Is energy healing a form of witchcraft?

Answer:

One definition of energy healing is "A form of complementary and alternative medicine based on the belief that a vital energy flows through the human body. The goal of energy healing is to balance the energy flow in the patient. It is used to reduce stress and anxiety and promote well-being" ["Energy Healing," Dictionary of Cancer Terms, National Cancer Institute].

According to the CDC, "stress is a culprit in many conditions, including nightmares and sleeping problems, worsening physical and mental conditions, body pain, skin rashes, stomach problems, and increased use of alcohol and other drugs" ["Coping with Stress," Mental Health, CDC, 25 April 2023].

Because of the trust and expectations of the person being treated, various techniques promoted as alternative medicine result in the person relaxing. The National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health states: "There’s no scientific evidence supporting the existence of the energy field thought to play a role in Reiki." ["Reiki," NCCIH, December 2018]. Reiki is one form of energy healing. Thus, we start out with a dilemma. The very thing that claimed to be manipulated and healed is even provable to exist. However, it does promote relaxation and this leads to better health ... sometimes. "Reiki hasn’t been clearly shown to be effective for any health-related purpose. It has been studied for a variety of conditions, including pain, anxiety, and depression, but most of the research has not been of high quality, and the results have been inconsistent" ["Reiki," NCCIH, December 2018].

This puts it on the level of witchcraft. People believe they have power, but that power cannot be measured or proven. It depends on people believing that it has power over their lives. It is good that it can cause people to relax but the practitioners don't have any special abilities.