Click on the box below to browse through our online Bodywork catalogue. Including titles on massage, reflexology, shiatsu, cranio-sacral therapy, yoga, and aromatherapy, this is an indispensable resource for anyone who cares for the human body.
All the titles, author names, and covers are interactive; just click on them to be taken to the book or author page on the Singing Dragon website.
Master Zhongxian Wu made one of his rare visits to the UK to attend the British Acupuncture Council conference. He gave a series of workshops focusing on “shaking the blues away” with Classical Qigong. The technique of shaking the body is connected to the thunder trigram which is associated with new energy and new life. Each morning of the weekend-long conference a crowd of delegates and exhibitors made their way across the lawns towards the sounds of the Qin – a recording of Master Wu playing the ancient Chinese zither. After an hour and a half of constant movement, shaking limbs while focusing on the energy in different parts of the body, it was clear that everyone could feel a real difference; eyes were brighter, everyone was energized and talkative, and all needed huge breakfasts.
Conference manager, Kevin Durjan, was thrilled with the positive reaction to Master Wu’s presence at the conference. He said he has been trying to “bring back the spiritual side of Acupuncture to the BAcC” as it is such an important part of the practice.
Singing Dragon authors, Angela Hicks and John Hicks were among those being honoured with BAcC fellowships. John made quite a stir with his acceptance speech as he called for the British Acupuncture Council to “lead the way in the integration of Chinese Medicine and have one umbrella organisation for Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, and Herbal Medicine.”
The conference was a great success and left attendees with a lot to think about. The final day closed with a shaking session with Master Wu so people could go back to their practices feeling inspired and invigorated.
An exercise taken from Janet Brindley’s Breathe Well and Live Well with COPD to help easy relaxed breathing using a check list of problems to look out for.
Click here to read the extract
Janet Brindley came across therapeutic breathing exercises in 1998. They dramatically improved her asthma, and that of her fourteen-year-old son. She then left her job as a hospital biochemist and taught yoga and Buteyko breathing techniques. She has since worked with doctors, physiotherapists and nurses to develop a professional training course. This training course was used as part of an MSc Respiratory Physiotherapy module at Coventry University. She lives near London, UK.
Taken from Pauline Wills’ Colour Healing Manual, in this extract the author discusses how colour, light and healing have traditionally been linked across a range of ancient civilizations – and what these can mean for today’s uses of colour therapy.
Click here to read the extract
Pauline Wills is a qualified yoga instructor, reflexologist and colour practitioner and pioneered the integration of colour with reflexology. Her first introduction to the healing power of colour was through yoga and then through the Maitreya School of Colour Healing. She is the co-founder of The Oracle School of Colour in London, where she teaches and practises colour therapy and reflexology. She has written numerous books on complementary therapies.
© 2013 Singing Dragon blog. All Rights Reserved
How did you first become involved in facial muscle care? What drew you working towards working with the face?
As a physiotherapist I aim to help my clients to improve and maintain their overall health and well-being. The musculoskeletal system does not end at the neck, and so I felt it was important to enhance my knowledge of facial anatomy and physiology, and develop my skills to also treat the facial area.
I hope that Vital Face will help people with jaw problems or anxiety about their ageing face, both telling about the reasons behind their problems and concerns and giving advice on how to deal with them.
We use our faces every day in expression and interaction. What can we tell about a person through their face?
Facial expressions show us emotions. Basic emotions activate different facial muscles, producing different facial expressions. We process people’s facial expressions quickly and instinctively, and facial expressions are contagious. When viewing a person with a genuine smile, seeing genuine enjoyment evokes a similar response in the observer’s facial muscle activity, and, consequently, a similar emotional experience.
Interestingly, even though people can fake facial expressions and try to not to show negative emotions such as anger, you may be able to see a tiny involuntarily microexpression appear in their face for a very brief moment, revealing their true emotions.
With the help of Vital Face people will develop an improved awareness of their own faces and ability to release facial tensions. A relaxed face with an enhanced awareness of facial expressions helps to give a positive impression to whoever you are communicating with.
How does facial massage affect overall health and vitality? What health benefits have you noticed with your clients?
MimiLift Facial MuscleCare and Therapy contain massage and stretching techniques which relieve tension from the face, head, neck and shoulders. This reduces tension headaches, stiffness of the lower jaw, neck-shoulder pain, and helps people who suffer from teeth grinding. Relaxation of the face, head, neck and shoulders also relieves stress, relaxes the whole body, and helps with sleeping. All of these can greatly improve overall vitality.
My clients have, for example, reported instant relief of headache and facial tightness, improved mobility and relaxedness of the lower jaw, improved voice production and the improved ability to notice and avoid harmful oro-facial habits such as holding extra tension in the jaw.
Have you noticed facial massage changing the way your clients look?
Generally, after a one-hour MimiLift Facial MuscleTherapy treatment clients look relaxed and well rested. What has surprised my clients most has been the visible reduction in facial lines and creases. In particular, lines between the eyebrows and across the forehead were considerably diminished.
Facial massage can be done on oneself or by a therapist. MimiLift Facial MuscleCare presented in Vital Face and MimiLift Facial MuscleTherapy feature the same kind of treatments with the same kind of results. The only difference is that the latter is the treatment performed by the therapist.
How do you hope this book will help professionals working with the clients?
Vital Face explores the facial structure and function and how the facial musculoskeletal system affects health and appearance. We have tried to make the book easy and enjoyable to read, with rich illustrations and practical tips, so that it is easy to acquire information and brush up one’s knowledge of the facial area.
The book also presents a wide variety of specific, medically-based self-care exercises and techniques, and explains their scientific basis and effects. These will be very useful as they help professionals in the field of health and beauty to select individual home programmes for their clients.
Vital Face is useful especially for professionals such as physiotherapists, massage therapists, dental hygienists, speech therapists, singing teachers and beauty therapists.
Can MimiLift facial rejuvenation be used alongside other therapies?
MimiLift facial rejuvenation is perfect for licensed beauty professionals to use alongside other non-invasive therapies such as electrotherapy, or for anyone to use alongside home treatments and products.
Leena Kiviluoma is a physiotherapist working as a teacher and consultant in the fitness, beauty, health and rehabilitation industries. Her clients have included the Finnish National Opera, the Finnish National Theatre, The Parliament of Finland and many other companies, and she has contributed to numerous articles on fitness and beauty in magazines and newspapers. She began to develop her medical-based, facial muscle care technique and therapy in 1990 and her two books on the subject have been translated into many languages. She lives in Helsinki, Finland.
© 2013 Singing Dragon blog. All Rights Reserved
Since the publication of my book The Valley Spirit, many things have evolved in my life. Some of the dilemmas I faced at that time have now been resolved and born fruit. The most pivotal changes have been becoming a wife and mother, sacred roles which I strived towards throughout the journey of The Valley Spirit. Now I know intimately an alchemy of a different kind.
The first alchemy I learned was the Daoist process of transformation to immortality. Known as internal alchemy or nei dan, creating another body within the body, a pure yang—pure light body. This path may take a lifetime.
The second alchemy I knew was becoming a mother. An experience fully of the flesh and a way of the Earth, yet also the essence of the Dao, this process too was creating a body within the body.
The path from pregnancy, to giving birth, to motherhood is undeniably an alchemy of its own. There is something very mysterious and brilliant about the way that a life can enter this world—and that knowledge is saved especially for the mothers. These little beings come out from the deep unseen caverns inside the body, a new soul breathes the air of this world, a new body that never was before is created.
In the early months of pregnancy, after gazing at all the pictures in the books of how the fetus develops, and feeling this sacred thing happen within me, I realized that this would be an in the flesh experience that is cryptically described in the practice of internal alchemy that I had been learning about and being trained for all those years in China with my Shi Fu.
The process of internal alchemy, nei dan, can be described in 3 phases: jing, qi, shen, or: essence, energy, spirit. Jing is flesh substances, such as saliva, menstrual blood and semen. Through meditation practices these are transformed into qi, a type of energy or “power”, that then, through self-cultivation becomes spirit—a complete sublimation of body and soul to enlightenment.
The adept sets out on the path and performs certain meditation methods to spark the seed of the light body within. He then nurtures the embryo through stillness, often this is a period of 100 days. However, he must spend a lifetime preparing his nature and self virtue. He waits until one day, when the time has come, there will be a trial where the adept must pass through many obstacles of desire and hardship. If he does, the light body within will be born, and the adept’s physical body will be shed like skin. He will then be in the realm of the spirit and live on forever.
A woman’s alchemy can be likened to this process as the transformation from pregnancy, to giving birth, to motherhood. When conception occurs from the love and movement of man and woman, or heaven and earth, light comes into the woman, watering the seed of life, and the creation of another body within a body has begun. Throughout the 9 months (270 days) of pregnancy, the embryo is nurtured, and this is a period of inner meditation.
It is a time of traveling inward, gathering and storing strength, or channeling most of it into the new being. The woman prepares her cave with the greatest care for the intense journey of the birth of her child. She is waiting in a place of intuition and insight into the unseen and eternal. She wonders if it is real, this child within her, who she cannot yet see or hear in this world. There is a glow surrounding her that other people can see clearly.
When the new body has developed enough, from the food and air of the mother, the birth begins of its own accord, nature takes control. The birth is a time of perseverance, demanding the courage and strength of the mother. There is the immense pain which is a hardship she must work through and experience, but once she does, she has reached the crossroads. The child is born and breathes the air of this world for the first time, now visible and tangible, out from the caverns of the unseen it is suddenly here, and the woman becomes a mother, one of the greatest transformations she will experience in this life. She holds her baby for the first time and experiences the enlightenment of unconditional undying love. This moment is filled with the way of the Great Dao.
The rest is the journey of motherhood, or the polishing of the self through one of the most challenging and magical mirrors…children. This, to me, is the realm of the spirit, and all mothers, including myself must strive to remember that and live in the present moment. The mother perhaps no longer has the “time for herself”, for all of her energy is devoted to caring for the new being, her seed, what lives on after her, but she realizes that that is her “self”, her immortal self.
Perhaps the tasks of the home become her daily existence; folding laundry, sweeping the floors, preparing meals. Although these new tasks may feel lesser in this society, a mother must realize them to be no different than any other task, and that they are in fact deeply meditative arts if we can be mindful in the present moment as we go about them. Therefore, all mothers are alchemists. And the Dao is the Primal Mother.
Lindsey Wei is a disciple of Li Shi Fu in a traditional Daoist lineage which stretches back thousands of years. She divides her time between living as a renounced practitioner in Wudang Mountain and teaching a select group of students in North America. Discover more about her projects in China by visiting http://fiveimmortals.com. For more information on The Valley Spirit, see her Facebook page and book page.
© 2013 Singing Dragon blog. All Rights Reserved
Combination exercise to strengthen buccinator and risorius musclesPlace a cork or something of a similar suitable size between your teeth to keep your lower jaw down. Hold the position and simultaneously pull the corners of mouth straight sideways.
Repeat 10 times. Close your mouth and rest for a few seconds. Place the cork again and repeat another 10 times.
IMPACT ON APPEARANCE: Tones the lower cheek.
IMPACT ON HEALTH: Relaxes and lengthens jaw-closing chewing muscles.
Vital Face by Leena Kiviluoma has a whole programme of facial exercises and massage for health and beauty (some with corks and some without!) find out more here.
Vital Face
Facial Exercises and Massage for Health and Beauty
Leena Kiviluoma
This is a fully-illustrated guide to stretching and massage techniques to relax the facial, neck and shoulder muscles. The exercises address health issues such as teeth clenching and grinding, pain in the face, jaw, head or neck, and can improve the effects of Bell’s Palsy. They also help reduce facial lines and leave the skin healthy and glowing.
PRECAUTIONS:
– Perform all the stretches slowly and gently
– Concentrate on the stretch
– Stretch the chewing muscles carefully to a point of mild discomfort and hold the stretch for a while. The discomfort should begin to fade during the stretch, when the stretch gradually relieves tension and loosens your chewing muscles.
– Keep the muscles you are stretching relaxed. Breathing deliberately during the stretching helps you relax and control the stretches. Enjoy the relaxing feeling of stretches.
– If a stretch feels too uncomfortable and tenses your muscles, decrease the force or the range of movement or both.
– The feeling of the stretch should not be painful. It should not produce pain in the muscles or in the joints. Distinguish the feeling of a healthy muscle stretch from the sensation of pain.
– Hold each stretch for the recommended time and repeat each stretch the recommended number of times. You can increase the duration of a stretch as well as the number of repetitions if you like and as long as it feels comfortable.
– Application of moist heat or cold is sometimes a helpful relaxing procedure before the stretching of the chewing muscles.
Caution: Never perform sudden and forceful movements during stretching or try to force your jaw beyond its physiological limits. Those with a history of a jaw dislocation must be careful not to perform jaw movements that are too wide.
The National Qigong Association held its 18th annual conference in Valley Forge, PA, last weekend. This is always a fun conference to attend, and Singing Dragon got a great welcome, not least because Damo Mitchell (author of Daoist Nei Gong, and the new Heavenly Streams) was Saturday night’s keynote speaker, and he spent a lot of time hanging out with the attendees on the Singing Dragon stand over the weekend.
Damo’s keynote on the fundamentals of Nei Gong
There were lots of interesting things going on. Damo’s keynote on the fundamentals of Nei Gong (simple but not so simple) was extremely well received, and followed up by an excellent workshop the next morning which took attendees through the first principles of Nei Gong – learning by doing and giving a strong grounding in how to take the first steps towards enlightenment…
Damo Mitchell and NQA President Mark R. Reinhart holding a copy of Damo’s book, Daoist Nei Gong
The conference workshops always offer a vast range of approaches and styles, so attendees were as usual spoilt for choice. Old hands know that Daisy Lee (Friday’s keynote) always does a wonderful workshop, and this year it was open to men as well as women. Amongst many other highlights, Solala Towler, author of Cha Dao, and editor of The Empty Vessel, taught the Great Spiraling Dragon Qigong from Wudang, while NQA Chair Mark Reinhart ran a workshop on Qigong for addiction. Singing Dragon publisher Jessica Kingsley flew over from London for the conference, and had a great time trying to learn how to paint bamboo in Maryann Charmoz’s excellent workshop on Chinese Brush Painting, and refreshing a dim memory of the fan form in Mary Sturtevant’s popular workshop.
Attendees ranged from Masters with decades of learning under their belts to the newest of practitioners, and as we’ve seen from previous conferences, the emphasis is always on openness and enthusiasm.
Damo Mitchell speaking with a NQA conference attendee during his book signing
The Singing Dragon reception (any excuse for a party) on Saturday evening following Damo’s keynote allowed everyone to let their hair down and chat informally to the conference big names, who are always generous with information and advice – good fun. In summing up at the end of the conference, Mark encouraged everyone to bring a friend new to Qigong next time. It certainly seems they would have a good time if they came.
All five of the sales and marketing staff from the Singing Dragon Philadelphia office made it out to the conference at various times over the weekend and really enjoyed it.
Copyright © Singing Dragon 2013.
In this extract from Eight Extraordinary Channels – Qi Jing Ba Mai, David Twicken outlines the key qualities of these channels, and how understanding and use of them has changed over the centuries.
Click here to read the extract
‘Eight Extraordinary Channels is an insightful and eminently practical presentation of the core meridians in the human body that hold most of life’s potential. It covers the eight channels in theory, clinical application, and Daoist self-cultivation. Clear and systematic, the book is a potent resource for anyone involved in Chinese medicine.’
– Livia Kohn, PhD, Professor Emerita of Religion and East Asian Studies, Boston University
‘Twicken illuminates the missing link between Chinese medicine and Taoist spiritual practice, making it essential reading for both healers and adepts.’
– Michael Winn, founder www.HealingTaoUSA.com and co-writer with Mantak Chia of seven books on Neidan Gong
David Twicken, DOM, L.Ac., is a licensed practitioner and professor of Chinese medicine. He teaches Qi Gong, Tai Chi Chuan, Nei Dan, feng shui and Chinese astrology. He has studied Chinese healing arts for 30 years. He resides in Los Angeles, California.
© 2013 Singing Dragon blog. All Rights Reserved
Beach, mountain or garden reading. Adventurous personal journeys, imaginative historical fiction, and self-aware wisdom, all available in hard copy or to download to your e-reader.
Ten Methods of the Heavenly Dragon by Robert Sheaffer
This book explores the author’s experiences on a journey towards spiritual enlightenment. However, this journey is not without its challenges, and the author has to look to his very core to overcome the obstacles that block his way.
“In the ordinary world we don’t often go to the ends of the earth to seek the extraordinary. Fortunately for us, Robert Sheaffer did, and wrote this book so that we could all travel the journey with him. I was captivated from his very first words, and felt like I was right there with him every step.”
– Amazon reviewer
The Valley Spirit by Lindsey Wei
Lindsey Wei, a young American-Chinese woman, is drawn to the Wudang Mountains on a quest to understand her ancestral roots and discover the hidden knowledge of Daoist martial arts and spiritual wisdom.
“Very well written and insightful, a true glimpse of another world while at the same time facing issues common to young people everywhere, especially women, and the answers she finds. I highly recommend this book to everyone seeking answers or for those who thought they have found their way.”
– Amazon reviewer
I Send a Voice by Evelyn Eaton
A gripping account of Evelyn Eaton’s experiences participating in Native American Sweat Lodge healing rituals, and being eventually deemed worthy of carrying a healing Pipe herself.
“A beautifully written, unique and deeply touching account of the author’s transformative spiritual journey into the sacred ways of Native American sweat lodge ceremonies, rituals, teachings and shamanism… A page turner, written by a remarkable woman describing a remarkable journey.”
– Christa Mackinnon, author of Shamanism and Spirituality in Therapeutic Practice
Go Ask the River by Evelyn Eaton
The haunting story of the female Chinese poet Hung Tu, tracing her rise from Flower-in-the-Mist to Official Hostess at the court of the governors of the Silk City, against the backdrop of the scholars, poets, officials, and warring factions of ninth century China.
“There are many good novels about the trials and courage of Chinese women in various historical periods, but Eaton’s book is outstanding, in that as well as a tense and dramatic narrative, it also provides a most insightful but easily readable insight into classical Chinese poetry, and a thoughtful approach to life’s hardships through a Taoist philosophy. Not to be missed!”
– thebookbag.co.uk
More on these books, and many more, can be found at intl.singingdragon.com.
© 2013 Singing Dragon blog. All Rights Reserved