Issue 07, Spring 2018
Issue 7, Spring 2018
5 Element Focus
Specialized Kinesiology Magazine
Kinesiology Story: Kinesiol-
Elements of
The Five Element
Personality
Tai Chi Set
with Dondi Dahlin
GEMS Nutrition Meridian Menus Including 2 recipes! Element Reflexes
Embracing Mistakes
Balancing with Gemstones
5 Element Focus
KinesioGeek Magazine, www.gemskinesiology.com
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Issue 7, Spring 2018
5 Element Focus
KinesioGeek Magazine, www.gemskinesiology.com
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Issue 7, Spring 2018
5 Element Focus
Editor/Publisher/Writer Proudly brought to you by and flawed dictator: Alexis contributing KinesioGeeks: Costello Alexis Costello (Editor/ Publisher / Flawed DictaContributors: tor) Alison Kingston DondiJensen Dahlin Anne Michelle Greenwell Irene Lock Natasha Polomski Jackie Lysaght Reenie Rose Robert Frost Michelle Greenwell Sylvia Marina Michelle Morley Cover image is a stock Paris Berezowski photo Robert Frost Opinions expressed by Sylvia Marina contributors and advertisers are their own.
Adam Lehman: inside the holo- of The Elements gram Personality with Dondi Dahlin page 6
page 6 Meridian Menus (with recipes!) page 31
Cover art by Marie Jean Hamilton: “I pondered over how to paint Earth in reference to the elements, it can't be one symbol or thing... I soon realized she has everything! The Sun and water creating a rainbow of beautiful colours the growth of green life shooting up to its peak the down into decay and darkness. Then the fire making space for new life again in the circle of life! This is part of a series called “5” Elements.”
Contents: p. 4 Letter from the Editor p.5 Your turn: letters, questions and social media p. 6 Elements of Personality p. 10 5-Element Tai Chi Set p. 14 Body Mind and Spirit p. 16 Modality Profile: 5-Element Reflexes P. 19 Embracing Mistakes in Teaching and Learning p. 22 Tea with Intention
P. 24 Specialized Kinesiology Youth p. 25 Balancing with Gemstones p. 29 Elements of Nutrition p. 32 Meridian Menus P. 38 Classifieds p. 39 Because Health should be Fun!
click here to see more of her work at mariejeanhamiltonart.com
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Issue 7, Spring 2018
5 Element Focus
Be Balanced
T
eaching five element theory has always been one of my favourite parts of a Touch for Health class. It’s where you begin to see interesting ‘aha!’ moments for the students as well as the joy that comes with seeing the imbalances in the body as a pattern and therefore something that can be easily changed if you pull the right thread. The concepts are fascinating when you begin to extend them to all the other parts of life, realizing that there are colours, tastes, sounds, smells, etc. associated with each element and that we have so many options for ways of bringing more balance into our lives when we apply these concepts! The articles included in this issue help us to utilize the power of the five elements to create beautifully balanced lives. Perhaps we do this by drinking a cup of tea the serves as a correction for our session; by a series of finely crafted movements; by preparing a meal from a meridian specific cookbook; or by simply understanding more about our personality and how we want to interact with others. I hope that these articles give you some inspiration to bring more 5-element focus into your life. On another note, you may have noticed the different logo on the cover and that the title has been changed from Specialized Kinesiology Magazine, to KinesioGeek Magazine. Last year when I was trying to come up with a name for this journal, I couldn’t find anything I liked, so I simply used the easiest title I could think of with the idea that, at least it would show up well in Google searches! But over the course of the past year I have noticed that some people are rallying behind the idea of being a KinesioGeek, a term I have used to describe myself for a long time. We are people who are passionate about changing the world. We don’t fit into the molds that have been set out for us: we love chakras and biology, acupoints and physics; we want to know what is happening in medical research and also make fun of it for being slow to catch up. And thanks to journals like this and groups on Facebook and global conferences, I think many of us are realizing that we are not alone in these pursuits, but rather part of a rather amazing tribe of individuals. Thanks for reading!
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Tara Dean: Fire! Just because I’m high energy, high electricity. My friends call me the Energizer Bunny! Emily Bell: I feel like I am an Earth element, but I have some characteristics of Metal and I’m happiest in the Fire states (summer, heat, etc) but at my core, I’m an Earth.
Ione Horlacher: Wood, mainly because of the pioneering spirit! Denise Cambiotti: I’m learning to identify with the Water element; it wears down boulders to pebbles!
How did you celebrate International Specialized Kinesiology Week? This group spent it taking SIPS levels 1 & 2 in Missouri!
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Your Turn: sharing who you are
Question: Is there an element that you particularly identify with? Why?
Issue 7, Spring 2018
5 Element Focus
The Elements of Personality By Dondi Dahlin, reprinted with her permission from her website: www.learnthefiveelements.com (photo by Rakicevic Nenad)
J
ust as Meyers-Briggs has helped businesses everywhere build teamwork among their employees, the Five Elements helps people empower themselves and engage with others in a way that is immediate, practical, potent, and lasting.The Five Elements begins with five simple but profound theories about, not only the personalities and rhythms of people, but also the architecture and vibration of buildings, the culture and heritage of countries, the demeanor and personalities of animals, and even the political climates and attitudes of certain eras. In “The Inner Cannon,” a 2,000-year-old medical text, Chinese physicians and scholars theorized that the universe is composed of forces that included Water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal—the five elements. They proposed that human behavior, emotions, and health are also influenced by these elements. If we understand these elements, we can use them to stay in balance physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally—or to return to balance after unhealthy living, illness, stress, or other disturbances. KinesioGeek Magazine, www.gemskinesiology.com
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5 Element Focus
Water Type: The cafes in Paris are filled with them. The urban coffee houses in America are magnets for them. The hookah lounges in the Middle East are packed with them. Waters everywhere love lounging with good friends and waxing eloquently about all that is right and wrong with the world. The deeper the conversations, the better. They are your most alluring poets, your wisest writers, your most hypnotizing musicians, and your sagest philosophers. Water people dive deep into the depths of life. They get hypnotized by complex musical scores and they blissfully lose themselves in the arts. Waters are the people at gallery openings who stand in front of one painting for hours, talking about its lines, its colors, its use of angles and curves. They are the ones who walk slowly through the rain, soaking up the smell of the wet pavement, and listening to the droplets on the ground. Waters take their time. The word “hurry� is not in their vocabulary and this plays out in the way they speak, walk, act, react and live. Theirs is a slower rhythm as they take in everything around them. There is a child-like playfulness with the Water person. They enjoy cuddling and being coddled. Waters like convenience and expect to be served. Doing things themselves and following through with ideas is not their strong suit. Their ideas are unique and inspiring, but putting those ideas into action is quite difficult for a Water. They can get lost in life and overwhelmed by the details. They yearn for someone else to manage the details for them.
Life can looked warped to a Water who tends to live deep within themselves where they feel secluded and alone. Imagine diving into a swimming pool, then opening your eyes under water to look up. You can see the sides of the pool and even the people and activities going on up above the water. But, everything is distorted. This is how life can look to a Water when they go deep within themselves. With their unending thoughts, they can be prone to depression. When they are depressed, everything can become exaggerated and look like a very different reality than the reality that others see. Wood Type: Wood people often get the fuzzy end of the lollipop because they are often misunderstood as harsh, or intimidating. They are actually funny and kind but they wield a lot of power and they are often honest to a fault. Woods are fearless. They are like the sudden expansive growth of spring after a long, slow winter, and like the power of tree roots that push through solid concrete. Woods lead with a determination and will that surpasses all limits. At the same time, Wood people see the bigger picture, find solutions, seek out the best in things, and make changes. They are strong, sturdy, stable, fearless, logical, reasonable, bold, independent, and unapologetic. They are also very fair-minded, and nothing upsets them more than injustices. This makes them powerful. Woods are doers. They turn ideas into action.
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5 Element Focus
Woods exude confidence and don’t let much stand in their way. If they can imagine it, it can be done. They know what they want, are decisive, make things happen, and push themselves to the limit. They enjoy debates and arguments and are not easily swayed by other’s opinions. Once they make up their minds, there is little that can convince them that someone else’s opinion is right. Woods know they are right, which acts as fuel for their strong drive, but doesn’t always bode well for their personal relationships. Just as every element is led by a dominant emotion, Woods are often lead by anger. There is a subconscious simmering of anger that surges up fast for Woods, especially when they witness unfair situations or mistreatment of people. If Woods can learn how to slow down, mellow out and gain compassion for others, they can experience resilient health and well-being, as well as enjoy productive careers and satisfying relationships. A quick acknowledgement lets Woods know that their hard work is acknowledged by the people they want to please the most. Fire Type: Is there a person at your work or among your friends who seems to always be happy, joyful or excited all the time? You know the one: They walk into a room with a huge smile, almost dancing as they walk. There is an uplifting, lively rhythm to their existence and they seem to not get stuck in the muck that slows down the rest of us. Life is a party and living it is a ball!
Fires have the natural ability to pull other elements out of stubbornness, darkness, depression, boredom, and worry into the land of the living. Their energy, laughter and high spirits are contagious. They laugh easily and seem to be bubbling over with excitement even if others don’t see anything about which to get excited. Just about every day is an incredible experience for them. Pleasure, fun and anything that feels good is what Fires are drawn to. However, Fires often abandon people or events that lack excitement, passion, romance and fun. They are loyal and dedicated until something doesn’t feel good and then they move on to the next pleasurable experience. This may mean that they end up being serial monogamists. Also, it can seem like a Fire person loves everybody and that their love for you isn’t so special or sincere. They can appear to be everybody’s best friend. Perpetually in motion, Fires are constantly chasing the next shiny object. When faced with displeasure from others, a Fire’s joy can turn to panic.
Earth Type: There has never been a more perfect Earth person than Melanie, Scarlett O’Hara’s sisterin-law from the movie, “Gone with the Wind.” Melanie saw only good in people and she did only the most thoughtful deeds for others. In the movie, when she takes her wedding ring off her hand to give to the war effort, even though her husband may never return from battle, she does it with truth, honesty, love and generosity in her heart. Earths are the angels of compassion and caring.
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Issue 7, Spring 2018
5 Element Focus Earth people almost always have children, but if they don’t they will pour their love into caring for animals or teaching children. They will also pour their love into their relationships. If you know an Earth person you have probably received some homemade bread, a pie, some chicken soup or a hand-stitched quilt from them. Their nurturing nature comes from deep within the heart and shows itself through generosity. They quilt, sew, garden, cook or paint, all so they can give hand-made gifts to others. They want to make you feel comfortable, safe, and to know you are loved. They want to give to the whole world. Deep inside, they are hoping for love in return. When Earth people don’t get love in return, they can question their entire existence, falling into codependent cycles that never seem to end. For Earth people, the past is comfortable and change can be excruciating. They hold onto the past with all their might.
Earths don’t want anyone to feel bad or dislike them so they are careful not to rock the boat. Uncomfortable with change and risk, they tend to walk on eggs, say what they think people want to hear and enable others and all of their destructive behaviors. Metal Type: The Metal way is a reverent way. The Metal person is a master at meeting life where it is at and rising above it. They are above the fray of its up’s and down’s and never get too ruffled.
Metals are spiritual seekers often looking to the next guru or toward the next mind-body-spirit connection. If the most spiritually elevated gurus are in India, that is where a Metal will go. There is no argument, no debate: they will quietly go to where they find one-on-one connections with others who seem to also be on their path of higher consciousness. Because the Metal person is often seeking a higher path of spiritual existence, if you don’t fit into their vision of the divine, then they will probably politely end their relationship with you. Again, there is not arguing or struggle. The Metal will say “farewell,” and move on to something and someone at the level that they require. It can feel cold and detached, but for the Metal it is a path of the highest respect for themselves and their journey. Dondi is a published author, awardwinning public speaker, and internationally-acclaimed dancer, actress, and teacher. She co-wrote The Little Book of Energy Medicine (Tarcher, 2012) with her mother, Donna Eden, and heads the “Teach the Teacher” program at The Eden Energy Medicine Certification Program in Phoenix, Arizona, where she also teaches teachers public speaking.From 20012008 Dondi taught the Five Elements at the renowned Feathered Pipe Ranch in Montana. She has been teaching the Five Elements for 13 years at OMEGA Institute in New York and at various Eden Energy Medicine workshops around the world since the 1990s.
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Issue 7, Spring 2018
5 Element Focus
The Five Element Tai Chi Set with Sound and Color
By Michelle Greenwell
A
s a student at Akamai University in Energy Kinesiology, studying movement as it influences Complementary and Alternative Medicine opportunities, I have had the privilege of combining my passion for Specialized Kinesiology and Tai Chi. As an error in an assignment reviewing two books in CAM, I chose to look at Tai Chi and Touch for Health. I took “The Do-In Way: Gentle Exercises to Liberate the Body, Mind, and Spirit” by Michio Kushi and “Touch for Health: A Practical Guide to Natural Health with Acupressure Touch, the Complete Edition” by John Thie and Matthew Thie. I matched Meridians, Elements, Muscles, and Movement through an indepth exploration of the details of each aspect, and then linked up color and the Six Healing Sounds from Tai Chi as well. My resource was “The Six Healing Sounds: Taoist Techniques for Balancing Chi” by Mantak Chia for this part. Originally understanding Touch for Health from a muscle testing perspective, it wasn’t until I really sat with the material on the various Meridian pages that I began to
see full connections in movement patterns in Tai Chi, as well as the impact that specific movements could have on the potential for healing through movement. I created a chart of the information I needed to link the two modalities, and then I set out to see what I knew about movement patterns from Tai Chi sequences and the connections I could create. The Five Element Set is a link of specific movements to the muscle groups found within the Meridians and Elements. Using muscle testing, I determined that the best place to begin the set was with the Water Element, and that in order to create energy I would need to follow the healing power of the KO cycle. I also needed to flow through Water, Fire, Metal, Wood, Earth, Water and back to Fire for the finish. The Set begins specifically with grounding, by tapping the heels together, to bring the practitioner into the present and into their body, and finally, to a connection with the ground
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Stepping into an open stance allows for rooting and connection with the bubbling springs or K1 in the feet. Lastly, most people hold their breath, breathe shallow, or breathe quickly, so I added two deep breathes to find centering and connection within the body. Each section of the set involves movements that use the muscles and tissue related to the Meridians and the Element, but there is more impact if sound and color are connected. So, there are several ways that the practitioner can add this. Color can be imagined, seen, worn, and/or called out. The vocals come from the Six healing sounds found in Tai Chi and Qi Gong practice and can be made silently (usually after extensive experience), softly, at normal level, or loud. Direction was very important for the set as well, so I have included movement forward, backward, and lateral, as well as facing North, South, East, West. There are connections between these that bring in the corners and angles. The set should be started facing East or South, and this is for building energy. The set always begins and ends with a bow, and this is to pay homage to the people who have passed the knowledge forward and to those who will continue to do so. The set can be a way for people to do a balance in Touch for Health or another Specialized Kinesiology modality, and then bring the new body into a
flowing set of patterns that can release any held patterns or movements that may have been hindered prior to the balance. Goal Setting ahead of the movement patterns for the ultimate picture of a goal or experience can also be helpful. Sometimes we determine a phrase or an affirmation that can be focused on through the movements. A part of the Qi YINtegration program I have developed over the last 3 years; the Five Element Set with Sound and Color is one of the movement sequences that we have been using to create full movement changes for people. We use muscle testing to determine if one part of the set needs to be done, rather than the whole set, and we determine how many times the movements need to be done, which direction, and if they need sound and color. The set can also be combined with other aspects of the Qi YINtegration program to create lasting effects for flow of Qi, or energy, movement and goals. Qi YINtegration: Set 1 takes movement patterns down to their most basic components: how to properly sit, stand, breathe, rotate the spine, walk up and down the stairs and more. And it is through the information of the Meridians and Elements and the understanding of muscles and their connection to the Elements that we can make long term changes in movement, behaviour, thoughts, emotions and more. The ultimate goal of using movement in this way is to allow people to overcome their fear of
Join us for a special research project using energy photos, intention and movement to heal the body. Calendar and notebooks available now! www.dancedebut.com Facebook: One Step to Change Direction
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5 Element Focus
Movement set to Balance Water Element:
moving forward in their present time or in the future, and to make the flow of movement reflective of the flow of Qi within the body. This approach would be like how the results of Emotional Freedom Technique works with releasing emotion through the tapping of the meridian lines, but it goes into the body in a completely different way. It re-educates the body and brain to move as a unit and in the direction of goals. The movements become innate and any awkwardness that may have been holding someone back, moves into flow and into coordination. It integrates both hemispheres, all the planes of the body and movement dimensions in front, back, side, up, down, around, and in a figure 8. It also stretches and opens the meridian lines and creates an elasticity through the whole body that creates and builds energy for greater health and wellness. It is amazing to witness and to be involved in.
Begin with hitting feet together and standing as such, hands by sides. Drop into the right foot and step the left foot to shoulder width. Stand and take two deep breathes, feel the bubbling springs in the center of the foot. Joining in YIN/ YANG hand hold: men will hold the right thumb with their left hand and circle the right hand fingers over the left hand; women will hold the left thumb with their right hand and circle the left hand fingers over the right hand. Circle the hands up the outside of the body and bring the hands together overhead. To execute The Bow (working with the Water Element and Kidney and Bladder Meridian), sweep forward towards floor as comfortable with legs held straight but not strained. Sweep back up and out, open hands and let them settle back to sides.
Photos: Michelle Greenwell, right: beginning position for one of the sequences
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Some of the observations of students using this system have been a disorganization at some point through the set as the goal or vision of change is realized within the body, sorted, and then re-coordinated. It completely changes how the movements feel, and then when they synchronize again the movements are no longer with effort. At first some students are shy to make the vocals, but once they get over the fear of expressing themselves out loud, they enjoy the free feeling that is created by the vocals. The set is short and can be done in about 5 – 6 minutes, and this makes moving in a new way a quick transition to do with a set that is familiar. And, for those doing a balance prior to the set, or setting goals, the movement allows for the body to be involved in the transition, not just the head or the meridians or the emotions. Brain and body feel a connection through the movement patterns.
To put the Elements into focus in this movement approach has brought the 5 Elements to life in a way I never imagined muscles and meridians would interact. The link of the movements through the Ko Cycle has been invigorating and thought provoking as well, and the opportunity to explore more ideas with the meridians coupled within the Elements has opened more exploration beyond movement. The 5 Element Set has really expanded a personal awareness of movement and Qi flow and brought Touch for Health to life. Michelle Greenwell is a Touch for Health Instructor working on her Master’s Thesis in CAM using movement and the Qi YINtegration program as a part of her research. She has just released her second book: “My Little Black Book of Qi: Qi YINtegration Set 1” with video footage so that she can share her passion for movement and muscle testing with those that cannot get to a class or workshop with her. For more information www.dancedebut.com, and her books and videos can be found in the store on her website.
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Issue 7, Spring 2018
5 Element Focus
Body, Mind and Spirit
By Sylvia Marina
I
n Chinese philosophy there is no separation of body, mind and spirit; life is the organization of the vital live force Chi. Death is the dispersion of the organization.
Spirit in this context is the inner sense of aliveness. In a person with a strong spirit there is vibrancy and strength. It is this aliveness that gives purpose and direction in life. A healthy spirit brings an ‘open to life’ ease to the individual. It is this ease that allows you to deeply connect with them. They are in alignment with their will and higher purpose.
A further understanding of the concept of spirit is through nature’s law, the law of the five elements. The manifestation of spirit is in the Fire Element-Heart Emotions are a natural part of being human. Feeling joy, sadness and anger are normal emotions in our day-to- day lives. It is when emotions become obsessive, or are repressed and turn inward that they can become pathological and cause disease. The belief that balancing the organ associated with the emotion will balance the emotion is correct only in part. Very often it is the emotion causing the organ and the associated system imbalance.
They don’t need force. Their power is kindness and grace. KinesioGeek Magazine, www.gemskinesiology.com
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5 Element Focus When emotions show in a balance further check, body, mind, spirit. Body emotion – see your Touch For Health five elements. Mind emotion – check for appropriate affirmation. Spirit – when the spirit energy is depleted, feeling unfulfilled, empty inside, wanting love, unfulfilled, constantly striving. Lacking purpose, joy, enthusiasm, commitment and direction. Spirit Desire – connectedness, purpose, fulfillment, direction, aliveness, happiness, joy.
Quote J. R. Worsley: “If the body is sick, the mind worries and the spirit grieves; if the mind is sick, the body and spirit will suffer from its confusion; if the spirit is sick, there will be no will to care for the body or mind.” The ability to directly affect the whole person, body mind and spirit, is one of the greatest gifts of this system of healing. Worsley (1923-2003) is credited with bringing five element acupuncture, to the West. Sylvia Marina. Professional Kinesiologist & Human Behaviour Specialist. www.sylviamarina.com IKC accredited: Transforming DNA Memories & Return To Love courses.
For more information about the class, click on the link or paste into your browser: www.gemskinesiology .com/transformingdna-memories-withsylvia-marina/ Readers of this magazine receive a special discount! happy@alexiscostello.com to register
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Taking Specialized Kinesiology to the next level at Akamai University By Michelle Greenwell
5 Element Reflexes By Irene Lock
I
have been a Kinesiologist for 18 years and love doing my job; prior to that I was a woodwind music teacher with a large private practice, teaching the most talented clarinet students in my home county as well as being a peripatetic teacher in several schools. After illness struck I found kinesiology and have not looked back since. This background of teaching meant I had some knowledge of childhood reflexes and their link to development and behaviour. I always observed my music students’ stance and corrected where possible but noticed they often reverted to their default, unable to hold the new posture. Whilst studying Touch for Health I loved the posture aspects and after taking several childhood reflex courses I came to the conclusion the two were linked; enter friends and clients to back up my thoughts.
I have studied reflexes with Dr Harold Blomberg, Roland Mann and Moira Dempsey; taken workshops with Brendan O’Hara, Svetlana Masgutova as well as read books by Sally Goddard Blythe and many others. My kinesiology training started with Educational Kinesiology then Touch for Health and Wellness Kinesiology. I am an advanced member of the UK’s Kinesiology Federation and have served on their policy board. I am a TFH proficiency instructor and a Wellness Kinesiology Stress Release instructor. I have been teaching in one form or another since the age of 11. Many people think that the childhood reflexes are integrated into the system and that is the end of the matter. In fact, what happens is they are hard-wired into our nervous system and function neurologically
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5 Element Focus for our whole lives. When they are needed to support us they do so, emerging to the fore while they are required and then, when our need subsides they continue functioning in the background. Problems arise when we continually resource the reflex. The medical profession use checking some reflexes as a test for normal neurological function. For example, it may be normal as a person rotates their head to the right for the muscle that pulls the right arm backward and those that pull the left arm forward to contract to allow them to twist their body towards the right. This is part of the Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex, but it is not normal to experience being in this postural deviation at all times. What I noticed when giving balances to some clients was that although a person’s posture often changed after a balance, at the next session the posture had often reverted back to the one seen at the first session, regardless of the goal or intention and many of these postural deviations were exhibiting signs of being reflex led. I started finding that when checking the 5 elements there was a common over energy pattern connected to the reflex postures. I had a pattern that worked and started to use it with clients and so my course was born. I had to share this information with others. I have taught the course all over the U.K. as well as in Dubai. I am in the process of writing a second level as more information has come to light from clients and students. I have had some profound changes with clients who have
been stuck. One of my students had some work done on her with the Spinal Galant reflex at a demonstration. This had been affecting her life for many years; she needed to cut all labels out of her clothes and her husband did not enjoy attending the theatre or cinema with her as she was unable to sit still, always needing to fidget. Four months later this person did the whole workshop and the corrections were still holding. Her life had changed. Many of my students attending the workshop have had similar results while working on one another. I have found that each of the meridians we use in TFH has specific reflexes associated with it in an over energy pattern. When my protocol comes up in a session, once we have found the priority reflex, I spend some time telling the client about the reflex and how this may impact on their life. This often fills in many pieces of a jigsaw puzzle for the client. We also check the reflex as an educational model so the client understands what is going on. The balancing starts with some corrections from Touch for Health and Wellness Kinesiology leading on to others I have found. The prerequisite to take the course is Touch for Health 1 and 2 so starting with some corrections from this modality is a good place to start for students and then leading them on to other new corrections. When the corrections are complete we recheck the reflex, the Alarm Points and any muscles still unlocking are corrected using Touch for Health. We also ask if there is further work to be done at home to firm up the new neural pathways we have put in place as this takes a minimum of three weeks.
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Part of the process to find the over energies, leading to the priority reflex, are the Alarm Points from Touch for Health. I also teach a different way of finding the Alarm Points as some clients with severe reflex problems do not like their body’s trunk to be touched and will not touch their body themselves.
Irene Lock has workshops scheduled in the U.K, please see her website for details.
I am very honoured my course has been recognized by the International Kinesiology College Professional Development School and the United Kingdom’s Kinesiology Federation. I have found this protocol “very simple, easy to use but very profound” to quote the feedback from several of my students.
Email irenemlock@gmail.com
She is also available on a sponsorship basis in other areas. If you would like a course in your area please contact her.
Phone +44 7766 144584 Website: www.dealwithstress.co.uk
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Embracing Mistakes In Teaching and Learning
By Jackie Lysaght
How Study was Set Up
A
I asked my students in the Wellness Kinesiology Stress Release classes from October 2016 to February 2017 if they would present one at home practice balance in class each month. But, I asked them to present their most problematic case study, not their best one. This was a novel approach for us but they all agreed. We called the session EMBRACING MISTAKES. I designed a poster “I ♥ MISTAKES” which was on display in class as a constant reminder of our agreement to have a classroom culture and student mindset of embracing mistakes.
s a kinesiology instructor I am interested in ongoing improvement of my teaching and student learning. So, in 2016 I completed a Masters degree in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education to learn how I could better support my students. My research study mapped student learning in the Touch for Health class. One of the findings was that students identified consistent practice as a key factor to improving their understanding. I also learned that setting up a successful practice requires not only excellent kinesiology skills but also other qualities such as resilience, for example being able to adapt when things go wrong (Hoerr 2013). Learning to cope with mistakes is an essential skill which instructors can help their students to develop. In 2016 I decided to set up another study to find out more.
Framework We needed a framework to analyze the mistakes and I used one which I adapted from Gawande (2012) which is summarized in diagram 1.
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In this model mistakes are categorized either as Fallibility of Self or Fallibility of the System.
Fallibility of Self can be sub-categorized as either Ignorance which means I didn’t know what to do or Ineptitude which means I knew what to do but I didn’t apply it correctly. We also discovered another category which we called Blind Spot which were mistakes we didn’t see but identified by others in the discussion sessions. Fallibility of System means the session wasn’t set up correctly or in the best way such as interruptions from phones or family members, not having the required materials or reference books available.
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5 Element Focus Results In this study we discovered that most of the mistakes were due to fallibility of self, half due to ignorance and nearly half were ineptitude. This knowledge allowed us to understand what aspect of the material students needed support with. Fallibility of the system was only reported in month 1 which means that students quickly learned how to set up the practice sessions in the best way. I also asked students how they felt when they made a mistake before we started the project. Far from motivating them, students reported their reactions to mistakes as feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and awkward leading them to freeze, quit or ignore it. I was surprised at the level of the reactions. As instructors how much do we think about how mistakes are affecting our students and their learning? I wanted to know how we could maximize the learning opportunity of mistakes. After taking part in the project, students reported feeling less stressed and they reported positive changes in their behaviour and thinking while embracing mistakes. The two themes which emerged were the value of mistakes and clarification of procedures in the class discussions. In conclusion, this study showed that discussing and analyzing mistakes as a class group exercise gave the students a voice and improved student engagement in their own learning. I presented the findings of this study in 2017 at the EuroSoTL conference in Sweden and at the IKC Conference in Germany. The abstract of my presentation at EuroSoTL is available at: http:// konferens.ht.lu.se/fileadmin/_migrated/ content_uploads/Lysaght.pdf
The approach of Embracing Mistakes could be applied beyond the classroom to other areas such as clinical practice. I would encourage everyone, students and instructors, to be open and vulnerable to the many possibilities of mistakes. If you would like to share your experiences, thoughts or creative ideas on Embracing Mistakes you could post on the Touch for Health UK Facebook group or email me jackie@harmonyholistics.com. JACKIE LYSAGHT, MATLHE MKAI Principal Harmony Holistics Kinesiology College SoTL Researcher REFERENCES Gawande, A. (2012). The Difference Between Coaching & Teaching. Harvard Graduate School of Education Askwith Forum. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VabtGPVVihA . (Accessed 23.03.2015) Hoerr, T.R. (2013). Principal Connection Good Failures. Educational Leadership 71(1): 84-85. Schรถn, D.A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books. Schรถn, D.A. (1987). Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Toward a New Design for Teaching and Learning in the Professions. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Jackie Lysaght is the Principal of Harmony Holistics Kinesiology College in Nenagh Ireland, where she has been teaching Kinesiology for the past sixteen years. She started her career with a Degree in Financial services working for twenty years in banking, before training as a Kinesiologist. She is a Touch for Health, Wellness Kinesiology & Phytobiophysics Instructor. She is passionate about teaching and in 2016 she obtained an MA in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education from University College Cork. OFFICE HOURS: Wednesday & Thursday 9.30AM - 5.30PM 12 Pallas Derg NewtownNenagh Co Tipperary, IRELAND
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Modality Profile:
Tea WithBy Dr. Anne Jensen Intention
By Paris Berezowski
of the package.
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While I was not skeptical, I didn’t really know what to expect. After giddily laying out all of the teas on the counter, I muscle tested which one I should drink. I boiled the water, breathed deeply and repeated the recommended mantra on the package. I then brewed the tea, and thought about the intention behind it. When I started drinking it though, something really interesting happened. I felt this surge of energy, so much that I almost fell over and it lasted for the rest of the day! During this time I was taking my Instructor Training Workshop for Touch for Health, and a few days into it, once everyone was starting to get tired, I brought the teas to class. It was like watching kids in a candy store. Everyone was standing in the kitchen muscle testing each other for their elemental teas. They all loved them and that was probably our most productive afternoon.
wo of my favourite things in this world are muscle testing and tea. So when Alexis asked me to do a review for five element teas, I was very excited.
Intend 2 RaeD8 five element tea blends were created by Michelle Greenwell and Natascha Polomski 3 years ago. They are designed to motivate, energize and nurture by balancing the body according to the Chinese five elements. There are 7 different tea blends, each specially designed to support one or more of the elements. The teas are made with energizing ingredients that are not only nourishing but really tasty. To optimize your sipping experience they have included a protocol to follow which includes: muscle testing to find the best cycle, time and tea for you and breathing and intention exercises for your specific tea choice on the back of the KinesioGeek Magazine, www.gemskinesiology.com
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I tried drinking the teas in the mornings, in the evenings and after sessions with other practitioners to see how effective they were. I think that the teas are a great addition to a session or balance, a very energizing routine, or in the place of other beverages. Michelle and Natascha have put together workshops, an E-book and a hardcover book for more information on the teas. I highly recommend looking into them. Picture right: illustration from the booklet Tea with Intention showing how the blends support each other in a 5-element framework.
Www.dancedebut.com to order and try them for yourself! Paris is a Touch for Health Instructor and Practitioner and part of the SKY (Specialized Kinesiology Youth) team.
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Specialized Kinesiology Youth—SKY
“I use specialized kinesiology every day; I use Touch for Health every day, and sometimes I remember that not everybody is as lucky as me, to have learned all this from such a young age. But Ezra and I want more kids to have that opportunity.” ~ Hannah Costello Specialized Kinesiology Youth, or SKY, is a platform designed to bring young SK students and practitioners from around the world together to learn and to help each other.
If you told a teenager about Touch for Health, and they thought it was interesting, what’s the first thing they are going to do? Google it. The next generation needs specialized kinesiology just as much, if not more than, the generations before it, but if we are going to reach them, we have to be on their turf. So, rather than SKY being an association, it is a website and online knowledge base. A place for young people to learn about, practice and teach Specialized Kinesiology. Peer-directed, fun, free, available to everyone online. If you are a practitioner under 20, interested in learning more about muscle testing, or interested in mentoring the next generation, check us out: https://www.facebook.com/KinesioYouth/
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Five-Element Energy Balancing with Gemstones
By Robert Frost PhD, A.T. Five-Element Energy Balancing Strategy
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nstead of using the popular Touch for Health fix-as-you-go strategy, the wise and more experienced examiner takes the time to perform a five-element assessment to determine which meridians have a deficit of energy (weak-testing muscles) and which have an excess of energy (usually determined by alarm point testing). Then this information is plotted upon the five-element diagram. Then the examiner reckons which meridian is the likely place to start balancing. The goal is to move the excess energy to the meridian where the weak-testing muscles are in the shortest step or series of steps possible.
Traditionally, energy is said to flow around the five element diagram clockwise following either the sequential mother-son “Sheng” pathways or skipping over one following the grandmother-grandson “Ko” paths. The Yin meridians are more important to balance than the Yang ones. There are several rules for locating the priority meridian for correction. It’s usually the first Yin meridian with weak-testing muscles after the excess energy meridian along the mother-son Sheng paths and the grandmother-grandson Ko paths. For example, excess energy in the Kidney meridian can be moved in one step along the Ko cycle to the Heart or Circulation-Sex meridians.
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5 Element Focus Procedure: Test lots of muscles and note which meridians they belong to without performing any corrections. Plot them on a five element diagram. Then use the alarm points to locate the meridian that has excess energy. Put it on the five element diagram, too. Then reckon what the primary weakness must be. Place your or the subject’s hand upon one of the neurolymphatic points of the muscles of suspect primary weakness meridian. If that contact strengthens all the other weak testing muscles that you determined with your initial testing, then that meridian is confirmed as the primary one to correct. Balance that one and all the other imbalances go away without requiring direct attention. This approach saves much time otherwise spent balancing secondary and tertiary imbalances. For best results, focus most of your efforts upon all the ways you can balance that meridian. Why the Circulation-Sex Meridian? More often than other meridians in my experience, the Circulation-Sex meridian is that first domino. Balance it and all the other weak-testing imbalances are automatically balanced. This article describes and illustrates testing the muscles of the CirculationSex meridian.
A novel method to balance the Circulation-Sex meridian and thereby, in many cases, the whole five elements - is with gemstones. Carrying a meridianbalancing gemstone clearly does not eliminate the causes of the imbalance. That work requires further investigation by the examiner. After further investigating the causes of the imbalance and what to do about it, the examiner performs the energy balancing steps that are possible to complete during the session and the subject is given homework to make the behavioral changes needed for lasting improvement. But as we have all experienced, subjects rarely do their homework and establish new healthy habits. Daily stresses cause them to lose their energetic balance. They become neurologically disorganized (switched) and forget their homework altogether. Gemstones are Energy Buffers The energy-balancing gemstone is a buffer. It allows the subject to experience high levels of stress without losing energetic balance. This keeps the energy flowing and the mind clear. It prevents switching and other causes of mental confusion. The magic of carrying a meridian-balancing gemstone is this: The likelihood that the subject will remember and actually carry out the tested homework is far greater when the energy if buffered by carrying the gemstone. In doctor vocabulary, patient involvement or compliance is greatly increased.
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The Circulation-Sex Meridian – also known as The Protector of the Heart Muscles: Adductors, Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Maximus, and Piriformis
lift the leg you are pushing a bit so the heel doesn’t drag. Gluteus medius is the best indicator muscle for the female reproductive parts and function.
Gemstones: Chrysoberyl and Topaz The five hip muscles associated with the CirculationSex meridian shown here are all responsible for keeping you stable when upright. Three are shown in detail in this article. When the muscles of the Circulation-Sex meridian are not doing their job, it is easy to fall down.
The Adductors pull the legs together. To test them, hold one leg stable while you push or pull the other one apart.
Gluteus Medius pulls the legs apart. To test Gluteus Medius, stabilize one leg while you push the other one toward it. If the subject is lying on the back, lift
Piriformis extends across the hip bone. It connects the sacrum to the leg without attaching to the hip bone. To test Piriformis, the knee is bent 90° and the thigh is rotated outward which brings the foot over the opposite leg. The opposite knee is stabilized but not pushed. To test Piriformis, use the lower leg as a crank around the knee to push or pull the lower leg (back parallel to the other one) and rotate the thigh inward. Piriformis is the best indicator muscle for the male reproductive organs and function. If any of these muscles test weak, have your subject hold a Chrysoberyl or a Precious Topaz and repeat the test. Note: Many stones are called Topaz (citrine, any clear yellow stone). Precious or Imperial Topaz is the real thing.
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5 Element Focus Left: “Trilling” Chrysoberyl
Crystal Right: Golden Pink Topaz Crystal All photos for this article submitted by Robert Frost
Topaz has a higher refractive index. That makes it sparkle more than Citrine which is often sold as Topaz. Real Topaz strengthens these muscles. Imitations don’t. I use this to identify genuine precious Topaz or Chrysoberyl when making purchases - a very helpful application of this gemstone knowledge. Both Chrysoberyl and Precious Topaz balance all the muscles of the Circulation-Sex meridian.
Wearing a Chrysoberyl or precious Topaz keeps the Circulation-Sex meridian turned on and all its muscles ready to respond. This means that an older woman wearing a Chrysoberyl or Topaz ring has some protection against falling. When she slips, she can catch and aright herself with these muscles and thereby prevent breaking her hip.
This is true healing jewelry. A mother on one on of my gemstone courses asked if I could make a Chrysoberyl ring for her daughter. I asked why. She responded, “I want her to be able to hold her legs together strongly when she wants to.” Now that’s a very practical use of this knowledge! Chrysoberyl definitely does strengthen the Adductor muscles - the ones that hold the legs together. It’s also very useful for clamping the legs strongly against the saddle and staying on horseback when riding.
http://learnappliedkinesiology.com will have links to read about and purchase products such as gemstones and services including training courses. It’s currently under construction. When you visit, sign up for the infrequent newsletter and I’ll let you know when it’s all up and running.
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Elements of Nutrition
W
e love food.
When you start doing any type of homesteading, you become basically food-obsessed. I think many people in the holistic health industry find themselves in this position; learning more about the body means learning more about how to feed it for optimum performance. GEMS Nutrition is a course that has been percolating in my mind for a long time. I thought it was done nearly two years ago, then found out to my chagrin when I sent the files to a student, that I had somehow saved over some of the files incorrectly. As we had just moved to the rainforest all my reference books were in bins stacked up and there was no way of knowing where things were or how to get to them. So the project was shelved.
anything about nutrition when I can use an indicator muscle and a scan sheet to tell me what someone needs?” Here are a few reasons why nutritional information is still important: •
The more information you have, the wider a range of files available in your bio-computer to chose from for people.
•
The more info you can give people about why they should do/take/eat something, the more likely you are to get compliance, thus helping them to feel better faster.
•
But I have dragged the books out, finished up the scan sheets, added more (because, that’s what I do), and now I want to share it with you!
The more info people have the more you bring the attention of their conscious minds to the task at hand (i.e. utilization of a vitamin/mineral/ amino from their diets).
•
It makes you sound smart.
The question that I hear sometimes from Specialized Kinesiologists is; “Why should I bother learning
In the Touch for Health self-responsibility model, you learn that you, as a practitioner, never ‘heal’ or ‘cure’ your client, you simply help them in their own
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process. Similarly, foods and supplements don’t cure people; rather they offer building blocks and energy to allow the body to fix itself. Suggesting food for your clients and teaching them about foodis a way of speeding up their healing journey. Healing your body with food makes sense – you have to eat anyway. This ‘crash course’ style quickie workshop discusses some of the basics of nutrition, including macro and micronutrients, the energy of food and eating to work with the 5-Elements of Chinese medicine. At the end, you’ll find scan sheets that can be added to your GEMS Flow chart and the scan sheets that you are already using. The intention is that when you come up with nutrition as either a stress or as a correction, you can flip to the appropriate scan sheet and use muscle testing to figure out what the body could use more or less of. So here’s what the GEMS Nutrition class entails: A short workbook that goes into some of the basics of nutrition. This is really basic; just a breakdown of macro and micro nutrients and how they work in the body. General Nutrition Scan Sheets. Scan lists for macronutrients so practitioners can identify the proteins, fats and carbohydrates that are most beneficial for the client at the moment. Micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and probiotics. Element Scan Sheets. A page for each element showing the nutrients and herbs that can be used to bring balance to that particular area of the body.
Follow up session with me via Zoom. After you have downloaded the booklet and scan sheets, we arrange a meeting to chat and go over anything you would like extra clarification on. Or just to talk about food. Whatever works for you! How do you use the scan sheets? Anyone working with muscle testing can use scan sheets for nutrition, simply by working with scan mode and checking through the lists. Practitioners already using the GEMS system can use these a little differently. When you are working through the Flow chart looking for corrections and Chemistry comes up, you can now use the appropriate Element list to find what you are looking for. Material for the scan sheets is drawn from a variety of sources, including the Touch for Health synthesis (foods for balancing), books on Feng Shui coking, and Evelyn’s Mulder’s wonderful book Western Herbs for Chinese Meridians (which offers a much more thorough look at how certain herbs work to balance energy systems within the body). Yes, this is available for purchase, but there are also two ways for you to get access to the element scan sheets for free. One is by attending the TFHKA conference this summer in Malibu where I will be presenting on the subject and handing out scan sheets to everyone in attendance. The other way is by subscribing to Knowlatvie and using the reference materials on that platform. Haven’t herad of Knowlative yet? Check out http:// www.knowlative.com/how-knowlative-works/ And now, for lunch.
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New Year's Resolutions and Adding Vitamin P
Meridian Menus
By Michelle Morley
T
hey say everything happens for a reason; I’m dyslexic, and never in my wildest dreams thought I would be the author of a cookbook! It just goes to show that if you follow your dreams and don’t give up, anything really is achievable and you can believe in yourself.
I’m not professing to be either a nutritionist, chef, cook nor a cleaner! I am, however, a passionate Touch for Health (Kinesiology) Consultant and Instructor, working closely with foods that raise the body’s energy. Working with my clients, I recommend appropriate food groups to continue and support their energy healing at home. For example, foods that support the spleen meridian are: Vitamin A as found in yellow and green leafy vegetables, tripe, citrus, green pepper, buckwheat, bone meal and dairy products. (continued)
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The following 4 pages are pages 26 & 27 and 68 & 69, previewed with permission from Meridian Menus As their practitioner, all I could think of was how uninviting this sounded, and what sort of meal could be derived from such varied ingredients. I wanted to be able to offer more to my clients and bring the food groups to life, which gave me the idea of Meridian Menus. The following 75 energy-boosting recipes offer affordable, easy options and a wide range of delicious healing meals to sustain you throughout the day, all of which raises the body’s energy levels, nourishes and supports our Meridians, organs, and associated muscles. Also, by eating at the best time of day for each meridian we are feeding our meridian system at its optimal healing time.
Through introducing a variety of foods (variety is the spice of life!) some of the recipes will support more than one meridian and organ that falls into the same element. (i.e.) stomach and spleen of the earth element. The book will be available through the Touch For Health bookshop online, some of the monies raised by the book is also going to the Touch For Health charity. Michelle Morley has been working with the body’s energy for over 14 years. Having lived in Asia for five years she found her passion for healing and is qualified in many healing modalities. As a Touch for Health consultant, she wanted to help everyone enjoy the benefits of nourishing and supporting our meridian energy system.
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Classifieds:
Classifieds
Class listings online for each National Association, Conferences, Products and More Class listings for individual countries
Upcoming SIPS classes
Australia: http://www.kinesiology.org.au/page-1712619 Canada: http://canask.org/class-listings-2/ Denmark: http://kinesiologiuddannelse.dk/kursuskalender/ Ireland: http://www.kai.ie/kinesiology-training-in-ireland
There are classes coming up in Canada, the US and Europe – visit the website to find courses near you. http://www.sipskinesiology.com
UK: http://www.kinesiologyfederation.co.uk/training/coursediary-search.php USA: http://touchforhealth.us/classes/classes-by-state/ USA: http://energyk.org/training-events/
IASK Meeting of Associations, hosted by KF: April 12 & 13, 2018
Kinesiology Federation (UK) AGM and Conference: April 14 & 15, 2018 TFHKA 2018 Conference: July 11-14, Malibu, CA
This section is a work in progress! If you are a kinesiology association and would like to have your events (conferences, demo days, etc) mentioned, please email us. There are far too many classes internationally for us to list them all, but please send a link to the page on your website that shows upcoming classes and we will add it here. If you would like to advertise your conference, presentation or post-conference workshop, please contact us for details.
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Some days you eat salads and go to the gym;
It’s called balance.
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Because health should be fun!
some days you eat cupcakes and refuse to put on pants.
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