What’s in the name METAbodyWORKS? What’s does the design of our logo mean? META is a system of bodywork designed for the modern Westerner. According to Free Dictionary by Farlex, meta-, prefix meaning 1 "change or exchange": metabasis, metallaxis, metamorphosis. 2 "after or next": metachemical, metapneumonic, metapsychics. We see the word bodyWORKS in the name, according to Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia: 1. bodywork /body·work/ (-wurk″) a general term for therapeutic methods that center on the body for the promotion of physical health and emotional and spiritual well-being, including massage, various systems of touch and manipulation, relaxation techniques, and practices designed to affect the body's energy flow. 2. bodywork, n 1. a collection of techniques for restoring health and balance to the entire person by working through the body. 2. to apply any number and combination of the therapeutic touch paradigms that have been developed. Therefore, bodywork refers to the “work” we do to your body in order to speed recovery from injuries, optimize posture, remove energetic blockages, and help you integrate Mind/Body/ Spirit. It is our commitment at METAbodyWORKS to keep evolving and to never be caught using stagnant thinking, while at the same time understanding that our system of bodywork, comes from an ancient tradition. We also see in the logo: a circle, square, and triangle - homage to Sengai (Japanese Zen Buddhist 1750-1837). He was the first to paint this symbol in the Zen tradition which poetically represents the Universal Principles: ( : the four elements, earthly objective world) (Δ: Sacred Enclosure / Bodies, Trinity- Mind/body/Spirit) (○: motion of Planets, timelessness, symmetry) Together they make up the basic geometry of the body. Within the three shapes we have Japanese characters of Sui Ko Do: massage ancient people’s - Way. Suikodo is a form of Shiatsu, developed by my teacher, Master Mitsuki Kikkawa through years of teaching and clinical experience. After his passing, Kikkawa Sensei left behind a complete system of bodywork. The “ ancient people’s way” to treat the most stubborn conditions uses a meridian treatment that works on the Kyo / Jitsu (Yin / Yang) with Amate / Karate (Hard and Soft) techniques. Like Calligraphy, Bodywork is an art form. Awareness, breath control and therapeutic touch can only be developed through years of experience. Similarly, seeking balance/harmony with colours and brushstrokes, it also requires a strong sense of concentration and focus. Creativity is the integration of spiritual understanding with the appropriate use of knowledge. Emerge in the body, Balance with the Mind, Thrive in Spirit.
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Wat Pho - Bangkok, Thailand
Would you believe me if I told you a form of Thai massage has existed since the beginning of the Hindu culture? It has been documented in ancient script as old as the Rig Vedas (“rig”praise, verse; “Vedas” knowledge). This text was composed around 1700-1100 BC. It wasn’t until the time of the famous Buddha, Siddharta Gautama, yogic massage became known as Thai massage. It was the Buddha’s most revered physician, Jivaka Kumarbhaccha, who blended the simplistic Ayurvedic science (see Metabodyworks: Thai Massage and Ayurvedic Medicine- June 2013) with yoga and massage. The Ayurvedic system uses body types to diagnose conditions, whereby they would prescribe a self-care plan. Its main focus is preventative care. Massage became the main healing tool in these traditional “clinics”, where there was no need to cut through skin, allowing the body to heal naturally rather than aggressively. The Thai Buddhist temples (wat) plays a major role in the development of Thai Massage. It became the central healing center for Thais. The most famous institution today is in Bangkok, Wat Pho, it is the leading researcher and practice of Thai massage. There are 2 schools of Thai massage in Thailand: the North (The Old Medical Hospital- Chiang Mai) and the South (Wat Pho- Bangkok). They can be seen as the Yang and the Yin. The north school is more dynamic using mainly palming and thumbing techniques, where the practitioner’s bodyweight moves through the arms and gradually the weight goes into the recipient. This detoxifies the recipient’s energy lines (nerve pathways). The south’s yin style uses a plucking motion. The fingers are used in a strumming fashion to stimulate the nerves along the energy lines. Today, you can find many schools teaching a combination of both styles. “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” - Socrates |
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