Essential Anatomy

Essential Anatomy

Some of the best Tai Chi and Qigong practitioners participated in Harlem’s 8^th annual World Tai Chi and Qigong day that was took place on the plaza of St. Nicholas Park April 25^th. The event serves as the kick of the annual Harlem Holistic Wellness Week celebration. I always learn from many of the masters and this year was no exception. Grand Master Michael Roberson who was one of the first  disciples of my teacher Grand Master Leon “Major” Wallace was there and after giving him a Ki Energy Chunsoo treatment, he gave me a wonderful  gift a book titled “Essential Anatomy for Healing and Martial Arts” by Marc Tedeschi.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in doing body work but more importantly those who practice any form of martial arts. Many are not aware that the foundation of the martial arts was and still should be healing. The commercialization of the martial arts thanks to Hollywood, has taken away some of the basic concepts of the true spirit of martial arts training.  All too often the focus is on winning tournaments and belt ranking. In ancient times more people would seek out martial arts masters for health reason rather the self-defense training.

The interesting concepts in the Tedeschi book gives the reader detailed information on pressure points that can be used to magnify the effect of strikes or holds or to accelerate the healing of injuries. Ancient healing traditions in China, Korea and Japan viewed the body as a complex network of energy channels called meridians, which are paths for distributing vital energy (called Chi in China and Ki in Korea and Japan) throughout the body.

Many of these meridians run close to the surface of the body and have locations called acupoints.  Acupoints are small external points that run along the meridian paths that can be used by a practitioner to regulate the flow of vital energy though out the body to help or to harm. Understanding how the body works is just as important for an upper ranked martial artist as it is for a wellness practitioner. The Tedeschi book provides charts and explanations for both.

While training in South Korea to become a Taoist master, I was often told that it takes a greater skill to save a life then to take a life. I know that my continued study of Marc Tedeschi’s wonderful text “Essential Anatomy” will improve my healing abilities but it will also allow me to become a better martial artist. For more information on this subject please call 646 329-6727 my direct line at the Ki Wellness Center.