern exercise called Nerve Fiber Building not only mimic the rotational spin of the quantum particles which build up electricity and chi (photons and electrons), but also provide an aerobic quality that is by nature, heart healthy and promotes enhanced circulation. By improving the body’s circulation, the NK cells can reach the infected area(s) faster and with greater efficiency, without having to use the body’s energy stores; this way, the body can focus on using the NK cells proteins to destroy the pathogens as opposed to releasing the hormones which create a hostile environment (stress) that will suppress the NK cells, and thereby leaving the body open to additional infections as well as deteriorated performance across the board.
We at The School of Chi Energy have found that chi is best developed when a healthy mind and a healthy body work in unison. As the preceding article demonstrates, we understand the connections between the mind and body and take these factors into account in all of our chi development exercises and meditation courses.
Visit us to find out more regarding our Chi Energy Training method.
- Our Chi Energy Training blog is updated regularly with the latest scientific data that proves, via physics, the existence of chi.
- Our Chi Energy Course Curriculum is available as a download or each School Year (1-4) of classes can be viewed online.
In the interim: be well; be mindful.
V/r
Sifu Brown [Certified Instructor for the School of Chi Energy]