Positive Health Online

The discovery – hands on healing

Four years ago, at 53, Burges Stace, a Sussex gardener found by chance that he was able to take away pain from his partner just by placing his hands on the affected area. At first believed to be simply large and warming, these hands were soon feeling the pain complained of, and Burges found that he could readily detect the location of the pain.

Picking up the pain from back and hip

The couple made increasing use of these hands-on sessions, lasting a few minutes. A variety of sensations became usual – Burges would feel tingling, prickling, heat and/or pain, and sometimes movement under the skin. His partner would feel warmth, a dulling of the pain, and a wave of general relaxation: in most cases her internal soreness and discomfort disappeared completely after a maximum of 15 minutes of healing, directly on the skin.

Burges would feel the pain in direct proportion to its lessening in his partner, and would be left with pain at the end of the session, as if it had travelled into himself. This apparently 'absorbed pain' would last for several minutes longer, then dissipate.

Soon a new sensation developed – during the healing itself the 'absorbed pain' began to travel up Burges' wrist and forearm from the hand placed on the painful area. When the pain started to reach his inner elbow Burges felt that it was time to protect himself, and taught himself to will the pain to remain in his hand(s). It was at this point that he and his partner read widely about the nature of healing.

They wanted to learn about its known potential, to understand their experiences of it, and to come to terms with these. The discovery had come about unexpectedly, and Burges had been unnerved by the inexplicable and indefinable phenomena he seemed able to effect. Several books were of particular help, as were two established healers contacted through Positive Health magazine.

Born on the Land – A way with Animals

Burges was born on the Crabbet Park Estate, West Sussex, close to Crawley. Here the first great Arabian horse stud in England was established in the late 1800s, continuing until the 1970s. The area was then very agricultural and Burges grew up, a country boy among the animals, carrying out farm and estate work as he became able, under the orders of his father who was the head stallion man (groom), and general factotum.

One day about twenty-five years ago, a pregnant mare from an adjoining stud farm would not get up on its legs despite much urging. It had been lying down for several hours and the vet and owners were worried for its safety. Burges' father, by then retired, and another groom were called for help but neither were able to attend. Finally Burges was brought to the scene, as he still lived locally.

Burges reached the horse and coaxed and whispered to the mare: she raised herself up readily and remained standing. The son was glad to have his early special rapport with animals confirmed: his father had been well-known for his ability to lead and train animals, and win their co-operation. Had this been inherited?

Somatic healing for friends, family and clients

During his work as a gardener, Burges began to offer complimentary healing for pain relief to his clients, friends and family, when any of these appeared to be suffering. Each person seen reported short and long-term pain relief, and over a two year period it became clear that many of the people seen had experienced unusual healing of their condition after an average of three 'hands on' sessions.

In each case the sufferer was recommended to consult his/her GP, if not already doing so. Most people came to Burges as a last resort, at a psychological low, caused by their chronic ailment/pain, and with fading hopes of any respite or further improvement. See Table 1.

A sort of pattern of healing soon emerged. On the first occasion the sufferer would feel his/her pain either diminish or disappear completely. This was true for acute and chronic conditions, and occurred with both minor and major cases of pain. In some instances the pain gave the person no further obvious distress after the first healing. (See Case Histories)

In the case of a severe, untreated infection the person's immune system appeared to have been given a large boost to clear the problem in very short order, without the need for other medical intervention. (See Case Histories)

With chronic musculo-skeletal lesions, sufferers more typically experienced full, immediate relief which would last for a day to a day and a half. A second healing would be arranged for two or three days after the first: often some symptoms remained or had returned by that time. At this session Burges would often 'pick up' sensations of pain in the same place, but to a lesser degree.

For these 'clients' a third and final healing would then be scheduled at a greater interval of between one to two weeks, to mutual convenience.

Clients would be offered further healings if necessary after the third one. In very few instances was a further session requested. As the clients were all known to Burges he was able to monitor their progress personally afterwards and verify that there had been no significant recurrences of the problems treated. Some clients have returned periodically for a one-off session, when they felt the need.

The profile of a healing session

There is no need for a client to have any belief for the healing to work.

Burges works independently of any school of healing, following his own instincts.

Initially there is a fact finding about the person and condition complained of, including details of medical diagnosis and treatments. Next, the client's expectations of the session are addressed and their possible sensations from the session are explained. The sensations felt can range widely, within any combination of: nothing, heat, tingling, pain (minor or acute), physical and mental relaxation.

Once the client is in a relaxed position, hands are placed on his/her shoulders to accustom the client to the invasion of their private body 'space', and to Burges' touch in particular. The painful area is covered lightly with the hands; then the hands are laid over neighbouring areas, to register the spot projecting the most irritation.

This is not necessarily the part complained about: intuitive feelings, and sometimes sensations similar to buzzing lead Burges to the appropriate area(s). The healing can produce pain in the area reported to be problematic, or it can be in another part of the body. Often the origin of the pain is sensed at the same level, but across the spine from the reported pain.

At the start, the client is asked to communicate any sensations felt during the session and is told that she/he has a choice to continue conversation if they so wish. Burges himself experiences any combination of; heat, tingling, numbness, stiffness, pain (minor and/or acute, static or travelling). He talks through all sensations with the client as they arise.

Some clients like to remain quiet, while others like to talk throughout the healing. Burges usually finishes with a general healing, to realign the person's natural rhythms: he lays hands on at the neck and shoulders, or cervical spine and forehead.

Clients are encouraged to take a few minutes to return to a feeling of normality: they often feel light-headed or sleepy afterwards. Some clients have felt overcome with drowsiness and have remained to have a short sleep. Sometimes a client will nod off during the treatment itself. A feeling of great relaxation and contentment is often reported by the client at the end of the healing.

Psychological/emotional/stress relief

Individuals unburdened themselves spontaneously during healing sessions. In order to respond helpfully Burges studied for and obtained an accredited certificate in counselling skills, which proved very useful. With further study and practice he began to move further into bodywork, in order to offer release from emotional blocks in the mind, and emotional blockages held in the body.

The deep relaxation clients experience during healings appears to be partly a result of the pain relief, but also seems to benefit their psychological state for days or weeks afterward. Many people have reported feeling much less worried and self-obsessed from day to day, and better able to cope.

The combination of healing, counselling and bodywork has proved effective in the following:

* Stress relief from chronic mental health problems
* Relief from acute anxiety/stress symptoms
* Mental/emotional release
* Spiritual/Emotional release through the Chakras

The unknown process

Burges cannot claim understanding of the healing process, and simply considers himself to be a conduit of some type of electro-magnetism, and a catalyst for the clients' own natural healing processes. No control nor acceleration of the healing has proved possible, indeed over-concentration by Burges appears to disturb or arrest it. Nor has he been able to follow up the case histories with the medically recorded physiological changes occurring after the healings.

Once clients are freed of restricting pain, they like to resume their full, normal lives and put their past difficulties behind them. This means that often they like to forget about doctors and healers alike, so the chance for systematic monitoring, documentation and prognosis is unfortunately lost.

'Physician Heal Thyself' is an often heard cry – Burges is able to reduce or remove his own pains if he can easily put his hands on the source. When he broke the little toe of his left foot at work, he removed his boot, held the toe for a few minutes and the pain went and stayed away, in spite of the ensuing swelling. The toe healed well with no further treatment.

Burges can heal others when in pain himself, as long as his body is relaxed. As long as he is infection-free, and has a positive mental attitude, there appears to be no reason to abstain at these times. There have been no reports of any adverse effects from the healings done, and no evidence of any 'exported' pain from Burges to a client.

Bibliography

Vibrational Medicine – New Choices for Healing Ourselves. Richard Gerber, M.D. Bear & Company. Santa Fe, New Mexico. ISBN 0-939680-46-7. 1988
Your Healing Power – A Comprehensive Guide to Channelling Your Healing Energies. Jack Angelo. Piatkus. London. ISBN 0-7499-1326-6 pb. 1994