In order to understand what healing will look like as we evolve as species into the2st century we really need to understand the purpose of a human life.
Every human being is unique and is absolutely essential to the whole of life, and if we are deeply honest there is something we are all longing for, and that is deep fulfillment. The biggest lie we were ever served is that fulfillment only comes when we have the “perfect life” and that the more we acquire the more fulfilled we will be.
So if this was true why are we as a species so deeply unsatisfied and unfulfilled? Certainly, we have much more now than our ancestors did and yet most of the humanity is living in a constant state of stress and anxiety, chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease are affecting more and more people. Many people require medication to avoid feelings of deep depression and dissatisfaction.
From the Chi Nei Tsang (CNT) perspective fulfillment happens when we connect with our life purpose and start to express this. For example, the famous Boston Philharmonic music conductor Benjamin Zander (look him up on YouTube http://youtu.be/qTKEBygQic0 ) shared his breakthrough moment at 45 when he realized as a conductor his job was to release and support the genius in others. He now travels the world educating teachers how to uplift the children in their classes. Each of us has a specific purpose that only we can fulfill.
Our purpose is already within us it’s not something we have to work hard to achieve it’s deeply embedded in our hearts and DNA.
In truth all healing is about learning to listen to our hearts, learning to trust the longing in our hearts. This also means becoming honest with oneself. If there is one simple requirement for healing I would say its honesty. One of my colleagues in Chi Nei Tsang Gilles Marin puts it so beautifully like this
“There is really no intelligence required for healing. To heal, we don’t need to be intelligent, we don’t need to be good, and we don’t need to deserve it. Healing is pure grace. To heal, we do need honesty. We need to be true to ourselves. We need to be able to admit that we have feelings we wish we didn’t have. We need to own these feelings so we can outgrow them, and so we can mature as human beings.” Gilles Marin Director Chi Nei Tsang Institute Berkley California
From my perspective, all healing has to do with digesting hidden emotional charges in our bodies. All the things we don’t like about ourselves. In Chi Nei Tsang we recognise that all symptoms are hidden emotional charges hiding in the body until such time as we have enough awareness and feel supported enough to get in touch with the pain stored there. It’s much easier to hold something on the physical level than to feel the emotional pain and original trauma.
In Chi Nei Tsang we never fix symptoms we are not healers or doctors or even an alternative practitioner. We are more like educators, educating the students we work with to understand that all healing comes from within and that all symptoms no matter how challenging are opportunities to grow and evolve and discover our life purpose.
We understand that symptoms are healthy reactions to unhealthy situations. In other words, we are often in situations that don’t honour our hearts and our true role in life. Paradoxically even though the Chi Nei Tsang practitioners focus is not on fixing symptoms when the energy and information that is trapped in the symptom is transformed, the symptoms also resolve and the life force that originally held the symptom in place is now freed up for living your unique life more fully. The more serious the symptom the more potential for change and evolution.
Chi Nei Tsang (CNT), which means “working the energy of the internal organs” is truly a healing modality for the 21st century. We will look back at this time in history and understand that western medicines strength was always in emergency intervention and precise investigation. When you have a car crash you need the amazing gifts of western medicine but when it comes to chronic long term health symptoms we will always ask what am I not being honest about? What is my heart, my intelligent body mind doing its best to inform me off?
Today the abdominal area of the body is often neglected in the healing process. In most healing arts the work is from the periphery of the body towards the center. Yet the lower abdomen is the energetic center of the body and the place where breath and movement begin.
What is so different about CNT is that it goes to the very roots of physical and emotional problems, while providing the safety and support to work on very subtle and deep levels. I use the chi (energy) from my own inner practice to work mainly on the abdomen with many types of healing touch.
I assist people to unwind the stored emotional energy in their bodies while training their internal organs to work more efficiently. Though there may be many feelings like grief, fear, or anxiety, in fact all the feeling spectrums—when they transform we are transformed. The conflict and tension at the root of the symptom are fully resolved. So we feel more awake and clear and experience an inner strength, a feeling of returning home, a recognising of our true authentic expression.
People come for CNT sessions for many reasons: digestive, reproductive and breathing difficulties, chronic neck, back, shoulder pain – With low self-esteem, low energy, depression, chronic fatigue, relationship difficulties or healing from trauma. Whatever the symptoms, the CNT practitioner works with the whole person in a very gentle non-judgemental and supportive way.
Andrew Fretwell Is aSenior Instructor in the Universal Healing Tao and has guided thousands of people back to self-love, vitality, and self-acceptance. He is the founder of the Art & Essence School of Chi Nei Tsang. www.cntschool.com and www.wuji-gong.org and is considered one of the leading practitioners and teachers in the world with over 25 years of experience. His current teaching schedule can be seen here www.andrewfretwell.com/schedule/