Acupressure
From Wiki4CAM
Acupressure (a blend of "acupuncture" and "pressure") is a type of Chinese medicine that uses direct stimulation by a therapist’s fingertips, knuckles, or hands or from blunt-tipped instruments to stimulate specific points on energetic meridians and points on a patient’s body. [1]
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Origin and Concept
It is an ancient healing art developed in Asia over 5,000 years ago, using 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 energy to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points and meridians, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses gentle but firm pressure and integrates bodywork therapies, therapeutic touch, somatic work, healing imagery, energy psychology, and massage therapy techniques.
Advantages
Advantages of using acupressure include relieving pain, balancing the body, and maintaining good health. Acupressure's healing touch reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure therapy strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness.
Energy Work
The most potent form of energy work uses acupressure points. Energy (know as Chi or Qi) flows most freely when you touch, press, or hold the acupressure points in bodywork. These healing pressure points are the gateways to the body's life energy force, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This universal energy source is also the basis of traditional Martial Arts self-defense techniques and traditional healing art practices. The flow of this vital healing energy governs blood circulation and the function and balance of the human body. Studying the location and how to touch these acupuncture points is key to transformational energy work, therapeutic touch, and massage therapy.
Reiki channels universal life energy. Channeling Reiki energy into the acupressure points enables a practitioner to tap into Traditional Chinese Medicine’s (TCM) tremendous wealth of ancient healing knowledge – information that’s point specific.
There are many pressure point massage methods, all using the same ancient trigger points. Varying rhythms, pressures, and techniques create different styles of acupressure. Shiatsu, for instance, the most well-known style of acupressure, can be quite vigorous, with firm pressure applied to each point for three to five seconds, while the Jin Shin style of acupressure gently holds at least two points at once for a minute or more.
References
- ↑ Glossary of Natural Healthcare Terms
