Integrative Healing Arts is a comprehensive approach to facilitating a lifestyle of moving towards balance. Working together, we utilize shiatsu acupressure massage, healing movement qigong and taiji, nutrition and herbal remedies, and awareness practice to effect beneficial change in quality of life.
Benefits of Integrative Healing Arts therapy:
- Increase vitality and awareness
- Bring the body and mind into balance and watch dis-ease disappear
- Discover new levels of clarity
- Harmonize with life cycles of the seasons
- Learn how the profound philosophies of ancient China can bring increased wisdom into your life
- Optimize bodymind functions
The client guides the course of the sessions, emphasizing various aspects of the IHA modality to suit their intentions and goals:
Shiatsu acupressure massage is a clothed, floor-based acupressure massage practice that utilizes compression, rocking, assisted stretching and joint mobilizations to affect not only muscles, bones, connective tissue, and circulation, but also the energy channels – meridians – of the body from classical Chinese/Taoist medical philosophy. Meridians represent the path that Qi life energy flows through our bodies. Each of the twelve primary meridians travels through the limbs as well as moving deep into the body to enfold specific Organs, for which the meridian is named. In communicating with the meridians on the surface, the giver can contact the deep Organs to help resolve obstructions in Qi flow. In Zen Shiatsu, the giver centers into a meditative state in order to quietly listen to messages from the receiver’s bodymind, harmonizing kyo (deficient) and jitsu (excess), facilitating transformational healing opportunities in the receiver.
Healing movement qigong and taiji are based on the principle that gentle movement with awareness is powerfully restorative. Classical qigong sets (such as the “Eight Section Brocade”) have been in use by Taoist monks and laity for hundreds of years, with demonstrable benefit to the practitioners. These gently mobilize all joints in the body, while emphasizing breathing, meridian stretches, and visualizations to gather, purify, and store vital Qi – life energy – in the body. To cultivate flow and sensitivity, we practice taiji foundations: variations on classical taiji sets that convey the essentials of taiji practice without weeks of memorizing forms. With taiji foundations, beginners can benefit from a taiji practice immediately. Taiji can inform other martial arts practice and makes an excellent “yin” balance to the “yang” of combat-oriented styles.
Nutrition and herbal remedies are at the core of lifestyle transformation, as our diet is a reflection of our relationship with the world. The Integrative Healing Arts view “food as medicine” and “herbs as special foods” to be utilized for gentle – and profound – therapy. We recognize the deep value of transition: radical shifts in diet represent an erratic, “windy” mind, and are viewed as a symptom of our cultural imbalances. As we seek wholeness in our selves, so we seek wholeness in our foods, emphasizing fresh, local, and in-season produce to cultivate a relationship with our place in the ecosystem – and our farmers. While we tend to recommend a plant-based diet, we recognize that many people prefer animal foods, and we focus on the client’s intention optimize her diet – rather than advocate a specific dietary regime.
Awareness practice is the foundation of an integrated lifestyle, and infuses all other elements of the Integrated Healing Arts. Ultimately, we cultivate our own awareness to inform our lifestyle choices; as we develop sensitivity of our internal physical and emotional environment, we are better able to make choices that promote health rather than inhibit it. In Zen Shiatsu, the receiver moves into a meditative state of reception, allowing healing Qi, guided by the giver, to permeate their body, filling deficiencies and resolving stagnancy. Qigong and taiji are moving meditations in which the the practitioner’s awareness becomes infused with their body as the gently cultivate Qi and sensitivity. As we open our perceptions to the flow of Qi around us, we begin to sense the vibrancy of the food we choose, and naturally develop an understanding for harmonious food preparation. The client may choose to integrate a daily seated practice into their lifestyle, for which the Integrated Healing Arts offers tools and guidance.
