Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body’s natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body’s life force to aid healing. Acupuncture uses the same points but employs needles, while acupressure uses gentle, firm pressure. Using the power and sensitivity of the human hand, acupressure is safe to do on yourself and others.
Acupuncture is a form of health maintenance which stimulates the body’s ability to correct and balance itself. Developed in China almost 6,000 years ago, it is based on the theory that the qi or chi life-force is channeled in its continuous flow throughout the body by a network of meridians. Disease is understood as an imbalanced meridian system. Hair-thin needles, usually disposable, are inserted at specific points along the meridians to stimulate or disperse the flow of life-force in order to correct the imbalance.
Aikido is a Japanese martial art whose principle of truly “winning” is to win over ourselves, achieving our own union of body, mind and spirit. It does not seek to match strengths by resisting attack, but rather to blend with the other’s movements and join with the other’s forces. Aikido develops flexibility, balance and strength through qi, the universal life force or essence.
Alexander Technique, created by F. Matthias Alexander, teaches how to restore the natural balance and coordination of the body. The teacher assists the student in recognizing holding patterns that get in the way of freedom of movement, learning how to let go of them, and discovering how to be at ease in the body. The technique has proven effective when applied to musculo-sketetal and stress-related conditions and is used extensively by actors, musicians, dancers and athletes. The way you use your body affects your breathing, circulation, digestion, mental attitudes and emotional equilibrium. The benefits include a freeing of the whole body, thereby reducing pain and stress, and increasing comfort and poise.
Allopathy, from the Greek roots meaning other and disease, is the treatment of disease by creating conditions that are opposite or hostile to the conditions resulting from the disease itself. Drugs and surgery are allopathic treatments. The term is sometimes used to refer to conventional Western medicine to contrast it with alternative therapies, particularly homeopathy, which is based on like curing like.
Amma Therapy is a system of bodywork therapy that uses traditional oriental medical principles for assessing and evaluating imbalances in the energetic system. It aims to restore, promote and maintain optimum health through the treatment of the physical body, bio-energy and emotions. It is used for a wide range of conditions.
Applied Kinesiology is a form of chiropractic treatment developed by Dr. George Goodheart, a physician who determined that muscles, beyond their obvious function as bone-supporters, are universally related to specific organs. By identifying and treating weakened muscles, applied kinesiology addresses problems in corresponding organs and glands, and vice versa. Treatment techniques include deep massage, realignment, goading pressure on bone and muscle attachment points to strengthen the muscles involved and restore health. Applied kinesiology takes the whole person into consideration when determining treatment, examining diet and lifestyle as well as specific complaints and medical histories.
Aromatherapy is an ancient healing art currently growing in popularity that uses essential oils extracted from herbs and flowers whcih have been revived and verified by scientific research. Each oil, or combination of oils, applied to the skin or through inhalation, addresses a specific emotional disorder, organ dysfunction, skin problem, etc. Aromatherapy also includes principles of massage, diet, and an understanding of the psychological factors of illness
Art Therapy is a combination of nonverbal and verbal therapy which encourages self- growth and greater integration through the use of simple art techniques. The creating of art becomes a bridge between the conscious and unconscious minds. The art psychotherapist guides the self-learning experience through gentle probing and leading questions during and after the art creation. Art therapy may invite and “inner child” to come forth, promote relaxation, become and outlet for stress, anxiety and anger and become a process for greater self-expression.
Astrology uses a birth chart as a map of the positions of the planets, relative to the location and moment of birth. The interpretation of the chart incorporates the relationships between the planets and the signs of the zodiac, the area of the chart in which they fall, and other symbolic indicators to examine the different levels of emotional and spiritual understanding of the individual. An astrological consultation helps a person explore deeper individual potential and meaning, to see how seemingly disparate aspects of the personality may be integrated, to understand the flow of the life cycles and to find ways to draw the greatest fulfillment from the energies reflected in the chart.
Ayurveda is a holistic science from India more than 5,000 years old. “Ayur” means life and “Ved” means knowledge. Ayurveda is the knowledge of longevity which offers healing, rejuvenation, and self-realization therapies through herbs, diet, exercise, yoga, massage, aromas, tantras, mantras and meditation. According to Ayurvedic traditions, health is the balance of elements air, earth, fire and water, and illness is an excess of an element. Three basic body types – thin (Vata), muscular (Pitta), and fat (Kapha) have great influence on a person’s health and wellness, as do genetic, congenital, seasonal and electrical factors. Often diagnosing by checking the pulse and areas of the tongue correlated with specific organs, Ayurvedic practitioners treat illness at its source, rather than at the level of symptoms, believing that and individual can take responsibility for health.
Bach Flower Remedies are 38 plant and flower based remedies, specially devised to treat a different feeling. The original flower remedies, made according to the exact traditions of Dr. Edward Bach, work to stimulate the body’s own capacity to heal itself, by balancing negative feelings, helping one to take control, feel good about oneself and get more out of life. The Bach Flower Remedies are unique, simple to use and available form all major pharmacies and health food stores.
Bioacoustics is the study of frequencies produced by all living things. A holographic representation of the body may be obtained through a voice print. Systems in the body, as well as muscles, bio-chemicals, pathogens, toxins and infections have corresponding frequencies. A spectral analysis of an individual’s voice print can detect what areas are in stress. Bioacoustics practitioners offer sound based therapies for the enhancement of hearing, speech, learning, language and overall well being.
Bioenergetics is a method of studying and understanding the human personality in terms of the body and its energetic processes. In Bioenergetics theory, it is believed that the body and the mind are functionally identical. What happens in the mind reflects what is happening in the body and vice versa. It is a therapeutic technique that utilizes many bodywork methods and exercises to help an individual become aware of tensions in the body and release them through appropriate movement. Bioenergetics also involves verbal exploration of emotional conflicts and their relationship to an individual’s personal history.
Biofeedback uses non-invasive, simple electronic monitoring to observe the body’s functions and provide information useful to the healing processes, especially with stress. Biofeedback instruments record continuous information about subtle changes in physiological stress responses, such as muscle tension, hand temperature, respiration or heart rate. Using this information, guided relaxation techniques allow awareness and then teach methods to control the particular body reactions underlying symptoms. Treatments may address anxiety, asthma, chronic pain, menstrual pain, hypertension, insomnia, migraine headaches, muscle spasms and other stress-related disorders.
Breath Work in its simplest form uses consciously directed breathing techniques for physical, mental or spiritual health. For example, calm, methodical breathing is used for relaxation, and forceful breathing for emotional release. Many forms of Breath work currently practiced include Rebirthing, Holotropic Breathwork, Essential Breathing, Middledorf, Vivation and Optimal Breathing.
Chakras is a word derived from the Sanskrit word meaning wheel. It is used here to describe the seven major centers of energy in the body. These centers correspond to various parts of the physical, spiritual, mental and etheric body. There are also correspondences as to location, body parts, glands, senses, mental states, spiritual and psychological functions and malfunctions, etc. Illness is seen as an imbalance in the chakras, blocking energy flow. The more blocked or imbalanced, the more serious the illness. Likewise, balance in the chakras is manifested by a state of well-being and health.
Channeling transmits information or energy from sources beyond the physical plane. Normally, these sources are depicted as spiritual. They may be identified as angels, hierarchical Masters, guides, extraterrestrials, teachers, previous earth-incarnates, or even energies and expanded aspects of the channeler’s own being. Material may be transmitted during trance, unconsciousness or partial consciousness. The content may be spoken, written, or non-verbal and can be informative and inspiring.
Chelation is a medical treatment to improve metabolic and circulatory function by removing toxic metals and abnormally located ions from the body by intravenously administering the synthetic amino acid, EDTA. Once in the bloodstream, EDTA blocks excess free radical production, protecting the tissues and organs from further damage and also binds to toxic metals such as lead, copper and iron in the blood which are later flushed from the kidneys. In contrast to surgical and other medical modalities, chelation therapy injections, over time, may halt underlying conditions which eventually trigger degenerative conditions such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, arthritis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases and cancer.
Chinese Medicine, developed more than 3,000 years ago, is a holistic perspective on health and illness which treats the relationship of a symptom to the person as a whole. Basic foundations of oriental medical analysis, interpretation and treatment include factors of environment, behavior, emotional state, stages of life and season. Chinese medicine includes the Yin-Yang theory of balance, a “Five Phase” theory coordinating organs within categories of fire, earth, metal, water and wood; the concept of qi, a vital life energy flowing throughout the body along meridian pathways; acupuncture and acupressure; herbs and nutrition. Great emphasis is placed on preventive techniques.
Chiropractic Care utilizes forceful and/or gentle touch and movement techniques to correct spinal and nerve interferences. Misalignments, or subluxations of the vertebral column, often put pressure on the spinal cord nerve tissues, interfering with the nerves ability to conduct impulses to other tissues and organs, thus directly affecting one’s overall health. Chiropractors help maintain the natural alignment of the body so that it can function at optimal capacity, and have been effective in treating back problems, headaches and other injuries and traumas. Other methods of chiropractic care include Applied Kinesiology and Network Spinal Analysis.
Colonics-Colon Health Care is an internal bath used to wash away old toxic waste accumulated along the walls of the colon. Colon hydrotherapy is the safe, gentle infusion of purified water into the colon. By introducing temperature-regulated water into the colon, the waste is softened and loosened, resulting in evacuation through the muscular action of the large intestine. One colonic irrigation is the equivalent of approximately four to six enemas. Colonics are recommended for ailments such as constipation, psoriasis, acne, allergies, headaches and are used for general health balance.
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is the evaluation of the rhythm of the craniosacral system, which surrounds the brain and the spinal cord and creates a rhythm in the body that is communicated throughout the entire body, all the way to the extremities. By using this rhythm for evaluation, the practitioner is able to tune in to the cause of the problem, rather than chase symptoms. CST is a system of evaluation and treatment viewing the individual as an integrated totality and utilizes gentle, noninvasive techniques. As a result, the application of CST helps enhance the body’s innate healing abilities. CST may be helpful for many conditions, including chronic pain, headaches, CFS, fibromyalgia, postural problems and more.
Crystal Healing is the art of laying crystal stones to cleanse the aura, release suppressed emotions and connect the individual to their own source of truth. Crystals, which vibrate at nature’s prime level, when placed on the corresponding physical energy center called a chakra, bring the vibrational level up to, or back down, to its prime level. The stones become crystalized light forms that, when placed on the chakras, act as a catalyst to integrate more light and energy into the energies of the human aura, which dissolves and dissipates suppressed emotions and neutralizes negative energy. As the aura is infused with light and color from the stones, the individual may experience altered states of awareness, offering the opportunity to utilize the stone’s energy for conscious creative purposes. The purpose and intention of crystal healings is to assist persons to neutralize, balance and align their physical, mental and emotional bodies so they can tap their own inner resource of power and healing.
