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april 2018yogajournal.com.auzero balancing
DEVELOPED BY AN OSTEOPATH WHO BECAMEan acupuncturist,
this modality works on the relationship between a person’s energy system
and their physical structure. So, while practitioners use finger pressure and
gentle traction on areas of tension, they also work with energy fields to clear
blockages in the body’s energy flow and amplify vitality, says Linda Wobeskya,
a licensed physical therapist in the San Francisco Bay area and director of the
Zero Balancing certification program. “What we bring into balance are the
areas where your energy meets your structure,” she says.
TRY THIS THERAPY IF... you’re looking for hands-on adjustments and
subtle energetic work. “What makes Zero Balancing unique is that we work
on both the energy system and the physical structure at the same time,”
says Wobeskya. “And for that reason, my clients feel fully met.”
aromatherapy
ESSENTIAL OILS EXTRACTED FROM PLANTS have been used
therapeutically for thousands of years to improve physical, emotional,
and spiritual well-being. Since the olfactory nerve is the only sensorial
nerve with direct access to the brain, scent strongly influences emotion and
memory—affecting physical, emotional, and mental health, says the
Chopra Center’s Covington. What’s involved in an aromatherapy session?
Your therapist will apply essential oils topically (for example, via massage),
or ask you to breathe them in via a piece of cloth, steam machine, vaporiser,
or spray. “Aromatherapy can be used in a wide range of settings and has been
shown to help with many conditions, including pain, anxiety, depression,
and more,” says Covington.
TRY THIS THERAPY IF... you’re looking for quick, potentially DIY healing.
“Aromatherapists believe every plant has a vibrational rate that has a resonance
in us, and once you figure out its elemental arrangement, you can use it to
reformat your subtle body in order to scale back on negative behaviours and
bring out helpful ones,” says Covington. Play with a variety and see what
works best for you—whether on your own or with guidance from a certified
aromatherapist.
HOW TO GET THE MOST
FROM YOUR TREATMENT
No matter what energy-healing
modality you choose, there are a
few tips to keep in mind in order to
make the most of your treatment
and experience the best results.
Avoid doing too many therapies at once.
If you’re getting four or five treatments
every week, how can you tell what’s
helping? You probably can’t. “When
patients do this, I also worry that
they’re not giving their bodies enough
time to really absorb what’s going on,”
says Gail Dubinsky, MD, a physician
and yoga teacher in California.
Support your treatment with lifestyle
changes. Even if you feel you’ve landed
on the best-matched therapy for
you, supplementing your treatment by
looking at your diet, exercise routine,
and how you handle stress is crucial,
says Dubinsky. “That’s how you’ll
see lasting benefits.”
Boost the benefits of these therapies
with your yoga practice. Not only
can your time on the mat and
meditation cushion help you clue in
to how well these modalities are
working for you, but your practice
can also help you drop in more fully
and deeply when you’re experiencing
them, says acupuncturist Villella.
“I have noticed in my clinical practice
that serious yoga practitioners tend
to get really quick results,” she says.
“Yoga helps quiet the mind. When
that mental calm happens during an
energy-healing therapy, it can be
optimally effective.”