title: Energy therapies: focus on spirituality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  How are spiritual experiences described by participants of an energy based healing session?
  
  
  METHODS
  A taxonomy of spiritual experiences (TSE), developed from previous research, provided a linguistic tool to explore and describe spiritual experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  A secondary qualitative analysis was conducted on a subset of existing data.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Original data was from accounts of spiritual experiences from participants in Healing Touch classes. SAMPLE SELECTION AND DATA COLLECTION: A purposive sample of accounts of spiritual experiences that occurred during giving or receiving an energy based healing session (n=56) was drawn from the existing data base of spiritual experience accounts. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION: A top down deductive analysis using the TSE as a coding schema was applied to this sample. Comparisons were made between this subset who described their spiritual experience specifically occurring during a healing session and the original dataset of more general descriptions of a spiritual experience. Comparisons were also made between this subset and the original data as well as between giving and receiving a healing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The components of the taxonomy were well represented and richly described as occurring during a healing session. Notable similarities between giving and receiving a healing were apparent in the descriptions of sensate experiences, ecstasy, and experiences of encounters with disincarnate guides. Healing activities are a rich context for spiritual experiences. The taxonomy provides a useful linguistic and cognitive structure for exploring spiritual experiences.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. joan.c.engebretson@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Engebretson
authors.forename: Diane Wind
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wardell
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012677:Sensation; D029181:Spirituality; D019124:Therapeutic Touch