Chinese Massage Manual

A comprehensive, step-by-step introduction to the healing art of Tui na

Sarah Pritchard

• Publisher: Singing Dragon
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9780956293008
• eBook ISBN: 9780857012173
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Alternative & Complementary Medicine

This comprehensive, introductory book covers the essentials of Chinese massage (Tui na), including the fundamental principles of Chinese medicine, and the 20 basic massage techniques. It also includes treatment advice for 12 common ailments, so that the reader can practice what he or she has learnt to good effect. The book covers:

· Instruction on 20 specialized massage techniques
· How to locate over 50 points to treat specific problems
· How to combine massage with Qi Gong for maximum energy and wellbeing
· Step-by-step treatments for common colds, lower back pain, sciatica and more
· Clear photographs, diagrams and charts

The author provides key information in clear, easy to refer to tables and diagrams, making this also an excellent reference for students, and practitioners of related disciplines.

PART ONE

The Theory

Chinese massage is inseparable from theory. It is as essential for a Tui na practitioner to have a clear understanding of the rationale of Chinese medicine as it is for an acupuncturist or a practitioner of Chinese herbal medicine. To learn the massage techniques alone would be like teaching an acupuncturist to insert a needle and no more. To practise Tui na, you need to understand what you are doing.

Part one will introduce you to the main building blocks of the theory of traditional Chinese medicine. It is not the purpose of this book to provide a detailed account of all aspects of theory; but rather to give you a taste for it. If this system of medicine fascinates and captures you as much as it did me, I recommend that you add one or two of the books listed at the back of the book to your collection.

As you read through this book, you will notice that the language of Chinese medicine is quite different from that of Western medicine. Many of the terms used to describe disease and disharmony – such as ‘spleen Qi deficiency’ or ‘wind-heat invading the lungs’ – may be quite unfamiliar to you. Don’t be put off by these words, and steer clear of comparing Chinese medicine with any knowledge you have of Western medicine, as this can lead to much confusion. Chinese medicine is an energetic rather than a mechanistic form of medicine, so the language used is descriptive of what is happening energetically within a human being. If energy is not moving freely somewhere in the body, it is referred to as ‘stagnating’. If this is the case, you – as the practitioner – must ‘restore the smooth flow of energy’ or ‘disperse stagnant energy’. If someone has ‘damp’ within them, then the ‘damp’ must be ‘drained’ or ‘resolved’; likewise, if energy is deficient, it must be ‘strengthened’ or ‘tonified’. These everyday words may not be the way you expect medicine to be described, but they are the building blocks of Chinese medicine. So, keep an open mind, use your imagination and try to visualize what the language is describing.

Yin Yang theory

The Chinese character for Yin means ‘the shady side of a hill’

The Chinese character for Yang means ‘the sunny side of a hill’

Tao (pronounced ‘Dao’) means ‘the way of right action’, and Taoist thought understands that a part can only be really understood in relation to the whole. Yin Yang theory is the ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Of Related Interest
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• The history of Tui na
• Part 1 The Theory
• Part Two The Techniques
• Part Three Treating Common Ailments
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgements
• Resources and Further reading
• Index