Neither am I. The idea of acupuncture makes me shiver with fear – probably not the best reaction when you’re having needles stuck into your flesh.

Emotional freedom technique, sometimes called tapping for health, uses gentle touch to stimulate chi. It involves tapping key points along the meridians in conjunction with other neurologically stimulating actions to free blockages.

Reiki also employs very gentle touch, minimising hands-on manipulation. The practitioner allows energy to flow through the hands to the recipient while placing hands at various points on the body to energise, clear and strengthen chi.

It isn’t even necessary for practitioners to touch specific acupoints in order to restore balance. Reflexology massage accesses the body through specific points on the feet or hands. When the points are stimulated, the resultant flow of energy removes blockages, aids detoxification, improves circulation and digestion, and helps relieve stress.

Reconnective healing is a completely hands-free technique where the practitioner scans the body for energy blocks. With hands held above the patient, the healer sends high frequency waves through the patient’s body to aid the healing process.

So you don’t have to become a pin cushion to get your energy back in balance. I’d love to hear from you if you’ve tried any of these techniques.