First of all, I would like to recommend JediKnight G's excellent lecture on Force Healing in the Light side lecture hall. While these two lectures are of the same subject, I anticipate they will be very different, as this lecture will go into the actual art and science of healing. My thanks to JediKnight G for posting his views.
Force (or energy) healing has been around for millennia. The actual practice varies, however, and it goes by many names: Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, light work, etc. for the purposes of this lecture, it will be referred to as energy or force healing.
One of the most important (and sometimes shocking) things to realize about healing is that it is more of a skill to be learned than a gift. True, it helps to have a natural aptitude towards the force. But like a musical instrument, some are born with the ability and others learn it - either way, music is played.
To understand healing and how it works, looking to science can provide some much needed insight. The energy field or aura that surrounds the body has been scientifically proven, modern technology now allows us to photograph it, read it and measure it. This energy, at its base atomic level, vibrates at different rates. Heat up the molecules, they begin to move faster and the matter expands - cool them down and they return to their original speed and size. The atomic vibrational level of the energy of an inanimate object vibrates at a much lower level than a living being. They are made up of the same base molecules (as is the entire universe), but because of the different vibrational rates - one breaths and the other doesn't. It is these varying vibrational rates that is the key to force healing.
The first step in healing is to understand how the force flows through the body. The Kundalini line (from the Hindu tradition) is probably the strongest current in the body - it flows between the top (or crown) of the head, down the spine to its base. From there, it branches out through the hands and feet - working to ground the individual and connecting them to the living force of the earth. It is this strong out pouring at the hands that is most commonly used with force healing.
The actual act of healing is fairly simple. Placing the hands one to three inches above or directly on the body - this puts the "healer" in direct contact with that person's prana or life force energy. As the force flows through the healer's hands and into the other person, on an energy/atomic level that person's living force is being raised to a higher vibrational level. It is at this new level that the actual healing takes place. As more energy is drawn into the hurt area and the energy level raised, the body will begin to heal itself.
At this point it is very important to note that the healer is acting as a conduit for the universal living force. Ironically, is *not* the healer that is actually doing the healing - instead, they are merely allowing the force to flow through them to the other person. It is not the energy that physically makes up the healer that is being given, but rather, it is the energy of the entire cosmos. If the healer "wills" the energy flow too much or is too intent - simply by the natural flow of how our energy works, the healer will be incorrectly using their own energy. This can leave them feeling drained, tired or in a bad mood - their energy has been given away and there is little left. It is interesting to note that some Light Jedi (due to their protective and generous nature) could possibly have a problem here, naturally giving their energy to those in need. While Shadow Jedi, because of their natural balance with the force, might have an easier time. But for everyone, this area of healing develops in time - the novice healer will sometimes walk away with a head ache from an incorrect healing session while a master could easily carry on a conversation with another person, watch tv, listen to music or read. For in reality, proper healing requires only a small amount of intention -- remember, the healer is only a conduit for the universal force. So, in placing the hands in the correct position (fingers closed and together, just above or directly on the body), the healer simply lets the energy flow out of their palms to the other person. Again, little thought is needed, this is simply happens naturally on an energy level.
With practice, and this goes for any type of use of the force, the Jedi will begin to physically feel the force flowing through and around them. To give those who haven't experienced this (yet) a good idea of this sensation: place your palms together and slowly spread them apart to no more than 2-3 inches. Concentrate on sensing the energy flow between your palms - if at first you feel nothing, close the distance between your hands. Slowly, you will begin to sense an almost magnetic feeling between them - experiment with this. How far can you hold your hands apart before you can no longer feel it? Is it stronger at some distances than at others? Can you feel the energy move? Knowing and recognizing this part of working within the force is a very important beneficial step.
This form of healing can be used for most anything - people or animals with physical or psychic wounds, yourself (*very* beneficial), plants, even machinery! The possibilities are endless and I've only given you a very small portion in this lecture. As with most serious arts, learning advanced healing is not something you can learn over the internet or from books. What you've read today is very basic and can be practiced (correctly, of course) by anyone. If anyone is interested in formal healing training, please feel free to contact me - there are books that are very helpful that can get you started and there are ways of finding masters in your area. I'd be happy to give recommendations for any of these.