Tian Di Bamboo Massage Training

THE FIVE ELEMENTS

In Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into five elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water, these five elements have been used and describe our relationship to external and internal phenomena, they describe a generating cycle or a natural process of life.

But as with all cycles there are two Phases one that assumes a more masculine side and the other a more feminine, one is the giver and the other the receiver or as in this case a generating and overcoming cycles.

In the generating cycle, wood generates fire; fire generates earth; earth generates metal; metal generates water; water generates wood. In the overcoming cycle, wood overcomes earth; earth overcomes water; water overcomes fire; fire overcomes metal; metal overcomes wood.

Understanding these cycles and how they play out in ones life can bring you to a closer relationship with yourself and others as well and a deeper understanding of how nature plays out a role in our lives.

There are some points in Chinese phylosophy that will be address during the Tian Di Bamboo Massage class that will impact and help you in deep understanding; these are:

Tao = the Way, or one's doctrine
De = virtue, power
Li = principle
Qi = vital energy or material force

Taiji = forms a unity, from which two antagonistic concepts, Ying and Yang originate. Yin the feminine principle and Yang the masculine one. Both concepts even thoug antagonistic in nature are complementary of one another.

WOOD - Wood's attributes are considered to be strength and flexibility, as with bamboo. It represents springtime when new growth sprouts from the earth. Its associated direction is east.

FIRE - Fire is considered to be both hot and dry, and according to Plato is associated with the tetrahedron which is one of the five Platonic Solids. Bamboo generates heat that deeply penetrates the body tissues.

EARTH - Earth represents strength, abundance, stability, and femininity. In rituals, Earth is represented by burying objects in the earth, herbalism, and making images out of bamboo or stone.

METAL - Metal is one of the five elements of Chinese alchemy. It is associated with organization and stability. The archetypal metal is gold. The Chinese five elements do not include an air element. Air, however, is considered an analog of metal in contexts that require an air element.

WATER - In Chinese Taoist thought, water is representative of intelligence and wisdom; however, an overabundance of the element is said to cause difficulty in choosing something and sticking to it. The element of water overcomes fire, and in turn is overcome by earth. Water spawns wood, and is produced by metal.

During the Tian Di Bamboo Massage class you will gain understanding of these five elements and will go over personality charts that give you an understanding of your element type, this in turn is something that you will use with your clients to evaluate and create a treatment for them. In adition you will understand the Archetypes of the five elemts to deepen the process.

ABOUT BAMBOO

For the Chinese as it is with other cultures bamboo symbolize gentleness, modesty and serenity. Indeed, bamboos have played a vital role in the development of Chinese culture and civilization and are still important today.

Most bamboo flower but only once in 60-120 years, with large heads much like those of sugar cane. After blooming, all of the bamboo plants of the same species die back. This happens worldwide at the same time! Quite a remarkable feat right in there with the similar global songs of the Humpback whales, overall, there are more than 1200 kinds of bamboo, all of them relatives of the sugar cane and of corn.

Bamboo wood has silica in its cell walls and is hard, straight, strong, flexible, light and easily split. Much like the properties of quartz crystal bamboo will help in the transmission of energy and the healing process to your clients. The Japanese name for bamboo is take, while the Chinese call it chu. This is where the name I have chosen for our bamboo tools comes from.

Bamboo seams to be a gift from the gods a plant that has as many uses as one can imagine.

People of ancient Hawaii as well as many other cultures from around the world used bamboo to kindle fires, blowing air through hollow tubes onto the embers, to irrigate their crops, surgical instruments have been made out of bamboo as well as needles, knives and saws. Some of the most beautiful flutes are made with bamboo as is the Japanese Shakuhachi, floors, cups, bridges, vessels, gutters, floats, canes, masts, furniture, utensils, agricultural tools, ladders, ornaments, toys and fishing poles, and now we have for the first time our Cho sticks made exclusively for massage and bodywork.

Tools we use: Out of the many varieties of bamboo we like a medium walled bamboo this makes it very strong and not to heavy. The ends are filed and smooth so they don’t scratch the body. We use a variety of lengths and diameter depending on the use that we will give the Cho stick.

Some of the Cho sticks are cut in a unique way to be able perform Tian Di Bamboo Massage.

CUPPING

Cupping is a method of applying acupressure by creating a vacuum next to the patient's skin. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) it involves placing glass, plastic, or bamboo cups on the skin with a vacuum. The therapy is used to relieve what is called "stagnation" in TCM terms, and is used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as the common cold, pneumonia and bronchitis. Cupping is also used to treat back, neck, shoulder, and many other musculoskeletal pain.

Cupping is an ancient Chinese technique of healing that has long been a part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It has now been use in modern times in acupuncture and it is beginning to make its way to the field of massage therapy. Cupping has often been used to relieve local congestion. A partial vacuum is created in the cups that have been placed on the skin either by means of heat or suction. This draws up the underlying tissues. When the cup is left in place on the skin for a few minutes, blood stasis is formed and localized healing takes place.

Cupping has been found to penetrate the tissue four inches into the body: causing tissues to release toxins; activating the lymphatic system; clearing colon blockages; helping to activate and clear the veins, arteries and capillaries; activating the skin; clearing stretch marks; and improving varicose veins. Cupping is the best deep tissue massage available.

Cupping regulates the flow of Qi and Blood, cupping also moves Qi and Blood and opens the pores of the skin, thus precipitating the removal of toxins through the skin itself. From the very start of its application one can observe the objective of the treatment is to remove the external toxins from the body and restore the circulation of Qi, blood and the Fluids, thus bringing health to the patient.

Qi, the Western definitions of Qi include; the energy of life, Vital force, Life force, Life vitality.

GUA SHA

Gua Sha, Gua meaning to scrape or extract and Sha, meaning sand or toxins. It is a traditional ancient Chinese healing technique that dates back over two thousand years. This ancient method is used to promote Qi or bioelectric vital life energy, blood circulation and removal of toxic heat, stagnant blood and lymph fluid from the body. Chi or Qi (pronounced “chee”) is the constant and vigorous movement of energy or life force that keeps us healthy and alive.

Any patient that suffers from stiff joints, chronic pain, poor circulation, stiff muscles, lymphatic congestion, fatigue and more can benefit from this treatment.

As we do the treatment red spots may surface on the skin these are an indication that toxins are being released. In traditional Chinese medicine as it is in acupuncture there are three types of non-healthy Qi, the first being dead Qi. This is stagnant Qu that has been held by the body for a long time without being released, one of the consequences of this dead Qi is that the body suffers from oxygen depravation.

The second type of non-healthy Qi is stagnant. This type of Qi is present in the body and causes such conditions as chronic heart, liver, kidney, spleen and lung problems, It is also caused by being overweight. In many ways this is because of lack of exercise. Stagnant Qi is always associated with pain throughout the body parts where the stagnation occurs.

The third type of non-healthy Qi is toxic Qi. In this case is when toxic waste products accumulate in the body and when it is left untreated or unattended it can cause serious health problems.

Gua Sha therapy when properly applied creates the removal of toxic debris and the moving of internal fluids therefore bringing new fresh rich oxygenated blood, which in turn accelerates regeneration and revitalizes the region where stagnation was improving overall health.