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SHEN Physio-Emotional Therapy uses Qi (chi) energy to relax tension

 and release physical and emotional pain.

Instead of the innate natural joy, grace and lightness of being which is our birthright, many of us go through life encumbered and restricted by the internal and external tension retained in our bodies.

Our load is not always as obvious as a turtle's shell.  Most of us are aware of the impactful events of our personal history, and many of us have worked very hard physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to heal the wounds of our past. And yet even with the work we've done, we may still find ourselves reacting to people and situations in ways we wish we wouldn't.

When a living cell, such as an amoeba is pressured or poked with a probe, it reacts by contracting, an involuntary reflex.  All living beings contract in reflex to sudden pressure, shock or pain such as a physical injury.  We also react to impending pain, to the threat of pain and to others' pain.

It's important to understand that our bodies contract involuntarily when we feel emotional pain (such as grief, fear, disapproval, shock, helplessness, revulsion, horror, belittling, shaming, demeaning, isolation or terror) in the same way they do when we are physically injured.  A heart clenching in grief, a sinking feeling in our gut or a stomach knotting in fear, a jaw tightening enough to injure the TMJ, are examples.

If you spend time with an infant, an animal or a young child, you will clearly see them contract physically if they are startled or scared. This gripping reflex is swift and sudden and usually releases as soon as the perceived threat passes. How fast one relaxes and how much one lets go depends on several variables, but if a painful experience is intense, shocking, or happens repeatedly, the physio-emotional grip releases more slowly, or not at all, and the tension is retained in our body.  Repeated similar experiences produce further contractive response, which then layer on top of the original unreleased tension, until one is living with layers of chronic tension, 'yang' tension which constricts our bodies, or 'yin' tension (overweight and/or numbness), forming the turtle shell load of this article's title.

Some of us do not show or do not express our feelings easily now because of the reactions we received from the people around us when we were young and did express our feelings. However, those who do not show their feelings easily or who outwardly appear unaffected still react internally to situations.  Our minds may forget the origin of our pain and tension, but our bodies do not.   Early and severe physio-emotional experiences are physically held/buried so deeply that they remain even when we stretch and exercise. If one becomes "weighted down" with this turtle shell, the tendency is to exercise less and less and move more into our heads as our bodies become stiffer and more uncomfortable. The more sensitive of us may be overwhelmed, and break down physically and/or emotionally.

Over time, the impact of unreleased bodily-retained tension is monumental. 

These deep internal contractions constrict our organs, impede and limit the nutrition our cells can receive, and hamper the circulation of our internal fluids.  When not dissolved, these constrictions cause deterioration and disease, stiffen our joints, and restrict our muscles.   The result of retaining physio-emotional tension internally for decades are visible.  All you need do is look at many of our senior citizens and too often you will see limited flexibility and disabled mobility.

In truth, it is usually these internal, physio-emotional contractions which are the major contributing factor in the many symptoms considered  'expected and normal aging'  by our society.  By the way, these symptoms  ARE NOT inevitable. When I traveled in China, in the company of Taoist Master Share K. Lew,  I had several persuasive experiences, some right out of legend and myth or books such as Baird T. Spalding's Life and Teachings of the Masters of the Far East which demonstrated to me that advanced age can bring enhanced ability and does not have to bring about deterioration.

Today,  the seniors I work with "youth-en."   After a short series of SHEN therapy, they look, function and report that they feel decades younger than their chronological age. 

It's also useful to know that when impactful events in our lives happen, any emotions (including numbness or shock) we may experience during the event are retained along with the physical sensations of the experience. We store all details of those circumstances:  our surroundings at that time, what we were thinking at the time, the reactions of other participants or witnesses, sounds, smells, etc.   Our thoughts and feelings of the past become enmeshed with all the sensations of the experience and these, too are retained in the tension in our bodies.

The thoughts and reactions we had in our past about ourselves, about what we thought we needed to do in a circumstance to thrive or survive, conclusions we came to believe about the world, our personal discomfort with certain types of situations or people, these decisions made in the past by our younger selves are  retained, held in physio-emotional tension in our body, “ which reduce our space,” as esteemed Buddhist monk Thich Nat Hahn so accurately describes.

“You are not caught by fear and anxiety if you have a lot of space inside. When you have a lot of space inside, you can live very deeply each moment of your life.  If there is pain and sorrow and fear and anger within our heart, there's not much space inside for us to be happy.  The practice is to bring the mind home to the body.”              ---Thich Nat Hahn, talk at Deer Park Monastery, Escondido, CA 9-20-2009

 

You may notice similarities and repeating patterns between people or situations in the present and people and situations you've known in the past.  When sensations of a distressful experience are trapped involuntarily and retained inside us, the thoughts and emotions of our younger selves with their limited experience keep re-surfacing, as our inner self subconsciously seeks to re-create a familiar situation so it can discharge and release the constricting bodily held tension it is carrying.  These outdated emotions can strongly influence our behavior, and dominate our thinking.  You will notice them as prominent (usually limiting) thoughts, and repetitive reactions and behaviors.

Though we might intentionally take steps to "forgive and let go," if you stay aware, you will notice when you are reacting in present situations with habitual and familiar behavior and thought patterns.  If you are a survivor of abuse, or if you are sensitive, this can happen with a person or place who merely REMINDS you of someone or something distressing that happened in your past. 

 “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.” —Carl Jung

Most of our present challenges, in fact, have their origin in retained reactions and responses to past experiences.  Most, if not all, of our current sensitivities, distresses, numbness, negative emotions, unwanted feelings, fear-based reactions, overwhelm, "actings out," etc., are the subconscious result of our inner selves seeking to throw off these deep internal constrictions and heal. 

“...those childhood issues produced a vibration within you that you are still offering, which is producing today issues.   You can shift your vibration a whole lot easier when you're dealing with today issues, than trying to deal with childhood issues. It's the same vibration. That vibration that was creating childhood issues, now it's creating today issues!”               —Abraham-Hicks via Facebook, 8-22-2009

Chi, a Chinese word pronounced “Chee” (and also spelled qi), translates as “life energy.”  Chi is known as ki in Japan, and prana in India (sanskrit).

Chi is a naturally occurring, scientifically verified biofield energy (far infrared spectrum) which increases with the breath and emanates from a healer's hands in varying strengths.  Chi can powerfully reach deep inside the body to diminish and dissolve tension, and to relax and release physio-emotional contractions, lifting awareness and insight with even the hardest, most entrenched, seemingly impossible cases.   Medical Qi Gong (also spelled Chi Kung or Chi gung) is an emerging science in the west, but Qi Gong has been used for healing in Asia since ancient times. Gong translates as “skill with.”  Thus, Qi Gong translates as “skill with energy of life.”
In Cantonese, the word Shen translates as “Energy of Spirit.” (Calligraphy at left).

I have trained in Shen gong here and in China with my Taoist teacher, Sifu Share K. Lew, who at his present age of 91 is strong, vital and youthful.  This cultivated “energy of Spirit” comes through my heart, hands and breath as I use the precise, gentle, yet powerful techniques of SHEN therapy that have been tested and proven in clinical research as well as in professional application for nearly 30 years. As an experienced, skilled SHEN therapist, I use the natural chi from my hands to go progressively deeper and reach the most buried internal layers of physio-emotional contractions.  I personalize each SHEN session to your individual history and specific needs.

Events such as September 11, Katrina, tsunami, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, war, acts of terrorism, corruptness in our governments, shootings in our schools, abuse by our clergy, racism, violence in our streets and homes, budget cuts eliminating jobs and vital services and all the aftermath of such experiences can activate anger in us, numb us or contract us in sorrow, fear, disbelief, helplessness, horror, shock, and grief.

In this light, please consider scheduling a few SHEN sessions for yourself, your family, your friends and your clients.

Especially consider SHEN if you or or someone you care for has a history of trauma, injury, abuse, emotional challenges or chronic pain. There are a very few contra-indications for receiving SHEN; please contact me with any questions you may have.

You will find that SHEN complements and enhances all forms of therapy and health practices:  yoga, mindfullness practices, talk therapies such as counseling and Gestalt therapy, spiritual practices, massage, bodywork, rebirthing, martial arts, dance and art therapy, dream analysis, flower essence therapy, behavior modification, physical therapy and all post trauma therapies, meditation, and all self-improvement modalities. It is especially well received by sensitives and those who practice Vipassana and Ekhart Tolle's Power of Now.

There are at present not many SHEN Therapists in America.
I am open to travel, though usually people from out of town come to my office here in San Diego. They arrange to have 3 to 5 day concentrated SHEN experience with me, receiving 8 to 10 hours of SHEN therapy in a weekend or during a week, and may choose also to receive the Reconnection.

My clients report significant, positive, (some have said miraculous) changes in chronic pain, grief, self-worth, physical disorders, personal behaviors, emotional growth, and spiritual awareness. Testimonials

My clients tell me that natural, drug free SHEN therapy has changed the way they feel about themselves and how they live their lives. They describe the many insights they receive during SHEN and report that people and situations that used to trigger or distress them no longer do so (or do so to a much lesser degree); that they are able to respond differently, resulting in win-wins; sometimes the resolutions appear quite magical. 

“If you are patient in one moment of anger,

you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.”

-- Chinese proverb

 

After receiving SHEN, clients say that they find themselves achieving more and more ease in their lives, they think more clearly, reach greater levels of comfort, and experience joy and well-being in their bodies, with their relationships, and in the world.

My clients tell me SHEN feels HEAVENLY to receive, even though on the table they may have had painful memories or emotions emerge while contracted areas were releasing. They've learned that any unpleasant sensations which surface in a SHEN session are temporary in nature, and are soon replaced by calmness, expansiveness, insight, more energy, ease, relaxation and well-being.

A lot of my clients have spiritual experiences during their SHEN sessions. Many report that they saw, felt or heard the presence of angels, Masters, trusted guides, and avatars during their session. They see sacred meaningful symbols and images.  Some feel surrounded and healed by LOVE, or Universal Source.  One psychologist I gave a SHEN session to described her experience: “I felt I was lifted up into a field of Grace where my concerns and worries rose out of me, turned to light and were healed.”

Clients often regain an amazing amount of ease in their movement, range of motion, youthful zest and a younger appearance from a short series of SHEN sessions. A frequent, surprised comment is “I look 10, even 20 years younger!”   I enjoy working with clients in their 80s and 90s. They comment: “I feel 30 or 40 years younger!” (and they look it, too!)

“The appearance of things change according to our emotions,

and thus we see magic and beauty in them,

while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves.”

--Kahlil Gibran

I have worked with a number of adolescents and several adults with scoliosis. All had visible changes in physical distortion.

SHEN Therapy is also well received by and very helpful for highly sensitive individuals. And for those survivors healing from unthinkably extreme trauma, my chi is strong enough that I can relax and dissolve tension working near their body without actually physically putting my hands on.

From time to time, I organize a SHEN Therapy "immersion" workshop in San Diego to provide the opportunity for profound therapeutic work. The workshop focuses on one's individual health and inner work, and is deeply experiential.

Participants receive several SHEN sessions each day and learn SHEN techniques which can be used to help themselves and others. Both health professionals and non-professionals are welcome.

In a workshop, as in private SHEN sessions with me, you receive hands-on help to relax and relieve stress, anxiety, grief, fear, pain, panic attacks, shock, numbness, anger and other PTSD symptoms.

 

For more information on SHEN Therapy, SHEN sessions, and SHEN workshops,

please see my website,

SHENworks:

Hands on Help for Emotions, Pain and Trauma

Or click the link below to

Contact Me

“Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field. I will meet you there”--Rumi