[wstein]

To oversimplify, hot hands come from lots of energy flowing through them. Most forms of energy healing rely on flowing energy (chi) from healer to those in need.

The most basic forms just put energy in the other persons body and relies on the receiver's energy body to send it where needed. One short coming of this method is that energy blocks can prevent the energy from going where needed.

More sophisticated forms try to put the energy as close as possible to the troubled area to make sure it gets used where intended. This is utilized in Chinese medicine where energy is inserted into a specific meridians.

There are also forms of energy healing and energy work that rely on energy fields. These require more technique but use far less energy. Because of the reduced energy use, in these forms the hands rarely get hot. These forms of energy work are far more effective at connecting and realigning.