Connecting Cultures: Massage Therapy & Tui Na

tui-na-20140414Dating back to 1700 B.C., Tui Na (pronounced “twee-nah”) is an ancient Asian form of bodywork and healing. It is recognized as the precursor to most forms of Asian bodywork, and in many ways, it mirrors the foundations of Western Massage Therapy.

Tui Na uses the theory of Qi—the flow of energy—through the body as its primary therapeutic modality. It seeks to find and maintain a harmonious flow of Qi, which encourages the body to awaken in order to heal itself naturally from any imbalances that may be present or occur in the future. In fact, Tui Na practitioners actively engage in effective techniques that increase the energy channels of the body, stimulate muscles, and soothe the joints. Tui Na also incorporates the basic principles of acupressure, which is similar to acupuncture yet doesn’t involve needles.

Massage Therapists may choose to become certified in the practice of Tui Na in order to enhance their clients’ experience and outcomes of massage. Tui Na training courses help to significantly increase knowledge and understanding of the subtle energy fields in the body. It also increases the ability to target the specific health and body issues of clients. Tui Na can be extremely effective for clients who experience a lot of joint pain, have constipation, are diagnosed with depression, and those who suffer from serious headaches.

Clients who have choosen to add Tui Na to their Massage Therapy sessions have also indicated that they feel more alive, more active, and less stressed-out. Because Tui Na focuses on the holistic health of the body, including mental and emotional stability and feelings of wellness, it serves particularly well as an outstanding compliment to deep tissue massage.

Contact us today to see how we can help improve your quality of life.

This article was posted in Massage and tagged . Bookmark the permalink. Follow comments with the RSS feed for this post. Both comments and trackbacks are closed.