Issue 16, Summer, 2020
Issue 16, Summer 2020
The Power of Physical Structure
Specialized Kinesiology Magazine
Al Berry’s Body Management
Form and Function, with
Seniors Find Balance Through Yoga
Keeping Connected
Kais Faddah
Flexibility Affcets Structure
Structure as a Holographic Approach to Wellness
The Power of Physical Structure
KinesioGeek Magazine, www.gemskinesiology.com
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Issue 16, Summer 2020
The Power of Physical Structure
KinesioGeek Magazine, www.gemskinesiology.com 2
Issue 16, Summer 2020
The Power of Physical Structure
Editor/Publisher/Writer Proudly brought to you by and flawed KinesioGeeks: dictator: Alexis contributing Costello Alexis Costello (Editor/ Publisher / Flawed DictaContributors: tor) Alison Kingston Brian Jensen Haraga Anne Michelle Greenwell Elizabeth Elia Natasha Polomski Kais Faddah Reenie Rose Robert Frost Ludovcco Felatto Sylvia Marina Michelle Greenwell Cover image is a stock photo
Adamand Lehman: Form Function inside the holowith Kais Faddah gram page 6
page 6 Al Berry’s
Opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers are their own.
Body Management
page 16
Contents: p. 4 Letter from the Editor p.5 Your turn: letters, questions and social media p. 6 Form and Function P. 11 Structure as a Holographic Approach to Wellness p. 17 Physical Structure in Kinesiology P. 20 Al Berry’s Body Management
P. 27 Seniors Find Balance Through Yoga p. 31 Flexibility Affects Structure P. 34 Classifieds p. 35 Because Health should be Fun!
Cover art: stock photo from Pexels.com
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Issue 16, Summer 2020
The Power of Physical Structure
The Bliss of Bodywork The Frequency of Balance
Muscle testing and Specialized Kinesiology sound like they are all about physical work, but as most of us know, our work can be exceedingly mental, exhaustingly energetic, and sometimes has very little physical component. But there is something to be said for getting back into the more physical side of it. And especially now when so much of our work is happening online, it can be wonderful to be reminded about the power of structural work, getting into alignment and working with a variety of muscle response tests. I know for myself, the more work I do online with teaching via Zoom and facilitating distance sessions, the more I seem to need to ground and center my body. I am writing this from a quick oceanside staycation where morning swims in the warm Pacific and a deep-tissue massage are helping me release some pent-up stress. This issue focuses on the more physical aspects of this field that we love; from speaking with a muscle-testing chiropractor, to a yoga instructor, to thoughts about the importance of structure and tensegrity and what that really means. Hopefully in these pages you find inspiration to work with new muscles and concepts and more thoughts about keeping the connection working while we are apart. Thanks for reading, we’re all in this together!
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Christine McGough: Zoom...Teaching classes, zoom parties, hang out sessions, client zoom sessions. Texting, phone calls, FB and FaceTime chats. It’s all worked out really well! Rochelle McFarlane: Zoom, streamyard and facebook video chats Marcia Fletcher: Zoom, email and phone Janice Graham: Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp and email. Binita Sama-Zakaria: whats app messages, whats app calls, zoom, email, messenger Rachel Lead: Emails, Zoom, Whats app, messenger, phone calls... Sylvia Marina: directly by phone especially older people, emails and private appointments on messenger, facetime, what's app or skype. Masterclass's, workshops and meet-ups on Zoom. Added free meditations on my website. And here with you Alexis on Social Media. Joyce Bunner: Personal phone calls and texts mostly. Zoom. Kelly Richardson: I’ve done remote sessions utilizing Zoom or FaceTime. I’m also going to be upping our presence on Social Media and doing more videos. Kasia Rachfall: I do distance sessions for the most part. Some of my regular local clients have come to my home office. I also do a daily FB live for 4 or 5 min in the morning to stay connected with my audience and talk about the energy of the day.
Our muscle testing community is more important than ever! Our skills are needed in the world. Let’s support each other.
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Your Turn: sharing who you are
How are you connecting with clients and students during this time when we aren't together physically?
Issue 16, Summer 2020
The Power of Physical Structure
Form and Function Healthy with Kais Travel Faddah
Advice from the Pros
By Alexis Costello
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he kind of muscle testing that we do in Specialized and Applied Kinesiology would never have existed if not for the work of a few dedicated chiropractors interested in looking for more holistic ways to work with the body. In this light, it made sense to speak with a chiropractor about our theme of physical structure. Introducing Kais Faddah, born in Finland, trained as an American chiropractor, and who now lives in Costa Rica. Interview on YouTube A: Tell us a little bit about your background and your experience with muscle testing?
K: If we go back to the beginning, I was a baseball player and I eventually injured my shoulder pitching. There was a lot of medication and anti-inflammatories, a couple of shots here and there; and everytime I returned to the field it was only a couple of weeks before the same sort of thing started happening again and I got frustrated. I walked into the medical library at my university and began to study shoulders. And I started to deviate from what the doctors were doing and began to strengthen myself in different ways and began looking at the relationship with the cervical spine and I realized I was really fascinated by this. At that time, my major was in physical education and exercise physiology; I added a second major in biology and the pre-med program. One day there was a career day at the school and there was one local chiropractic college that came out. I had never heard the term before, but I went to the table, picked up the book and something just resonated. I told my dad I was going to go to chiropractic school, he said, “OK, but what is that?� And I said,
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The Power of Physical Structure “I don’t know but it just feels right!” I finished the programs in physical education and biology, got the doctorate in chiropractic – and that’s when the education really began. I started in my private practice and families would come in with questions; moms asking what they can do about these allergies, bedwetting, etc. and that opened up a whole new paradigm. How does the body work and what can we do to get better function? When everything is working the way it’s supposed to, then we have health – that’s how we were created. In chiropractic college we learn how to manipulate. The key to me was: are we analyzing the body to figure out what it needs, or are we just forcing something to change? Chiropractic is a kind of art form – there’s a philosophy behind it – when you Kais working on me in the yard—photo by Aidan Costello
look at it from that perspective, the most important thing is the analysis, not the ‘doing’. So I went through a 100 hour course in Applied Kinesiology to help me figure out what’s going on with the body. The basic heart of chiropractic is that there is an intelligence and wisdom to this body. Our job is to release interference in the body’s communication system, whether that’s in the nervous system or the fascia, etc. If we remove that then the body knows what to do. A: This is so complimentary to what I do in my work. The body is electrical and if we remove the resistance in the circuit then suddenly the power is there to do whatever it needs to do. K: In the earlier part of my career I did a lot of muscle testing to figure out: what segment do I have to adjust? What organ is not working at its best? In chiropractic college the analysis isn’t taught – it’s about how to do.
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The Power of Physical Structure But soon more and more people were coming into my office and I was a solo practitioner… My practice grew, and you know, usually the mother comes in first and she sees some changes and then she wants to get the kids in and then finally the husband. Suddenly I’m seeing 80-100 people a day. It’s really challenging to take care of that many people – I had to keep expanding my space and then I would have four adjusting tables in a room and I would go from table to table; making a check, doing an adjustment, letting them breath, moving to the next… I needed to go faster, and one day I just thought, ‘I need to check that atlas.’ And as soon as I thought it, I could see the change in the body. That was the first ‘aha!’ moment of my professional life. Then I started to play around with it. I would think something and then do the muscle test and correlate it. I moved from a more physical muscle testing to a more energetic one. I know (when I do this) I’m talking to the physical matter of a specific
area – I’m asking a question and getting an answer. The brain communicates to the body via the nervous system so there is a relationship between thought and the physical. Through this I was able to enter a different level of service. This was just outside of Seattle and I worked there for 18 years Then at the top of my career I heard this inner voice which said, ‘you need to leave,’ and I moved to Costa Rica! A: The purpose of this article is to focus back on the structural foundation of the body and why it’s important. Why have you chosen to focus more on structure even though you have some training in the more energetic aspects of healing as well? K: I have to think, what’s the best thing that I can do for people? You can make a lot of adjustments energetically and sometimes people won’t even know you’re making them. Most of the people who come to see me want
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The Power of Physical Structure that physical release and change. I can get the ball rolling energetically; we have this matter that has a specific energy and vibration. We can touch it, feel it, sense it. We have a sensory system so we can feel and we can sense. I really do believe there is a part of healing that needs to have touch. The word ‘chiropractic’ is Greek, and it means ‘by hand’, so my hands go on people. And they know it; and I know that they know and can feel that there is a change happening! Sometimes when I do some of the subtle stuff, they don’t get that as much. My forte and my skill set is with the physical part of it and I believe that touch is so important for people. We have seen in the last few months how isolation has created problems for people. There are people coming to my office right now who have not been touched in a long time and they are so grateful. My analysis is on the more energetic level, my treatment is more physical. A: There are some people who have a block against the word chiropractic – maybe they think it’s quackery or maybe someone has done an adjustment and hurt them… Are there any major misconceptions about chiropractic work that you would like to clear up? K: I have heard a lot of different things over the years. Before I would work on anyone, I would have a consultation. The question I get the most often is, “This isn’t going to cause a stroke is it?” And I ask, “Where did you get that idea from?” And they mention and article they read, or a doctor said this… I’ve been doing this for 26 years now and nothing like that has ever happened. But I also know that there are certain people who will come in your office where you are not going to do a manual adjustment. This is where I sometimes get frustrated with my profession because some won’t do a thorough assessment – the adjustment is the same thing every time and this just creates a new pattern over time. That’s where the word ‘manipulation’ comes in and this is where
“The word ‘chiropractic’ is Greek and it means ‘by hand.’”
problems can arise. There are some people who are very susceptible to injury. They might go to a hairdresser and lay their head over the bowl to have their hair washed and that can push things out of alignment. So as far as a neurological insult or a burst blood vessel – that’s extremely rare, but we have to be aware of that as a possibility. And if I am suspicious that something negative could happen I would do an analysis; some people you barely touch. Some you just stretch a little. It depends on the person.
The second misconception that I would like to clear up; once you see a chiropractor, no, you don’t have to go to one for the rest of your life. Some people are going to require some intensive care. It depends on what’s going on in their life and in their bodies If they’re in a pattern of high stress and repetitive movement / computer work / sitting most of the day; to change the pattern you’ve got to have spaced repetition. But if a person comes in who’s in relatively good shape and their body alignment is alright – some correction might need to take place, but you don’t need to do all that intensive stuff, you can space them out over time. And then there are people who are doing a lot of different things and supporting themselves with nutrition,
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The Power of Physical Structure thoughts and movement – then you move into maintenance, or as I refer to call it – proactive health care. In those cases, I’m looking for any interference before any symptoms show up. So for some people this is a lifestyle choice and some will use it as a treatment for a specific condition.
neurotoxins crossing into the brain which can alter brain chemistry… Over time, if you don’t release that and get it cleaned out, the body is going to experience some kind of disease process. We correct nutritional deficiencies and clear out toxicities.
A: Ideally, once your body finds a state of alignment and balance it goes there more easily.
A: Are there any resources that you would suggest for people wanting to find out more?
K: Exactly. If you’re going to eat fast food and not be active, you’re going to require a lot more work – not just chiropractic, whatever the treatment of choice is.
K: There are various organizations in the States, the National Chiropractic Association for example – if you go into their website you’re going to find a lot of references and reading material. Chiropractic is one of the professions that was targeted by the American Medical Association, and from 1930-60s, many chiropractors were arrested and put into jail for practicing medicine without a license. It wasn’t until 1972 when the Supreme Court slapped the AMA’s hand and said, ‘Don’t do that anymore,’ that it stopped. Unfortunately, the infiltration of the medical model has started in chiropractic colleges. Even when I went to school there are only two major differences in training between doctors and chiropractors: at the end, the medical students study minor surgery and pharmacology and chiropractors learn about adjustments and nutrition. Unfortunately, a lot of chiropractors coming out of school now are using it to treat conditions, instead of looking to remove stress and create balance. Doing a search online will bring up a lot of different stuff, go to the associations and you’ll find better information there.
A: What we take into our body nutritionally and chemically affects the structure, but what you just said there is not intuitive for a lot of people – that eating fast food can create a physical misalignment. How do you explain that to people? K: Food is chemistry. A: Building blocks? K: Building blocks. Let’s say you’re putting toxins into your body. How does your body react to toxicity? It goes into a protective protocol to keep things away from the organs, we’ll see raised blood sugars, blood pressure might be higher and heartrate might be higher, there might be some
Links: American Chiropractic Association Canadian Chiropractic Association
Kais can be reached through www.ballenawellness.com
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The Power of Physical Structure
Structure as a Holographic Approach to Wellness
By Michelle Greenwell
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o look at how structure affects our world around us and our world within us, we need to look at several models of being. First, the Theory of Tensegrity developed by Richard Buckminster (Bucky) Fuller. Although developed from an architectural point of view, it applies to all that we do in movement with the body, and how the systems with flow support each other. When one part of the body moves with whole body movement, every other part is influenced. If we do isolated movement, we create an activation and a deactivation in some parts of the body, but not all, and this can create blocks in flow or interruptions in flow. In Freestyle and/or Somatic Dance or Tai Chi there is a dynamic in the movement that links from toe to fingertip and all the points in between. But this only speaks to structure and who we are is so much more than this isolated idea of structure. KinesioGeek Magazine, www.gemskinesiology.com 11
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Let us look at the Triangle of Health that is proposed in Touch for Health and has been expanded with different levels, aspects, and details. I prefer to look at the triangle as a Tensegrity model of ebb and flow that is the result of complete multidimensional living. If each part of the tensegrity model is a sliding experience as illustrated in Hugo Tobar’s example, then the influence of one aspect of the triangle can be understood on its influences on other aspects as well as those influences back – dynamic interactions on multidimensional levels, coherence of frequency. As we know from the research in leading up to the development of Therapeutic Touch by Dora Kunz and Dr. Delores Krieger, an imbalance in the biofield that goes without influence to the innate healing potential by an activation in the biofield (negative entropy), can continue to create an imbalance within the physical structure of the body, (Richard Gerber, Vibrational Medicine,
Chapter 8). Hugo Tobar recognizes this by identifying the auric field, the chakras, the matrix, the elements and the meridians within his Triangle of Health. We experience this imbalance as a symptom like pain, heat, emotional upset, and more. As soon as there is an imbalance in the system, there is a structural indication that will appear. It may be as simple as not sitting up straight, the head leaning forward, the lower back locking and aching, a foot turning out when walking and more. The cues are so subtle that we may not even be aware that they have begun, nor that they stay. It is over time, when no balance has been brought to the system for the challenge that presents itself, that a symptom becomes a problem. Bad posture is an easy indication. Drooping neck, hip pain, frozen shoulder, decreased strength, inflammation, sitting posture etc., (Sheldon Deal, AK Shortcuts). Our approach to balance on a multidimensional level is very important because when the tension
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The Power of Physical Structure is removed from wherever it is in the system, the symptom will resolve, or shift, and posture will change. This is all with no effort when balancing procedures are used from bioenergetic wellness disciplines like Brain Gym™, Touch for Health™, and Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI™), that integrate movement patterns with their balancing protocols. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ commons/2/23/DNA_tensegrity_triangle.jpg If we look a little closer at the triangle and its multidimensional aspect, you can see the sides of the triangle are coils – DNA strands that are spiraled into a very specific and tight knit shape. You can see how these triangles are connected to other triangles and how they create a living matrix or the Flower of Life. When we consider how holographic living influences this picture, you can see that by balancing all aspects of a triangle, it can affect all the other triangles too. And, if you consider the effects of tensegrity on the triangle, one pull to create imbalance can affect what carries through the system. In terms of structure in the body, this becomes clear by how the body creates an imbalance in the posture to indicate the challenge in flow.
Connected to this community is the breath. “Respiration creates movement in all 136 joints and in the whole tissue,” (Kuchera, 2005, 2007, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17986675). In Tai Chi the depth of the breath that is achieved with the whole body movement allows for the body to begin to create and store Qi within the joints and eventually the bone by creating a dynamic force with the expansion and contraction action that is created with the breath and with the movements, (“The Internal Structure of Tai Chi,” Mantak Chia and Juan Li). However, this is all still within structure and a look at other aspects of the triangle are significant here. Structure is a visual and experiential way of knowing if we are aware and we are observing. Breath creates a release of resistance, and if there is a mental desire to change, then change becomes possible. The emotional instigation changes the tension on one side of the triangle and allows for a frequency shift towards more coherence. This is where the goal being identified for a balance or a move towards a new objective is critical for setting the intention in the right direction for action and involvement on all levels. Together the aspects of the triangle begin to work together to achieve the common goal, or the objective of a balancing session.
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This brings us back to the original concepts created by Richard Buckminster Fuller and his Tensegrity model (1975). But this time there are more aspects to the triangle than the originally identified structural interactions on a triangle. If we consult David Hawkins “Scale of Consciousness” from Power and Force, Buckminster Fuller brings his model around to include the aspects of the Triangle of Health identified by Hugo Tobar in his illustration and reveals the truth within the chart. That is, when we trust what we are doing is for our higher good and in the direction of our purpose, we can set our intentions to flow towards a directed outcome.
Climbing the scale to the level of love means that transformation can occur with acceptance and forgiveness. This shift on the triangle can support the structure and the posture to begin to create a balance that we can see in our physical bodies. Carlos Castaneda follows this with: “The Shaman no longer looks for meaning in life but brings meaning to every situation. The shaman stops looking for truth and instead brings truth to every encounter. You don’t look for the right partner, you become the right partner. And then the right partner finds you. It’s a very active practice focused on healing.” The importance of flow is key to the willingness of the innate healing potential to be activated, but also for the willingness to change to become reality.
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When we “give” a massage there is an invested effort on the part of the masseuse to create change in the body being massaged, while the recipient is an inactive participant in the process. But, if one is to “offer” a massage to the tissue and hold back the desire to make the changes, but allows the body to realize where the change needs to take place and the pace that is required to create the change, the experience is one of flow, rather than demand for action. The body becomes an active participant in the exchange for coherence and balance. This is similar to creating a balance in the Triangle of Health with movement. Somatic
realizations are awareness within the structure of nuances of shape and tension. The somatic movement creates flow in a way that relates to the body but is distinct from the mind and its desire to see change. This experience is identified as part of the somatic nervous system or a somatic reflex. Yoga poses and meditation can create this stimulus for the system. Tai Chi and dance create it through sustained movement patterns that evolve and change with expansion and contraction of tissue in a relaxed and flowing state. As indicated by Tobar’s Triangle of Health, the Auric field flows to the Chakras and the Figure Eight Patterns, there is a flow into emotions from the chakras and this brings awareness to the
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Elements which interact with the meridians and create a relay switch of information to the structure. The harmony and balance is a dance of movement that is witnessed through structure to visually realize the coherence of the body and its overall status as a healthy individual both inside and outside. To experience this article in real movement, you can find the video for Day 89 on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCEPG1vTQ71ZSEuM2GgmgaDw, under the Playlist for the Online Tai Chi sessions. By setting the intention to balance the Triangle of Health in all aspects through movement, the body has a different response than just doing the Tai Chi movements for the sake of moving. You can try one of the prerecorded videos in the Tai Chi Wellness and the Seated Form Series and see how the body feels working structurally through the movements, and then try the movements and intentions found on Day 89.
Although not quoted here, this article was influenced by the research also found on Yumpu.com “The Meaning of Tensegrity: Principles for Osteopathic Medicine,” by Carsten Fluger 2008. Quotes for Fuller and Castaneda come from Google searches, and experience with movement created many of the other realizations through years of teaching dance and Tai Chi that are expressed throughout the article. Michelle Greenwell is a doctoral student at Akamai University currently coordinating her research in Integrative Health. Using movement to heal the body, she is intrigued by the incredible power of intention, movement, breathe and flow created through passionate living. You can find her articles and videos on Youtube, www.dancedebut.com, and her numerous Facebook pages to share and inspire BioEnergetic Wellness with others. You can check out her latest publication and workshop with Natascha Polomski: “Raising BioEnergetic Awareness” on Facebook and in the shop at www.dancedebut.com.
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Physical Structure in Kinesiology / Knowlative
By Ludivicco Felatto
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t is amazing to see, working with clients, the physical effects of metaphors or the incredible physical result we can obtain with the perfect supplement. Nonetheless we must acknowledge, for a variety of reasons, the fundamental importance of our “structure”. Bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia can deeply affect also non-structural aspects of health.
I am an orthopaedic and trauma surgeon. Until 2016, for many years, the “structure” of the body was my main daily interest. I can literally say that I touched bones and muscles of my clients. When I started exploring some alternatives, first the energetic system of meridians and acupoints and then Kinesiology with even more “subtle” way of influencing the body, I was immediately fascinated with these “easy” ways to influence the body. I call
them “easy” because, despite their complex physiology, the applications are usually immediate and very fast to learn… much easier, for example, than remembering the origin, insertion and movement of the 4 layers of muscles that you find in the anterior region of human forearm (By the way, if you do not remember them, you can see them here: https://www.appknowlative.com/app/#/uok-detail/2435).
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In Knowlative, we decided to implement the “structure” right after the “vocabulary” for these reasons… and also because anatomy is always hard to memorize. We uploaded all muscles of the body, every bone and every joint so that, now you can browse every joint and see all muscles that cross it divided by direction of movement (see the Joint Atlas for more info: https://www.appknowlative.com/app/#/uokdetail/3200). If for example, you want to test a painful joint (e.g.: the Knee: https:// www.appknowlative.com/app/#/uokdetail/3272) you can use this link to see all muscles divided by direction of movement, then test them, and find plenty of information to balance the whole system. The first item of a (non-complete) list of reasons why “structure” matters; it is, from my point of view, intrinsic in how the relations between the 3 aspects of the “classical” Triangle of Health work (to know more: https://www.appknowlative.com/ app/#/uok-detail/303).
Normally, we tend to give importance to how the emotional/mental aspects of our health can influence the body (psycho-somatic effect) or to how the nutrition and toxicity of our cells can manifest in the physical/structural body. And, at the same time, we underestimate the importance that our structure has in our thoughts (somato-psychic effect) and in how we process our food. The strongest example of how the physical body can affect the whole of our being is how our constitution affects our mental processes and digestion.
Another reason why structure is important is how the connective tissue works with memories. Working with fascia, but also with muscles, bone and ligaments, we can help the body to process traumatic emotions stored in the connective tissue This means that sometimes, for example with ugly scars, if we do not treat the “structure” first, it is really hard to release the emotional aspects of a traumatic experience (To read more about neuro-fascial memories and interesting theories on the holographic memory of the body: https:// www.bodyworkmovementtherapies.com/ article/S1360-8592(13)00192-7/pdf) Besides, Intention is a powerful tool and, while we are circuit locating acupoints or other structures in the body, we can have a sort of result even if we are not really touching the right spot. This is not a good reason to know exactly where that area/reflex/point is. If you trust only your intention, the results will be way less detailed, too. The last reason why structure is important is that we are muscle testers. A kinesiologist that does not know where muscles are is using his/ her main tool in a very limited way. The fact that even using a single indicator muscle (https://www.appknowlative.com/app/#/uokdetail/266) you can obtain amazing results only suggests the wonders you can achieve using (almost) all of them.
Another more practical example, can be the fact that, if we do not use our structure by moving around, our intestines cannot work properly and our thoughts are somehow blocked, too. .
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In Knowlative, we decided to implement the “structure” right after the “vocabulary” for these reasons… and also because anatomy is always hard to memorize. We uploaded all muscles of the body, every bone and every joint so that, now you can browse every joint and see all muscles that cross it divided by direction of movement (see the Joint Atlas for more info: https://www.appknowlative.com/app/#/uokdetail/3200).
Another useful use of “minor” muscles is, for example, if you are working on a specific meridian (https://www.appknowlative.com/ app/#/uok-detail/2585) or on a specific tendonmuscular-meridian (https:// www.appknowlative.com/app/#/uokdetail/2518), you can find all associated muscles and test them… and then balance using your usual protocol. We are muscle testers, let’s test all muscles.
If for example, you want to test a painful joint (e.g.: the Knee: https:// www.appknowlative.com/app/#/uokdetail/3272) you can use this link to see all muscles divided by direction of movement, then test them, and find plenty of information to balance the whole system. Below: screenshot from Knowlative
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AL BERRY’S BODY MANAGEMENT The art of “body Mechanics”
By Brian Haraga
F
rom a cowboy to the art of helping the body to help itself. I grew up in southern Alberta, Canada, on a farm. Our life was simple and hard at the same time. At a very young age, my father decided to build an arena on the farm, so my sister, my brother, and I could train rodeoing every day after school/work. We spent many years sharing evenings practicing team roping, calf roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing, and more, and on weekends we went to rodeos around Canada sharing family time on the road and meeting our extended rodeo family on the weekends, and I loved every single moment. Fortunately, I began using muscle monitoring and acupressure touch and massage for horses and other animals with my dad and brother at a young age. I have to confess that I was very skeptical at the beginning with the use of muscle testing, but through practice and the results of animals helped the proof was in the pudding. However, everything changed by age 16, when an auto accident left me partially paralyzed and severely debilitated on many different levels and left me with no hope by my doctor. I remember when he said "Brian, there is nothing more that we can do, we are removing your traction pin tomorrow, you're free to go home." and I said, "What am I supposed to do now?" That sad day, I was then taken home, and months went by, mostly sitting and half lying in my father's chair feeling depressed.
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The Power of Physical Structure I have a deep respect and admiration for my parents because of their open mindset, and the value of never quitting kept them looking for other alternative methods. We went to many places, but it was Al Berry's Body Management and vision that enabled me to recover and get back to rodeoing and my life. I remember my third visit with Al; I could feel my legs again. It was one of the happier moments of my life. Because of my experience and recuperation, I have dedicated my life to helping the body heal itself. Al Berry taught me how to work with people, including Touch For Health, and after, I collaborated with Al on how to work with horses and animals, I retook Touch For Health with John Thie, and then John Maguire certified me as a Touch for Health Instructor. That happened more than 30 years ago. There have been many similarities that bring Al Berry and me together. Al Berry was too severely ill, and after many tribulations with different
doctors, Spiro Lenis helped him put his stomach back in place. At that moment, his chest pain disappeared. That is why Al Berry put together Body Management to help others to help themselves as he did to himself. What did I learn? As I set before, I started learning with muscle monitoring and some adjustments for horses and animals. After the accident, I asked Al Berry to teach me about Berry's Body Management. It is a practical and foundational system developed by Al and Maxine designed so anyone can learn with no previous experience or expand the skills that one has already acquired with other modalities. It mainly focuses on structural wellbeing, finding the root cause, and the many ways of dealing with them. The wellbeing of our body is the result of what we put in it and the waste that you get out of it, the emotions we create, how we think, how we react to our environment, our belief systems, and more.
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Body Management techniques help the body to go back to a state of wellness and vitality, which works like a domino effect helping others (physical, mental, emotional, biochemical, spiritual, and nutritional) levels. Stress on the body can put a strain on the mind and vice-versa.
Balancing the body, and having the structure in proper alignment in conjunction with the right nutrition, cleansing the organs, exercise, and rest is where the road to where wellness begins. If the organs are in the correct position, the waste is eliminated efficiently; therefore, nutrition can be assimilated easier. It is the organs that may control the nerves, which may control the muscles and help keep the body's structure in place. Berry's Body Management uses several painless and straightforward techniques that can help restore the uninterrupted flow of electrical current in the body, the electromagnetic field, and the meridians, which are activated and balanced: as well as releasing and defusing mental and emotional stress. Body Management can help with digestive disturbances, cranium release, female and male reproductive organs, four central power switches, extremities (shoulders, elbows, foot, ankles, hands, wrist, hips, knees), nervous system, respiratory system, circulatory system, endocrine system, vascular system, viscera, lymphatic system, the skeletal structure of the body, hip displacement, ileocecal valve, lower back strengthening, prolapsed colon, neck, spine, joints, nutrition for the body, and more; as well as a method with lights to realign the cranial bones for support. In my busy practice, I have encountered that the majority of client's emotions are released while working directly on the structural wellbeing. Stress in the body can put stress in mind and viceversa. A great way to understand the balancing techniques you will be using working with the body is
Unhealthy colon
Healthy colon
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The Power of Physical Structure to use the analogy of the electrical wiring in a house. If the light does not come on, you try another switch, fuse, or circuit breaker. The body can enter into an ascending state of excellent health by getting the organs in their proper place, balancing the body, cleansing the organs, giving the body adequate nutrition, exercise, and rest. After taking Touch for Health with John Thie, I did incorporate into my practice Touch for Health. First, do the pretests, checking the fourteen muscles, and any other relevant tests and noting which of them cause an indicator muscle change. I then recheck after performing Berry's Body Management. In a way, it is a creative vision that integrates many levels of helping the body to heal itself, and it is always evolving. These steps are just the beginning of helping the body to move to it balance state. If you take this knowledge and apply it to people and thereby gain experience, you will be helping some of the many who need help.
Steps: 1) The person is lying stomach down, check to see with the leg is shorter. 2) Feel the muscles that run up the back (sacrospinalis) to see if they are tight or rigid. Usually, the shorter leg is the side that the back muscles should relax first.
3) Put your hands like in picture # 1 4) Hold very lightly (a fly should be able to crawl out from underneath of your fingers). 5) Muscle test how long to hold on each side or hold for five minutes on each side. 6) Remove your hands. 7) Feel the muscles again to see if they are more relaxed. If not, apply your hands longer.
Techniques to help the body. I have been thinking about which techniques I can show you that are accessible and easy to use. A. Back Relaxation This technique is step number three from Berry's Body Management course.
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B. Expanding Your Electromagnetic Field To Retain Your Power towards unwanted or negative influences Example: Caroline just felt drained after listening to her uncle James complain for 20 minutes about his wife for what happened to him at a time in his life. Yes! Caroline gave up her energy, getting trapped while showing compassion in her uncle's story as it unfolded and captivated her attention, which seems to drain and weaken her inside after just listening to her uncle speak. The technique: Hook thumbs together, cross fingers over each other (It does not matter which fingers are placed over each other), place hands over the naval (energy center for pain, power, and victimization).
Your energy field expands so that when people complain consciously (knowingly) or subconsciously (unknowingly) about people, places, things, times, and events. Your energy field will expand so that when people comment to you about either being a victim or tyrant in the situation. It will run off of you like water off a duck back. Thereby not draining your life force. This allows Caroline's uncle to express his concerns (and getting it out) to reduce stress without depleting Carolines' life force reserves and make Caroline more objective (less emotional) and less judgmental towards her uncle's comment s and see through the emotions to be able to see an equal and opposite emotion put back into her story with a more favorable outcome. This has been shown using muscle monitoring techniques.
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The Power of Physical Structure C. The Crown's Wisdom I presented this technique in the 40th Touch For Health Conference in Durham, North Carolina, in 2015. It is a quick test to check meridians. As if placing the meridian wheel over the crown of the head and the tester touches the corresponding points on the meridian wheel head points while looking for an indicator muscle change indicating an imbalance in organ/ meridian systems.
6. a. Correct the priority imbalance on the body for the corresponding priority meridian wheel crown point on the head with the usual techniques taught in Touch For Health (TFH database, Neurolymphatics, Neurovascular, etc.) b. Or correct one imbalance on the body for each corresponding meridian wheel crown point on the head one at a time with the usual Touch For Health techniques.
Technique: 1. Set a goal using muscle monitoring. 2. Ask permission.
7. Recheck crown meridian wheel points and previous muscles that were unlocked. All should be locked/test strong. 8. Any meridian crown point or points that still unlock/test unlocked, correct with TFH.
3. Do all pretests using muscle monitoring. (Testing the 14 Touch for Health muscles.) 4. Muscle test/monitor around the crown of the head to identify meridian wheel imbalances (unlocked indicator muscle). 5. To find the priority imbalance around the crown of the head. -Testee/person being tested will touch previous points on meridian wheel crown of testee's head that were previously unlocked. -The testor/practitioner doing the testing will retest the 14 muscles that switched off from step number 3.
Meridian Wheel Touch for Health educational purpose only
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Even-though Al Berry is not with us anymore, I am forever grateful to him and Maxine not only for my health but for the countless others that have also been helped. My work reflects my life lessons as well as his indepth knowledge of the body (human and animal). This healing modality allows me to help and enhance people's lives to their full potential in a caring straight forward manner. I have an unbreakable passion for the art of self-healing and teaching-helping others to feel better.
Forever grateful. Brian has more than 30 years of experience working with people and all kinds of animals. Brian is an instructor for Touch For Health, Body Management, Pet/Horse therapy, Live and Dry Blood Cell Analysis, and a former Educational Kinesiology Instructor and more.
I always say that "the more you learn, the more questions you will have, which takes you back to Berry's Body Management basics." As Al Berry repeated over and over to me, "Ask the Body."
Maxine Berry, Brian haraga,Al Berry
Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.
- Jim Rohn Berry’s Body Management and Touch for Health With Brian Haraga
Why to take these seminars? Taking this amazing knowledge and applying it to yourself, people, and animals, it will enable you to help yourself and some of the many people in the world who may be suffering from disorders and help prevent imbalances that are so unnecessary. Assist yourself and others in having a richer, healthier, and happier life. Who can take these courses? Everyone. People from every age, walk of life and profession have attended this classes. No formal education/training is necessary. register before August 01, 2020 and get $50 off regular price. Touch For Health I: SEPTEMBER 18-19 Body Management I: SEPTEMBER 20-21
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Seniors Find Balance Through Yoga By Liz Elia pictured above, article on following page
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E
very Thursday morning for the past 8 years I have taught yoga classes at a senior center just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. I offer one class where students practice on the yoga mat, and the other class takes place seated on a chair. The people who practice in the chair usually do so because it is harder for them to get up or down from the floor. It always surprises me that the chair practice offers just as much to the students as the mat practice does. The response of students at the end of each practice is the same; they seem both rejuvenated and relaxed. As one student proclaimed: “yoga may be the only activity in my life that can calm me down and energize me at the same time.” Teaching these classes feeds my soul. The 20-30 regular students who attend the classes feel like family to me. There is an excitement in just being together, and feels like a high point of the week. One of the greatest gifts of my own yoga practice has been in feeling like a part of a greater community; that sense of connection seems even more important in this group of older adults- seniors often face difficulties due to social isolation. Practicing as a group brings motivation and support to “show up” each week, and we always check in with news and updates before each class begins. The classes are a combination of asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation. I often include physical practices from kinesiology such as meridian tracing, auriculars, switch-ons, and neurolymphatic massage. At the end of class I give each student reiki while they rest in savasana (corpse pose- or yoga “sleep”). I try to make the classes challenging while also keeping them gentle and accessible. People are often referred to the practice by their doctors or physical therapists as a way to
“It is such a peaceful, calming practice that I feel good at least for the rest of the day.”
mitigate pain or gain strength. This referral is sometimes important to get someone onto the mat. Aging shifted this student's perspective on giving yoga a chance; “I've always been a vigorous, physical exerciser and totally ignored yoga. Now that I'm a bit older, I realize the benefits of yoga physically and mentally. I wasn't aware of the strength needed and acquired by yoga. I really enjoy the stretching and balancing involved. It is such a peaceful, calming practice that I feel good at least for the rest of the day.” Sometimes students tell me that they have seen results after only taking a few classes; I’ve heard reports of breathing improvements, blood pressure regulation, and pain relief. It seems hard to believe that this simple practice could offer so much! But studies have recognized yoga for its abilities to reduce anxiety, depression, and inflammation in the body. It has been shown to be effective in increasing levels of GABA in the brain- the neurotransmitter that calms and regulates the central nervous system. Reference link In addition to mental benefits, yoga practice brings renewed vitality to the physical body. The aches and pains that accumulate over time can lead to a reduction in physical activity for older adults. This reduction in movement can cause the body to stiffen, lose bone mass, and weaken muscles.
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The Power of Physical Structure Yoga offers relief from back and joint pain and gives the practitioner a new relationship to their own body; instead of letting pain stop physical activity one can learn to access physical release through the breath and gentle movement. The students who struggle with osteoporosis let me know how the poses help them with this condition, and at the end of a good class they often sing praises for the movements that made them feel good. Balance is also a common concern for seniors, and yoga is a great way to strengthen the neurological connections to the feet that are needed to maintain balance and avoid falls. Proprioception is a major part of doing yoga; the challenge of maintaining a calm focus and knowing where every part of your body is in space while practicing for an hour really builds the neurological connections to the body! The word yoga literally means to “yoke.” When something is yoked together; separate parts are brought together to be united as one. The main focus of the physical practice is to unite the breath with the movement of the body. Through practice, one learns to understand how the breath reflects the state of balance happening at any given moment between the mind and body. The sensory “fluctuations'' of the mind and body are seen as distractions and yoga is designed to calm these in order to achieve unification with the spirit. When the posture or “asana” is linked with the breath, deeper meaning is assigned to the movement. It becomes mindful. Once the mind can hold awareness of how the breath responds to a challenge, such as a difficult pose, it can start to regulate its response to stress. If you find yourself stuck holding your body in a new position, a purposeful breath can clear away the
brain’s need to react, panic, or move out of the pose. In this way, we start to link our autonomic nervous systems response to our conscious minds' awareness of the present moment. Once we have practiced a few times, we can take this new skill off the mat and into the world. We start to link our awareness of our breath to stress response in other parts of our life. The benefit of yoga practice off of the mat can be seen in this students experience: “I was in the hospital and had had an emergency appendectomy. I was back in a room, and my legs were encased with coverings that inflated, alternately putting on pressure and relaxing. They were extremely uncomfortable, to the point of being painful when compressed. I asked if they could be removed, but was told that they were necessary to guarantee circulation. I decided then to apply my yogic teachings. I concentrated (hard) on my breathing, syncing it, and thinking of the
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The Power of Physical Structure inflation as massage. It worked! It actually got to the point where I was enjoying the ‘massage,’ and then I fell asleep. When I awoke the coverings were gone, and I missed them.” Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many seniors have been isolated at home. Not knowing when we will be able to practice together again, I have been putting the classes up on YouTube for them to do at home. One student shared some great feedback at how it has been helping: “Yoga has sustained me during this worrisome time. I feel I’ve benefited both physically and mentally from yoga practice. It has also given me something I can have control of! I now have a routine, again, even if it’s only once every other day. My body feels stronger. I’m much more aware of my breathing. Balance and flexibility are improving, too. Yoga calms me down. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I’m finished. And if it happens that I don’t do anything else that I should be doing that day at least I’ve done my yoga!”
In my experience I have seen how all roads lead to the same destination. Whether yoga, specialized kinesiology, or almost any other healing practice, transformation happens when people deepen their connection to themselves. When somebody is able to find their center, they can be aware of those times when they are “off” and bring themselves back to center much more easily. This power can bring confidence, better health, and help people make healthier decisions that lead to better lives. Yoga is just one path, and it offers so many benefits beyond just physical strength and flexibility. Even though the classes that I offer are taught with seniors in mind, they offer benefit to people at every age. You can find my classes here: https://www.youtube.com/user/ LizAzalea please share widely and let me know what your experience is like! Liz Elia is a healing practitioner based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her practice includes Specialized Kinesiology modalities (Crossinology Brain Integration, SIPS- Stress Indicator Point System, Touch for Health, and LEAP) and guided shamanic healing. All of her services are available remotely and she loves to work with other practitioners! She teaches yoga, Reiki, and Touch for Health. Find out more and contact through her website: wholemindedhealth.com
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Flexibility Affects Structure By Denise Cambiotti and Heather Phillips
O
ur goal is helping people release pain and tension in their bodies while improving their ability to do the things they love. One of the ways we accomplish this is by training Muscle TunerÂŽ Specialists and Energy Boost Self-Care Specialists who help their clients make positive structural changes rapidly. Both groups utilize the Circuit Breaker Reset technique for themselves and others. This is a 3-5 minute activity and when demonstrated, it always causes a sensation for the people who experience it. We encourage anyone who learns it to share this technique with others. This is how we proceed when doing a demonstration. First, we ask for a measurement of
flexibility on a scale from 1-10 where ten is feeling very flexible. We ask the person / audience to bend forward while slightly flexing their knees to protect their backs. Notice how far they can reach and where they feel tension and how easy it is to do, or not! Then roll up carefully to straighten up. How easy was that? Next, we ask them to lean from side to side and observe any tightness and whether the fingertips of their hands reach the same level along the outside of their leg or whether the fingertips on one side are higher. Is there tension in the neck muscles? Be careful in all measurements. In case someone has a neck or back issue, you may want to modify
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or avoid a particular measurement. The technique is very simple to share with a friend. Invite them to rub along your spinous processes (the centre of each vertebra of the spine) in an UP and DOWN motion from the top of the neck to the bottom of the lumbar area. Ask them to rub to your tolerance/ comfort level and tell them to lighten up if it is painful. We recommend taking three minutes to perform this technique while envisioning loosening up any ‘stuckness’ from one vertebral segment to another. This technique is well known to those who are trained in Touch for Health® and who perform the Bilateral Spinal Technique over specific three-segment areas to facilitate a muscle that is found unlocked on both sides of the body. An important note: Never rub side to side without specific training because rubbing side to side across the tips of the vertebrae will shut down energy to muscles, literally weakening the person. After rubbing the entire spine is complete, remeasure flexibility on all the movements that were checked before the spinal reflexes were activated. Notice that posture and structure have been improved. People who do the Circuit Breaker Reset technique agree they have gained flexibility and many times it is a significant gain! They also experience more energy and regularly report significant pain relief. Arriving to make a presentation for over 100 people, we learned our organizer had fallen several days before. After demonstrating the Circuit Breaker Reset technique on her for the audience to see, she was able to squat without back pain and pick up her bags and carry them
to her car which she could not do before the meeting. This activity intrigues people and naturally opens a conversation about what more you have to offer. How can you benefit from this if you don’t have a friend to help? Experiment with a few tools. Our favourite self-care tool is a loofah on a stick (in the shower) or back scratcher over clothing because direction and pressure can be controlled. Just remember to rub only upwards and downwards and if it is uncomfortable, do not use this type of tool! Another tool to use is a fist-sized ball that has some ‘give’; the kind that can be squished a tiny bit. Place it in the toe of a knee high/nylon stocking/long sock.
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This allows it to be draped over a shoulder and positioned between the spine and a wall and keeps it from rolling away. Once the ball is positioned in the desired spot, knees can be flexed and straightened while the ball rolls against the spine gently.
Never cause pain. Keep rolling up and down over a small zone for several seconds then reposition the ball. Keep going until the entire spine has been activated. Remember to re-measure flexibility and comfort level when the Circuit Breaker Reset is complete. Flexibility will be improved, often significantly. General wellbeing will be improved because organs and glands communicate via nerves arriving at and exiting from specific spinal segments. When the segments are not jammed together, communication improves between the nervous system, organs and glands. Remember to return the favour when performing this amazing technique with a friend so they can experience the benefits of this reset also. For more information about our programs relating to self-care, as well as working professionally as a Muscle TunerÂŽ Specialist or Energy Boost Self-Care Specialist please visit our website at www.MuscleTuners.fit or reach out to Denise Cambiotti denise@muscletuners.fit, or Heather Phillips heather@muscletuners.fit with your questions.
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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: https://canbewell.org/ 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/
Gut Brain Axis Collaborative Workshop
Note: It has been difficult to list Muscle Testing events and classes this year as schedules are uncertain and many events are cancelled or changed last minute due to changing regulations. As you can see, I have removed conference listings from this page for the time being. I apologize if any of the information about events / classes / services that you have found here in this issue is incorrect.—Alexis
Online, November 13-15 More information coming soon!
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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Because health should be fun!
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