Basic Principles to Align Your Practice
The Four-M's and Simple Practices
"A mind in a state of inquiry is capable of learning
There are many ways in which to approach health and healing whether the work you are entails physical therapy, occupational therapy, as a body work/energetic/quantum practitioner, as doctors in TCM, medicine, chiropractic, osteopathy, homeopathy, or naturopathy.
In the world of current rehabilitation the teachings are based in biomechanics, neurosciences, biology and pathophysiology to suss out faulty movement patterns. Powerful observational skills here can identify these kinds of patterns.
Another aspect to observation is beginning to refine touch, interoceptive capacity, kinesthetics and our direction toward a path in attunement to the patient/client in total.
Our masterful relationship here is in direct connected-ness to our own capacity to tune in to our inner selves on a moment to moment basis. This, a dedicated practice to what is absolutely necessary, is to grasp the human conditioning of others.
It begins here with a notions sensibility to collaborative-connected-ness in cross knowledge and integration of the best that other healing arts offers and refining it into the daily practice of healthy living for those souls who would find their way to your table, your healing dojo.
Over the years of trial and error in practice and deep study I came up with this basic rubric to lead into developing a depth-wise practice and model of care.
It will be a far cry from what traditionally we are trained in because it asks us to see the whole occasion as it is arising in the moment of contact with the patient/client. It is immediacy, of acknowledgement when necessary, to bring to the surface a nugget of understanding for healing.
We are already engaged in the practice of therapeutic and compassionate touch in healing. There are numerous anecdotal experiences and research of touch as healing: As a communion to a pathway to health. It is one gateway and the mindful practices are a threshold upon which we step over in gathering a set of tools in unique fashion to navigate a reclamation of a purposeful and instinctive drive to move well, unencumbered by life’s follies.
The Four M’s
Mindful Relationship Practice
How we feed our mind state determines how we balance our feelings state and thus our emotional body
Sitting in quietude
Grounding principles in Presence based practices
Breath work to find a mindful and spiritual seat within ourselves first and foremost.
Building relationship to self and others with notions of healthy boundaries and clear and compassionate languaging.
Movement Relationship Practice
Finding deep appreciation for traditional movement/exercises/gymnopedic relationships in tai ji, qi gong, cortical field re-education, yogic principles and free mobility exploration through dance and rhythm to find other novel ways other modes of movement
Mobilization-Massage Practice
Touching fascial connective tissue-relationship in the form of deep tissue mobilization work and subtle, integrative craniosacral principles with precise touch at the table. Using notions of physics in gravitational energy to guide the work into the body
Metabolic Relationship Practice
Conversations in maintaining metabolic flexibility through natures nutrients. Simple and ez methods for optimum nutritional and mitochondrial health
A few simple practices in developing one’s own health as we support others healing trajectories.
Simple Practices:
Breathe deeply and feel your feet on the ground and your spine aligning over your hips and your head over your torso. Speak words or a phrase that describes the sensation arising in you at that moment.
When in a line somewhere, move a muscle or group of muscles, reminding the self of starting from an aligned spine. eg, take a breath and get tall and eg…do calf raises or look left or right without moving your body and hold for a time. Sit on the floor when watching TV not the couch. Play with it. Novelty is medicine for our central nervous system ( CNS)
Ask your your partner or any loved one if it they would be willing to “submit” to a foot massage (or other body part). Start by holding it lightly and then begin to apply more depth in your pressure by grades of 10% until they moan! and repeat for as long as they moan. and then ask for one back if you like.
Drink or eat something of the beautiful and nourishing colours, organic, biodynamic, grass-fed in nature, by natures design
Love this Terry! The 4 M s are a great foundational model of care.