Subtle energies & healing. A dialogue with Rupert Sheldrake & Mark Vernon

Psychotherapies that work, though with no agreement about how they work, are becoming mainstream. For example, EMDR is widely used in the treatment of trauma. So what can be said about their efficacy and what, if anything, do they have to do with subtle energies, morphic resonance, quantum phenomena or even the soul?
In this episode of the Sheldrake-Vernon dialogues, I ask Rupert how his theory of morphogenetic fields might relate to various types of therapy and healing. We consider how certain explanations can appear “hand wavy” and how to be more discerning when discussing these things.
It turns out that there is good evidence that a variety of such therapies work, but how they work is not understood. So arguably it is better to avoid pseudo-scientific explanations and let the treatments, and their efficacy, speak for themselves.
The many previous discussions between myself and Rupert Sheldrake can be found on youtube, streamed, Spotify, iHeartRadio, as a playlist on SoundCloud, on iTunes and on our websites in MP4 and MP3 formats.
www.sheldrake.org
www.markvernon.com

[@momsazombie1]

Thank you for this delve into some fascinating topics.

[@greenstair]

Thank you for this fascinating discussion. (I expect it's quite strange for you to receive feedback, sometimes years after recording an episode, but thank you).

[@leucocephala]

Interesting take on tapping - I have been using it to relieve trauma reactions and stress - and I have major differences between the sensations on the left and right sides of my body. I switch from side to side on the tapping without thinking too deeply about it, but now I am curious. I'll pay attention a bit more to that. I also do yoga nidra but I push my awareness to both sides of the body at once (e.g. both thumbs, both index fingers etc.) and I find it more relaxing that way, though it seems like traditionally people do it one side and then the other.