So you might wonder “how does it work?”
It was believed that CNT was developed by ancient Taoist sages who through their meditation and internal practice observed that energy blockage created tangles and knots in the abdomens, which in turn, created more blockages. What could cause these energy blockages? Negative emotions such as fear, anger, hatred, anxiety and depression, bad postures, diet, stress, overwork, accidents, surgeries, toxins, unhealthy lifestyle… Unfortunately, these all seem too common in today’s world.
And these sages discovered that by directly working or massaging around the navel centre which is where every life begins, they could detoxify and tone the organs, remove knots and tangles, and allow chi to flow better.
According to Taoism, each internal Organ has its own set of characters. Each one corresponds to one of the five fundamental elements, harbour a particular pair of positive/negative emotion, process a particular mental aspect, has its own energy pathways that course through the body (i.e. meridians), possesses a particular taste, colour and sound, just to name a few. And when we talk about Organ in Chinese Medicine, we are talking about an organ network of function, not just an anatomical organ as it is depicted in the Western medical system (hence the capital O to differentiate). Therefore when we detox and tone the Organs and bring these networks into harmony, it could result in wellbeing on so many levels.
As a movement teacher who works with physically and mentally healthy people and other healthcare professionals on a regular basis, I was fascinated by what gap CNT could fill where other methods can’t. Throughout the years I have seen people and myself having spent so much time and money on treatments that only target the “muscles and bones” or expensive and invasive surgical interventions (which usually cause more harm than good down the road) but not get any better. Not to mention the emotional strain and financial pressure these chronic pains entail.
My “gut feeling” of Organs playing a big part in these chronic issues that aren’t healed by purely musculoskeletal therapies was affirmed by Master Mantak Chia in his book Chi Nei Tsang –
“Muscles are like backup tanks. When the organs become overloaded with negative emotions or toxins, they unload their energies into the muscles. When you have problems in the organs, you will feel aches and pains in your muscles. “
This is NOT to say musculoskeletal therapies aren’t effective. Far from that. What I’m suggesting is that if there are chronic issues that just won’t go away no matter how many massages, physical therapies or even surgeries you have done, it’s worth taking care of the organs with CNT. And CNT do effectively and directly target an important muscle which was nicknamed the “muscle of the soul” by some traditions, the only muscle that connects the spine and the lower limbs and is located at the centre of our core – the Psoas.
The “almighty” psoas is surrounded by some important structures of our body – our internal organs, the spine, the aorta, the vena cava, solar and lumbar plexi, large concentration of lymph nodes, the femoral arteries, ilioinguinal & genitofemoral nerves, the hip joint, the diaphragm (with their tissues basically blended together) etc. Also including the different muscles there, it makes the abdomen a complex area with great wellness potential and equally great possibility for complication. This topic worths another blog post for some other day so I will just leave it at that for now.
We should all be free from pain. When we are in harmony and in vibrant health – our most natural state, we shouldn’t experience disease and suffering. If you feel CNT might resonate with your “gut” and your “heart”, ring us at Balance Health and try out a session.
About the author:
ARIEL TANG
Chi Nei Tsang,Craniosacral, Reiki, Yoga Teacher
Ariel is a curious soul, spiritual seeker. yoga teacher trainer and practitioner in Chi Nei Tsang (Taoist Abdominal Massage), Reiki Healing, and Craniosacral Therapy. With a background in dance, gymnastics, yoga and Lagree Fitness’ her heart lit up whenever she was empowering people to be their true selves and live joyful healthy lives. Movement and healing touch come so naturally to her since a very young age.
Image credits: www.tovalley.com