Change your habits, change your world!

SeatedBuddhaGandhara2ndCentury (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We all know that exercise, nutrition and other lifestyle choices play a huge impact on how well we feel, but something we often overlook are the importance of our habits.

When you are in the shower, do you wash your body in the same order every day? Do you put the same leg into your trousers first? Do you have a set way in which you brush your teeth? Chances are you do – and these are the routines you have before you’ve even left the house! And you wouldn’t be alone in that! It means we use the same muscles over and over again in almost exactly the same way, day after day. It makes sense therefore that we start to build up very slight muscular and postural adaptations that over time, become more noticeable. Even simple things like the way we clasp our hands together, tends to be the same every time. Try clasping your hands with opposite thumb on top to normal. Feels strange doesn’t it?

In Amatsu, we are aware of how habits mould and shape our bodies and practitioners work with these imbalances, big and small, every day. The really interesting part is how habits shape and mould our mind. Learning and changing keeps us fresh, inquisitive, vital and curious.  Doing things the same way over and over digs a nice, comfortable rut that eventually gets too deep to get out of easily – it becomes ‘just the way I am’. Apparently, up to 98% of our thoughts are the same as the ones we had yesterday and even more scarily up to 80% of those are negative! So in the same way that we develop physical habits and imbalances, so we also develop thought patterns and biases. And, if we feed our thoughts with negativity over and over again we start to develop caution and fear as we think..

‘I can’t…’

‘It might…’

What if…?’

Our courage, openness and eagerness to experience the world diminishes and over time we stop noticing options and possibilities or we see them as too risky or not for us.

The understanding that our thoughts create our reality isn’t a new one. Buddha is quoted as saying ‘The thought manifests as the word, the word manifests as the deed; the deed develops into habit; and habit hardens into character. So watch the thought and its ways with care..As the shadow follows the body, as we think so we become’

Of course, it’s not all that easy to change our thoughts, but changing habits – even small ones – can start a chain reaction and over time it becomes easier to change our mindset. Little things like mixing up our morning routine, taking a different route to work or choosing foods that we don’t often buy stops us from being on autopilot and forces us to be a bit more conscious. As we become more alert and aware in our everyday life, we might start to notice more of the beauty that surrounds us and become inspired to change other things. It can really gather momentum if you let it and you may find all sort of unexpected benefits and joys as you do so. How about making a small shift today towards refreshing your life and see how good it feels?

Focus On… Vinyasa Flow Yoga

This is the second in my series looking at other health-giving practices that I have personally experienced and have found to be beneficial.

I have been practicing yoga for over ten years and have tried all sorts of styles from sweating in 40 degree heat in Bikram yoga to the punishing practice of Ashtanga! Five years ago, I started practicing Vinyasa Flow yoga with Flo Lefebvre and I haven’t looked back! This dynamic, flowing style combines a good physical workout with deep relaxation and I always leave Flo’s class feeling wonderful!

LC: So what is Vinyasa Flow yoga?

FL:  It refers to the practice of linking and synchronising the breath with movement and using the breath as the guide so that the breath determines when you move, not the other way round. It’s not something that we would normally do in life so it is actually harder than it sounds!

LC: You are the second practitioner in this series that I have spoken to who has highlighted the importance of breathing. Why does it matter so much that we breathe well?

FL: In yoga, the breath is a central part of the practice. It helps focus the mind, to oxygenate the muscles of the body. It is also said to purify and cleanse the body. If you hold your breath and you are in a challenging posture, you tense even more and things feel harder. If you can keep breathing with long, rhythmical, regular breaths even when you are in discomfort you start to encourage the feeling of lack of effort and the practice feels easier. Often in class I mention breathing and most people realise they have been holding their breath! Also, we are in a culture that encourages people to suck their tummy in which really prevents people breathing naturally. We need to re-learn how to breathe!

LC: How did you come to yoga?

A friend of mine introduced me to yoga and really fell I love with it because of the teacher that I had. I did ballet as a child and my teacher, Rebecca Parker, had also been a dancer. The way she moved was so graceful and beautiful and she made it look so easy, but it was hard! I thought I was quite fit, but I couldn’t do it! It was a good shock because there were people there who were older than me, larger than me and yet they could do the postures much better than I could. I started to realise early on that yoga was for everyone. I teach a lady who is in her seventies who comes to one of the hardest classes that I teach. It’s brilliant! People who practice have different physiques, social backgrounds, different jobs – yoga provides a big melting pot where anyone can join in.

But yoga is not just for the body is it? There’s something for the mind too..?

Absolutely! When I was doing my teacher training with Rebecca, she really made us think. She would ask questions like ‘Why are you clinging right now? What are you holding on to?’ These questions allow people to make the connection between their body and mind. They might be holding on physically, but also perhaps emotionally. Many people start yoga because they want to get fit and toned and find that they get so much more. There is a philosophical aspect to yoga which allows you reflect on where and why you are holding tensions. It helps you to start to look at your beliefs, your patterns, your values. Our society has lost touch with religion, but you don’t have to be religious to  have a belief system. I believe it is important to offer people a spiritual aspect to their life if they don’t belong to a church or a more classic assembly.

When you start working on yourself and give time to yourself, you can distance yourself from external pressure and take the time to listen more deeply to your true self and what you truly want in life. Emotions or thoughts can arise and you can begin to acknowledge these without pushing them away. Having this space can create gradual, subtle but powerful changes in people’s lives.

LC:Tell me one of your success stories

FL:It is lovely to see the magic of yoga at work especially when the improvement of a person’s physical flexibility helps to improve the flexibility in other areas of their life. I have a gentleman who I work with who is 69. He came to yoga only a couple of years ago with very tight muscles and wanted to loosen up. As a result of working together, he has moved on so much physically but also he seems more open in the rest of his life, trying new things, taking classes with other teachers and feeling more sociable. Through yoga he has started to look after his body in other ways, having massage regularly. It has been a really lovely shift to see.

 

LC: What would be your top 3 health tips?

FL: Eating a healthy balanced diet and avoiding eating too heavy and too late. When you eat late, your body uses energy to digest instead of resting and restoring so you wake up tired. Secondly, do physical activity even if yoga is not your thing and try to balance strength with flexibility. Finally, do something for your mind whether that is a type of mediation, breathing exercises, chanting. These all help to calm and relax our busy minds!

LC:How have you changed as a result of yoga? What has yoga given you?

FL: So much! As well as the physical aspects, it taught me perseverance to work with poses that were not easy, to stick with things even when they were hard. This transformed into tools to deal with obstacles and difficulties in life and I became more confident. I am now able to rise above things more now and take things less personally and embrace and accept the ups and the downs of life. And through the circle of people I met I came closer to the person I am.

LC: Powerful stuff! Thank you Flo!

FL: Thank you!

For more information about classes, private tuition or retreats go to Flo’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FloYoga?fref=ts, read her blog http://floyoga.tumblr.com/ or call her on 07766 082700

Lessons from Japan

As many of you know, I have just come back from a wonderful trip to Japan, a country that combines great contrast between old and new, immense beauty, spirituality and grace into an intoxicating mix. I found myself wandering almost dreamlike through my days there, having to pause and pinch myself that I was really there – a place I had dreamed about for years. Originally, I had planned to explore the origins of Amatsu while I was there, to meet and thank the man who gifted this amazing therapy to the West over 25 years ago. Sadly, I couldn’t do that. In his latter years, Dr Hatsumi has turned his attention more directly to the teaching of the martial arts that underpin the therapy and has little time for Western practitioners who do not also practice this art. Of course, to begin with I was disappointed, but my trip taught me something very special.

Japan is a country of discipline, respect, order and harmony. Streets are spotlessly clean and trains run to the second. Bus drivers always wait until all passengers are seated before moving off. I heard a raised voice only once in my time there and even then it was only a man on a mobile phone on a train, who took the call in the vestibule out of respect for his fellow passengers. It was a stark contrast to the busy, ‘me-first’ culture I am so used to in London. There is a pervading sense of calm even in busy parts of Tokyo where people walking on one direction use one side of the pavement and those going the other way, use the other side. I envisaged Oxford Street at lunchtime and laughed!

Even as a first time visitor, it became clear to me how strong the culture is in Japan. There are ways of doing things and they usually involve honouring others. Over the weeks, I started to truly appreciate this and to realise that I didn’t need to meet Dr Hatsumi to learn something essential from Japan. I started to realise that the qualities that I saw displayed every day on the street, in restaurants, in temples and on packed commuter trains could inform and shape the way I practice Amatsu. The discipline with which I practice and study, the respect I show my clients, the harmony I work to instill in people’s bodies – these are all qualities that flow directly from Amatsu’s country of origin. Entering a revered temple reminded me of the suspended, peaceful and meditative state that allows me to feel subtle movements in a person’s body. Watching monks practice their sutras over and over again reminded me of the need to keep practicing, improving and honing my skills. Soaking in a hot spring with an elderly, but slim and beautiful Japanese lady who stretched and massaged her muscles and feet reminded me that self-care is so essential for my work.  More than anything, it helped me to remember that although my knowledge of anatomy and physiology is essential, the Japanese qualities of precise movement, respect of the person I am working with and my full and conscious awareness are the qualities which make the real difference.

Thank you Japan.

Nourish yourself

Hot Chocolate (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s three days since I got back from an amazing trip to Japan. I am still digesting the experience of this mysterious, beautiful and intriguing country so I won’t write too much about it just yet, but I had been dreaming and planning this trip for over 18 months. It took up so much of my thoughts, time and resources as I researched our adventure.

And now it’s over.

I am still disorientated from jetlag, my sleep patterns are erratic to say the least, and the weather is COLD. Despite the pleasure I have had from my holiday and all the gorgeous memories that are waiting to be savoured, it became clear that today I needed to nurture and nourish myself.

I wanted to share this with you as I know from speaking to almost anyone at the moment, our UK weather is really us down. We long for bright skies, carefree picnics in the park and the feeling of warmth on our skin. We dream of sun-drenched strawberries and balmy, lazy evenings with the smell of barbecue smoke on the breeze. And we’re all getting pretty concerned that this summer may turn out like last summer.  Not summer at all. THe thing is, we really can’t control it or do anything about it so we need to find other ways to feel good.

I’m fortunate enough to have amazing women in my family who remind me how to live life well, so I can’t take the credit for the realisation that today I needed to nurture myself. So after a conversation with my sister I decided to take her advice and be kind to myself. I had a long hot shower. I put lime oil into my burner (guaranteed to lift the spirits) and filled my home with delicious scent and I meditated for ten minutes.I made a green juice with a good kick of ginger.

I started to feel better.

But the thing that really swung it and transformed my morning was a delicious, healthy, nourishing hot chocolate. And that is what I want to share with you today..

Take 2 heaped dessertspoons of raw organic cacao powder ( you can use cocoa powder, but it’s just not as good), and blend to a smooth paste using your choice of milk (I use oat milk). Measure how much more milk you need by pouring it into your favourite mug and then heat gently on the stove. If possible, don’t use a microwave – it just zaps all the goodness out of everything. Add a half teaspoon of cinnamon, a small pinch of chilli powder and a good squeeze of honey (preferably raw) to your chocolate paste. When the milk is hot, but not boiling, take it off the stove and add to your cup gradually stirring well as you go to get all the nice chocolatey bits from the edges.

Sit down, wrap your hands round the mug and sip slowly, relishing the warmth, the flavour and all of the good chemicals firing off in your brain. Maybe a cold day isn’t all bad…

Dreaming

A few weeks ago, I did an interview with Warren Williams, a CHEK practitioner. He said a lot of interesting things, but there was one thing that really captured my attention. He said that Paul Chek, the founder of the CHEK system, says that before he can begin to work with someone, he needs to know what their dream is. If their life is not aligned towards making that dream come true, there will be ill health.

One of the reasons that Warren’s comment has stayed with me is because the practice of Amatsu also values dreams. In my first year of studying Amatsu we were learning about Dr Hatsumi, an expert physical therapist and martial artist who gifted his knowledge of Amatsu to the West. My teacher quoted Hatsumi as saying that Amatsu firstly raises the spirit, secondly releases the wellness and thirdly gives a person their dreams back. Wow! I was completely taken aback and felt such an awe that the therapy that I was learning could help to do something so wonderful. It felt powerful and important and somehow completely right.

It’s a few years on now, and I have much more experience working with a person’s muscles, bones, ligaments, organs and meridians. But still, if someone asked me how it might be possible to give a person their dreams back through what I do, I’m not sure I could give a comprehensive answer. I know that pain in one place can come from somewhere else. I know that the connections within our skin are many and mysterious. I know that the human body holds wisdom far greater than our comprehension. But dreams..? Can it give dreams back?

Well, what I also know is that when our body feels light and aligned, so does our mind. When we move freely and fluidly, so do our thoughts. When we have no pain, our mind can focus on greater things. When our posture is open, so is our heart. And maybe when we combine all of those things, perhaps we welcome dreams back into our lives. 

Focus on…All in Chek

This post is the first in a series entitled ‘Focus On…’ introducing other less well known approaches to health and well-being. Of course, Amatsu is my passion and the therapy I always suggest first but I would like to encourage people to open their mind to any approach that takes into consideration the whole body and the mind. It is the only way we can be truly well! Although some of the approaches I will introduce may prioritise the body in different ways they all work with the body as a whole and are methods that I have experienced personally and found them to be interesting and exciting.

For the past two years I have worked at HEAL Studio in south-east London. This centre is run by Warren Williams who has been a great source of inspiration and support for me in my continuing learning journey. I spoke to Warren about the CHEK system which he uses to enable his clients to reach health, vitality and mental peace.

Warren (left) with Paul Chek and professional long jumper, Jade Johnson

LC: So, what is CHEK?

WW: The CHEK system was developed by Paul Chek in the States. It is in fact a system of systems to assess rather than guess what a person needs to reach health. It’s based on six foundational principles of thoughts, breathing, hydration, exercise, rest and nutrition. All of these need to be optimised to reach health. We look at the hierarchy of survival reflexes in the body to determine the priority and we call this the Totem of Health. We start by looking at respiration, the highest control system in the body – how well someone is breathing and if it is compromised. Next we look at mastication (chewing) and the jaw. The average person opens and closes their jaw around 4,000 times a day so if there is a misalignment at the jaw it will have a big impact on the balance of the rest of their body. The third system is vision. We look at how well the eyes are working and if one is stronger than the other. We can work to balance that out. The fourth system is the vestibular or balance system of the body and how well that works to give equilibrium to the body. Then we look at the cervical spine and how misalignment can affect discs lower down in the body. Then we look at the limbic or emotional system. This is the only system which is ‘floating’ ie if someone is under enormous stress, this will go higher in priority, even to the top if they have undergone a terrible trauma or are considering taking their life. Next is the digestion system. If people eat foods that don’t agree with their body, they can get food intolerance and inflammation. The sacrum and the pelvis come next and finally we look at the ‘slave joints’ the elbows, ankles, knees etc.

LC: Slave joints? What do you mean?

Most  approaches only look at the arms and legs. We believe that there is no point doing this if you haven’t looked at the pelvis, the spine, the head etc. (Something that we also believe in Amatsu)

How do you correct people’s problem areas?

We use muscle testing, check the range of motion, look at posture and static and dynamic movements of the body. We assess thoroughly – an initial assessment could be 6 hours long or 4 hours a day for 4 days depending on a client’s budget. Then we design a corrective exercise programme. We make sure we look at emotions too. The software (a person’s emotions) drive the hardware (their body).A person could have stress, frustration, anxiety or anger in their lives which is causing physical symptoms. We also look at nutrition and why people are eating the way they do. Some people are ‘starving’ psychologically so they feed themselves to not feel empty. A programme will include lifestyle management, emotional control, nutritional and physical exercises. They can take this away and work with it every day or a few times  a week, or come back and work through it with their coach.

LC: So you really place a high priority on emotional and psychological factors in physical health?

WW: Absolutely. Paul Chek always says that there is no point looking at the body unless you have determined what the persons dream is. First we determine if their life is sustaining their dream then need to create a plan which supports their dream and help them to find a dream team to surround themselves with. Physical symptoms may go if a person is psychologically and emotionally aligned.

LC: So how did you find this system?

I was working in a gym and my manager at the time was quite into mysticism and spirituality. We got on well. He had heard about this guy, Paul Chek, who was coming over from the States and he thought we should go and see him speak. There were about 300 people in the crowd, doctors, chiropractors, physios, other fitness professionals. I knew about 5% of what he was talking about in his five hour talk on fitness – and I was in the fitness industry! I knew I wanted to invest and learn as much as I could.

LC: This is so much more than personal training isn’t it?

WW: That’s right. If people want a six-pack or big biceps, I refer them to someone else. We don’t focus on aesthetics, we focus on function. I work with people in some kind of pain and they’ve often tried a lot of other things first.  I work with a lot of injured sportspeople – boxers, footballers, athletes and also the general public for a wide variety of issues.

What are your biggest success stories?

Jade Johnson is a professional long jumper who came to me with a spinal fracture and narrowing of the spinal canal. She was told she would never compete again if she didn’t have surgery. I worked with her for 4 months and she competed again without surgery.

I also worked with a person who had depression and was suicidal. After 3 weeks of working together she told me that I saved her life. She is now living her dream and building a better life as we continue to work together.

LC: If you could only give three pieces of advice to someone as to how to improve their health, what would you say?

WW: The first would be hydration – the best solution for pollution is dilution is what we always say! Secondly, learning to listen to the body. When the body tells you you need to relax, relax.  Finally, learn to master healthy breathing. It can alter your mood, your posture. You can use breathing exercises, meditation or it can be ‘hidden’ within dynamic exercise for clients who don’t like the idea of these things!

Anything else we need to know?

WW: Well, 88% of all people who go to gyms have chronic back issues which they can make worse by exercising. Why? Because they are training with faulty posture. They need to be aligned, by someone like you or me before they can train effectively and safely.

LC: So how does Amatsu complement what you do?

WW: It is very similar to my practice in that it treats the problems not the symptoms. With any organ dysfunction or acute injury I would get a client to have Amatsu first and then I can work with them to rebuild their structural support to maintain the corrections.

For more information call Warren on 07877 970515 or visit his website www.warrenwilliamscoaching.com

Can dehydration distort the way we view the world?

Some of my clients laugh when I mention how important it is that we drink enough water. It’s not that they don’t believe me, it’s because they’ve heard me talk about it so many times. My Christmas card last year even made a reference to water drinking! Luckily, my ’stuck-record’ approach seems to have had an effect, with lots of my clients feeling better for being more hydrated.

Over the past ten years or so, I have made it my habit to drink at least 2 and sometimes 3 litres of water a day. It’s easy now. My body craves it and I can tell very quickly if I’ve not had enough.But everyone slips up sometimes and that, of course, includes me. In today’s post, I want to share something with you that has really crystallised the importance of drinking water for me.

Last week, I woke up with a start and realised that my alarm hadn’t gone off. It was OK – I had enough time to have a shower, get dressed and get to the studio for an early client at 8am –  but I forgot something. I didn’t drink any water. This meant that the last water I had ingested was 10 hours before. To make things worse, my client was running early and was really keen to get to work as soon as possible. So I still didn’t have a drink..And this is when things started to get spooky.

When I was doing my Amatsu training, we were given a long list of things that can affect assessment of our clients. If a practitioner is wearing a perfume a client doesn’t like, that might affect the testing. If the client is chewing gum, that might too. Fluorescent lights can be tricky, as can nearby mobile phones. Dehydration is a big one and I have certainly had situations where my assessment of a person doesn’t seem to make sense, and asking my client to drink water has made all the difference. And yes, it goes for the practitioner too.

Although Amatsu teaches that the priority for treatment may not be the place that hurts, I was very surprised with the results when I tested my client that morning. If you are one of my clients, you know that I look at your leg length as one of the indicators of whether your pelvis is balanced. I also always look at it when you are lying on your front as this gives information about whether the problem in your body is at the upper or lower end of your spine. My first client of the day had very clear issues at the lower end of the spine I was very surprised with the results that showed a neck priority. I tested again. The same. And then a little switch flicked in my head. I realised I was desperately thirsty. I asked him to excuse me for a second, grabbed a glass of water and drank deeply. And do you know what? When I re-tested I could see exactly the opposite to what I could see before and now my testing made sense!

I’ve been practicing Amatsu for four years now, so these things don’t freak me out any more, but it was an amazing reminder to always practice what I preach.Now of course this wasn’t a scientifically controlled experiment and could perhaps never be recreated, but it certainly made me wonder what else in the world doesn’t appear as it should when we don’t drink enough.. Worth thinking about!

A note on pain

I was on the Underground the other day and I noticed an advertisement. It was an inviting image, suggesting space and freedom. A blue circle hovered in the centre of the picture and written inside was  ‘This is  for the ones that keep their heads up, the ones that shine brightly even underground, for the ones who won’t be held back by barriers… It went on, painting a picture of the type of person who succeeds in life no matter what. The final words? ‘For lives bigger than pain’. It was an advertisement for a painkiller.

I often see people in pain. It could be a dull aching throb that has been part of their lives for years. It could be a knife-like pain that stabs them when they move in a certain way. It could be a shooting pain, like a bolt of lightening down a limb. But no matter what kind of pain my clients feel, the one thing they all have in common is they want it to be gone. Of course.

I remember the feeling of terrible nerve pain when I suffered from sciatica 5 years ago. I was unable to move or sleep without agony, desperate for anything to alleviate the suffering. I was dosed up on painkillers that weren’t working. Luckily, I was studying Amatsu at the time and a very kind fellow student drove for two hours to see if she could ease my discomfort (which she did!). I, like many of my clients, had no idea why this had happened or where this pain had come from. I had had a couple of twinges in my back, but nothing notable. I had just been on a trip and had to pull a heavy suitcase, but surely it couldn’t have been that? I still don’t know exactly why it happened when it did, but I’ve learnt a few things since then. Controversial as this statement is, I have started to see pain as a friend.

There is always a reason for pain, but it might not be something that we can logically pinpoint. It might have started many years ago with a fall, a car accident or a sporting injury that hasn’t healed properly.  Over time, gradually and imperceptibly, our body starts to change. We move differently, favour one leg, stop exercising. We adapt. In the short-term that’s good – less pain. But, unless we address the niggles, those adaptations that we have made start to affect other areas. Suddenly the back pain has gone, it’s our neck that is giving us grief. Our big toe is less sore, but we now have a dodgy hip. Our body waves a little flag, letting us know it’s not being given the right environment to flourish, but more often than not we ignore it.

And so, that advertisement made me sad. We distance ourselves from our body, see ourselves as separate from it. It ‘lets us down’ when we need to keep running, rushing, achieving. We have got it so wrong. Without a healthy, happy body, our life cannot be enjoyable. When we don’t take heed of those small messages of discomfort and just press on, we miss a great opportunity to work towards true health. I (and many of my clients) now have treatments every month, even when I feel fine. It’s my way of respecting my body and my life.

Your own holy body

I was a little bleary this morning as I started my yoga class. I’d had a disturbed sleep and my mind wasn’t feeling very relaxed or focused, full of thoughts about the day, plans for my week. My body felt unwilling and I noticed tightness in my right shoulder which isn’t normally there. But as the class went along and the teacher’s calm voice stroked me, I started to feel myself unravel and unfold. My mind started to come back into the space, to let go of thoughts and to hover more lightly in my head. I reached that relaxed yet alert and vibrant state that is such a joy to find, like coming home, a place I find most readily in yoga practice and whilst giving Amatsu treatments. And as my practice became more fluid, more reverent, I was reminded of a poem introduced to me by a yoga teacher some years ago; Cast All Your Votes for Dancing by Hafiz. The passage that came to mind was

Keep squeezing drops of the Sun

From the sacred hands and glance of your Beloved

And, my dear,

From the most insignificant movements

Of your own holy body..

The poem, in its entirety, reminds the reader to keep finding joy in the simplest of things and to recognise the ‘counterfeit coins that may buy you just a moment of pleasure’, but I particularly like this section. It is a reminder to appreciate the body we find ourselves in, with all its imperfections. The workings of our organs, muscles, brain and bones, our capacity for renewal and repair, our resilience and our beauty, the uniqueness and individuality of each and every one of us – these things are nothing short of miraculous. So, my invitation to you today is to be grateful for your body – your movement, your energy, your wellbeing, the parts you like and the parts you don’t! Feel how good it is to fill your lungs with air. Enjoy the sensation of your feet on the ground as you move. Let your arms swing freely as you walk. Have a long, luxurious stretch. Take these simple actions and see them as special. Be fully, joyfully, gratefully in your body today and see how good that feels.

Intelligent body

In my first year of my Amatsu training, I remember my teacher saying ‘We work with the intelligent part of the person, not their mind’. It was one of many ‘Wow!’ moments for me as I started to appreciate that the wisdom of our body far exceeds what we can understand with our mind. In Amatsu, we use ways of assessing a person to allow us to work with this innate intelligence.

In fact, any of us can tap into this deeper knowledge to improve our wellbeing.

A few days ago I was shopping in a busy department store when my phone beeped and a text message came through. It was from a friend who was really keen to see me for an Amatsu treatment on the following day. I responded with the times that I was free. Only a few minutes later he came back to me asking if there was any way I could see him any earlier as it would mean that he could still get to work that day. Keen to help, I stopped by the escalator and started to think, mentally juggling and moving around arrangements to see if I could fit him in somehow. Maybe, if I didn’t go swimming as I normally do, had an early lunch, read my client notes the night before… And then I noticed something. My breathing had become shallow and my stomach was in a knot. My muscles were tightening up and I felt hot. My body was telling me something. I wanted to do the ‘right’ thing and one of the main reasons I practice Amatsu is to help people, but what was happening for me? I was stressed. As I stood in the shop, crowds of people moving around me, I had left the present moment trying desperately to manoeuvre things even though it was not what I had planned or wanted to do. The moment I tuned into what my body’s intelligence was trying to tell me, I could see what the answer was. I had to apologise and say that no, the only times I could do were the ones I had already given. I felt immediate relief. My muscles relaxed and that imaginary weight that I had placed squarely on my own shoulders lifted.

None of us want to be stressed and yet I think we invite it  regularly into our lives by taking on too much, saying yes when we want to say no, trying to be ‘good’ and doing things we ‘should’. It doesn’t mean we should be selfish or uncaring, it just means making sure that we have something left for ourselves and that we don’t just burn out under the demands of modern life. It’s working out how much we can and how much we want to do so that we don’t find ourselves overwhelmed. I’m pretty sure that most of our body’s are giving us hints like this all the time – we just ignore them.

Maybe next time you find yourself trying to make a difficult decision, why not stop for a second, notice how you’re feeling and ask the intelligent part of you what it wants to do?