Monday, October 27, 2014

The Yin and Yang of Wellness



The Yin and Yang of Wellness

Ancient Taoist philosophy considers the dynamic interface between yin and yang to be the foundation of all things. Modern science has proven that everything in existence is vibrating energy.  Ancient wisdom and modern science both agree that the vital energy that makes up the human energy field can dictate the degree of our well-being.

In Taoist energy wellness treatments, human organs are divided into yin and yang organs. The lungs, spleen, pancreas, heart, and liver are yin organs. The large intestine, stomach, small intestine, bladder, urinary tract, and gallbladder are yang organs. When there is a balance in the flow of energy in our bodies, we are well. When there is an imbalance of the flow of energy in our bodies, we become ill.

Negative emotional stress is a major cause of the imbalance of yin and yang organs, which is why stress is the major cause of illness. Sorrow and grief can cause an imbalance in the large intestine and lung. Worry can cause an imbalance in the stomach, spleen, and pancreas. Over excitement can cause an imbalance in the heart and small intestine. Fear and apprehension can cause an imbalance in the bladder and kidney. Anger or frustration can cause an imbalance in the gallbladder and liver.

All too often our thoughts are on the frustrations and grief of the past or on the fear and anxiety of the future. When the vital flow of energy is blocked by negative emotion, or stress, it is important to turn off that stressed voice in our head and experience the harmony and balance of the body.

The ancient Korean Taoist wellness art of Chunsoo is an excellent way to bring balance to the flow of vital energy in the body. Ki energy masters use sound vibration and touch to open energy blockages, allowing the body’s electromagnetic energy to flow through interlocking energy channels, creating the feeling of relaxation and harmony.

 Call 646 329-6727 if you would like to schedule a ChunsooKi Treatment at the Harlem Ki Wellness Center 

The Marketing of Wellness 2015



The Marketing of Wellness 2015
The “Wellness Guru” Paul Zane Piltzer predicted the growth of the wellness industry more than a decade ago.  In 1999 Piltzer’s bestselling book “The Wellness Revolution” made the food and healthcare industries responsible for the fact that more than half of the U.S. population was unhealthy and overweight. It is for this reason Piltzer’s book focused on the then emerging wellness industry, that he said was ready to occupy the next trillion of the economy.

Currently, over one trillion dollars of the United States economy is devoted to the wellness industry. A recent McKinsey research report states that the North American Market for Alternative Medicine alone was 16.4 billion. The report said that 96% of American Adults use the internet to find health information, and a large percentage has become open to alternative medicine and holistic wellness options.

The business landscape is clearly changing across all industries that are now expanding into health and wellness. Many research reports are showing that prevention, education and relaxation which are part of a holistic wellness discipline are actually cost effective. Customer demand has motivated many insurance companies to cover more complementary and alternative health care options.

The Baby Boomer market has been cited as playing a major role in the rapid growth of the wellness industry. 30% of the US population, close to 78 million people ranging between the ages of 50 and 65, many of them looking for ways to extend the quality of their lives naturally.

The Alzheimer’s association currently reports 1 out of 10 Americans over 65 will suffer from Alzheimers disease. The American Cancer reports that 1 out of 2 men will develop cancer in their life time. The American Health Association cites heart disease is the number 1 killer of women and currently 1 out of 8 will have breast cancer in their life time. These are but a few of the many reasons why Americans young and old are turning to holistic wellness options of, prevention, education and learning to relax.

The changing demographic of Harlem has attracted a number of wellness businesses and practitioners to Upper Manhattan. The main focus of the annual Harlem Holistic Wellness Week Saturday April 25th to Saturday May 2rd 2015 will be to provide the opportunity for these organizations and businesses to collectively advertise and market their programs and services to a growing targeted market.
If you are a Harlem based wellness practitioner or have a wellness related business and would like to participate in next year’s Harlem Holistic Wellness Marketing program, send me an email at life@theway2wellness.info or call 646 329-6727.

The Eight Gates Theory and Practice



The Eight Gates Theory and Practice
The Principle of Polarity is the foundation of Taoist philosophical thought. Everything is dual, everything has poles, everything has its pair of opposites, and there is a yin and yang in all things. In Taoism the yin is seen as a broken line __ __ the yang is seen as a straight line _____. The yin and Yang represent the negative and positive dualism existing within all things, from the protons and electrons of the atoms to the conscience and subconscious of the human psyche.

The Taoist I Ching also known as the book of change is the most ancient and profound of the Chinese Classics, for over 4000 years it has been used as an oracle of fortune, a guide to success, and a dispensary of wisdom. The combination of yin and yang lines which form eight trigrams (the eight gates) that can be arranged into 64 hexagrams which are used to consult the I Ching. 

The 64 hexagrams of the I Ching correspond to the sixty-four combinations found within the genetic code. The I ching influenced James Watson and Francis Crick’s discovery of the genetic code. The eight gates: Heaven, Earth, Fire, Water, Thunder, Mountain, Lake and Wind also service as the foundation of the Taoist art of Taijiquan (Tai Chi).

The circular movement of the eight gates can be used for health and self-defense, while doing my Taoist master training in the mountains of  south Korea I learned an energy balancing technique that makes use of two of the eight gates the electromagnetic field of heaven and the biopsychic field of earth; the exercise is called Heaven and Earth.

I will partner with my friend and tai chi instructor Grand Master Abdul Musawwir, to teach an eight week two part workshop titled “The Eight Gates Theory and Practice”, in the spring semester at the City College Continuing and Professional Services Program. In part one I will teach the Yin and Yang theory of Polarity and how to consult and interpret the I Ching.  Grand master Musawwir will teach the  Taoist practice of moving in the Eight Gates for health and self-defense in part II

 Call 212 650-6605 or 212 646 329-6727 for additional information on the spring workshop