Hands

[TzuChan]

How would you massage hands ? I'm absolutely new to this, but would you just do some cirkels on the big muscles etc.. ? Or is there a more 'special' kind of massaging available ?

[Xiao3 Meng4]

This one's great for writer's cramp:

Have the patient hold their hand palm up. As an example, let's use the patient's right hand. Both of your hands are also palm up. Insert your right pinky finger palm up between the patient's
pinky and ring finger. Insert your left pinky finger between the patient's thumb and index. Place your left thumb on the patient's thumb metacarpal, and your right thumb on their pinky metacarpal. push up on the centre of the back of their hand with your pinkies, and pull down and out on their metacarpals with your thumbs. You can also pull down and stroke along the centre of the palm with your thumbs, or vary the stretching, squeezing, and friction manipulations. It's a good starting point for the hand.

For fingers, grab the root of the finger with your thumb, index, and middle finger. gently twist the finger back and forth as you pull up along it. When you come to the tip, keeping twisting back and forth only go down towards the root now.

Ahhhhhh..... Bliss. :)

Xiao3 Meng4

[TzuChan]

great thanks alot. Btw Xiao3 that has to be a great way to massage your gf's hands no ? :D Gonne try it out tomorrow hehe :cool:

[azwingchun]

You know, this is an interesting topic, this has puzzled me for awhile. When I was taught soft palm and later iron fist/palm, I was told always to massage away from the heart.

I now train in TCM with a TCM doctor by the name of Dr. Peter Chow. He says you can massage in circular motions, the direction is dictated by what you want to accompolish. Clockwise to sedate and counter-clockwise to tonify. Though the direction of the massage will depend on the flow of the energy.

I have found that different teachers have many different ideas, though, the above seems to work very well. ;)

[Xiao3 Meng4]

hi, azwingchun,
I was taught that clockwise and counter-clockwise was of primary relevance to the abdomen. Clockwise rubbing around the navel promotes peristalsis and movement in the large intestine (think of squeezing water along a garden hose by running the hose through your fist), whilst counter-clockwise rubbing promotes transformation (stool is coaxed to stay in the intestine longer, allowing the intestine to leech fluids from the excreta longer.) Round rubbing of the belly is one of the most important therapies for diahhrea and constipation. For constipation, rub clockwise; for diahhrea, counterclockwise.

Counter and Clock-Wise seem less important on the rest of the body, at least in terms of general physiology. It may have an effect on points or it may produce a specific effect, but the main effector of tonification and sedation in places other than the belly Is, as your iron palm teacher alluded to, the direction in which one is applying intent in relation to the torso - more specifically, in relation to the paths and flows of the meridians. Going with their flow tonifies, going against their flow disperses. Speed and gentleness disperses well, slowness and force tonifies well. Weak muscles suggest tonification, sore, tense muscles suggest dispersion.
Also, regardless of tonification or dispersion, never be more vigorous than the patient can handle - an 80 yr old lady may need tonification, but pushing hard may break her bones. Communicate with the patient.. it's enough force if it's just 1 degree away from pain. Plus, don't fret about technique so much as intending to relax yourself and your patient.

Xiao3 Meng4

[Xiao3 Meng4]

Originally posted by TzuChan
that has to be a great way to massage your gf's hands no ? :D Gonne try it out tomorrow hehe

Yeah, it's a nice stress reliever. :)

[azwingchun]

Thanks for you reply. Though, he doesn't concern himself with the flow of the meridians when using touching techniques. He uses only the meridian flow when using needling techniques. He actually teaches that the energy flow of the body is different then the flow of the meridians.

Example the Lung meridian runs down the inside of the arm, but the energy flow of the body flows up the arm. He states that this energy flow is what you are concerned with when using touching techniques, whether for healing or for fighting (tapping) techniques. ;)

What is your opinion on this?

[Xiao3 Meng4]

Originally posted by azwingchun
he doesn't concern himself with the flow of the meridians when using touching techniques. He uses only the meridian flow when using needling techniques. He actually teaches that the energy flow of the body is different then the flow of the meridians.

Example the Lung meridian runs down the inside of the arm, but the energy flow of the body flows up the arm. He states that this energy flow is what you are concerned with when using touching techniques, whether for healing or for fighting (tapping) techniques. ;)


I'm not too sure what the difference between meridian energy flow and body energy flow is. So far, my understanding of meridians is that they are deep running Pathways of potential influence, and they have net-like connections emerging from them, as well as branches that act as connecting pathways between meridians.
The meridians ARE the body. Slap the outside of an arm, and the net-like connections of the hand yang meridians will be struck. Slap the inside, and the net-like connections of the yin meridians will be struck.

Perhaps you are speaking of the difference in qi flow between the nutritive and defensive qi? Or perhaps in terms of qi and blood/body fluids?

Xiao3 Meng4

[azwingchun]

Think of the qi that flows from the earth(yin) and the qi the comes from the heavens/sun(yang). This what he is speaking about, and as you can see the yang qi of the meridians flows in the opposite direction of the yang qi from the sun and same goes for the yin qi from the earth compared to the yin qi of the meridians.

You say protective qi, I am assuming you are speaking of wei qi correct.

The way he teaches, humans are animals and if we stand on all fours as an animal (our original position, before we evolved into bipeds), the sun(yang qi) flows down along the outside of the body and the earth qi(yin qi) comes up through the palms and soles of our feet and flows upward to along the shady sides of the body. ;)