*The following is an excerpt from the book “Dreaming of Cupcakes: A Food Addict’s Shamanic Journey into Healing:”

In her book, “Hands of Light: A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field,” Barbara Ann Brennan adds her experience as a NASA research scientist in the area of atmospheric physics as well as her studies with indigenous healers to describe the original five energetic body types (originally pioneered by Wilhelm Reich) and their effect on humans in deeper ways.  I highly recommend her book.  The five body types are energetic armourings that humans choose on the spiritual level of being that will help to protect them in their most vulnerable time: childhood.  Dr. Brennan provides information about each of these body types in handy charts and speaks about how to identify them in depth in her book.

While working as a psychoanalyst in the 1920s, Reich first discovered these body types by studying people who came to work with him.  He noticed visible and categorical patterns between character traits, posture, physiological issues, and even the ways people breathed! Today, the field of quantum physics has scientifically revealed the existence of electromagnetic fields (known as auras in spiritual terms) that surround all living things that shamans have been able to see energetically for a long time.  Indeed, our bodies are made up of atoms that respond to the laws of nature–this is basic physics.  All our thoughts, beliefs, feelings, habits, and actions shape the messages our bodies receive (chemically and energetically) and our bodies respond accordingly. 

Reich noticed how these protective energy patterns (known as ‘body types’) shape our life experiences as well as our bodies.  In shamanic terms, although our spirits choose these armourings consciously, our human selves are often unconscious of them.  Learning about them has helped me to navigate the world with more ease because I began to accept them in order to bring awareness to their natural tendencies.  Now, when I seem to be on autopilot with an issue, it is a clue that my armouring might be at work and I can choose my actions with more awareness.  When I was unconscious of them, they wreaked havoc in my life and I was very reactive, giving knee-jerk comments or taking rash actions to any perceived danger–real or imagined.

Jennifer Engrácio has been a student of shamanism since 2005. Jennifer is a certified teacher who has worked with children in many different education settings since 2001. She is a certified shamanic coach, reiki master, and lomilomi practitioner; in addition, she runs Spiral Dance Shamanics. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, she now lives in Calgary, Canada with her life partner.