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BioEnergetic Self-Care: Tai Chi

• Michelle Greenwell
• Mar 26, 2020

Using Tai Chi Movement to Enhance Wellness

The study of movement has been such an interesting voyage of discovery.  When I first became deeply injured and could not walk, I was led to Touch for Health and to Tai Chi.  I developed my skills in each separately and thought they really did not have much to do with each other.  Over the last decade as I have honed my skills and research into the best ways to support people with their self-care, the tools of Touch for Health, Tai Chi and Therapeutic Touch have all combined into one amazing booster package.  Fast forward to our current situation of isolation and desire to be strong in our own self-care and self-responsibility as we find ways to keep healthy while being in quarantine.  It is only today that I am truly understanding the gifts of movement that have been more fully realized through my understanding of bioenergetics and the pursuit of wellness through movement.

In the Foundations of Therapeutic Touch® we experience the power of deep breathing, finding our center and grounding.  Each of these actions creates a way for us to connect with ourselves and protect our energy by creating a flow that takes our personal energy into our center and into the ground.  This is a way for us to be protected from picking up energy from others we come in contact with.  At the moment with COVID-19 we have been placed into a fear based notion that the germs of the virus are what we need to avoid, but actually, using the principals of Tai Chi, we engage in activities that build energy and create a free flow that raises our vibration and creates a protective barrier to support our systems.  I am not saying don’t “worry” about the germs, I am saying that we need to start thinking differently about what wellness means so that virus’ will have a minimal impact on our systems. 

Commencement… beginning of free flow

What movement pattern can create this free flow?  Commencement.  This movement begins the action of deep breathing and opening up the joints for movement with relaxation.  The opening of the joints changes the frequency travelling through our body.  The action of the movements creates a free flow through the meridians and the pressure on the foot engages reflexes as well as stimulation for Kidney 1, which brings a boost of energy to all the energy systems in the body through the Primovascular system or the meridian pathways.  You can find this movement pattern here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seOfvAoK97Q&list=PLzO-WRkzCZX5AwrzW9-zVPJANDpOHZomM&index=17

Once free flow has begun there is a change in the meridian systems and how they are opening to the energy being passed throughout the biofield.  For our students and clients who are working with meridians and their associated organs and emotions, Tai Chi can expand their knowledge by adding tracings to the commencement as well as the knowledge about the emotions.  By activating the movement patterns our self-care opportunity is to release stress, unblock emotion and begin to bring the body into balance and order.  This negative entropy produces the opportunity for people to engage in their own self-care, but also to begin to learn how to relax before they come in for a session or engage in a virtual session.  Dr. Sheldon Deal expressed in his workshops that he always did a relaxation technique with his clients before he worked with them, so they were already open to change.  Tai Chi can produce a similar result to his sound therapy bed sessions using frequency through the massage table.    Here is an example of commencement, meridian tracings and emotion:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSX3oHzaJd4&list=PLzO-WRkzCZX5AwrzW9-zVPJANDpOHZomM&index=19.  Included with this video is some goal setting or affirmation declarations.  As we use goal setting and intention in the bioenergetic wellness disciplines, this is a movement way to create energy flow with movement in a similar way to a session with a client.  They can begin to use these techniques themselves, and this will begin to develop their ability to be articulate about their goals and ambitions and what they are hoping to achieve through sessions or classes to learn more.

The 5 Element Wheel engaged

One way to engage the meridians and create a flow through the 5 Element Wheel without direct knowledge is to engage in Don Yu’s.  The seated set creates this opportunity the best as there are a few more details that would need to be observed for someone doing the standing Don Yu’s correctly.  In addition to the meridians being opened and energized, there is also the action of the arms to consider.  There is a figure eight pattern that circulates through the arms and body with the movements, and those who use the figure eight pattern through Cook’s Hookups or tracings know the power of the movement.  Tai Chi has it included.  You can see this exercise here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2cZopYYRI8&list=PLzO-WRkzCZX5AwrzW9-zVPJANDpOHZomM&index=14.  The figure eight pattern of the arms can be done on its own and this will actually engage the fascia and organs in a dance of movement that brings energy flow to all the organ systems so they can talk to each other in a much more efficient way.

Biofeedback through awareness

The key feature of BioEnergetic Wellness disciplines is their use of BioEnergetic Feedback from the body to identify where assistance is needed.  In Tai Chi we do this through awareness.  When you are understanding the movement patterns of the body, limitations of tight joints, sore muscles etc., you can use muscle monitoring to identify the kind of movement that will help to engage the body to release the tension.  In my Qi YINtegration program, we have full checklists that list the movement patterns that are possibilities for change.  Also, you can use the sensing of the hands as developed in Therapeutic Touch® to notice how the meridians are feeling, where there is sluggishness in the line, or how the acupressure points are feeling.  Holding the Neurovascular points and sensing the energy flow through the fingertips is similar to this in Touch for Health, we often wait to feel the energy flow or the synchronized pulsing in both hands.  You can find an example of sensing the meridians on the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRrrlNtpAYc&list=PLzO-WRkzCZX7RMPqVKH-hL06zEc2KwCMc&index=5.

Finding balance: energy shifts, emotions and integration

In our sessions with clients we are often making significant energy shifts and pattern shifts to their biofield.  How the body processes this information is very important.  From Therapeutic Touch® we know that 20 minutes rest after a session creates the opportunity for processing to finish and the rest of the systems to realize their new potential.  Equally important is to have our clients and students engage in specific movement patterns that reintegrate the system and find balance throughout.  That is where Tai Chi and the simple exercises can be very helpful.  The Foundations in Tai Chi are known as Tendon changing opportunities.  Spine Rotation can reactivate all the organ systems and spiral actions can integrate all the tissue together.  An example video is here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHFcW9fwhRQ&list=PLzO-WRkzCZX5AwrzW9-zVPJANDpOHZomM&index=10.  From the research of Dr. Randall Robirds, DC and “Song of the Spine: Sound healing and vibrational therapy,” by Dr. June Wieder, there is a connection of emotions to the joints and the tissue connected to the bones at respective sites.  Emotional release can be activated and supported by movement patterns that engage particular points of the body.  Tai Chi Foundations can accomplish this once the body is in a relaxed state and there is a free flow of energy engaged.

So, as you look at your classes, sessions with clients, and personal wellness activities, consider how the ancient healing principals of Tai Chi, with thousands of years of history, can help you today.  The more you understand about movement, about engaging new patterns and implement opportunities for movement to assist in wellness, the sooner a complete package of self-care can be successful.  Enjoy the videos and, with your new found “time”, enjoy the learning. 

Michelle Greenwell is currently working on her dissertation in Integrative Health using the opportunity of movement to support the wellness of the body, mind and spirit.  Her approach to movement woven with the materials of bioenergetic techniques and bioenergetic feedback changes the way wellness is experienced as a moving opportunity.  She welcomes any discussion on this topic and encourages you to use the video links she has provided to help enhance your knowledge of bioenergetic wellness, and to share it with others.  The more we support each other in being well during this CoVid19 time, the sooner we can all find our new normal!

• Author: Michelle Greenwell