https://simplecast.com Phenomena Podcast: The Science & Stories of Energy Healing Researchers at Harvard, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Columbia are bringing practices like reiki, qigong, and other biofield therapies into the lab like never before, testing and quantifying what has often been considered unmeasurable and unproven. And the results could be showing us the way to the next frontier in healing. Phenomena: The Science and Stories of Energy Healing is a documentary-style podcast hosted by business leader and artist Ivy Ross. Join Ivy as she explores astonishing new science alongside moving human stories of healing from chronic pain, PTSD, and even cancer through ancient practices modern medicine has often dismissed. Produced and mixed by Sounds True 2026 Phenomena Healing en Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:05:00 +0000 Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:05:11 +0000 https://phenomena-podcast.simplecast.com Phenomena Podcast: The Science & Stories of Energy Healing https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/76addb9e-cade-48bb-a317-da503af7a4f0/8b83acf9-9760-46fa-9679-d00e5d7d4212/3000x3000/phenomena_podcast.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://phenomena-podcast.simplecast.com episodic Researchers at Harvard, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Columbia are bringing practices like reiki, qigong, and other biofield therapies into the lab like never before, testing and quantifying what has often been considered unmeasurable and unproven. And the results could be showing us the way to the next frontier in healing. Phenomena: The Science and Stories of Energy Healing is a documentary-style podcast hosted by business leader and artist Ivy Ross. Join Ivy as she explores astonishing new science alongside moving human stories of healing from chronic pain, PTSD, and even cancer through ancient practices modern medicine has often dismissed. Produced and mixed by Sounds True Merraki Media LLC false https://feeds.simplecast.com/DPcObb3q #energy healing, #science, reiki, #phenomena Merraki Media LLC info@phenomenahealing.com 3a74be33-36d9-439e-adc6-d1f055265f2d No One Left Behind | PTSD, Healing Touch, and the Military’s Research Into Finding Relief Ron served in Vietnam and witnessed many harrowing scenes in his Air Force career, both at home and abroad. Later in life, he found himself in need of a bilateral lung transplant. And while the surgery itself was a success, Ron fell victim to a surprisingly common post-op issue: ICU delirium. Most cases resolve fairly quickly, but for Ron and his memories of war and death, his delirium transformed into a monstrous form of PTSD—reality-shaking nightmares, every night, that lasted for years. 

Ron was ready to give up when he was introduced to an energy healer named Maggie. What happened next is an inspirational story of healing and well-earned peace.

PTSD affects an estimated 13 million Americans and is notoriously hard to treat. Even among those who seek help, dropout rates can be as high as 54%. In an effort to treat this mental health crisis—as well as the incredibly common issue of chronic pain—the US military has participated in research that might at first seem surprising. 

In addition to meeting Ron and Maggie, we'll also hear from Dr. Wayne Jonas, a retired Army physician and former NIH director, who has led numerous studies with the military into alternative treatments like acupuncture and healing touch. Treatments that might seem on the surface to be too "woo woo" for something like the military. 

But there's a pragmatism at work here. The military is only interested in one thing—does it work? And as we'll see in the research, that answer is a resounding yes. 

For the links in this episode visit the website here:


For links and resources related to this episode visit us here

Music composed by Dan Baboulene.

Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science. 

]]> Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:05:00 +0000 info@phenomenahealing.com (Merraki Media LLC) https://phenomena-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/no-one-left-behind-ptsd-healing-touch-and-the-militarys-research-into-finding-relief-sDy07Q59 Ron served in Vietnam and witnessed many harrowing scenes in his Air Force career, both at home and abroad. Later in life, he found himself in need of a bilateral lung transplant. And while the surgery itself was a success, Ron fell victim to a surprisingly common post-op issue: ICU delirium. Most cases resolve fairly quickly, but for Ron and his memories of war and death, his delirium transformed into a monstrous form of PTSD—reality-shaking nightmares, every night, that lasted for years. 

Ron was ready to give up when he was introduced to an energy healer named Maggie. What happened next is an inspirational story of healing and well-earned peace.

PTSD affects an estimated 13 million Americans and is notoriously hard to treat. Even among those who seek help, dropout rates can be as high as 54%. In an effort to treat this mental health crisis—as well as the incredibly common issue of chronic pain—the US military has participated in research that might at first seem surprising. 

In addition to meeting Ron and Maggie, we'll also hear from Dr. Wayne Jonas, a retired Army physician and former NIH director, who has led numerous studies with the military into alternative treatments like acupuncture and healing touch. Treatments that might seem on the surface to be too "woo woo" for something like the military. 

But there's a pragmatism at work here. The military is only interested in one thing—does it work? And as we'll see in the research, that answer is a resounding yes. 

For the links in this episode visit the website here:


For links and resources related to this episode visit us here

Music composed by Dan Baboulene.

Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science. 

]]> No One Left Behind | PTSD, Healing Touch, and the Military’s Research Into Finding Relief Merraki Media LLC 01:01:16 What happens when traditional medicine leaves veterans behind? In this episode of Phenomena, host Ivy Ross dives into the intersection of PTSD, military research, and energy healing. We share the moving story of Ron, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran who spent seven years battling debilitating trauma following ICU delirium—until a single session with intuitive healer Maggie McIlvaine changed everything. What happens when traditional medicine leaves veterans behind? In this episode of Phenomena, host Ivy Ross dives into the intersection of PTSD, military research, and energy healing. We share the moving story of Ron, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran who spent seven years battling debilitating trauma following ICU delirium—until a single session with intuitive healer Maggie McIlvaine changed everything. ptsd, energy healing, reiki, biofield, healing, health and wellness, #energy healing false full 4 1 051d13bc-2580-4e2d-9e66-e4ddc8c9feec Healing as a Way of Life | Qigong, Meridians, and the Science of Qi at Harvard For thousands of years, healers across cultures have described a life force that flows through the body — invisible, intelligent, and fundamental to health. In Chinese medicine, it's called Qi. And for centuries, western science has had no idea what to do with it.

Now, that might be changing.

At Harvard, researchers are finding physical evidence for something practitioners have mapped for millennia: pathways in the body that carry Qi called meridians. When scientists injected fluorescent dye at a specific acupuncture point on the wrist, it traveled up the arm through no known vessel — vein, artery, or lymphatic — and emerged exactly where ancient tradition said it would. The meridians, it turns out, may not be a metaphor.

But understanding what Qi is might matter less than understanding what you can do with it. Anne Hering has practiced Qigong every day for decades — not as a treatment for a specific condition, but as what traditional Chinese medicine calls yang sheng: the art of nourishing life. The chronic pain she was told she'd carry forever is gone. And she'll tell you the most important thing she learned wasn't a technique. It was that the body already knows how to heal — if you give it the right conditions.

Two Harvard scientists and a Qigong teacher in the Netherlands arrived at almost exactly the same definition of Qi — from completely different directions. What they converged on might change how you think about your own health.

Music composed by Dan Baboulene.

Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science. 

]]> Tue, 9 Jun 2026 04:05:00 +0000 info@phenomenahealing.com (Merraki Media LLC) https://www.phenomenahealing.com/phenomena-podcast-episode-three-healing-as-a-way-of-life For thousands of years, healers across cultures have described a life force that flows through the body — invisible, intelligent, and fundamental to health. In Chinese medicine, it's called Qi. And for centuries, western science has had no idea what to do with it.

Now, that might be changing.

At Harvard, researchers are finding physical evidence for something practitioners have mapped for millennia: pathways in the body that carry Qi called meridians. When scientists injected fluorescent dye at a specific acupuncture point on the wrist, it traveled up the arm through no known vessel — vein, artery, or lymphatic — and emerged exactly where ancient tradition said it would. The meridians, it turns out, may not be a metaphor.

But understanding what Qi is might matter less than understanding what you can do with it. Anne Hering has practiced Qigong every day for decades — not as a treatment for a specific condition, but as what traditional Chinese medicine calls yang sheng: the art of nourishing life. The chronic pain she was told she'd carry forever is gone. And she'll tell you the most important thing she learned wasn't a technique. It was that the body already knows how to heal — if you give it the right conditions.

Two Harvard scientists and a Qigong teacher in the Netherlands arrived at almost exactly the same definition of Qi — from completely different directions. What they converged on might change how you think about your own health.

Music composed by Dan Baboulene.

Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science. 

]]> Healing as a Way of Life | Qigong, Meridians, and the Science of Qi at Harvard Merraki Media LLC 00:43:07 What if healing isn't something that happens to you — but something you're always doing for yourself? That question sits at the heart of Qigong, and this episode. Anne Hering has practiced every day for over twenty-five years. Her doctor told her at 22 she'd spend the rest of her life in pain. But he was wrong, and she'll tell you it wasn't a treatment that changed things. It was a practice. At Harvard, researchers Andrew Ahn and Peter Wayne have spent years trying to understand what Qi actually is — and whether the body's energy pathways, called meridians, have any physical basis. When Dr. Ahn injected fluorescent dye at an acupuncture point on the wrist, it traveled up the arm through no known vessel and arrived exactly where the ancient maps said it would. Two Harvard scientists and a Qigong teacher in the Netherlands arrived at nearly the same definition of Qi from completely different directions. What they found might change how you think about your own health. What if healing isn't something that happens to you — but something you're always doing for yourself? That question sits at the heart of Qigong, and this episode. Anne Hering has practiced every day for over twenty-five years. Her doctor told her at 22 she'd spend the rest of her life in pain. But he was wrong, and she'll tell you it wasn't a treatment that changed things. It was a practice. At Harvard, researchers Andrew Ahn and Peter Wayne have spent years trying to understand what Qi actually is — and whether the body's energy pathways, called meridians, have any physical basis. When Dr. Ahn injected fluorescent dye at an acupuncture point on the wrist, it traveled up the arm through no known vessel and arrived exactly where the ancient maps said it would. Two Harvard scientists and a Qigong teacher in the Netherlands arrived at nearly the same definition of Qi from completely different directions. What they found might change how you think about your own health. reiki, science, biofield, alterative medicine, health and wellness, #energy healing false full 3 1 756cb51c-33ad-48d5-8ec6-d2e598db7cc6 Reiki versus Fakey | A Clinical Trial on Chronic Pain with Harvard and the University of Utah

Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science. 

]]> Tue, 26 May 2026 05:05:00 +0000 info@phenomenahealing.com (Merraki Media LLC) https://phenomena-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/reiki-versus-fakey-a-clinical-trial-on-chronic-pain-with-harvard-and-the-university-of-utah-pmc1jKLc

Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science. 

]]> Reiki versus Fakey | A Clinical Trial on Chronic Pain with Harvard and the University of Utah Merraki Media LLC 00:39:46 Rick Axelson spent his career teaching research methods at medical colleges. He also spent decades suffering from debilitating migraines that even his team at the Mayo Clinic couldn't resolve. Then he tried one session of Reiki with a practitioner named Natalie Dyer. Forty-five minutes. And his migraines have never come back. That story on its own might be easy for some to dismiss. But new research from the University of Utah and Harvard—the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted—sheds new light on the possibilities of Reiki for chronic pain. What they found in patients with chronic knee pain matched the effectiveness of treatments medicine already accepts, like opioids. Lead researcher Dr. Adam Hanley puts it simply: he didn't expect to see anything. Now he's scrambling to understand what happened. And there's one more thing about Natalie Dyer that changes this story in a way that is fascinating. She’s not just a healer, she’s also a neuroscientist. Produced by Sounds True Studios. Music composed by Dan Baboulene. Rick Axelson spent his career teaching research methods at medical colleges. He also spent decades suffering from debilitating migraines that even his team at the Mayo Clinic couldn't resolve. Then he tried one session of Reiki with a practitioner named Natalie Dyer. Forty-five minutes. And his migraines have never come back. That story on its own might be easy for some to dismiss. But new research from the University of Utah and Harvard—the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted—sheds new light on the possibilities of Reiki for chronic pain. What they found in patients with chronic knee pain matched the effectiveness of treatments medicine already accepts, like opioids. Lead researcher Dr. Adam Hanley puts it simply: he didn't expect to see anything. Now he's scrambling to understand what happened. And there's one more thing about Natalie Dyer that changes this story in a way that is fascinating. She’s not just a healer, she’s also a neuroscientist. Produced by Sounds True Studios. Music composed by Dan Baboulene. #science, reiki, alterative medicine, health and wellness, chronic pain, #energy healing false full 2 1 d43abc64-73ce-4673-a3ba-13088ee7c35e The Healer in the Lab: Studying Energy Healing and Cancer at MD Anderson Original Airing: 5/12/2026

Produced by Sounds True Studios.

Music composed by Dan Baboulene.

Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science. 

]]> Tue, 12 May 2026 04:05:00 +0000 info@phenomenahealing.com (Merraki Media LLC) https://phenomena-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/the-healer-in-the-lab-studying-energy-healing-and-cancer-at-md-anderson-T6qdirNH Original Airing: 5/12/2026

Produced by Sounds True Studios.

Music composed by Dan Baboulene.

Be sure to visit us at https://www.phenomenahealing.com to find out the latest in biofield science. 

]]> The Healer in the Lab: Studying Energy Healing and Cancer at MD Anderson Merraki Media LLC 00:48:54 In Episode 1, we explore the work at MD Anderson Cancer Center—one of the largest and most respected cancer research institutions in the world—where something remarkable is happening in the laboratory. Scientists are bringing energy healers into controlled experiments to measure what happens to pancreatic cancer cells when a biofield therapist (another term for energy healer) goes to work. What they’re finding is measurable, repeatable, and difficult to explain: biofield therapy slows the ability of cancer to spread. Not in one study. In multiple, with multiple healers, multiple cell lines, and rigorous controls. In Episode 1, we explore the work at MD Anderson Cancer Center—one of the largest and most respected cancer research institutions in the world—where something remarkable is happening in the laboratory. Scientists are bringing energy healers into controlled experiments to measure what happens to pancreatic cancer cells when a biofield therapist (another term for energy healer) goes to work. What they’re finding is measurable, repeatable, and difficult to explain: biofield therapy slows the ability of cancer to spread. Not in one study. In multiple, with multiple healers, multiple cell lines, and rigorous controls. reiki, cancer cures, biofield, alterative medicine, #phenomena false full 1 1 d59cc9c8-b05f-4b25-9906-08f7df707e73 Phenomena: The Science & Stories of Energy Healing Sun, 26 Apr 2026 11:37:23 +0000 info@phenomenahealing.com (Ivy Ross, Meredith Sprengel) https://phenomena-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/trailer-ghCN65HK Phenomena: The Science & Stories of Energy Healing Ivy Ross, Meredith Sprengel 00:01:38 Phenomena: The Science & Stories of Energy Healing is a documentary-style podcast series, hosted by artist and business innovator Ivy Ross, that investigates this and other quietly urgent questions at the intersection of modern medicine and ancient healing. Join Ivy as she shares the latest research findings and the incredible, inspirational stories of energy healers and those who have found relief with them from conditions ranging from chronic pain, PTSD, even cancer. Together, we’ll explore answers to questions like what is energy healing? How does it work? And how do we separate hard facts from hopeful fictions? Because if the answers are what the research suggests, the next frontier of medicine may turn out to be something we've known in our bodies all along. Phenomena: The Science & Stories of Energy Healing is a documentary-style podcast series, hosted by artist and business innovator Ivy Ross, that investigates this and other quietly urgent questions at the intersection of modern medicine and ancient healing. Join Ivy as she shares the latest research findings and the incredible, inspirational stories of energy healers and those who have found relief with them from conditions ranging from chronic pain, PTSD, even cancer. Together, we’ll explore answers to questions like what is energy healing? How does it work? And how do we separate hard facts from hopeful fictions? Because if the answers are what the research suggests, the next frontier of medicine may turn out to be something we've known in our bodies all along. reiki, biofield, #phenomena, #energy healing false trailer 1