medicine and martial arts

I have no problem with the body mechanics of martial arts being applied to forms of hands on healing- tai chi is what drew me to Tui Na - my question concerns intent (Yi) and whether martial practices cultivate a focus which is inimical to healing. Obviously, how one uses one's mind is a matter of choice and discipline, so I am not suggesting both can't be practiced. But if one intends to become a supreme healer rather than a supreme boxer, why should one be concerned with developing skills in violence?

Book looks interesting, sure is a lot of money though, so i'd have to leaf through it before coughing up that kinda dough. Fortunately my teachers are very good and authors on the subject also.

Thanks for your comments Steve.

 

tui na

No problem. The book is expensive - but it is intended as a textbook for acupuncture colleges and the production value (good binding, heavy, glossy paper, etc.) is high. I'd recommend taking at least one of the Zheng Gu Tui Na classes before purchasing it, though, because I think that you, in particular, would get a lot out of it that way.

Developing specific tui na skills from a martial arts skill-set is simply an issue of practicality and expediency if you're already training in an art. I don't see any reason why you can't develop internal body connections that facilitate healing in the absence of training specific skills in martial arts, however. There are lots of Nei Gong exercises tailored specifically for tui na therapists, for example, that don't necessarily presume a martial arts background, and that can be practiced in the absence of martial arts training.

Certainly if one focussed exclusively on breaking things in his or her martial arts practice then the focus would be inimical to learning a healing art. But I think that it's the "listening" skills that one develops transfer particularly well to tui na - not to mention that one's own understanding of what healthy allignments feel like in one's own body can help to you to read what needs to be fixed in someone else's body.

Best,

Steve