Chi Nei Ching

Muscle, Tendon, and Meridian Massage

Mantak Chia, William U. Wei

• Publisher: Destiny Books
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781620550861
• eBook ISBN: 9781620551332
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Alternative & Complementary Medicine

Fully illustrated guide to massage techniques for unblocking chi, releasing tight tendons and muscles, and alleviating back and joint pain • Explains the hammering massage technique of Tok Sen, which sends vibrational energy deep into the fascia and muscles • Details how to use the 10 Thai energy meridians known as Sen Sib and the 12 muscle-tendon meridians of Chinese acupuncture in massage • Explains Meridian Detox Therapy and Gua Sha, which clears blood stagnation, promotes metabolism, and can prevent and treat acute illness Good health depends on the free flow of life-force energy, chi, throughout the entire body. The accumulation of tensions in the muscles and tendons as well as the stagnation of negative energy can lead to blockages in the body's energy channels, resulting in pain, low energy, or illness. In this full-color illustrated guide, Master Mantak Chia and William Wei detail massage techniques for unblocking chi, releasing tight tendons and muscles, and alleviating back and joint pain. The authors explore the 10 Thai energy meridians known as Sen Sib, the 12 muscle-tendon meridians of Chinese acupuncture, and the most commonly strained muscles and tendons of the spine, neck, and pelvis. They explain how to treat specific ailments, such as headache, stiff shoulder, or lumbar pain, with the traditional Thai massage technique known as Tok Sen, which uses a wooden hammer to send vibrational energy deep into the fascia and muscles along the Sen Sib meridians. This method is particularly effective for joint pain, because the vibrations can reach more deeply and accurately within the body's structure than a massage therapist's fingers. The authors also explain Meridian Detox Therapy, which includes cupping, skin massage, and Gua Sha--the scraping of different parts of the body to clear blood stagnation, promote metabolism, and treat acute illness. The final book in the Chi Nei Tsang series, Chi Nei Ching offers advanced massage techniques to work with the energy meridians for optimum health.

PART 1

Eastern and Western Anatomy for Chi Nei Ching Practitioners

1

Western Medical Anatomy

The Muscles and Tendons

A general understanding of human anatomy is important for the Chi Nei Ching practitioner. It is not necessary to know the name of every muscle, bone, tendon, and ligament, but understanding the ways that the body connects to itself is important. Furthermore, the practitioner who is familiar with the structure of the body will be more proficient and more “connected” to the individual receiving treatment.

MUSCLES

Skeletal muscles consist of bundles of muscle fibers, called fascicles, that are wrapped in fibrous connective tissue and supplied with blood (fig. 1.1). Bundles of such fascicles wrapped together form the belly of each individual muscle.

It is helpful to know the names and locations of significant muscle groups. Figures 1.2 and 1.3 show some of the more important muscles from lateral, front, and rear views.

Fig. 1.1. Muscles are composed of bundles of muscle fibers wrapped together in connective tissue.

Fig. 1.2. Lateral view of major muscles

Fig. 1.3. Front and rear view of major muscles

TENDONS

Tendons are found throughout the body, occurring wherever the muscles connect to the bones (fig. 1.4). They support the movement and structure of the body by providing stability and flexibility. Tendons are composed of fibrous connective tissue. This tissue is arranged in dense, regular bundles of fibers that give tremendous strength while still maintaining pliancy.

In a well-maintained and healthy human body, tendons are flexible and can be compared to rubber bands. Working with the muscles as they stretch, tendons exert a pulling force. Numerous injuries are possible with the tendons, including pulls, tears, and inflammatory conditions like tendonitis. These can result from many sources including, for example, age, body weight, and strain.

There are around four thousand tendons in the human body, but the number can vary. Tendons run mostly up and down with some, for example, extending from the neck all the way down through the toes. While it is not necessary to know the precise location of thousands of tendons, it is possible to check for problems by touching and viewing the areas where treatment is needed.

Fig. 1.4. Tendons are tough bands of fibrous connective tissue.

Practitioners can evaluate the condition of the muscles and tendons as a part of a basic assessment of the client’s body. The important thing to know is how to apply resistance against a muscle as you palpate along it to discover where any problems might reside. To evaluate the muscles and tendons of the upper leg, for example, the practitioner can ask the client to lie down on her back and rotate one bent leg inward. The therapist applies resistance to this inward push while palpating the tendons and muscles of the upper leg for issues. Generally, problems areas are evident because they are “armored” or hard. Often they are painful if pressure is applied to them, especially while meeting resistance.

LIGAMENTS AND FASCIA

Like the tendons, ligaments and fascia are also composed of collagen fibers, but ligaments join one bone to another bone, and fascia connects muscles to organs and other muscles, whereas tendons exclusively connect muscles to bones. Ligaments restrain the movement of bones at a joint and are therefore important in preventing dislocation. Ligaments also support various organs, including the uterus, bladder, liver, and diaphragm, and they help to maintain the shape of the breasts. It should be noted that in some cases ligaments are gender specific, helping to support the uterus in women, for example.

Fascia is a sheet or band of fibrous tissue separating or binding muscles and organs in the body. In fact, fascia is the tissue that connects all parts of the body, surrounding and connecting each nerve, bone, muscle, tendon, and organ. A healthy fascial system is flexible. If fascia is tight or rigid, pain and stiffness can result—not just in the region of tightness, but also in other areas that may be compensating for this rigidity. The fascial system, like everything, needs to be maintained for the body to be healthy.

In Eastern medicine, fascia is a structure for and a conduit of chi. The meridians and channels pass through fascia, keeping the tissue moist and dense with chi. When the chi is deficient, fascia becomes dry, hard, and brittle; movement can become painful. Chi Nei Ching practices are designed to free up the fascia and help it be a better conduit of chi.

Fig. 1.5. neural, vascular, and fascial systems

NERVES AND BLOOD VESSELS

Like the fascial system, the neural system also connects different parts of the body to each other, but whereas the fascia connects via fibers and tissues, the nervous system sends electrical and chemical signals between different parts of the body via the neurons. A close examination of the nervous system reveals that it spreads out like the roots of a tree: the nerves get smaller and smaller as they stretch from the spinal cord out to the extremities (fig 1.5).

The circulatory system is made up of arteries and veins, with the arteries carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body, and the veins returning oxygen-poor blood back to the heart. The heart itself is tendon-like and fibrous in its construction. The circulatory system, like other systems of the body, can become stiff—particularly with age. Keeping it healthy and flexible is vital to the continuation of good health in our later years.

This complex arrangement of tubes and fibers can get tangled, causing pain, impaired mobility, or dysfunction. If these problems continue unchecked, they may lead to greater health problems.

THE SPINE

Because of the spine’s intimate relationship with the nervous system and the entire skeleton, its health influences almost everything in the body. Many problems in the body can originate in the spine, though this origin is not always immediately evident. It is possible, for example, that a problem in the spine can be the cause of headaches, leg pain, arm numbness, sleep issues, etc. A thorough knowledge of the spine and its re...

Table of contents

• Cover Image
• Title Page
• Acknowledgments
• Table of Contents
• Putting Chi Nei Ching into Practice
• Introduction: The Concepts of Chi Nei Ching
• Part 1: Eastern and Western Anatomy for Chi Nei Ching Practitioners
• Part 2: Treating the Muscles, Tendons, and Meridians with Chi Nei Ching
• Footnotes
• Index
• The Universal Healing Tao System and Training Center
• About the Authors
• About Inner Traditions • Bear & Company
• Books of Related Interest
• Copyright & Permissions