Maria Mercati - The Tui Na Manual: Massage to awaken body and mind

To my loving family: Trevor, Gisela, Gina, Graham, and Danella

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

I discovered Tui Na during my own personal quest for a therapy to relieve crippling pain. As a child I suffered from a degenerative disease that affected my hip. While living in Indonesia for four years, I discovered the healing powers of deep oriental massage, and trained as a massage therapist. As the years went by, standing and walking even for short distances caused me pain. In 1987, Western medicine could only offer me painkillers and a hip replacement operation. But instead of going to hospital for surgery, I travelled to China to learn Tui Na. The skilful, patient doctors of traditional medicine gave me the treatment and tuition that I needed and opened a wonderful new chapter in my life.

At that time, few people in the West had heard of Tui Na, although acupuncture and herbal medicine were available. So extraordinary was Tui Na's effect on me, it became my mission in life to bring it within the reach of everyone in the West. I studied, worked and travelled back to China time and again to learn Tui Na and acupuncture from Chinese doctors in hospitals and clinics in Shanghai, Weihai, Xian, Beijing and Jinan.

In response to a growing interest in Tui Na and acupuncture, I established the teaching side of the BODYHARMONICS Centre, where we run regular training courses. Over the decades, I have trained hundreds of students in Tui Na and acupuncture (www.bodyharmonics.co.uk ).

I have treated many people with disabling conditions where other forms of medicine could do little to help and have found that there is a real alternative to living on painkillers or having surgery. Tui Na has changed my life and the lives of many of my patients, and also my students and their patients. I hope that it can do the same for you.

AUTHOR'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I owe a debt of gratitude to the Chinese doctors of the traditional Chinese hospitals of Shanghai, Weihai, Xian and Jinan, who have most generously and patiently taught me the theory and practice of Tui Na.

My thanks also go to my husband Trevor for the enjoyable hours of discussion and brainstorming involved in preparing this book, and to my daughters Gisela, Gina and Danella, my son Graham, Jamie Dawkins, Neal Wickens and my grandchildren Oscar, Claudia and Rosa for patiently and skilfully modelling for most of the photographs and being excellent ambassadors for Tui Na. I would like to give a special thanks to Darren Tucker for patiently correcting all qi-points and meridians.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

The Tui Na Manual provides a comprehensive introduction to the use of this ancient healing art of deep massage and manipulation. Accessible for readers who have no previous experience of massage therapies, its clear approach is also valuable for those trained in other forms of bodywork, or in traditional Chinese medicine.

Chapters 1 and 2 describe the unique features of Tui Na and explain its roots in the 4,000-year- old system of traditional Chinese medicine. These chapters give important background information for the more practical techniques that follow in the remaining chapters.

Chapter 3 uses illustrations and descriptions to show the energy pathways in the body, and the points where this energy can be manipulated. You need to familiarize yourself with these and practise the Tui Na techniques for soft tissue massage and joint manipulations described in chapter 4, before going on to giving the treatments described in the final two chapters.

The whole-body routine in chapter 5 is a unique holistic treatment, developed by the author. In China, there is no specific routine; only techniques for healthcare and health conditions. Focusing on each part of the body in turn, it restores balance in the bodys energies, for health and well-being in body, mind and spirit. Once you have mastered the techniques and learned how to give the whole-body treatment, you can modify it, if necessary, to meet your partner's needs.

Chapter 6 presents treatments for a variety of common conditions and ailments. One section is devoted to sports injuries, such as sprains and muscle strains, which can be treated very successfully using Tui Na. There are also treatments appropriate for infants, adolescents and the elderly.

Tui Na is part of a medical system of healing, and for accuracy its techniques and applications have to be explained using medical anatomical terms. These are explained in the Appendix, which includes diagrams of the bones and muscles in the body, and the Glossary.

Many anatomical terms, such as the names of the organs of the body, and bodily fluids, such as blood or phlegm, have a wider meaning in Chinese medicine than they do in the West (see ), and this meaning is implicit in the use of these terms throughout this book.

NOTE ON SAFETY

The techniques and treatments in this book are to be used at the reader's sole discretion and risk. Always observe the cautions given, and consult a doctor if you are in any doubt about a medical condition.

Tui Na is very safe when performed according to the advice given in this book. One of its major applications is in relieving pain, but it can also be used to treat a wide range of common ailments. As with any form of deep massage, there are certain contraindications, which are given . Some of the treatments should not be used during pregnancy; wherever this is the case, the treatments are highlighted with a caution.