InterACT l 10

I received real inspiration at the San Diego International Conference, after hearing the Gospel reading at Sunday 7:00 am Mass, taken from Matthew 20:6: “Why are you standing here idle all day?”… “Be-cause no one has hired us.” …“You also can go into the vineyard.”

These words opened my heart. Is it not what I am asking myself all the time? “What is my life purpose with all the gifts God has given me?” while I am still stand-ing idle outside His vineyard.

God, please help me to respond to your command: ”You go into the vineyard.” I do trust that it is my vocation to share what I have learned and to serve others with the heart of Jesus.

God has really inspired and taught me through my work as a massage therapist since 1997. Now, I would like to share what I have learned and written down during my early years of practice. I called my work “Wholistic Massage”

What is Wholistic Massage?We see body, emotion, mind, and spirit as inter-related aspects of a whole person and facilitate these areas through mas-sage manipulations for integrations to-

Listen to Your Body: A Journey through Wholistic Massageby Ping -Tak Peter Chow, Msc, RMT

wards inner peace, joy, truth, and love. During the session, we aim at expanding bodily consciousness and awareness, changing response patterns, we input new choices and alternatives, and gradually induce positive life changes.

How can it happen? It is the client’s jour-ney. The therapist creates a supportive and safe environment for the client to work in. Only the client’s will can choose to change and only in change can he/she be transformed to true healing. The therapist acts as a fair witness for the process—no judgment when receiving any signal from the client. Special attention is paid to discover the energy system and notice any resistance and its quality. We concentrate on the whole system rather than specific techniques. As the body reacts to the stimuli, the primary unconscious response reveals the hidden unhealed wound.

It is common that the body reacts to distressful inputs by weakening the system and minimizing movement. The more physically stabilized a traumatized area is, the less pain the client feels. Our body has a screening mechanism to block pain either by inhibiting neuro-transmitters or activating the inner endorphin and enkephalin response. If prolonged lack of sensory input at a local or generalized level initiated the dis-integration of self

identity at an injury site and global behav-ior (helplessness, lack of personal em-powerment, etc), then the person cannot sense his own needs at a body level (e.g. sexual assault victim or chronic physically disabled person).

It is a Wholistic ApproachWelcome your client as a human being. From the integration, the duality of the mind and body due to defensive reac-tions may turn toward Unity. As our client becomes more open to the body experi-ences, he/she notices the hidden tension and resistance that build up which cause the bodily dysfunctions and health issues. We will help them to change the response patterns and provide them with choices and alternatives that they can use to re-frame their life. What the Wholistic Massage does. It is through the touch, pressure, and rhythm of the massage that produces a tactile sensation that can reduce muscle tone. As build up occurs in the local level to the general level, pressure is relieved on proprioceptive receptors throughout the body’s tissues; circulation and metabolic activities are accelerated in formerly re-stricted and immobile areas, the body that formerly produced discomfort is now ad-opted with ease. These changes make the client feel good, both sensorially and emo-tionally at a very deep level. These inner feelings of controlling and transforming the neuro-muscular reflexes that respond to the massage will soften and break down the defense mechanism of the body. From duality into unity, integrating body, mind, and spirit as the client gradually develops faith during the process.

Witness over years of PracticeAs I review the theory today, I find that

Continued on next page

“To become a healer with the heart of Jesus.” This will be my

goal as God commands me to work in his

vineyard.

InterACT l 11

over the years of practice, it became clear to me that it works generally well to in-crease the bodily awareness and specifical-ly changing the response patterns of some clients. In some cases, the body responses and emotions spill out as the unhealed wound revealed in terms of sadness, anger, and grief; this is not uncommon. In these cases, referral to appropriate profes-sionals to follow up is necessary. As the body becomes more open to experience, the client will be grounded by connect-ing to various parts of the body, feeling a sense of existence, and present in the moment--getting close to the inner self. In these moments, we are also helping the client’s mindset become tuned to the pres-ent moment; when one becomes mindful, changes initiated and motivated by the in-ternal needs bring the client to a new level of understanding of self. Also, I find that the body’s response to palpitation, touch, and pressure during a session will provide essential information about the health sta-tus of the client at the body level. Break-down and positive changes in the body system need continued re-programming of the subconscious. Listening and trust building are two factors that are important to the Wholistic Massage Process.

“To become a healer with the heart of Jesus.” This will be my goal as God com-mands me to work in his vineyard.

My job now is to incorporate into my theory actual cases and examples taken from my years of experience. Also, to share and witness my work to the faith community.

May God help me and let me be con-nected with those interested in these areas.

continued from previous page

I know many of you have held potential membership gatherings in your areas and regions, and I would like to hear from you as far as developing a format and time frame . I know there are things in our ACTheals Tool box, like a Power Point, etc. that Joe Duddie prepared. But anything else you have done and recom-mend is welcomed. If you email me; please identify ACTheals in the subject line: ffranchina@aol.com or call me at 937-298-4824. Please leave a message if I am not in, name, phone number, region and nature of your call, and I will return the call ASAP.

Many thanks to Nancy Morgan for put-ting together the CRC Strategic Plan, I have printed out all the attachments. While I am way behind, I am still deeply connected so please keep in touch and someday I hope we can have an IC and/or leadership retreats and healing retreats/Conferences here in Dayton as that is what the Lord said is going to happen. So we pray, wait and make baby steps and giant steps at times, then sit back and wait for the Lord and continue to hang in there, but we see great signs of hope for all which He said was going to happen in Ohio on many levels.

What is going on in Region 6; Particularly in Dayton, OH area 1) We initiated the Credo Apostolate, US, and Parish Healing Ministries as a seeding mission for evangelization, healing, and ACTheals. 2) We also are involved with the Francis and Judith McNutt School of Heal-ing Ministry, centered in a very large Dayton/Kettering parish under Father Stretch who is also praying for a healing.

ACTheals Potential Membership Gatherings, Open Housesby Francesca Franchina, CRC Chair

3) New Life Healing Ministry has held several Prayer, Praise and Healing Fests and hosted by Dr. Michael and Helen Resczechuk from Toronto, who gave their healing testimony. At the healing missions they give throughout the Ukraine with the backing of four Archbishops, 40-50,000 people come wherever they go in the Ukraine.

4) There are many more programs going in Region 6, but I’ve run out of space.

We in ACTheals, personally and com-munally are to be a great instrument in renewal, revival, bringing in the harvest, and preparing for the net break if we open our hearts, minds, mouths, and arms to hear His Word to us and get out of His way. He promises to equip and lead us where we are to be and go. Alleluia, it is truly the best of times and worst of times, and it will get worse before it gets better but we will be kept very busy. Keep in touch, and if you email me, please put ACTheals in the Subject Line as I get a lot of email and do not get to it immediately unless I recognize the name or subject line; I will put yours on priority to read. Love and prayers,

...we aim at expanding bodily

consciousness and awareness...

InterACT l 14

“Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4: 6-9)

The wisdom of this quotation is what I need to have peace within me, with me, and of me. We are all created in the image of God, and if we tune into our body and listen, we can hear and see God within ourselves. We are the temple of God. In the temple that is us, we can feel God’s love and in His love we receive His joyandpeace.So,wearecalledtoseeinside our body and listen. By doing so, our body will bring healing because God’s love is perfect, and we are made perfect through His loving presence in us.

This is a continuation of my talk on Learning the ``Christian Listening skills`` at the 2014 ACTheals International Con-ference in San Diego. The three main steps are:

1. What is the most important thing you need to care for? Listen to your body and see which parts of it need the most attention

2. What will you do about it?3. How do you feel about it? How do

you feel after you tend to those parts?

Self-awareness of the body:You can be either the speaker or the lis-tener depending on your aims and mind-orientation.

Self-Awareness questionnaire:

A. In terms of physical awareness: which parts of my body are hurting, weak, or restricted in terms of movement and function? What have I done to themthroughinjuryorwork-inducedillness? Trust your body’s memory.

Wholistic Massage: Understanding Your Body through Self-Awarenessby Ping -Tak Peter Chow, Msc, RMT

B. In terms of emotional awareness: when I experience emotions such asjoy,sadness,anger,fear,orgrief,which parts of my body respond? Some possibilities are: shortness of breath,difficultymoving(handsorfeet), trembling, shaking, crying, or headache.

C. In term of psychological awareness: Am I depressed? Am I stressed out? Can I think? How do you respond to the environment like sound, noise, or words? Can I manage my life? Can I handle relationship? How does my body react to these circumstances?

D. In terms of spiritual awareness: Am I trusting? Do I have faith? Do I have hope? What is my life purpose? My religious life? My relationship with God? My prayer life? Am I in spiri-tual distress? How does my body feel about it?

Consider a self-massage:It can lead to healing and experiencing God’s love, but only if you are mindful about what you are doing and listen.

Self-Massage Intentions:

1. Do I understand my body?2. Do I love my body?

3. Do I want to take care of my body?4. Do I need help with an understanding

of my intentions?

Self-massage in action:Yes, you can administer self-massage to your hands, feet, and shoulders. Some people say, ``Your hands store the memo-ry of fear, your legs store the memory of uncertainty, and your shoulders carry your burden and develop stress.”

The simple and powerful massage tech-niques are:

1. Continuouslongstroke(Effleurage):

Thiswillbringafirmyetconstantflowinto your body; also it connects differ-entpartsof yourbody.Youcandofirmand continuous long strokes across your hands and shoulders (left and right), low back, legs, and feet (left and right). Once your parts become aware of each other through this process, notice any feelings that you received.

2. Alternate pressure (Petrissage)

Using your hands to induce alternate pres-sure to your body will shift the focus of tension into your body parts. You will be able to feel the reaction of your manipu-

continued on next page

You can be either the speaker or the listener depending on your aims and mind-orientation.

InterACT l 15

lation in some of your body parts—that somearemoreflexibleandresilientthanothers. You can do these to your hands, shoulders, legs and feet. Notice how you feel after that.

The greatest message of the “Wholistic Massage” is ”listen to your body.”. As a therapist, we are the listener and our client’s body is the speaker.

Therapeutic Massage is a general term meaning manipulation of the body through some actions and techniques

continued from previous page aimed at facilitating physical healing of the body.

Massage manipulations can produce two effects:

1. Sensory inputs to your body and other mechanical action to your body corresponds to the sensory and mo-tor parts of your nerves.

2. The mechanical action sends signals faster than the pain signals; therefore, when you receive motor action on your body, your pain will be mini-mized.

Thesearethefirststepstowardshealingas you are released from pain.

Andnow,finishwithaprayer:MayYoucontinue to guide us to listen to Your words, dear Lord, to be true to ourselves and faithful to Your call. Amen.

InterACT l 15

Wholistic Massage- A Case Study in 2014by Ping-Tak Peter Chow, Msc, RMT

A 50-year-old client of mine had suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis since his 20s. I observed minor deformity and swell-ing on the joint capsules, especially in his wrists and fingers. He was still functional in his daily activities, but very weak and in pain while enduring acute and subacute stages. His condition could be stabilized by medicine with ongoing recurrences and remissions. Sometimes his pain became so intense that it would wake him in the middle of the night, and sometimes he couldn’t even move. But through exercise and an active lifestyle, he could remain fairly functional.

Four years ago, I did some massage treat-ments on him and it seemed that his right wrist got better and he could maintain it by appropriate movement, stretching, and exercise. In Christmas, 2014, he asked me to work on his left wrist and arm where he now suffered from pain, weakness, and occasional immobility. His right arm seemed better. This time I proposed the Wholistic Massage protocol. I explained about the process, the risks and benefits, and how it may trigger any unresolved is-sues still in his body. If that happened, he would have to deal with them separately.

I suggested a treatment plan that I would administer to his body for two sessions without any restriction of time--one and a half hours to two hours, depending on how his body adapted to the treatment. Then, from there we would discuss the situation and see if any patterns of reac-tion, resistance, and response arose in his body that still needed to be addressed.

I treated him two times on two alternate days for two and one-half hours .The prognosis was good. His body totally released itself from any restrictions with moderate freedom of movement and range of motion when passively assessed. Every part of his body including the structures, the bones, and capsules were

aligned and the muscles relaxed, ligaments intact. Extremity swelling was down, and I observed marked improvements on his left wrist and arm; his pain and discom-fort had also greatly diminished.

The day following the last treatment, I at-tended morning Mass. Afterwards, during contemplation, there was a sudden urge that indicated to me that I should perform a spiritual dimension of Wholistic Mas-sage to this client. A passage of scripture came to mind from Ezekiel 37:2-3. One line said, “The bones were very dry.” This is exactly what I had felt when I treated this client’s body. The scripture contin-ued, “Mortal, can these bones live?” At that moment, I could only surrender my-self to God and respond as the scripture was written, ”O Lord God, you know.”

I asked God to give me strength to con-tinue my treatment and protect me.

I sent a message to my client and his wife with an invitation for the spiritual aspects of a Wholistic Massage. I said I am ready, if he is ready. Since it is God’s work, I will not charge them.

He replied positively. That day, this client and his wife welcomed me to their home; they thought it would be a healing prayer

that I would pray over him when we sat together. His wife said that healing prayer had given her husband some relief two years ago. I explained what I perform is different from healing prayer.

We recited the scripture Ezekiel 37. I asked his wife to use Holy water to cover every bone in his body. We began by pray-ing together and invited the Holy Spirit to come. Then I prayed over his body while he lay down on the table supine, and I let the Spirit guide us through the process.

I started at the left stomach areas and per-formed massage while maintaining touch and contact. My client started to complain about the discomfort he experienced, and asked why I have to touch those areas that are causing him pain?

I explained the process again and received his consent to continue.

As he became very unstable emotionally, the Spirit guided us and he lifted up both arms anteriorly at shoulder levels and 30 degrees to the side and lifted up the legs bilaterally with his foot flat on table so that the whole spine is level on the table.

Supporting his head, I asked him to concentrate on breathing. I loosen up his neck muscles and the front intercostals

continued on next page

At that moment, I could only

surrender myself to God and respond

as the scripture was written, ”O Lord God, you know.”

InterACT l 16

to facilitate better breathing and open up the musculatures covering the shoulder, arms, chest, diaphragm, and abdomen of his body. I asked him to let every breath come down the spine from cervical to lumber and sacro areas.

At that time, I sensed the image of a baby in this position in his mother‘s womb, which I communicated to my client and asked him to feel the freedom within it and let go of any worry. “Feel the love from your mother that can provide you with everything you need to survive.” I continued. He started to move his head and body, legs and arms to freely rotate in his mother’s womb, enjoying the lightness. These experiences went on until he sensed the peace arise from his being. Then we finished up with a prayer. After that, we scheduled an appointment to meet again in two days.

When I entered my client’s house, the first words he spoke to me were, “At our last treatment, your spiritual healing was not so effective.”

“He is angry,” his wife said. “He is asking why you make him feel pain and discom-fort? Why do you do that without his knowing?”

“Because…,” I started to explain the con-cepts of Wholistic Massage again.

Finally he calmed down and asked me to continue.

I explained that when I treat or come into contact with his body, I may be affected as well. It is not something that we need to be scared of. It is an opportunity for both of us to grow. “I, too, am wounded, but heal others with the heart of Jesus. So I thanked him for his openness and trust to allow me to continue to treat him.

“Is there anything that happened as you remember in the areas that I worked on you, say your stomach?” I asked.

“The only incident I can remember,” he replied, “is that I was hit by a guy when I

was young and went out with friends; it is very painful. I swore that if I see that guy again, I will beat him up. I did not tell my parents.”

I performed a therapeutic massage treat-ment on him on that day. I observed the same pattern in his body; however the resistance is a bit less. We scheduled to meet again in two days time.

On the day of that appointment, we had a chance to talk before treatment. My client’s wife smiled at me and asked her husband to share with me what had hap-pened to him after the last appointment.

“We do not know how to deal with the anger that was triggered by remembering the guy who hit me, and I understand that it may affect my body and intensify my pain and discomfort in the body,” he said. “My wife suggested for me to pray with her, asking Holy Mother Mary to come to assist me, to release the anger and forgive the guy who hit him. I am sure I cannot do this on my own, I would still beat that guy if I saw him,” he continued.

“After praying for a while, strange memo-ries came back that I did not remem-ber. I saw myself beating up a younger fellow not only once, but several times. More memories came, it was not the only incidence I did that. Oh God, I am the same guy that uses power to control other people. At that moment, I felt so shameful and asking for forgiveness from Holy Mother Mary, also Jesus, and finally I reconciled with God. I also asked for forgiveness from the one beaten by me. I experienced a release and my anger for the guy that hit me subsided. I was able to forgive him and promise to talk to him if I ever met him again.”

He was so joyful and excited explaining all this.

“He was so alive yesterday,” she said. “He pretended to be one of the Magi from the East to visit baby Jesus in the manger and asked me what gift I would like to have. Of course, I love gold. He joked with me that he is the one who brings frankincense and the one with gold has not yet come.”

I was amazed how God works in wonder-ful ways and at the right time and right moment to let healing happen. Of course, it is the client’s choice and action that matters.

I treated him on that day, the pattern that appeared on his left body resolved. “I do not feel discomfort and pain when you touch that left lower area, now. Thank you, God,” he said after the treatment.

We were able to say a prayer and bless each other before I left. “Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’” (Matthew 8:3)

Wholistic Massage may work for some people but not everyone. Remember that it is your client’s journey. We are just the healer with the heart of Jesus and wit-ness to the process. The perception, the choices, and action that your client takes are important to the whole healing pro-cess. Of course, the building up of trust and faith with the therapist leading to the client’s willingness to open up and take risks is an essential factor too.

The whole being of your client reveals through the Wholistic Massage.

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“I, too, am

wounded, but heal

others with the

heart of Jesus...”

InterACT • 6

ACTheals Members Recently Passed

Catherine M. DixBaltimore

Passed August 2015

John Palmer PhDNew York

Passed October 2015

Jackie Sitte RN Massachusetts

Passed September 2015

These are my concluding thoughts on Wholistic Massage.

Wholistic Massage attempts to:• Integrate body, emotion, mind and

spirit through massage manipulations towards wholeness.

• Bring back the authentic essence of the human being, to be fully alive, present, congruent, and relational to all who come into contact.

• Enable the client to enjoy peace, joy, truth, and love with all senses.

• Bring freedom to move, grow, and evolve with dynamic conformation of the inner body structures as well as to ease any resistance and tension on the body.

• Expand bodily consciousness and awareness by listening to your body.

• Ease restrictive bodily functions through special massage techniques.

• Induce distinctive positive feelings in contrast to pain and sufferings in the body.

Ping-Tak Peter Chow

Wholistic Massage by Ping-Tak Peter Chow

• Gradually eliminate resistance and restore the rhythm of the body,

• Integrate and connect every part of the body into one being.

Wholistic Massage Defined: It is the preparation of the body to a resilient state where he/she can be ready, with all available support networks, to integrate, change, and transform. The body is awakened by experience (touch/massage/contact) in time and grounded in space (integrity in touch) fully in the present moment.

There are three Body Resilience states:1. Dry resilient state, the present state

of being.

2. Wet resilient state, Flow of life exchanges (therapist/client)

3. Fully resilient state, Life flow, plus shock/pain, vibration and release of energy.

The last one is permanent transformation which expands the body resilience. The first two are temporary or transitional transformations which may revert to the lower state.

Resilience is when your body is capable of withstanding shock and injury through choices; it involves flexibility when confronted with challenges and being prepared. Resiliency is mounted by the strong, caring support of others (therapists) in time of need.

Therapist/Client interface

There are four aspects of body awareness:1. Physical Body The client’s inner-self. The

therapist helps to un-cover the body’s memory–its awareness, which has already been structured and organized.

2. Spiritual Body The client’s relationship with God and others: feelings, faith, and trust. The therapist helps the body to feel and experience the present moment and become grounded, i.e., awareness which is unstructured and unorganized.

3. Emotional Body The client’s response to emotional stimulus. The therapist helps to detect the sensitivity of the body part, i.e., its unawareness, which is structured but unorganised.

4. Psychological Body The client’s reaction to psychological triggers. The therapist helps to locate the resistance of body parts, i.e., its unawareness, which is unstructured, but organized.

The therapist and client are in a relationship and work in a cybernetic system. The therapist serves as fair witness to the changes in the client until the client senses a distinction or difference that will lead or motivate him/her to change behavior toward healing.

“It is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 15:46)

Through wholistic massage, we transform our physical body and through our awakened body, we re-connect spiritually to the spirit of our Creator which is love, truth, joy, and peace.

“Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51).

Our body will change spiritually during the journey (Philippians 3:21). Enjoy.

“Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed” 1 Corinthians 15:51