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Bob Vaughan, California, jan 2005 " Chiropractic Chiropractic Chiropractic - Technique for Spinal Adjustment "
This is a new website about Alternative medicine. Please join us and enjoy. We want to provide you with as much info as we can on different ways of healing with alternative medicine. Use our Forum. We will try to give you the best info on alternative medicine healing.
with love
Bob Vaughan, California, jan 2005 "
Chiropractic Chiropractic Chiropractic - Technique for Spinal Adjustment "
Practitioners of chiropractic are called chiropractors. They receive the degree Doctor of Chiropractic, (D.C.) and are commonly called a doctor in the same way that a dentist is called a doctor. The term chiropractic physician is allowed in some states, but this term is not in general use.
This practice has been shown to be effective in treating back and neck pain, headaches, and other symptoms of spine-related conditions.
HistoryChiropractic was founded by Daniel D. Palmer of Davenport, Iowa. In 1895, Palmer was investigating the medical history of Harvey Lillard, a deaf janitor. Lillard informed Palmer that while working in a cramped area seventeen years ago he felt a pop in his back and had been nearly deaf ever since. Upon examination, Palmer found what he described as a lump that was sore to the touch. He concluded that this lump was a misalignment, which was the possible cause of Lillard's deafness. After correcting this misalignment in the janitor's spine, Lillard's hearing was restored. Lillard was reported to note that he could now hear the wheels of the horse drawn carts in the street below. After further investigation, Palmer believed he had discovered that a major source of interference to the nervous system, the vertebral subluxation, interfered with the body's regulatory mechanism, causing what he termed ""dis-ease"" as in ""loss of ease"".
The term chiropractic originated when Palmer asked a patient to come up with a name from the Greek language to describe his practice. Of the several names submitted to him, Palmer accepted one which combined the words chiros and praktikos (meaning ""done by hand"") to describe his adjustment of a vertebrae in the spinal column. Palmer had been a beekeeper, school teacher, grocery store owner, and had an interest in the metaphysical health philosophies of his day such as magnetic healing, osteopathy, and spiritualism.
Chiropractic subluxationPalmer imbued the term ""subluxation"" with a metaphysical and philosophical meaning. He held that certain dislocations of bones interfere with the ""innate intelligence"", a kind of spiritual energy or life force dependent upon God that connects the brain to the rest of the body. He claimed that subluxations were interfering with the proper communication of this innate intelligence with the rest of the body, and that by fixing them, 95% of diseases could be treated.
In response, in the mid-1990s the Association of Chiropractic Colleges redefined a subluxation as follows: ""A subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system and general health."" In 1997 the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research defined a subluxation as ""a joint problem (whether a problem with the way the joint is functioning, a physical problem with the joint, or a combination of any of these) that affects the function of nerves and therefore affect the body's organs and general health.""
In recent years a number of chiropractic associations have developed new definitions of ""subluxation"" that have no connection with Palmer's ideas, yet also are not the same as medical subluxations.
Usage
The use of manipulative therapy — not necessarily chiropractic — enjoys wide acceptance by medical authorities in many nations. It is covered by many health plans such as Medicare in the United States. Although some medical doctors (MDs) and many doctors of osteopathy (DOs) do perform manipulative therapy, more than 90% of the treatment of back pain by manipulative therapy is performed by DCs (Doctors of Chiropractic).
Chiropractic has gained general acceptance in the last forty years as an appropriate treatment for certain back and neck problems. This was partly a result of the prolonged litigation between the powerful American Medical Association and various chiropractors over the legitimacy of the field (see Wilk v. American Medical Association). The AMA is politically opposed to chiropractic as a healing discipline and disputes the concept of a subluxation.
Requirements for credentialsThe educational requirements for chiropractors in many Western countries are similar to that of medical doctors. The AmericanCouncil on Chiropractic Education (CCE) is in charge of setting minimum guidelines for chiropractic colleges; however, additional requirements may be needed for a license depending on the jurisdiction where a chiropractor chooses to practice. Many states require a four-year undergraduate degree, although the minimum prerequisite for enrollment in a chiropractic college set forth by the CCE is ninety semester hours. The minimum cumulative grade point average for a student entering a chiropractic college is 2.50. Commonly required classes include communiction or language skills, psychology, social science or humanities, biology, organic and inorganicchemistry, and physics, as well as the common medical classes in anatomy or embryology, physiology, microbiology, diagnosis, neurology, x-ray, orthopedics, obstetrics, and gynecology. Interestingly, while chiropractic students in the United States need less clinical experience (residency) than medical students, they must complete more class hours. However the process of credentialing varies widely by country.
Political schools of chiropracticContemporary chiropractic is divided into two basic schools:
According to the National Council Against Health Fraud, the conviction held by chiropractic believers that every spine will benefit from an adjustment causes them to manipulate spines inappropriately. Among the concerns about chiropractic manipulation is the widespread use of the explosive ""dynamic thrust"" which takes the patient by surprise, as opposed to more conservative techniques. This maneuver has a greater potential for inflicting injury.
The practice of greatest concern is the rotary neck movement (sometimes called ""Vaster cervical or ""rotary break""). This type of manipulation has led to trauma, paralysis, strokes, and death among patents. Even chiropractic's legal advisors have warned against its use.
The overuse of x-ray by chiropractors poses potential patient harm. Of primary concern is the 24' x 36' full spine x-ray. This technique exposes patients to a substantial amount of radiation. Exposing the body trunk to x-rays can have serious long-range consequences and should be avoided. Further, according to NCAHF's chiropractic advisors, such radiographs have little or no diagnostic value.
" Acupuncture-Whatisit Acupuncture Acupuncture - What is it "Acupuncture (from Lat. acus, ""needle"" (noun), and pungere, ""prick"" (verb)) or in a Chinese dialect, is a technique intended to promote health and well-being, that entails the insertion, into the body of its subject, of very thin needles. These needles are applied by trained practitioners into areas described as ""acupuncture points” Acupuncture in China is traced as far back as the 1st millennium BCE, and archeological evidence has been identified with the period of 202 BCE - 220 CE. Its practice spread centuries ago into many parts of Asia; in modern times it is a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and forms of it are also described in the literature of the traditional medicine of India.
In the West, it has adherents (including some medical practitioners), who consider it part of complementary and/or alternative medicine. The traditional theory of acupuncture at least superficially conflicts with Western medical knowledge. The consensus of Western-trained medical doctors and medical-research specialists
• accepts at least effectiveness as a placebo in some situations,
• as of 2004 finds it more effective than placebo acupuncture in relieving pain of osteoarthritis, and
• continues research on possible value in various areas of medicine.
Historically, TCM generally presumed that warming an acupuncture point, typically by moxibustion was a stronger treatment than acupuncture. The term zhēn jǐu, for acupuncture comes from zhen meaning ""needle"", and jiu meaning ""moxibustion"". Moxibustion is still used in the 21st century, to degrees that vary among the schools of TCM, including attaching burning mugwort to the needle during acupuncture.
Most modern acupuncturists use disposable stainless steel needles of very fine diameter, that have been sterilized.
Theory
Twelve primary channels run vertically, bilaterally, and symmetrically. Each channel corresponds to and connects internally with, one of the twelve Zang Fu. This means that there are six yin and six yang channels. There are three yin and three yang channels on the arm, and three yin and three yang on the leg.
The three yin channels of the hand (Lung, Pericardium, and Heart) begin on the chest and travel along the inner surface of the arm to the hand.
The three yang channels of the hand (Large Intestine, San Jiao and Small Intestine) begin on the hand and travel along the outer surface of the arm to the head. The three yang channels of the foot (Stomach, Gallbladder, and Bladder) begin on the face, in the region of the eye, and travel down the body and along the outer surface of the leg to the foot.
The three yin channels of the foot (Spleen, Liver and Kidney) begin of the food and travel along the inner surface of the leg to the chest or flank.
The course of each of the twelve channels comprises an internal and an external pathway. The external pathway is what is normally shown on an acupuncture chart and is relatively superficial. All the acupuncture points of a channel lie on its external pathway. The internal pathways are the deep course of the channel where it enters the body cavities. The superficial pathways of he twelve channels describe three complete circuits of the body.
The flow of energy through the meridians is as follows: Lung channel of hand taiyin to Large Intestine channel of hand yangming to Stomach channel of foot yangming to Spleen channel of foot taiyin to Heart channel of hand shaoyin to Small Intestine channel of hand taiyang to Bladder channel of foot taiyang to Kidney channel of foot shaoyin to Pericardium channel of hand jueyin to San Jiao channel of hand shaoyang to Gallbladder channel of foot shaoyang to Liver channel of foot jueyin then back to the Lung channel of hand taiyin.
Traditional Chinese medical theory holds that acupuncture works by redirecting qi ""vital energy"" in the body. Pain or illnesses are treated by attempting to remedy local or systemic accumulations or deficiencies of qi. Pain is considered to indicate blockage or stagnation of the flow of qi, and an axiom of the medical literature of acupuncture is ""no pain, no blockage; no blockage, no pain"".
While it is claimed by some that there is no physical evidence for the existence of qi or for its claimed effects, and that acupuncture is therefore a pseudoscience or metaphysical belief, many patients experience the sensations of stimulus known in Chinese as ""deqi"" (""obtaining the qi"") This was historically considered to be evidence of effective treatment. Often deqi takes the form of a propagation of sensation along the trajectory of the so-called acupuncture ""channels"" or meridians. Research into the phenomena of ""deqi"" has mostly been conducted in China and Japan.
Treatment of acupoints may be performed along the 12 main or 8 extra meridians located throughout the body. 10 of the main meridians are named after organs of the body (Heart, Liver etc.) two after so called body functions (Heart Protector or Pericardium, and San Jiao, ""triple heater""). The two most important of the eight ""extra"" meridians are situated on the midline of the anterior and posterior of the trunk and head.
The acupuncturist will decide which points to treat by thoroughly questioning the patient, and utilizing the diagnostic skills of traditional Chinese medicine, such as observation of the left and right radial pulse.
An acupuncture procedure
Although accepted as a medical treatment in Asia for millennia, acupuncture's arrival in the West has sparked much controversy. Acupuncture has eluded scientific explanation to some degree. However, in 1997, the NIH issued a consensus statement on acupuncture that concluded that there is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine and to encourage further studies of its physiology and clinical value.
The NIH statement noted that the data in support of acupuncture are as strong as those for many accepted Western medical therapies and added that the incidence of adverse effects is substantially lower than that of many drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the same condition. For example, musculoskeletal conditions, such as fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, and tennis elbow... are conditions for which acupuncture may be beneficial. These painful conditions are often treated with, among other things, anti-inflammatory medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) or with steroid injections. Both medical interventions have a potential for deleterious side effects but are still widely used and are considered acceptable treatments.
The NIH consensus statement noted that there is clear evidence that needle acupuncture is efficacious for adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and probably for the nausea of pregnancy... There is reasonable evidence of efficacy for postoperative dental pain... reasonable studies (although sometimes only single studies) showing relief of pain with acupuncture on diverse pain conditions such as menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, and fibromyalgia...
However, acupuncture does not demonstrate efficacy for cessation of smoking and may not be efficacious for some other conditions.
Potential risks
Acupuncture is an invasive technique, therefore it is not without risk. Hematoma may result from accidental puncture of any circulatory structure. Nerve injury can result from the accidental puncture of any nerve. Brain damage or stroke is possible with very deep needling at the base of skull. Also rare but possible is pneumothorax from deep needling into the lung, and kidney damage from deep needling in the low back. Needling over an occult sternal foramen (an undetectable hole in the breastbone which can occur in up to 10% of people) may result in a potentially fatal haemopericardium. Needles that are not properly sterilized can transfer diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. Severe injury from acupuncture is extremely rare, but not unheard-of. Well-trained, licensed and experienced acupuncturists are less likely to injure a patient. The NIH consensus panel made the following statement about the risks associated with acupuncture: “Adverse side effects of acupuncture are extremely low and often lower than conventional treatments.”
Links:
• Five Element Acupuncture Information Site http://5element.com.au/
• Acupuncture, The Facts. http://chinese-school.netfirms.com/acupuncture-whatis.html
• How acupuncture works explained http://www.itmonline.org/arts/acuintro.htm
• Open Directory: Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine. http://dmoz.org/Health/Alternative/Acupuncture_and_Chinese_Medicine - A collection of links, mostly to pro-acupuncture sites.
• The Skeptics dictionary on acupuncture http://www.skepdic.com/acupunc.html
• The Straight Dope on Acupuncture http://www.straightdope.com/columns/000324.html - A concise criticism
Bibliography:
• Acupuncture. NIH Consensus Statement Online 1997 Nov 3-5; month, day; 15(5):1-34.
• Richardson PH, Vincent CA. The evaluation of therapeutic acupuncture: concepts and methods. Pain 24:1-13, 1986.
• Richardson PH, Vincent CA. Acupuncture for the treatment of pain. Pain 24:1540, 1986.
• Ter Riet G et al. The effectiveness of acupuncture. Huisarts Wet 32:170-175, 176-181, 308-312, 1989.
" TuiNaMassage TuiNa Tui Na Massage "Tui Na (pronounced 'twee-nah') massage is a complete healing system, like acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. These three forms of therapy are the main components of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Tui Na is probably the oldest system of bodywork still practiced yet its popularity continues to grow.
The techniques of Tui Na and details of its uses in treating a range of health problems were already documented in a vast treatise - The Yellow Emperor's Classics of Internal Medicine, written about 2500 years ago. After such a lengthy period of development and evolution, modern Tui Na is the most tried and tested hands-on therapy in the world.
Tui Na is applied to the clothed body. Patients sit on a chair or lie on a couch. Be prepared to answer some questions about your state of health before having a Tui Na treatment.
How does it work?Tui Na works in accordance with the complex theory of TCM. Fundamental to this theory is the life powering energy that the Chinese call Qi (pronounced 'chee'). Every aspect of bodily function depends upon Qi and its flow through the tissues.
The Chinese recognize a network of 12 paired meridians - one member of each pair on the right side of the body and the other on the left. There are also two unpaired meridians that encircle the trunk and the head in the mid-line.
These meridians are not like vessels, they have no anatomical structure but they are pathways along which the main flow of Qi occurs. It is best to visualize them as precise currents of Qi, just like currents of water in the oceans.
Interestingly, Western scientific methods have been used to plot the courses of these meridians, and they confirm the accuracy of detailed maps produced around the time of The Yellow Emperor's Classics of Internal Medicine.
At irregular intervals along the meridians there are specific Qi points (the acu-points of acupuncture) where pressure, needles or heat can affect the way Qi flows through the meridian. This effect can manifest itself on some part of the meridian quite distant from where the stimulus is applied.
When Qi flow is disturbed anywhere in the body, Qi imbalance that results can cause pain, stiffness, sickness - even emotional pain.
The Chinese believe that health and vitality depend on Qi balance in the body. Tui Na is one of the best ways of achieving this and it uses an array of techniques to do it.
A Casual observer watching a session sees what appears to be a thorough workout for the soft tissues and joints, but the practitioner aims to do more than this. Attention is focused on meridians and selected Qi points. They are massaged in different ways to remove all blockages to the flow of Qi.
Tui Na has a variety of different systems that emphasize particular aspects of these therapeutic principles. The main schools in China include the rolling method school which emphasizes soft tissue techniques and specializes in joint injuries and muscle sprains, the one finger pushing method school which emphasizes techniques for acupressure and the treatment of internal diseases, the Nei Gung method school which emphasizes the use of Nei Gung Qi generation exercises and specific massage methods for revitalizing depleted energy systems, and the bone setting methods school which emphasizes manipulation methods to realign the musculo-skeletal and ligamentous relationships and specializes in joint injuries and nerve pain. In addition to these four main schools, there are hundreds of ""family systems"" that have been passed on from generation to generation and utilize aspects of each major system.
What does it treat?Tui Na treats chronic pain, especially that caused by muscle-skeletal conditions and injuries. Neck, shoulder and back pain and immobility, sciatica and 'tennis elbow' all respond very well.
It is, however, impossible to treat a specific condition with Tui Na without improving the overall Qi status of the body.
This means that headaches, migraines, IBS, constipation, PMS and a whole range of emotional problems can also be treated.
In China , Tui Na is used for conditions that, in the West, would be treated by osteopaths, chiropractors and physiotherapists or with drugs.
What does it feel like?It is a very vigorous massage; every technique requires movement as well as pressure, After the first session you may feel a little sore but after two or three more most people adjust to the deep pressure.
Depending on the type of Tui Na treatment you have, you might leave feeling a bit light headed. Some patients experience sleepiness while others feel supercharged. Almost always, everyone feels better after Tui Na.
As with acupuncture, Tui Na produces many side effects, but all of them are positive.
A common example is the person treated for chronic back pain finding that their chronic constipation has also been eased. This is because the pain treatment focuses on the Bladder meridian which links directly into the Qi energies of the large intestine.
Sometimes side effects can be very emotional and patients feel like crying uncontrollably.
Yes. As with all forms of therapy, there are certain conditions that would contra-indicate Tui Na but very few would contra-indicate it completely.
Very deep, soft tissue massage and vigorous join manipulations would be inappropriate for someone with osteoporosis and so would direct massage on skin affected by eczema or infection, to mention just two examples. Even in these cases, however, it might be possible to do very effective Tui Na using distinct parts of the meridians and selected distant Qi-points.
There are very few professional courses in Tui Na and they vary in length and content. Before choosing a course, check its content; it should include basic Traditional Chinese Medical theory and relevant anatomy and physiology.
It should also train students to treat the chronic muscular-skeletal problems for which Tui Na is so effective. To be able to deeply apply the techniques accurately to the meridians and acu-points without injury requires thorough training. It's impossible to learn Tui Na in a weekend or a few days.
" Acupressure-Whatis Acupressure Acupressure "
Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body's natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body's life force to aid healing. Acupuncture and acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture employs needles, while acupressure uses the gentle but firm pressure of hands (and even feet). There is a massive amount of scientific data that demonstrates why and how acupuncture is effective. But acupressure, the older of the two traditions, was neglected after the Chinese developed more technological methods for stimulating points with needles and electricity. Acupressure, however, continues to be the most effective method for self-treatment of tension-related ailments by using the power and sensitivity of the human hand.
Foremost among the advantages of acupressure's healing touch is that it is safe to do on yourself and others - even if you've never done it before - so long as you follow the instructions and pay attention to the cautions. There are no side effects from drugs, because there are no drugs. And the only equipment needed are your own two hands. You can practice acupressure therapy any time, anywhere.
Acupressure can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eyestrain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, and tension due to stress. You can also use self-acupressure to relieve anxiety and to help you get to sleep at night.
There are also great advantages to using acupressure as a way to balance the body and maintain good health. The healing touch of acupressure reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness.
In acupressure, local symptoms are considered an expression of the condition of the body as a whole. A tension headache, for instance, may be rooted in the shoulder and neck area. Thus acupressure focuses on relieving pain and discomfort as well as on responding to tension before it develops into a ""dis-ease"" that is, before the constrictions and imbalances can do further damage. By using a combination of self-help methods such as trigger point stimulation, deep breathing, range-of-motion exercises, and relaxation techniques, you can improve your condition as well as feel more alive, healthy and in harmony with your life.
The Development of Acupressure
The origins of acupressure are as ancient as the instinctive impulse to hold your forehead or temples when you have a headache. Everyone at one time or another has used his or her hands spontaneously to hold tense or painful places on the body.
More than 5,000 years ago, the Chinese discovered that pressing certain points on the body relieved pain where it occurred and also benefited other parts of the body more remote from the pain and the pressure point. Gradually, they found other locations that not only alleviated pain but also influenced the functioning of certain internal organs.
In the early Chinese dynasties, when stones and arrows were the only implements of war, many soldiers wounded on the battlefield reported that symptoms of disease that had plagued them for years had suddenly vanished. Naturally, such strange occurrences baffled the physicians who could find no logical relationship between the trauma and the ensuing recovery of health. After years of meticulous observation, ancient Chinese physicians developed ways of curing certain illnesses by striking or piercing specific points on the surface of the body.
As with the Chinese soldiers, people through the ages have found the most effective ways to help themselves by trial and error. The art and science of acupressure was practiced by the contributions of people whose awareness was so highly developed that they could feel where the bodies of people in pain were constricted and sense which trigger points would alleviate the problem. The Chinese have practiced self-acupressure for over 5,000 years as a way of keeping themselves well and happy.
Many of the health problems in our society - from bad backs to arthritis - are the result of living unnaturally. Stress, tension, lack of exercise, poor eating habits, and poor posture contribute to the epidemic of degenerative diseases in our culture. Acupressure is one way to help your body fight back and balance itself in the face of the pressures of modern life.
How Acupressure Works
Acupressure points (also called potent points) are places on the skin that are especially sensitive to bioelectrical impulses in the body and conduct those impulses readily.
Traditionally, Asian cultures conceived of the points as junctures of special pathways that carried the human energy that the Chinese call chi and the Japanese call ki . Western scientists have also mapped out and proven the existence of this system of body points by using sensitive electrical devices.
Stimulating these points with pressure, needles, or heat triggers the release of endorphins , which are the neurochemicals that relieve pain. As a result, pain is blocked and the flow of blood and oxygen to the affected area is increased. This causes the muscles to relax and promotes healing.
Because acupressure inhibits the pain signals sent to the brain through a mild, fairly painless stimulation, it has been described as closing the ""gates"" of the pain-signaling system, preventing painful sensations from passing through the spinal cord to the brain.
Besides relieving pain, acupressure can help rebalance the body by dissolving tensions and stresses that keep it from functioning smoothly and that inhibit the immune system. Acupressure enables the body to adapt to environmental changes and resist illness.
Tension tends to concentrate around acupressure points. When a muscle is chronically tense or in spasm, the muscle fibers contract due to the secretion of lactic acid caused by fatigue, trauma, stress, chemical imbalances, or poor circulation. For instance, when you are under a great deal of stress you may find you have difficulty breathing. Certain acupressure points relieve chest tension and enable you to breathe deeply.
As a point is pressed, the muscle tension yields to the finger pressure, enabling the fibers to elongate and relax, blood to flow freely, and toxins to be released and eliminated. Increased circulation also brings more oxygen and other nutrients to affected areas. This increases the body's resistance to illness and promotes a longer, healthier, more vital life. When the blood and bioelectrical energy circulate properly, we have a greater sense of harmony, health, and well-being.
Ways to Use Acupressure
Acupressure's potent points can be used to enhance many aspects of life. In addition to managing stress, you can use acupressure to relieve and prevent sports injuries. Sports massage has been widely used by athletes before and after Olympic events. Acupressure complements sports medicine treatments by using points and massage techniques to improve muscle tone and circulation and relieve neuromuscular problems.
The Chinese have also used acupressure as a beauty treatment for thousands of years. You can use potent points to improve skin condition and tone and relax the facial muscles, which can lessen the appearance of wrinkles without drugs.
Although acupressure is not a substitute for medical care, it is often an appropriate complementary treatment. It can, for instance, speed the healing of a broken bone once it has been set, or aid a cancer patient by helping to alleviate some of the associated pain and anxiety of the disease.
Similarly, acupressure can be an effective adjunct to chiropractic treatment. By relaxing and toning the back muscles, acupressure makes the spinal adjustments easier and more effective, and the results last longer. In fact, the two therapies were originally practiced together in ancient China .
Psychotherapy patients can derive benefits from acupressure by using it to heighten body awareness and deal with stress. When powerful emotions are free and unresolved, the body stores the resulting tension in the muscles. Acupressure can help restore emotional balance by releasing the accumulated tension caused by repressed feelings.
An acupressure point actually has two identities and ways of working. When you stimulate a point in the same area where you feel pain or tension, it's called a local point. That same point can also relieve pain in a part of the body that is distant from the point, in which case it is called a trigger point. This triggering mechanism works through a human electrical channel called a meridian . The meridians are pathways that connect the acupressure points to each other as well as to the internal organs. Just as blood vessels carry the blood that nourishes the body physically, the meridians are distinct channels that circulate electrical energy throughout the body. They are thought to be part of a master communications system of universal life energy, connecting the organs with all sensory, physiological, and emotional aspects of the body. This physical network of energy also contains key points that we can use to deepen our spiritual awareness as we heal ourselves,
Because the stimulation of one point can send a healing message to other parts of the body, each acupressure point can benefit a variety of complaints and symptoms. The highly effective acupressure point in the webbing between your thumb and index finger, for instance, is not only beneficial for relieving arthritic pain in the hand, but also benefits the colon and relieves problems in the facial area and the head, including headaches, toothaches, and sinus problems.
Tonic points improve your condition and maintain general health. They strengthen the overall body system and fortify various internal organs and vital systems of the body.
How to Find a Point: Acupressure Point Names and Reference Numbers
You locate an acupressure point by referring to anatomical landmarks. To help you find them, all of the points in this book are illustrated with a description of these landmarks (such as bone indentations and protrusions).
Some acupressure points lie underneath major muscle groups. While points near a bone structure usually lie in an indentation, muscular points lie within a muscular cord, band, or knot of tension. To stimulate the point, press directly on the cord or into the hollow.
As acupressure evolved, each of the 365 points was named poetically, originally with a Chinese character. The imagery of its name offers insight into either a point's benefits or location. For instance, the name Hidden Clarity refers to the mental benefit of the point: It clears the mind. Shoulder's Corner refers to that point's location. The Three Mile Point earned its name because it gives a person an extra three miles of energy. Runners and hikers have used this famous point to increase stamina and endurance.
Some of the names of the acupressure points also serve as a powerful meditation tool. By pressing a point and silently repeating its name while you visualize its benefit and breathe deeply, you can realize the full potential power that each point offers. As you hold the Sea of Vitality points in your lower back, breathe deeply and visualize each breath replenishing your deep reservoir of vitality. Use the power of your mind to strengthen and help heal your lower back.
You can create affirmations with the names of the points -- powerful action statements that amplify a point's benefits. For example, hold the Letting Go points on the upper, outer chest with your fingertips. Breathe deeply. Imagine yourself letting go of tension, frustration, and stress. As you hold and breathe into these points, repeat to yourself that you are now letting go of all negativity and irritability.
In addition to its name, each point was assigned an identification number to track its placement along the body. Point location numbers, such as St 3 or GI3 21, are a standard referencing system used by professional acupressurists and acupuncturists and so I use them as an additional label, too.
The Third Eye: A Potent Spiritual Point
Using the healing touch of acupressure can also be a practical way of deepening your spiritual life. By lightly touching the Third Eye Point, for instance, just above the bridge of the nose, for a couple of minutes, you can enhance your inner awareness. If you want to progress further, meditate on this point for five to ten minutes each day, and within a few weeks, you may notice that your intuition will begin to increase. Concentrating on the Third Eye Point can nourish your spiritual nature.
Spirituality is not disembodied; the most powerful spiritual experiences are rooted in one's body. When I close my eyes and lightly touch the Third Eye Point, and completely focus my attention on that spot between my eyebrows, I heighten my sense of myself. I become intensely aware of how my body feels, how my breathing feels. As I sense the blood pulsing throughout my body, I experience the flow of life energy. And if I continue breathing deeply, sitting with my spine straight, I become aware of every part of my body at once - as a harmonious, unified presence. When I meditate, this often leads to a powerful sense of oneness with the world. Acupressure's potent power can heal us both physically and spiritually.
The healing benefits of acupressure involve both the relaxation of the body and its positive effects on the mind. As tension is released, you not only feel good physically, but you also feel better emotionally and mentally. When your body relaxes, your mind relaxes as well, creating another state of consciousness. This expanded awareness leads to mental clarity and a healthier physical and emotional healing, dissolving the division between the mind and body.
Ilza Veith, trans., The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1949). An ancient Chinese medical text. Ilza Veith, trans., The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1949). An ancient Chinese medical text.
Resources:
Dr. Stephen Thomas Chang, The Complete Book of Acupuncture (Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1976), 14. Dr. Stephen Thomas Chang, The Complete Book of Acupuncture (Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1976), 14.
T. Tan Leng, Margaret Y. C. Tan, and Ilza Veith, Acupuncture Therapy - Current Chinese Practice (Philadelphia: Temple University, 1973). T. Tan Leng, Margaret Y. C. Tan, and Ilza Veith, Acupuncture Therapy - Current Chinese Practice (Philadelphia: Temple University, 1973).
For additional information on tonic points, see Michael Reed Gach, Greater Energy at Your Fingertips (Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1986), 9-25.
(Text Copyright, Michael Reed Gach & Bantam Books, 1990)
" Aromatherapy-Oildetails Aromatherapy Aromatherapy - Oil details "
Aromatherapy is the use of plant oils, that are purified and properly prepared to affect someone's health or mood. One of the best known essential oils for aromatherapy is lavender, which is recommended by practitioners for treating wounded parts of the body, to improve memory and to gain better sleep by combating anxiety and insomnia. Other popular scents include eucalyptus, rose and jasmine, basil, ylang. While there is no scientific proof that essential oils cure diseases, many people have found great success in their usage.
Some essential oils have been shown to have effects on the nervous system, other parts of the body, or even bacteria. Rosemary and ylang-ylang have opposite effects on alpha brain waves. Tea tree and leleshwa oils kill a wide variety of microbes, bacterias and sandalwood oil kills certain bacteria at lower concentrations. Plai oil (a sort of ginger) is useful for treating pains in joints.
Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Country: Comoros Islands.
Usage: to improve mood, strengthen nerves, improve memory and mental clarity, for relieving headache and muscular spasms. Basil is very anti-infectious and antibiotic. Its main chemical composition includes: Eugenol, Cineol, Linalol, Phenol Methylchavicol, Camphor, and Pinene.
Emotions: for relieving indecision and doubts, lack of direction. Blends well with: bergamot, clary sage, citronella, and geranium. Basil should be avoided during pregnancy. It should not be used in baths and can cause irritation to skin.
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Country: Italy.
Usage: balancing nervous system, relieving anxiety and stress, lifting melancholy, for restful sleep, antiviral, cold sores, psoriasis, eczema and as an insect repellent. Its main chemicals components are: D Limonene, Bergaptene, Linalol, and Linalyl Acetate.
Emotions: to relieve helplessness, hopelessness, emptiness and grief. Bergamot may cause skin sensitivity to bright sunlight. Bergaptene is the constituent which increases the skin's sensitivity to sunlight.
Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)
Country: China
Usage: Arthritis, bronchitis, colds, flus, infectious disease, aches and pains in muscles, acne, sprains, and coughs. Its main chemical components are: cineol, pinene, terpineol, and menthol.
Emotions: to relieve shock, fainting (as a smelling salt),and works as a stimulant. Only white camphor should be used in aromatherapy. It should only be used in very small amounts as it is an extremely strong oil. Avoid if pregnant, epileptic, or have high blood pressure.
Cardamon (Elettaria cardamomum)
Country: Sri lanka.Cardamon has been used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for over 3,000 years.
Usage: relieving mental fatigue, nervous strain, and heartburn; for healing coughs and bronchitis, anorexia, to uplift and warm, as an aphrodisiac. Its main chemical components are: Alpha terinyl acetate, cineole, terpinen 4 ol, alpha-terpineol, sabinene, and limonene. Avoid use on allergic skin. Emotional profile: to relieve inflexibility, suspicion, self-pity, confusion, intolerance. Blends with: rose, neroli, frankincense, cedarwood, orange, ylang ylang, bergamot, and clove. No known contridictions.
Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)
Country: Hungary.
Usage: for toning and rejuvenating mature skin, wrinkles and scars, eczema, psoriasis, as a stimulant to immune and lymphatic systems, for relieving PMS and regulating monthly cycles, to ease anxiety and stress. Its main chemical components are: Pinene, carotol, daucol, limonene, bisabolene, elemene, geraniol. Blends well with: geranium, cedarwood, citrus or spice oils. No known contridictions.
Atlas Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica)
Counrty: Morocco
Usage: to relax tense muscles, calm mind and emotions, help breathing, for enhancing meditation, easing pain, repelling insects, against hair loss. Its main chemical components are: Atlantone, caryophyllene, cedrol, cadinene.
Emotions: for relief of irrationality, worry, fear and mental obsession. Blends well with: bergamot, cypress, ylang ylang, rosemary, juniper, vetiver, neroli, clary sage, and frankincense.Atlas Cedar should be avoided during pregnancy.
German Chamomile (Matricaria recutica)
Country: Hungary
Usage: to relieve muscular pain, to heal skin inflammations, acne and wounds, as a sedative, to ease anxiety and nervous tension, to help with better sleep. Its main chemical components are: Chamazulene,farnesene, bisabolol oxide.
Emotions: to relieve hysteria, fear, nervousness, grief, worry; promotes patience. Blends well with: bergamot, marjoram, jasmine, patchouli, neroli, lavender, clary sage, lemon, rose and ylang ylang. German Chamomile should be avoided during early pregnancy and may cause skin reactions in some people.
Roman Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis)
Country: England.
Usage: to relieve pain in muscles, as a sedative, decrease anxiety and nervous tension, to help with insomnia. Its main chemical components are: Esters of angelic and tiglic acids, pinene, chamazulene.
Emotional profile: to relieve anger, hysteria, fear, spirit disconnection, grief, worry. Blends well with: bergamot, cypress, jasmine, juniper, neroli, frankincense, clary sage, vetiver, rosemary and ylang ylang. Roman Chamomile should be avoided during early pregnancy.
Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
Country: Oregon
Usage: reducing stress and tension, lifting melancholy, reducing pain, restful sleep, as an aphrodisiac; contains estrogen-like hormone, for menopause and PMS, relieving nervous exhaustion. Its main chemical components are: Linalyl acetate, linalol, pinene, myrcene.
Emotional profile: for relieving worry, crying, guilt, obsessions and compulsions, hostility, panic. Blends well with: juniper, bergamot, lavender, frankincense, coriander, cardamon, geranium, sandalwood, cedarwood, pine and jasmine. Clary Sage should be avoided during pregnancy, or if you have endometriosis, breast, ovarian and uterine cysts and other estrogen dependant conditions (cancers).
Coriander ( Coriandrum sativum)
Country: Hungary
Usage: relieving muscular aches and pains, increasing circulation, for colds, flu and rheumatism, for help with sleep and nervous exhaustion. Its main chemical components are: Linalol, decyl aldehyde, borneol, geraniol.
Emotional profile: to relieve doubt, fear of failure, feelings of vulnerability, weariness and irritability. Blends well with: clary sage, ginger, bergamot, cypress, pine, jasmine, frankincense, neroli, citronella, and sandalwood. Use in moderation and avoid if you have fibrosis or breast cancer.
Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
Cypress oil is distilled from the needles and twigs and is imported from Europe. Cypress incense is used today by Tibetans for purification and meditations.
Usage: to increase blood circulation, reduce muscular cramps, bronchitis, whooping cough and painful periods; reduce nervous tension and other stress related problems, as an immune stimulant. Avoid cypress if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, cancer or uterine and breast fibrosis.
Emotions: for relief of grief, self-hate, jealousy, loss and regret, isolation. Blends with: cedarwood, pine, lavender, clary sage, lemon, cardamon, juniper, bergamot, orange, marjoram, and sandalwood.
Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus globules)
Country: Australia.
Usage: for colds, to relieve asthma and fevers, for its bactericidal and anti-viral actions, to reduce aching joints. Its main chemical components are: Cineol, pinene, limonene, cymene, phellandrene.
Emotions: to help with explosive emotions, irrational thinking. Blends well with: rosemary, lavender, marjoram, pine, cedarwood, and lemon. Avoid if you have high blood pressure or epilepsy. Avoid if pregnant.
Eucalyptus Radiata (Eucalyptus radiate)
Country: Australia
Usage: for colds, to relieve asthma and fevers, skin ulcers, to ease aching joints, and insect bites. Its main chemical components are: Cineol, alpha-terpineol, alpha-pinene, limonene.
Emotions: to help with explosive-heated emotions, irrational thinking. Blends well with: rosemary, lavender, marjoram, pine, cedarwood, and lemon. Avoid if pregnant.
Eucalyptus Citriodora (Eucalyptus citriodora)
Country: Australia
Usage: Infections in chest region, fungal infections, chicken pox, bacterial skin infections, asthma, arthritis. Its main chemical components are: Citronellal, citronellol, cineol, geraniol.
Emotions: to help with soothing stress and relaxation. Good for nervous shingles. Blends well with: rosemary, lavender, marjoram, pine, cedarwood, and lemon. No known contradictions.
Sweet Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Country: Italy
Usage: for neuro-muscular spasms, arthritis and rheumatism; bronchitis, whooping cough, against nervous tension. Its main chemical components are: Fenchone, trans anethole, estragol, methylcavicol.
Emotions: to aid with mental and emotional blocks, resisting change, fear of failure, creativity blocks. Blends well with: geranium, lavender, rose and sandalwood. Avoid if pregnant, epileptic,with children and babies. Avoid with increased estrogen levels, breast cancers, and kidney problems.
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
Usage: to relieve muscle aches and pains, for relieving anxiety and stress related conditions, to fight colds, flu and infections, for relieving bronchitis and coughs. Said to ground one mentally. Blends with: cypress, cedar, pine sandalwood and juniper berry.
Frankincense (Boswellia species)
Country: Oman.
Usage: to calm, enhance meditation, elevate mind and spirit, help with breathing, for psychic cleansing; for healing of mature skin and scars. Its main chemical components are: Alpha pinene, beta pinene, olibanol, octyl acetate.
Emotions: for healing fear, grief, repressed feelings, self-destruction and dissociation. Blends well with: sandalwood, pine, vetiver, geranium, lavender, neroli, orange, bergamot, and basil. No known contradictions.
Geranium Egypt (Pelargonium graveolens)
Country: Egypt
Usage: reducing stress and tension, easing pain, balancing emotions and hormones, PMS, relieve fatigue and nervous exhaustion, to reduce melancholy, lessen fluid retention, against insects. Its main chemical components are: Citronellol, geraniol, linalol.
Emotions: to aid with acute fear, rigidity, abuse, lack of self-esteem, discontentment, heartache. Blends well with: lavender, patchouli, clove, rose, neroli, sandalwood, jasmine, juniper and bergamot. Avoid in early pregnancy.
Geranium Bourbon (Pelargonium graveolens)
Country: Reunion Islands
Usage: reducing stress and tension, redicing pain, it balances emotions and hormones, PMS, relieve fatigue and nervous exhaustion, reducing melancholy, lessen fluid retention, repel insects. Its main chemical components are: Citronellol, geraniol, linalol, menthone.
Emotions: to aid with acute fear, rigidity, abuse, lack of self-esteem, discontentment, heartache. Blends with: lavender, patchouli, clove, rose, neroli, sandalwood, jasmine, juniper and bergamot. Avoid in early pregnancy.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Country: Indonesia
Usage: reducing muscular aches and pains, increasing circulation, relieving bronchitis and whooping cough, nervous exhaustion, curative in colds, flu and fever stimulates appetite. Its main chemical components are: Gingerin, gingenol, gingerone, linalol, zingiberine.
Emotions: for sexual anxieties, lack of direction, confusion, loneliness. Blends well with: sandalwood, vetiver, patchouli, frankincense, cedarwood, coriander, rose, neroli, and orange. Slighty phototoxic, may cause sun sensitivity in some.
Grapefruit (Citrus paradise)
Country: Califonia, USA.
Usage: reducing melancholy, relieve muscle fatigue, helps with oily skin, to refresh and energize the body, good for detoxification, as an airborne disinfectant. Its main chemical components are: Limonene, cadinene, paradisiol, neral, geraniol.
Emotios: self-doubt and criticism, dependency, frustration and grief. Blends well with: lemon, palmarosa, bergamot, neroli, rosemary, cardamon, geranium, lavender and cypress. No known contradictions.
Helichrysum (Helichrysum italicum)
Country: France.
Usage: to heal bruises (internal and external), wounds and scars, to detoxify the body, cleanse the blood and increase lymphatic drainage, helps with colds, flu, sinusitis and bronchitis, relieves melancholy, migraines, stress and tension. Its main chemical components are: Nerol, neryl acetate, geraniol, pinene, linalol, sesquiterpenes.
Emotions: grief, addiction, emotional blocks, panic, burnout, over-sensitivity. Blends well with: lavender, rose, geranium, clary sage, chamomile and clove bud. No known contradictions.
Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum)
Country: India
Usage: to lift melancholy, for muscular spasm, periods that are painful and labour pains, to relieve anxiety and nervous exhaustion, an aphrodisiac, and to ease childbirth. Its main chemical components are: Benzyl acetate, jasmone, linalol, linalyl acetate.
Emotions: to relieve repressed feelings, bitter jealously, low self-esteem, guilt, emotional abuse. Blends well with: rose, sandalwood, clary sage, and citrus oils. Avoid during pregnancy until delivery. Avoid on hyper-sensitive skin. May cause allergic reactions in some individuals.
Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis)
Country: France
Usage: energizing the body and relieving exhaustion, ease inflammations and muscular spasms, improves mental clarity and memory, purifies the body, to lessen fluid retention, for disinfecting. Its main chemical components are: pinene, myrcene, sabinene with limonene, camphene.
Emotions: guilt, unworthiness, discontentment, abusive experiences, traumas, empathy, defensive behavior. Blends well with: vetiver, sandalwood, cedarwood, cypress, clary sage, pine, lavender, rosemary, and geranium. Juniper Berry should be avoided during pregnancy or if you have kidney disease.
Lavender French (Lavandula augustifolia)
Country: France
Usage: balancing emotions, relieving stress, tension and headache, against insomnia, heal the skin, lowers high blood pressure, helps with breathing, for disinfecting, acne, pain. Its main chemical components are: Linalyl acetate, linalol, lavendulol, lavendulyl acetate,terpineol, cineol.
Emotions: for panic, hysteria, fears, insecurity, trauma, worry, burnout, addiction, obsessive and agitated behaviors. Blends with: most oils including citrus, florals, cedarwood, clove, clary sage, pine, geranium, vetiver, and patchouli. No known contradictions.
Lavender Organic (Lavandula augustifolia)
Country: France
Usage: balancing emotions, relieves stress, tension and headache, for restful sleep, heal the skin, lowers high blood pressure, help with breathing, for disinfecting, acne,burns. Its chemical components are the same as above.
Emotions: panic, hysteria, fears, insecurity, trauma, worry, burnout, addiction, obsessive and agitated behaviors. Blends well with: most oils including citrus, florals, cedarwood, clove, clary sage, pine, geranium, vetiver, and patchouli. No known contradictions.
Lavender High Altitude (Lavandula augustifolia)
Country or Region: France
Usage: balances emotions, relieves stress, tension and headache, for restful sleep, heal the skin, lowers high blood pressure, help with breathing, for disinfecting. The esters are more abundant in the chemical makeup of this oil. Emotional profile: for panic, hysteria, fears, insecurity, trauma, worry, burnout, addiction, obsessive and agitated behaviors. Blends with: most oils including citrus, florals, cedarwood, clove, clary sage, pine, geranium, vetiver, and patchouli. No known contradictions.
Lemon (Citrus Limonum)
Country: Spain
Usage: to balance the nervous system, as a disinfectant, to refresh and uplift, for purifying the body. Its main chemical components are: D Limonene, citral, gamma terpinene, citronellal. Emotional profile: to relieve bitter resentment, distrust, irrational thinking, apathy. Blends with: lavender, neroli, juniper, eucalyptus, geranium, fennel, chamomile, frankincense, sandalwood, rose and ylang ylang. May cause skin sensitivity to the sun or irritate sensitive skin.
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citrates)
Country: Guatemala
Usage: as an insect repellent and deodorizer, for athlete's foot, as a tissue toner, to relieve muscular pain (sports-muscle pain), to increase blood circulation, for headaches, for nervous exhaustion and other stress related problems. Its main chemical components are: Citral, n-declyic aldehyde, dipentene, farucsol. Blends well with: citronella, vetiver and palmarosa. No known contradictions.
Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
Cold pressed from the USA lime peel.
Usage: cleaning the air, reduce coughs or congestion, cheers up the mind, heals colds, flu or inflammations. Lime may cause skin sensitivity to bright sunlight. Blends with: neroli, citronella, clary sage, rosemary, lavender and other citrus notes.
Myrrh (Commiphora myrrha)
Country: Somalia
Usage: to heal wounds and nurture scared or mature skin, for bronchitis and colds, to relieve apathy and calm. Its main chemical components are: Mono and sequiterpenes, comiphoric acid.
Emotions: relieving emotional coldness, lack of will, lack of spirit connection, emotional blocks. Blends with: frankincense, sandalwood, cypress, juniper, geranium, patchouli, lavender, and pine. Avoid use on damaged or sensitive skin.
Neroli (Citrus aurantium)
Country: Tunisia
Usage: for scars and nourishing mature skin, increasing blood circulation, relieves anxiety, melancholy and nervous tension, bronchitis, acts as an aphrodisiac. Its main chemical components are: Pinenes, limonene, linalyl acetate. linalol, nerol.
Emotions: emotional crisis, abuse, longing, grief, hopelessness. Blends with: chamomile, coriander, geranium, lemon, ylang ylang, lavender, jasmine, and clary sage. No known contradictions.
Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans)
Country: Indonesia
Usage: for warming muscles, muscle aches and pains, to invigorate or stimulate the mind, an aphrodisiac, to stimulate heart and circulation, relieve nervous fatigue. Its main chemical components are: Monoterpene hydrocarbons, camphene, pinene, etc.
Emotions: For focus, relieving grief, guilt, agitation, to improve self-image. Blends well with: coriander, bay leaf, petitgrain, lime, orange, geranium, rosemary and clary sage. Avoid during pregnancy and use with care (can be moderately toxic if over-used).
Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
Country: Florida, USA.
Usage: to brighten mood, calm and reduce stress, as an environmental disinfectant. Its main chemical components are: D Limonene, n-decylic aldehyde, linalool, terpineol. Emotional profile: to relieve apathy, emotional abuse, worry, addiction, burnout, hopelessness, self-consciousness. Blends with: lavender, clove, myrrh, clary sage, lemon, and neroli. No known contradictions.
Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin)
Country: Indonesia
Usage: works as an aphrodisiac, relieves stress and nervous exhaustion. It main chemical components are: Patchouli alcohol, pogostol, bulnesol, patchoulene, nor patchoulenol. Emotions: to relieve indecision, lethargy, mood swings. Blends well with: vetiver, clary sage, myrrh, bergamot, neroli, rose, lavender, clove, geranium, cedarwood, and sandalwood. No known contradictions.
Peppermint Triple Distilled (Mentha piperita)
Country: USA.
Usage: boosting energy, for better mood, reducing pain, to help with breathing, improve mental clarity and memory. Its main chemical components are: Menthol, menthone, menthyl acetate, menthofuran, limonene, pulegone, cineol.
Emotional: for people under shock, overwork, apathy, helplessness. Blends with: rosemary, eucalyptus, lemon, marjoram, and lavender. Peppermint may irritate sensitive skin and should be avoided during pregnancy.
Peppermint Organic (Mentha piperita)
Country: USA
Usage for boosting energy, better mood, reducing pain, to help breathing, improve mental clarity and memory. Its main chemical components are: Menthol, menthone, menthyl acetate, menthofuran, limonene, pulegone, cineol. Emotional profile: for shock, overwork, apathy, helplessness. Blends with: rosemary, eucalyptus, lemon, marjoram, and lavender. Peppermint may irritate sensitive skin and should be avoided during pregnancy.
Pine (Pinus sylvestris)
Distilled from the needles and imported from France. It has a strong, coniferous, woody aroma.
Usage to ease breathing, as an immune system stimulant, to boost energy, for relieving muscle and joint aches, to repel lice and fleas. Avoid use if you have prostate cancer. Emotions: regrets, self-blame, inadequacy. Blends with: cedar, lemon, marjoram, rosemary, tea-tree, eucalyptus, lavender and juniper berry.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Country: Spain
Usage: to energize, for pains in muscle, cramps or sprains, for brightening mood, for improving mental clarity and memory, easing the pain, to relieve headaches, disinfecting. Its main chemical components are: Pinenes, camphene,limonene, cineol, borneol, camphor, linalol, terpineol.
Emotions: disorientation, indecision, burnout, breakdown. Blends well with: frankincense, cedarwood, peppermint, basil, pine, citronella and lavender. Rosemary should be avoided if you are pregnant, if you have epilepsy or high blood pressure.
Sandalwood (Santalum album)
Country: India
Usage against melancholy, for better meditation, heal the skin, help breathing, for reducing stress, restful sleep, disinfecting, as an aphrodisiac. Its main chemical components are:Sesquiterpinol santalol, santenonol, teresantalal, borneol, santalene.
Emotions: to relieve possessiveness, lack of forgiveness, cynicism, insecurity, loneliness, nightmares, dwelling on the past. Blends with: rose, clove, lavender, jasmine, myrrh, patchouli, vetiver, geranium and bergamot. No known contradictions.
Spikenard (Nardastachus jatamansi)
Country: Nepal
Usage: migraines, stress and tension, for rejuvenation of mature skin, to calm and promote restful sleep, for wounds, to inspire devotion. Its main chemical components are: Veleranone, jonon, tetramethyloxatricylodecanol, methylthymyl-ether, cineol.
Emotions: for inner conflict, emotional / spirit / physical imbalances, restlessness. Blends well with: lavender, patchouli, pine, and vetiver. Avoid use during pregnancy.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Country: Spain
Usage: To heal colds, bronchitis, for relieving muscle pains, to improve concentration and memory, for relieving fatigue and said to heal eve anthrax. Its main chemical components are: Thymol, carvacrol, cymene, terpinene, camphene, borneol, linalol. Blends with: bergamot, lemon, rosemary, lavender and sweet marjoram. Avoid use if pregnant or with high blood pressure. Avoid in baths as it is a mucous membrane and dermal irritant. Use in moderation and dilute properly before use.
Tea-Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Country: Australia
Usage: as an immuno-stimulant particularly against bacteria, viruses and fungi, for relieving inflammation, as a disinfectant. Its main chemical components are: Terpinene-4-ol, cineol, pinene, terpinenes, cymene, sesquiterpenes. Blends well with: lavender, clove, marjoram, rosemary, clary sage, pine, and geranium. No known contradictions.
Tea-Tree Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium)
Country: New Zealand
Usage: as an immuno-stimulant particularly against bacteria, viruses and fungi, for relieving inflammation, ringworm, thrush, colds and flu, acts as a disinfectant. Blends with: lavender, clove, marjoram, rosemary, clary sage, pine, and geranium. No known contradictions.
Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides)
Country: Haiti
Usage: for aches in muscles, to increase circulation, to reduce melancholy and nervous tension, for restful sleep.
Emotions: fears, obsessions, scattered thoughts, anger and hurt, unworthiness, neurotic behavior, addiction. Its main chemical components are: Benzoic acid, furfural, vetiverol, vetivenol, vetiveron, sesquiterpene. Blends with: sandalwood, ylang ylang, clary sage, lavender, patchouli, jasmine and rose. No known contradictions.
Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata)
Country: Madagascar
Uses: brightening mood, reducing anger and anxiety, relaxes muscles, to have a restful sleep, lowers high blood pressure, acts as an aphrodisiac.
Emotions: releases emotional guilt, resentment, jealousy, obstinance, frustration and irritability, impatience and self-absorption. Blends with: jasmine, vetiver, bergamot, rose, citrus oils. No known contradictions."
YogaHistoryTypesReligion..... Yoga Yoga History, Types, Religion..... "
The classical techniques of Yoga date back more than 5,000 years. In ancient times, the desire for greater personal freedom, health and long life, and heightened self-understanding gave birth to this system of physical and mental exercise which has since spread throughout the world.The word Yoga means “to join or yoke together,” and it brings the body and mind together into one harmonious experience. The whole system of Yoga is built on three main structures: exercise, breathing, and meditation. The exercises of Yoga are designed to put pressure on the glandular systems of the body, thereby increasing its efficiency and total health.
The body is looked upon as the primary instrument that enables us to work and evolve in the world, and so a Yoga student treats it with great care and respect. Breathing techniques are based on the concept that breath is the source of life in the body. The Yoga student gently increases breath control to improve the health and function of both body and mind. These two systems of exercise and breathing then prepare the body and mind for meditation, and the student finds an easy approach to a quiet mind that allows silence and healing from everyday stress. Regular daily practice of all three parts of this structure of Yoga produce a clear, bright mind and a strong, capable body.
Types of Yoga
There are over a hundred different schools of Yoga. Some of the most well known are described below:
Hatha Yoga: The physical movements and postures, plus breathing techniques. This is what most people associate with Yoga practice.
Raja Yoga: Called the “royal road,” because it incorporates exercise and breathing practice with meditation and study, producing a well-rounded individual.
Jnana Yoga: The path of wisdom; considered the most difficult path.
Bhakti Yoga: The practice of extreme devotion in one-pointed concentration upon one’s concept of God.
Karma Yoga: All movement, all work of any kind is done with the mind centered on a personal concept of God.
Tantra Yoga: A way of showing the unseen consciousness in form through specific words, diagrams, and movements. One of the diagrams that is used to show the joining of the physical and spiritual bodies is two triangles superimposed upon one another. The downward-pointing triangle represents the physical body, or the female aspect having to do with work, action, and movement; the upward-pointing triangle represents the spiritual body of support, energy, and vastness.
Kashmir Shaivism: This Yoga system states that everything in the universe has both male and female qualities. In Kashmir Shaivism, these male and female principles form an equal partnership, so interdependent that they cannot be separated. The attraction between them produces the ultimate union of opposites, creating the immense complexity of the universe that we enjoy and celebrate. Unlike other philosophies, Kashmir Shaivism is based in emotion rather than intellect. In fact, Shaivism says that intellectual understanding by itself will never lead us to the realization of the summit of Yoga. The system's great exponents teach that the egotistical intellect blocks our ability to fully experience our individual power.
History of Yoga
No one knows exactly when Yoga began, but it certainly predates written history. Stone carvings depicting figures in Yoga positions have been found in archeological sites in the Indus Valley dating back 5,000 years or more. There is a common misconception that Yoga is rooted in Hinduism; on the contrary, Hinduism’s religious structures evolved much later and incorporated some of the practices of Yoga. (Other religions throughout the world have also incorporated practices and ideas related to Yoga.)
The tradition of Yoga has always been passed on individually from teacher to student through oral teaching and practical demonstration. The formal techniques that are now known as Yoga are, therefore, based on the collective experiences of many individuals over many thousands of years. The particular manner in which the techniques are taught and practiced today depends on the approach passed down in the line of teachers supporting the individual practitioner.
One of the earliest texts having to do with Yoga was compiled by a scholar named Patanjali, who set down the most prevalent Yoga theories and practices of his time in a book he called Yoga Sutras (“Yoga Aphorisms”) as early as the 1st or 2nd century B.C. or as late as the 5th century A.D. (exact dates are unknown). The system that he wrote about is known as “Ashtanga Yoga,” or the eight limbs of Yoga, and this is what is generally referred to today as Classical Yoga. Most current adherents practice some variation of Patanjali’s system.
The eight steps of Classical Yoga are 1) yama, meaning “restraint” — refraining from violence, lying, stealing, casual sex, and hoarding; 2) niyama, meaning “observance” — purity, contentment, tolerance, study, and remembrance; 3) asana, physical exercises; 4) pranayama, breathing techniques; 5) pratyahara, preparation for meditation, described as “withdrawal of the mind from the senses”; 6) dharana, concentration, being able to hold the mind on one object for a specified time; 7) dhyana, meditation, the ability to focus on one thing (or nothing) indefinitely; 8) samadhi, absorption, or realization of the essential nature of the self. Modern Western Yoga classes generally focus on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th steps.
Yoga probably arrived in the United States in the late 1800s, but it did not become widely known until the 1960s, as part of the youth culture’s growing interest in anything Eastern. As more became known about the beneficial effects of Yoga, it gained acceptance and respect as a valuable method for helping in the management of stress and improving health and well-being. Many physicians now recommend Yoga practice to patients at risk for heart disease, as well as those with back pain,arthritis, depression, and other chronic conditions.
Yoga and Religion
Yoga is not a religion. It has no creed or fixed set of beliefs, nor is there a prescribed godlike figure to be worshipped in a particular manner. Religions for the most part seem to be based upon the belief in and worship of things (God or godlike figures) that exist outside oneself. The core of Yoga’s philosophy is that everything is supplied from within the individual. Thus, there is no dependence on an external figure, either in the sense of a person or god figure, or a religious organization.
The common belief that Yoga derives from Hinduism is a misconception. Yoga actually predates Hinduism by many centuries. Ancient seals unearthed in the Indus Valley provide clear evidence of widespread Yoga practice earlier than 3,000 B.C.E. The techniques of Yoga have been adopted by Hinduism as well as by other world religions. Yoga is a system of techniques that can be used for a number of goals, from simply managing stress better, learning to relax, and increasing limberness all the way to becoming more self-aware and acquiring the deepest knowledge of one’s own self.
The practice of Yoga will not interfere with any religion. Many American Yoga Association students who have practiced Yoga intensively for many years continue to follow the religious traditions they have grown up in or adopted without conflict
Who Can Practice Yoga?
Yoga is suitable for most adults of any age or physical condition. Because of the nonstrenuous nature of our approach to exercise, even those with physical limitations can find a beneficial routine of Yoga.
Yoga exercises for women during menstruation, for pregnant women, or for nursing mothers are not recommended. Regular practice of breathing and meditation, however, is encouraged.
Yoga and Children
Yoga exercises are not recommended for children under 16 because their bodies’ nervous and glandular systems are still growing, and the effect of Yoga exercises on these systems may interfere with natural growth. Two of great teachers, Rama and Lakshmanjoo, gave advice of the dangers that Yoga asans may pose for young children. Children may safely practice meditation and simple breathing exercises as long as the breath is never held. These techniques can greatly help children learn to relax, concentrate, and reduce impulsiveness. Children trained in these techniques are better able to manage emotional upsets and cope with stressful events.
There is no doubt that Yoga postures (asans) and breathing techniques affect the physical body. People these days commonly accept the fact that such therapies as acupressure, neuromuscular massage, and reflexology can have systemic effects due to pressure applied to certain areas of the body. The physical basis for the effects of Yoga asans may be related. The asans and breathing techniques provide a deep massage and strong compression of the parts of the body where endocrine glands are located. Many Yoga stretches seem to target the nerves in the legs, arms, neck, and spine.
In sum, our position is that growth is in large measure controlled by the glandular system. It is a vastly complicated process, and the powerful physical and mental effects of Yoga asans may interfere with natural growth.
How to Get Started
The best way to get started in Yoga is to either find a qualified teacher or buy a good book or tape. If you’re not sure where to start looking, try adult education programs, massage and dance studios, and look for posters or listings in local health food stores or community weekly papers.
" 2,01E+16 HealthyCookingRecipe "Pasta e Fagiole - Macaroni & Cannellini Bean Soup" "VEGAN RECIPE Ingredients : * 6 tablespoon olive oil * 2 cloves of garlic, crushed * 1 lb ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded & chopped - OR * 1 can 16 oz. plum tomatoes * 1 1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary or 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary * 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed * 4 oz. (1 cup) ditalini or elbow macaroni * salt and pepper * 1 quart (4 cups) water Directions: Heat the oil in a large pot, then add garlic. When garlic is lightly browned, add tomatoes and rosemary. Let simmer 5 minutes. Add beans and the water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Puree half of the soup in a food processor/blender, then return to pot. Add pasta and 2 tsp or less of salt. Simmer until cooked. Let cool somewhat to blend flavors. Preparation time varies, depending on whether you peel, seed and chop the tomatoes yourself or use canned. Serves: 6 " 2,01E+16 HealthyCookingRecipe Black Bean and Rice Salad "VEGAN RECIPE This dish is summery and lower in fat than many, yet it's surprisingly filling. It's also simple to prepare and uses common ingredients." Original recipe yield: 8 servings. INGREDIENTS: * 2 tomatoes, chopped * 1 large red bell pepper, chopped * 2 jalapeno peppers, minced * 3/4 cup lemon juice * 1 1/4 teaspoons dried cilantro * 1/4 teaspoon dried basil * 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes * 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn; drain and reserve liquid * 1 (15 ounce) can black beans; drain and reserve liquid * 1 tablespoon olive oil * 1/2 cup chopped onion * 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic * 1 1/2 cups instant brown rice * salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, cilantro, basil, red pepper flakes, corn, and beans. Stir to combine the vegetables, then set aside. 2. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil at a medium-low heat. Add onions and saute until they are translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Pour in rice and toss to coat. Add reserved liquid from the corn and beans, along with any additional liquid as directed on the rice box. Cook the rice to package specifications. Let the rice cool slightly. 3. Combine the rice and vegetable mixture. Salt and pepper to taste and serve. " 2,01E+16 HealthyCookingRecipe Sweet and Sour Seitan "VEGAN RECIPE Ingredients: * 1 - 2 packages seitan cut into bite-sized chunks * 3/4 cup flour * 2 tablespoon cornstarch * 1 teaspoon salt * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 3/4 cup water * Peanut oil * 1 green pepper cut in chunks * 1 red pepper cut in chunks * 1 onion cut in chunks * 1 can pineapple chunks * jar of sweet and sour sauce Directions: Mix together flour, water, cornstarch, salt and baking soda in medium bowl. Stir seitan into batter until well coated. Fry coated seitan in 2 inches of hot oil for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain Seitan, keep it hot. Combine green pepper and onion and sauté for 5 min. Add pineapple and sweet and sour sauce, let simmer for 15 minutes. Pour over seitan and serve with rice. Serves: 4-6 Preparation time: 30 minutes " 2,01E+16 HealthyCookingRecipe Farfalle, Tomato, Peas and Ricotta Salata with Lemon "VEGETARIAN RECIPE Ingridients: 1 pound farfalle pasta (bow ties) 2 cups frozen peas 6 ounces ricotta salata cheese*, broken into 1/2-inch pieces 4 large "garden-ripe" tomatoes, finely chopped 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice Zest of 1 lemon 3/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil Freshly ground black pepper to taste Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling 1. Cook pasta according to package directions, stirring in peas the last 30 to 45 seconds of cooking time. Drain well. 2. Into a large bowl combine cheese, tomatoes, lemon juice, zest, basil, cheese. Add hot pasta and peas to mixture and toss to combine. Season pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan, as desired. Serves 4." 2,01E+16 HealthyCookingRecipe Low-Fat Blueberry Bran Muffins "BISCUITS Original recipe yield: 12 muffins. INGREDIENTS: * 1 1/2 cups wheat bran * 1 cup nonfat milk * 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce * 1 egg * 2/3 cup brown sugar * 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract * 1/2 cup all-purpose flour * 1/2 cup whole wheat flour * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 1 teaspoon baking powder * 1/2 teaspoon salt * 1 cup blueberries