This is a question I get asked quite frequently, so I will try to give a thumbnail sketch of these two Healing Arts, where they overlap,and where they differ.

The primary difference between the two is the initial training involved. In Canada, a candidate applying to an Osteopathic college must already be practicing health care professional with at least 2200 hours of prior training. Most commonly the bulk of these students come from either Massage Therapy or Physiotherapy backgrounds.

The primary focus in Osteopathic training is the various motion and lesion patterns relating to bones of the skull, face, spine and pelvis. Training also encompasses advanced soft tissue treatment modes for a wide variety of musculo-skeletal conditions, both soft tissue and articular in nature. Osteopathic treatment is based on it’s philosophy. This is acknowledging the union between Body, Mind and Spirit, utilizing the body’s inherent self protecting, self regulating and self healing mechanisms,  and observing the relationships between structure and function in the Human body.

Massage Therapy school is something you can directly apply for as a post secondary career path. The curriculum is a minimum of 2200 hours in length and requires passing a final licensing exam set by the provincial government before you can legally practice. The   training  focuses on anatomy and physiology related to the soft tissues of the body, a basic knowledge of joint mechanics, musculo-skeletal pathologies/conditions and therapeutic techniques using Swedish style massage. Many Massage Therapists go on to train extensively in post graduate courses that will give them a much larger palette of therapeutic skills. Most of the techniques learned in Osteopathic training are also available as post graduate courses to Massage Therapists.

So in my opinion; it is about how the practitioner of  Massage Therapy and/or Osteopathy continues to learn, progress and evolve in their craft that marks the definitive difference in effectiveness and not so much their modality all by itself.

*( In Canada an Osteopath differs from an Osteopathic Physician in the scope and nature of their training. The USA  is the only country that trains and licenses Osteopaths as physicians.)

The concept of Qi is a very mysterious one to most Westerners. It is a fundamental cornerstone in Traditional Chinese Medicine and many energy based Healing Arts. Qi is the animating power or Universal organizing principal that flows through all things.  Qi can be channeled and refined by the practice of the Chinese art of Qigong .

Qigong is a form of energy building and self healing using mental concentration, visualization, healing postures, self massage, movement, focused intention and precise methods of breathing.
In the Eastern influenced Healing Arts we believe maintaining a balanced flow of Qi in the body is essential in maintaining good health and vitality. In the practice of ‘Internal’ Martial Arts (such as Taiji, Kyudo and Aikido for example) the cultivation and refining of Qi is pursued to add power and focus to the application of Martial Arts techniques.

My Taiji Teacher Master Paul Kwan, maintains that any method which works to invigorate life and energy can be termed ‘Qigong’. According to Master Kwan; Esoteric Taoism follows the belief that the Human life cycle is based on the initial growing and eventual fading of Qi in the body. As we age, the energy routes which supply and support the circulation of Qi to the vital organs progressively become fatigued, resulting in deterioration, weakness, and poor health.

Over time this Qi energy settles into hot and cold parts of the body. By adulthood the hot (Yang) energy has risen to the upper body containing all the vital organs such as: The heart, liver, lungs, and brain. The cold (Yin) energy tends to settle in the: Legs, genitals, kidneys, and lower abdomen.

In order to rebuild and refortify these energy channels, the ancient Taoists created the practice of Qigong; with the idea of extending longevity via regeneration and proper dispersion of the vital Qi energy. Qigong then is a process of rebirth; a return to one’s original, primordial self.

In the practice of Qigong we seek to refine and rejuvenate our bodily supply of Qi. With proper breathing, posture and mindfulness; we ‘pull in’ Qi energy from the Universe, release excess tension through controlled breathing and open key energy meridians in the body. Energy circulation with Qigong seeks to re-create a balance of Qi in the body by a harmonious blending of the body’s Yin and Yang energies.

Stress!

It’s something we are all subjected to in one form or another in daily life. The body’s reaction to threat (either real or imagined) is via series of protective mechanisms that are ‘hard wired’ into the nervous system, collectively known as ‘The Stress Response’.
Intermittent stress and the body’s reaction to it are a normal part of life. It is when we feel continually stressed that these protective mechanisms can go from being just a short term response to a chronic pattern. The long term effects of chronic stress negatively impacts us in ways both physically and psychologically we are not often aware of.

The stress response (a.k.a. fight or flight)

Is the body’s way of reacting to threatening situations. It is initiated and perpetuated by the autonomic portion of our nervous system.
The autonomic nervous system is the part of our body responsible for controlling and maintaining all our bodily functions. It is in effect a sort of auto pilot maintaining our bodily equilibrium by responding to the various stimuli bombarding us both internally and externally.

The autonomic nervous system has two sub-divisions: The Sympathetic division; responsible for initiating and maintaining the stress response and the Parasympathetic division; which facilitates the relaxation response (rest and recover mode).

Ideally these two divisions were designed to balance each other. The stress response may vary in magnitude depending on the nature of the threat. With a fight or flight response initiated, there is a sudden increase in adrenaline production, heart rate increases, breathing becomes more rapid, blood is diverted from the organs to the muscles, immune and pain mechanisms are inhibited.

This inherent response is intended to allow us to perform at maximum intensity for a short period, and ideally it should subside once the threat has passed. However, when a person is continually subjected to situations that elicit this stress response in them, they can slip into a pattern of ‘Chronic Stress’ where their body starts to view this heightened state of alarm as the norm and it becomes increasingly more difficult for them to relax and let go.
These chronic stress patterns have an impact on all levels of our being; physical, mental and emotional. Over time it can lead to various problems such as muscle tension headaches, pain, fatigue, insomnia, depression, high blood pressure and an increased susceptibility to sickness and disease.

The accumulated effects of these negative patterns can manifest months or years down the road. Like water dripping into a bucket, each drop falls unnoticed until one day the bucket overflows.

Chronic stress: It’s death on the installment plan.

One way out of these chronic stress patterns is to train our bodies to re-balance by way of the parasympathetic relaxation response. The skills to elicit this response can be learned, but consistent practice is the key to making it an effective counterbalance to chronic stress patterns.

Click on the ‘Guided Imagery’ page

Here we will touch on a variety of Holistic methods, ideas and practical exercises that will aid in learning the skills of how to  achieve harmony between Mind, Body and Spirit.

In my Clinical practice I specialize in innovative, non-invasive Therapeutic approaches that work to help balance and enhance the inherent self healing abilities of the body. I also offer workshops and seminars related to discovering and utilizing the amazing latent powers we have been gifted as Human Beings.

I hope you enjoy the articles on this blog and find them useful.

Yours in Care.

Janos

What the word Taiji means:

• Taiji is an ancient Chinese philosophical ideal representing the unity of Yin and Yang.A harmonious and dynamic blend of complimentary opposites creating a unified whole. A state of Spiritual and Physical harmony.

Awareness is your most powerful tool when dealing with difficult People who seem to be able to push your buttons.
Try to create a mindset inside yourself where you do not feel the need to argue, to debate or to be ‘right’. This can also be said for those that have a need to be ‘the savior’, ‘the fixer’ or ‘the emotional punching bag’. What are the deep fears that drives these needs…A sense of balance and personal worth is achieved becoming aware of  your own fears and insecurities and finding effective ways of resolution and release of your triggers. This is not easy but it is a skill that can be learned and with practice, creates a strong sense of your own Personal Power. (As an example; most accomplished Martial Artists have a very calm demeanor because through years of training they have resolved many of their own personal insecurities and fears.)

For instance: In a personal confrontation strive to extend your awareness to read what the other person wants and WHY they need to have it so*. If the person you are dealing is verbally aggressive, argumentative or insulting then they are probably coming from a position of fear or unbalance of some kind. If  you cannot come to a workable resolution of your points of conflict then try to find a way of detaching yourself emotionally from the situation or person(s) until you can leave physically. This does not mean running away in Fear, but walking away with a sense of Self Respect and fear-less-ness from a no win situation.
The way of non aggression is not passive: It is learning to read a situation and then flow around or under it like water going around rocks in a river. This is a Taoist approach called ‘Wu Wei” the watercourse way.

(* I suggest you study  NLP in order to learn how to frame your words for maximum effect by reading people’s communication style etc..)

Repetitive Strain Injury or “R.S.I.” is a term given to any number of different conditions which are mainly caused by:
• Frequent and repetitive actions
• repeated forceful movements
• Use of badly designed tools and machinery
• over straining
• Contact with sharp edges or hard objects
• working in cold temperatures
• Use of tools and machinery that vibrate
• poor job training
• Poor work station design
• awkward body positions
• Static or unnatural body positions
• pace of work (too fast/no rest)

Further Contributing Factors:
Fatigue and stress
•after work activities
•Health of the worker

 Examples of conditions associated with repetitive strain injuries are:
 • Chronic muscle spasm / pain / restriction
• Carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve compression at wrist)
• Tendonitis (wrist, shoulder, elbow)
• Tenosynovitis including trigger finger (finger)
• Medial epicondylitis (golfer’s elbow)
• Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
(nerve compression syndrome affecting shoulder and arm areas)
• Tension neck syndrome (neck)

What makes ordinary movements such as gripping, twisting, reaching and movement that do not in themselves pose a risk, hazardous?  The risk of injury comes when these movements are done in the following manner:

Causes of RSI

Repetition
This is the strongest risk factor.  Involves movements repeated over and over such as data entry, which produces physical fatigue with little time for muscles etc. to rest and recover.  When the work activity is continued in spite of the developing fatigue injuries occur.

Body positions

1.) Awkward body positions – performing a repetitive task with the joint of the wrist, elbow and or shoulder in the extreme range.  These will be horizontal or vertical movements of the wrist to the extreme range and moving the fingers while the wrist is in the extreme position.  Unnatural postures and bad seating will speed up the deterioration of discs, resulting in tissue and nerve damage.

2.) Static body positions – performing controlled movements of the upper limbs such as sitting, while stabilizing the shoulder-neck region.  The muscles in the shoulder and the neck contract and stay contracted to hold the position stable for as long as the task requires.  The neck/shoulder muscles become fatigued, even though there is no movement.  The reduced blood supply to the remaining parts of the upper limbs accelerates fatigue in the moving muscles, making them more susceptible to injury.

Force full movement
Exerting force in certain hand positions such as pinch grip on a writing tool put a lot of tension on the tendons in your hands and wrist.  More force equals more muscular effort, and consequently a longer time is needed to recover between tasks.  Equipment that does not allow the best position of the wrist, elbow and shoulder substantially increases the force required.

Pace of work
This determines the amount of time available for rest and recovery of the body between cycles of a particular task.  The faster the pace, the less time is available and the higher the risk of repetitive strain injury.

Stages of Repetative Strain Injuries

Early stages:
Aching and tiredness only during work, settles over night or on days off.
• It’s the kind of pain that is dismissed as part of growing old, or just aches and pains
• There is no reduction in work performance
• takes weeks or months to develop
• This stage is still reversible

Intermediate stages:
Aching and tiredness starts early and persists longer
• don’t settle well at night / disturbed sleep many times

• There is a marked reduction in production at work or at home

Late stages:
The symptoms persist and pain is experienced all the time
• Usually preventing sleep or frequently disturbing sleep
• finds light duties unbearable
• This may be permanent

In our physical world the illusion of solidity is created by unimaginably vast intersecting fields of vibrating atoms, stepped down in frequency to a dense slow vibration.

Even our consciousness itself is a field of ‘self aware’ vibration existing at various levels at multiple frequencies. An integral part of the Ocean of Universal Consciousness and yet somehow apart from it as well. This Consciousness field of vibrating interlocking energy patterns ‘steps down’ in frequency levels until it is able to integrate into the ‘solid’ matter that comprises the Human Body. It does this through the rhythmic gateway of the Etheric Field.

The Etheric Field is the vibrational frequency that is one step above the energy matrix of the physical self. It surrounds the body like a nimbus. The Etheric field allows consciousness to interface with the denser energies that comprise the physical body. It does this through the medium of the cerebral-spinal fluid and central nervous system . The physical body itself can be likened to a complex ‘spacesuit‘ that is itself comprised of interacting energy fields of energy of varying vibrations and densities. It is through this vibrational symbiosis with the flesh that our pure consciousness (Mind) can experience the seemingly ‘solid’ reality of everyday life.

Our familiar five senses are all based on rhythm and vibration. In fact the various sense organs of the body can be looked at as a series of rhythm transformers. Various forms of vibrational/rhythmic impulses such as; light, sound, chemicals, heat, cold and pressure stimulate the nervous system in specific ways which in turn sends these impulses to appropriate centers in the brain.Here the various brain centers translate these impulses into the familiar senses of touch, eyesight, hearing, taste and smell.

We can use rhythm in a variety of ways to excite or relax our nervous system, to balance ourselves and access deeper layers of our consciousness.
All our bodily processes as well as our sense of consciousness and connection to the Universe is based on the harmonization of these interrelating patterns of organized rhythm and frequencies of vibration.

Pure energy vibrates to form atoms, these dance together to form molecules, molecules conga line together to form matter. The entire Universe is accessible through the spaces and intervals of vibrating energy and rhythm. Without vibration and rhythm there is only the stillness of non-being, the neutral zone of undifferentiated potential sometimes called ‘The Void’.

Chronic Fear is based on loss of some type or other whose root are traceable to survival issues most notably; the fear of Death..I believe that once we can touch that part of us that immortal and eternal, ‘the divine spark’ the intense fear of death dissolves. When this primary fear is resolved and finally leaves, all other self limiting fears leave with it.

Fear is hardwired into our nervous systems as part of our self protective mechanisms. So note the difference between a momentary fear that protects you from a chronic fear that keeps you prisoner. Those chronic sense of dread feelings or ‘what if” thought modes are  based on projecting into the future event based on a *negative imprint(s) from the past.

*This is most often a past trauma or other incident that ‘anchored’ a feeling of fear in the deep inner mind.

Ask Yourself:

*What is it that I am really afraid of ?

*Am I constantly apprehensive, basing my life on vague notions of what might happen?

*Am I fully aware of what is really happening now in the moment ?

* Is my fear based on a past personal experience I cannot let go of or is it an idea I have accepted from some other source?

Most of our fears on close inspection may turn out to be nothing more than shadows cast by our own doubts, conditioning and prior experiences.We are least powerful when we allow fear based thinking and reactions to rule our lives.Take notice how much of society is based on fear mongering….

Truly dealing with our fears will require us to face them rather than trying to suppress them. Making peace with our fears is  a daunting task for it will require us to face the most difficult opponent of all, ourselves. For Example: The Warrior acknowledges their fear, but by fully focusing their mind in the Now they avoid getting sucked into a spiral of either trying to suppress or be overwhelmed by Fear….