Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)® was and is an off shoot of Thought Field Therapy®. It was after Gary Craig trained with Dr. Roger Callaghan, a psychologist, in 1991 that EFT was born. Dr Callaghan had studied acupuncture and kinesiology. Gary was an engineer and was always interested in personal development and self improvement.

Gary started presenting seminars and offering “personal performance coaching.”

After Gary took training in Thought Field Therapy he began using this method on his clients. Over the next five years Gary was trying to simplify the tapping method.

Gary developed and refined the technique over the next five years. Gary released his Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) course in 1995.

It is used to treat the same problems or conditions as TFT such as phobias and fear, weight lose, stopping smoking and many more.

There have been several other therapists who also trained with Dr Callaghan that developed a different style but Gary Craig is the best known. Gary’s method is very simple and is very effective. There is documentary evidence that the success rate is over 80%.

If you want to find out how it works and differs to Though Field Therapy, watch the video and learn the points to tap. Again it is based on the meridian system of the body. The meridian system carries the life force throughout the body.

Thought Field Therapy (TFT) ® was discovered by Dr Roger Callaghan over 30 years ago when he was treating a woman who had a phobia about water.

What the doctor discovered that by using the meridian system of the body, as used in Chinese Traditional medicine, he was actually able to improve people who suffered negative emotions or fears within a very short period of time. As he continued to improve on the method he was using, he found that when using a sequential tapping on the face and the body, he could treat a lot of problems that sometimes seem to engulf people in their everyday life. Sometimes it can be as easy as one treatment however,some people need continued therapy but are eventually cured.

When other therapies were not working, he found that he could often help people lose weight, give up smoking, with phobias, trauma relief, fear of flying, fear of public speaking and so much more.

The tapping is at very specific places and I thought this video demonstration explains it very well. You will be able to understand how you can apply the Thought Field Therapy algorithm or the tapping sequences to improve your own life in many ways. So if you want to rid yourself of a phobia or fear, learn how to do it from this video.

Touch for Health had its beginnings in 1970 when Dr John Thie began using a method to balance the body’s energy.  At this time, there was already a college where Applied Kinesiology was being taught.

Dr. Thie took some of the basic techniques, without all the theoretical components, from Applied Kinesiology. People from all walks can learn Touch for Health.

Touch for Health is a system of balancing posture, your attitude and your life energy. This in turn will relieve stress, calm any aches or pain and in general give you a feeling of clarity and allow you to get on with all the things you have to do in your life.

It is a natural therapy which involves muscle testing. Muscle testing is used to measure stress responses.

Touch for Health works on balancing the non-physical energy, but it does not treat any medical diagnosed disease. Balancing this energy is based on the acupuncture meridians and the five elements of fire,earth,metal,water and wood as found in Traditional Chinese Medicine .

Balancing is done very simply. Touch for Health identifies a “weakness” in a muscle and the muscle is balanced. Some muscles have knots while the opposing muscle will then become weak. When the weak muscle is balance, it will allow the knotted muscle to return to normal.

We are all aware when we suffer muscle pain and want a way to relieve it.  You may want to try Touch for Health for yourself because it is non invasive and you can gain relief. I would suggest that if you are thinking of trying it, make sure that the therapist you chose is a registered practitioner.

Reiki works on a subtle level where, when the practitioner lays their hands on or slightly above their client, this will open up channels of healing or the various charkas and this healing travels throughout the body’s energy fields. This is a similar therapy to Pranic Healing. Both of these forms of healing use Universal energy. This again is another use of a powerful breathing system.

Reiki is made up of two Japanese words –Rei which can be translated as “the Wisdom of God or the Higher Power” and Ki which means “Life Force Energy”

Reiki is a natural energy therapy that was developed and practiced by the Tibetan Monks over 2500 years ago. What is remarkable about Reiki is that it can be passed on to anyone who wants to learn it. It is thought of as a practice that is used for healing the body but it also heals the mind and spirit.

The type of Reiki I have studied is the Usui System of Natural Healing. This type of Reiki was developed in the mid 1800 by Mikao Usui who was a Christian Minister and also the principal of the Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan. His students had questioned him about the methods that Jesus had used for healing, so he embarked on a ten year quest to find out and learn the skills. Usui turned to Buddhism to help him. He was informed by the Buddhist monks that this teaching had been lost but still he joined the Buddhist monks to discover the Buddhist Teachings – the Path to Enlightenment.

Still not able to get all answers, he traveled to the United States and obtain a degree of Theology from the University of Chicago Divinity School. He returned to Japan, still without the answers. He joined a Zen Monastery and decided to fast and meditate for twenty one days. On the twentieth night, all was revealed to him in a dream. From that day on, he was able to heal and his healings were known as “Miracles.”

Reiki is now being used with main stream medicine and the results are astounding. Watch this video to see what is happening.

We know that we can go for weeks without food, days without water, but how long can we go without our breath? The yogis of India developed a science around the breath and they called it pranayama. Prana is the life force which controls and balances our body.  Today, this has been modified by Grand Master Choa Kok Sui, (1987) and brought to the Western world and he has recalled it “Pranic Healing” or “External Medical Chi Kung.”  Chi Kung is an invaluable component of Traditional Chinese medicine. The important features of Chi Kung are relaxation, quietness, and unity of breath and mind.

In Choa Kok Sui method of healing, the practitioner works with the aura or energy levels of the body and scans the client’s body from the head down to the toes feeling the energy levels. The body is surrounded by two auras – one approximately two to three feet from the body (known as the health rays) and the second aura follows the contours of the body at a very close range (known as the health aura). If there is disruption or entanglement in these health rays and health auras, healing must be given. These invisible energy fields or the bioplasmic body can be viewed using Kirlian and Aura photography.

It has been observed that if when using Kirilian photography, that diseases first manifests on the bioplasmic body before it appears on the visible physical body. This therapy activities the Charkas and brings the body back to balance thus promoting peace and health within. The healer uses their hands in a sweeping motion around the body feeling the energy.

Choa Kok Sui died in 2007 but his mehtods are still taught widely around the world.

Tai Chi is an ancient form of internal martial arts. It is practiced both for defense training and the many health benefits you achieve. Today there is both the traditional and modern form but both give the same benefits.

Tai Chi is practiced all over the world and there are training schools where you can attend the practice. There are people all over the world who have no interest in martial arts enjoy Tai Chi.

The practice of Tai Chi involves three elements – health, meditation and martial arts. It is a series of slow movements through each joint that is one of the main benefits. There is no muscle tension when it is practiced correctly. The mind is focused on the movement and this results in a state of calmness and so helps reduce stress levels.

Like all eastern therapies, Tai Chi treats the whole body. In this sense it is a little like yoga as it has its own forms that combine body, mind and spirit.

There are various levels of Tai Chi and in the traditional schools as the students get to higher levels they are instructed in various element of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

There is no age limit to the person who wants to practice Tai Chi. If you travel in China you can see Tai Chi being practiced in many open area parks.

So if you would like to start with one of the gentlest therapies to improve your health, why not investigate the possibilities of joining a practice group. There are no special uniforms to purchase as with other martial arts. It is required that you wear loose clothing so your movements are not impeded in any way.

I have included a video to show you some of the forms that are practiced.

The natural healing art of Massage Therapies has been around for thousand of years but its popularity in the last 20 years has skyrocketed. We can thank the entrepreneurs who thought to start clinic and day spas, where most of us go to be pampered and relieve ourselves of our stress and tired and sore muscles.

What type of massage is for you? There are several types of Massage Therapies and I will just give you a brief description of some that are available.

The most common form of massage is the Swedish massage. This is a massage using oil or balm. It contains a series of stokes and movements using hands, fingers, thumbs, elbows and the forearm. The aim of this massage is to relax the client and let them enjoy that revitalized feeling.

Shiatsu, Thai and Tui Na (Chinese Remedial massage) are three Massage Therapies based on the eastern philosophy of treating the entire body. They are based on the meridian system and the energy Ki or Chi that flows through the body. The massage is carried out as the therapist traces out the meridians, using pressure points, and they tonify or sedated the Ki or Chi. These traditional massages are based on the idea that the body, mind and spirit form an integrated whole and that we are all connected to the environment and nature. After one of these massages, the body is returned to balance and the Ki or Chi flows smoothly and freely.

Reflexology is much more than a foot massage. This is an ancient massage and there are images in the tomb of Ankmahor in Egypt, depicting the practice of reflexology. The theory of this massage is that each part of your body is mapped out in the 10 zones of the feet. By massaging different areas of the feet, tension and blockages are released from the corresponding part of the body. This massage stimulates the lymphatic system and blood circulation. This is a non invasive treatment and there are people who love reflexology.

Aromatherapy is another massage that uses oils but they are essential oils and the massage is particular designed for a each particular person. There are about 300 oils that can be used by themselves or combined. The oils work with the chemistry of the body. The aromatherapist will take a full history of the client before deciding what oils to use. It is a very relaxing massage and can be found in most clinics and spas.

Remedial massage is a massage particularly used for people who are experiencing pain or discomfort in a muscle or a muscle group. It is through the use of strokes and firmer pressure to remedy the pain or discomfort. This massage reduces the tightness or soreness, thereby letting the client gains back their range of movement and their flexibility.

There are several other Massage Therapies available but it is an individual choice. My suggestion would be that you try a few of them to see what suits you the best.

Chi kung or Qigong is the practice of using the breathe during physical activity that combines the body mind and spirit as one. It is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine and martial arts. “Chi” is known as energy, body energy or vital power and is one of the vital substances of the body and “kung” means force or power.  However, in the western world we sometimes think of “chi” as life breath.

Qigong is a combination of breathing and both mental and physical exercises. There are four basic types of qigong: dynamic, static, meditative and activities requiring external aids. It is heavily based on Chinese philosophy.

When you look at qigong you will find that some of the movements are very similiar to yoga and tai chi. This video will show you what the practice looks like.

What is yoga? How many forms are there? Today there are many forms but the number of original forms was five. Yoga was popularized by the followers of the Beatles in the mid 60s. The Beatles had gone to India and were practicing yoga and studying Eastern ways.

The five original forms are Hatha, Bhakti, Karma, Jnana and Raja.

Hatha yoga is still practiced today. The main aim of Hatha is using physical postures (asanas) and breathing to stimulate and awaken the Chakras. There are seven Chakras and they are sometimes referred to as the physic centres. The practice of any form was the union of body, mind and spirit.

Bhakti yoga is similar to Hatha in that the end goal is the union of the body with that of a higher state of mind. This is a unity of the conscious mind and the heart. It is a “devotional” yoga where the person practicing this form, experiences a nearness to the Divine.

Karma yoga is a “system” developed by the Yogis to show that any good a person can do each day is due to our inner Being and do not get it confused with ego. The word “karma” means action. The action is going about one’s daily activities. In Karma yoga every act we do, is a dedication to the Inner Being.

Jnana yoga stimulates the philosophical and intellectual curiosity of its followers. Again, this is a spiritual form of yoga. Yoga creates an inner peace for all who practice it.

Raja yoga is a science of meditation. It is an exploration of consciousness. This form appeals to those who wish to develop their physic abilities.

When practicing yoga or meditation, always wear comfortable clothes. Always practice with enthusiasm to discover your true potential. As you know when yoga was introduced to the west, a lot of the true meaning was lost but there are still asanas in all forms of yoga. Practicing yoga can help reduce stress levels and bring other physical benefits.

What are the benefits of yoga?

If the only exercise you get is doing some house work – then I would suggest that you do not start with the lofty ambition of running the next marathon. However, what I would suggest is that you find a yoga class and join and try and do a minimum of one lesson a week. What benefits will you gain? When you practice yoga on a regular basis you will find that you will totally change your life.

One of the major benefits is to increase the body’s flexibility. This flexibility is gained through various positions that exercise all the joints of the body. Through the stretches and poses we can increase the flexibility rather easily.

Yoga allows us to massage all of our internal organs thus improves our overall general health and well being.

The practice of yoga also manages to increase our blood supply to various parts of the body. This is all achieved through the gentle stretching of all parts of the body. Through increasing the blood supply and massaging the organs, we will help eliminate toxins from our body. This gives us the additional benefits of delaying our aging process and an increase in our energy levels.

With all forms of yoga, one important aspect is the meditation.

The regular practice of yoga will help you learn more about yourself and you will find a calmness and inner peace. You can practice yoga at home as there are several books and countless DVDs. If you are only a beginner, I would suggest that you practice with a teacher. If you practice with a teacher, you will be shown the correct techniques.

Over the coming few weeks I am going to be discussing these topics and telling you exactly what these therapies can do for you. Even though some of the list appears to be exercises they are all really therapy related.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have studied some Traditional Chinese Medicine and Philosophy.

I have practiced Yoga for the last few years and it has certainly helped with my health. I practice a yoga that is known as shiatsu yoga and is based on the meridians of the body. Shiatsu is also a therapy. Shiatsu is a Japanese word meaning Finger pressure.

• Yoga
• Qi Gong (also spelt Chi Kung)
• Massage – various forms
• Tai Chi
• Pranic Healing
• Reiki
• Touch for Health
• Thought Field Therapy (TFT)
• Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
• Acupressure
• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy
• Pilates

There are several therapies that I will discuss and let you know what they are all about. Some you may be familiar with while others you may have never heard about before.

What ever you chose to try, make sure you know that the therapist has been trained in that particular discipline. Some countries require that you are licensed before you can practice.