Tai Chi Massage Self

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CHINESE SELF MASSAGE:
An Article by Erle Montaigue 4 January, 1988:
Back to Contents
All Chinese healing methods make use of the internal energy called by the Chinese,
Ch'i or Qi. To us it is plain old life force or energy which controls or internal
wellbeing. More or less of this wonderful stuff and we become well or remain ill.
A gradual depletion of this Qi will see a robust young man slowly turn into a decrepit
old man as his yang energy is taken away through simply becoming older. Most
people will never know what it's like to be really healthy, in fact the normal outlook
seems to be that we expect to buckle under to disease in our older years. Not so, the
Chinese tell us. Even into very old age and when the external body is unable to move
as fast as it used to, the internal organs should be still healthy and capable of giving
one a rich and rewarding older life.
There are two ways that we are able to use Chinese healing methods. The first and
least common is to make use of the Qi by having another person (usually a Chinese
doctor) put some of this amazing substance (or rather non substance as we are talking
about electrical energy) into us via the points of least electrical resistance called the
acupuncture meridians. These tiny portholes of the body are places whereby the
energy is able to penetrate and thus give our ailing system a needed hit of energy.
Certain points pertain to particular organs and so the Doctor is able to use the right
point for the right organ.
The second more common way is to simply manipulate the various points to cause
more of our own life force to be routed along the correct meridian to heal the
particular organ. We can either build up our own body's supply of Qi by using various
exercise methods such as Qigong or Tai chi or we can manipulate our own points to
stimulate the Qi we already have.
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From China we are given a precious pearl, something so simple that it is often
overlooked. How many times have you bumped your leg or arm and immediately your
palm is rubbing the affected area to wellness. Try not touching the area, it will remain
sore for much longer. Upon this basis is the self-healing art of CHINESE SELF-
MASSAGE based and the method is as follows.
Firstly you must completely relax your palms and imagine that some sort of flow is
running along your arms and out of your fingertips on each out breath. When you lift
your arms to perform the massage, try and use only those muscles, which are
absolutely necessary for that job of work. The shoulders should not rise.
The tongue should be placed gently onto the ridge just above the upper tooth line on
the hard palate and the breathing should be regular, deep, not forced and through the
nose. They eyes may be slightly closed and looking slightly downward. Sit in a lotus
or half lotus position. If this is too difficult, just sit cross-legged on a soft surface with
your back vertical and chin pulled in slightly. This finger should be touching at the
thumb and longest finger and placed gently onto each knee.
After a short period of meditation, slowly take the palms and rub them together to
cause some heat to be generated, about 10 seconds. Then place the index and middle
fingers of each palm onto the forehead.
Rub the fingers across the forehead in the same direction for about ten seconds, then
take the palms back down to the knees in a circular motion and meditate again for
about ten seconds, breathing deeply and gently. Next, rub the palms together again
and place the same fingers over each eye and rub gently for 10 seconds, covering the
whole eye socket. Take the palms back to the knees as before.
After the short meditation and the rubbing of the palms, take the fingers back up again
and this time gently rub the ears.
The right fingers rub the left ear while the left fingers rub the right ear. Include just
below the ear on the jaw line.
Take the fingers in the same position and after the usual meditation and rubbing
together of the palms back up and gently rub the whole back of the neck and front up
to the medulla.
Rub the palms and repeat this whole process to include the mouth, chin and
cheekbones. To massage the head, we start by rubbing the palms together and then
leaning forward as we press the fingers into the ground for about 3 seconds.
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Now take the fingertips and tap the whole of the skull beginning at the centre and
working the way out to the sides of the head. You should feel a slightly uncomfortable
feeling as if the tapping is a little too hard.
For the teeth, we 'clack the jaw' 36 times. With the hands on your knees as before,
open your mouth and clack your teeth together 36 times. You should hear the sound
quite loudly. Even if you have false teeth perform this massage as it works upon all of
the vital points around the jaw. It is also important for normal functioning of the
bowel.
Begin by rubbing the palms and closing one of your palms into a light fist. Rub the
whole of your arm with a firm pressure first on the outside of the arm and then on the
inside or soft side.
Keeping the same fist and only after the meditation and rubbing, place both fists onto
your chest and rub the whole of the chest area with a firm pressure.
With the same light fists take the fists around to the back and rub the whole kidney
area with the same pressure but do not dig the knuckles into this area, as it is quite
sensitive.
Take your palms back to your knees and repeat the meditation and rubbing. This time
place the left palm onto your left knee and using the right thumb and forefinger, rub
the 'dragon mouth point' or 'colon 4'. Just between the thumb and forefinger.
Repeat this procedure for each of your fingers rubbing the whole of the finger area.
Then complete each finger's rub by squeezing the tip of each finger horizontally and
vertically just to the point of pain. Finish by rubbing the back of the same palm with
the other lightly closed fist. Lightly punch the underside of the thighs and rub the tops
with the closed fist. Work your way right down the whole leg. Rub each toe and
squeeze each one as for the fingertips. Finish by taking each foot and gently shaking
the whole foot. Keep the foot relaxed so that it will shake.
Press all over the sole of the foot with as much pressure that you are able to take and
especially the point known as 'Kidney 1'.
To complete the self-massage, place each fist onto your chest and breathe in. As you
gently throw each fist out to the sides bend forward at the waist as far as you are able
to go and breathe out. Hold this posture for about ten seconds and as you breathe in,
sit back up again and repeat.
Stand up and in a very relaxed manner, swing each arm in turn until the fist of the left
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palm strikes the top of the right shoulder activating the colon and gall bladder
meridians around this spot. Repeat this using the other arm and shoulder. You should
feel a sort of shock as the fist strikes the shoulder.
Self-massage is the beginning to good health and a large part of one's self help to self-
healing.
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