ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture is the most known branch of Chinese Medicine, a holistic healthcare system that has been continuously practiced and developed for over 3000 years. What makes it so unique and beautiful is that it observes a human being as an indivisible whole and therefore our physical, mental and emotional aspects as interdependent. It doesn’t recognise the principle of “one fit for all” treatments as each person is unique. Though two persons’ health complaints might be very similar, their root cause can be entirely different thus requiring a different approach to healing.
In practice, acupuncture uses the energetics of the body connected by a subtle network known as meridians or channels and points located along those meridians. These points are stimulated by very fine needles to restore balance and stimulate the healing potential of the body. In other words, acupuncture promotes the flow of our life force known as Qi and blood throughout the body. From a western medical point of view, clinical studies demonstrate direct effects of acupuncture on the central nervous system. These include spinal reflex effects, where acupuncture stimulates muscle relaxation and changes in visceral organs. In the brain, acupuncture has been shown to change functional connectivity, decreasing activity in limbic structures associated with stress and illness while improving the regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, the primary system that the body uses for regulating hormones and the physiological stress response. Additionally, acupuncture modulates parasympathetic activity, the branch of the nervous system associated with rest, relaxation, digestion and tissue healing
VOCAL SOUND HEALING
“Each celestial body, in fact each and every atom, produces a particular sound on account of its movement, its rhythm or vibration.” - Pythagoras
Everything in our Universe is based on vibration of energy. Any type of energy has a particular vibrational frequency subtle as sound or condensed as matter. The human body is no different. We are a great network of frequency vibrations from our cells and tissues to our surrounding bio-energetic field. These frequencies can fluctuate from harmonious when our health is balanced to disharmonious when disease develops.
Sounds, chanting and singing have been used for centuries by our ancestors for healing, spiritual journeys, ceremonies and celebrations. When consciously applied as a resonant therapeutic instrument, the human voice has the capacity to rebalance the fine healing energies and restore harmony of body, mind and spirit. Healing sounds also activate our parasympathetic nervous system (rest &digest) and thus bringing the body into a state of deep relaxation. In this particular form of vocal sound healing, there are two methods I use.
Body sound scanning is a method where I use specific sounds to scan a client’s physical body and energy fields (chakras) to detect imbalances and then look for resonant sounds to induce healing. This method is equally applicable for physical complaints as well for someone looking for a more subtle spiritual journey into their being.
Regressive cell singing or Singing yourself free is a method where the client takes active role in the session. It is suited more for mental-emotional struggles, deeply rooted unresolved emotions, negative self-believes etc. I carefully lay out each step of the process, teach a specific breathing technique and sound which we practice together first, and when they feel ready, we step into the practice together. Depending on the issue addressed, this method may be repeated over several sessions according to the client’s ability.
Tui Na
Tui Na (pronounced Twee Nah) is a form of therapeutic massage. It is one of the four main treatment modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) besides acupuncture, herbal remedies and Qigong.
Tui Na has been used in China for over 5000 years, making it one the oldest forms of bodywork from which many types of massage therapies were developed. Tui Na means push and grasp in Chinese. Being a part of TCM, it applies the same diagnostic principles as acupuncture. This is essential knowledge needed to formulate an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan and most often a qualified Tui Na practitioner will be a qualified acupuncturist too.
In a Tui Na treatment, clients are usually asked to wear comfortable clothing as the treatment is mostly performed over a sheet covering either the entire body or just the areas treated. If ancillary therapies such as cupping, guasha or moxibustion are applied as well, the client might be asked to expose that area of their body. Depending on the condition treated and the desired effect, Tui Na can be as vigorous or gentle as needed, making it suitable for a wide range of complaints. It can be applied in combination with acupuncture, as a standalone treatment or as a substitute for people fearful of needles. It can equally be applied as a soothing and relaxing general wellbeing treatment.
When people think of any form of bodywork, they mostly think that only musculo-skeletal conditions are treated this way; however, Tui Na is equally applicable and effective for many internal conditions such as digestive disorders, gynaecological disorders, headaches, anxiety, PTSD etc.