The problem with quick fixes for our health

As an 80s child, the pink sugary Calpol liquid was my childhood go-to for sickness. This progressed to NightNurse and a medley of cold and flu, paracetamol and ibuprofen pain management remedies.

Sometimes we need a quick fix, especially when parents need to sleep and there are the usual stresses of daily life to get on with.

The problem for me was that quick fixes is mostly all I had in my wellness arsenal. I did not learn any other remedial methods. Once my system had succumbed to sickness, or my back pain got so intense, I would ingest almost any pain management solution to alleviate the discomfort. 

My usual strategy was: Neck a pill. Don’t miss work. Get on with life. (This was even more the case when working as a consultant earning a day rate).

This approach to managing my health felt limiting, frustrating and rarely provided any insight on the root cause of the symptoms I was experiencing.

This all changed when I fully embraced the power of Eastern Medicine, and brought practices from Shiatsu, Reiki, Qi Gong and Acupressure into my self-care. I also made significant lifestyle changes that created more balance, through improving diet, exercising more and reducing my working (desk-bound) hours.

There are a few issues with the quick fix approach. 

It treats the symptom rather than the cause.

In the rush to feel better, the inclination may be to focus on the pain or another symptom, rather than examining the source or the ‘root cause’ of the problem. If the cause is never determined then the problem persists.

It makes us passive participants in the care of the self.

There is nothing wrong with turning to another for support when we need help. History is full of well known caregivers: Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, and Bian Que, the famous doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

Every community needs a caregiver. In shamanistic cultures, some people were called by Spirit to serve the needs of their community as shamans.  

However it is when we look solely to others and outsource our care to ‘experts’ that we create a dynamic of passive participant and active expert. This ‘fix me’ mentality ignores the potential of our self-healing abilities and discounts our own innate wisdom.

So what’s the alternative?

Empowering the receiver with practices to use in their own time re-frames self-care as an ongoing process of engaging with one’s own Ki, the animating force that gives us life. This acupressure point is excellent for pain relief.

The Practitioner of Eastern Medicine works to mitigate distress in a one-to-one context and the session may also involve the sharing of knowledge (and therefore power).

For example, a Shiatsu session may include any mix of suggestions for the receiver to do between treatments: exercises to stretch and strengthen energy meridians; acupressure points to press or moxa; and recommendations for lifestyle changes. 

Large Intestine 4: Joining Valley acupressure point for pain relief

The Eastern Medicine approach.

A Practitioner will be interested in three key areas to create your health picture: your lifestyle, general health and current condition. A part of this will assess pain:

“Pains anywhere from head to feet should be checked out for frequency, possible cause, the nature of the pain, the precise area whether it is better for pressure, heat, cold, movement or rest.”

Book a FREE 15 minute Consultation to understand your health picture and how Shiatsu and Reiki could benefit you. We can explore the symptoms or challenges of any conditions you are experiencing, and work together to determine the root cause. 

Your weekly dose of Eastern wellness.

Balanced, Happy and Whole is a weekly online class sharing a blend of self-Shiatsu, Reiki, Qi Gong and Acupressure. It is open to all and is repeated so that you can re-cap your new skills and join whenever you want, to deepen your self-healing muscle. All proceeds are donated to a UK registered charity.

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A week of Qigong training among the trees🌳

Summer's been spent away from social media dealing with some big life stresses, renovating a 19th century cottage and enjoying a rather unexpected jaunt back into the corporate world writing about legal technologies. (It was actually fun!)

In August, I was invited to talk on a podcast by a former PR friend and colleague who is such an inspiration. The amount that woman has been through! She is all about helping others to be happy which chimes with my holistic work - although for me it's about finding balance as a path to happiness, and leading a fulfilling life.

We talked about how I integrate my holistic work alongside my 'heady' corporate world (15 years working in the city of London). Theyre a balance that works well for me - a bit of cognitive brain-led stuff geeking out on something techy - and then my sensing and feeling work and the eternal exploration of Chinese Medicine. There is always something new to learn!

Now I'm happy to be back in community exploring 'stillness and movement', via the Shibashi Set Two, and hanging out among the hazel grove protecting the yurt - the haven for our training and the perfect sanctuary when the heavens poured and the winds blew. The elements have really thrown it all this week!

I led the final meditation on our last day and of course it had to be about the oak. This tree always draws me in the most. Wherever there is an oak, I will want to be near it! The wind howled as we drifted into the ki field of our oak friends and sat in communion with the power of the tees, from roots to crown. A small but very bright rainbow was waiting for us when we stepped outside the yurt. 

Ive got tons of new inspiration to bring into my own and group practices as I head to tropical pastures for winter.✌️🌴

Catch me in Goa to practice Qigong in a new location - coming soon!

#energymoves
#qigonggoa 
#qigongpractice

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About Me

I founded SJA Holistics to help people get well, feel great, and stay well using the power of practices derived from Eastern Medicine including Shiatsu, Reiki, Acupressure and Qi Gong.

For over a decade I’ve worked with Ki and have first-hand experience of how energy- and body-work can lead to positive health. Working with the energy body as well as the physical can bring profound changes to mental, emotional and physical issues.

After completing three years of study for the Professional Shiatsu Diploma, I honed my experience working voluntarily for six months in a national UK charity giving Shiatsu to people recovering from substance misuse.

It is my mission to help you recognise your own self-healing ability and to empower you with the skills and knowledge you need to dramatically improve your self-care.

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My Approach

We create your current health picture. Then we get clear on your goals so that we are aligned from the outset. This makes it easier to monitor progress.

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Intelligent Energy

Every one of us has a universal energy, also known as lifeforce, chi, prana and Ki, that underpins our whole existence, and within that, our health. Stimulating the flow of Ki is how you can get well, feel great and stay well.

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