on the floor, standing, or sitting in a chair, consists
of being verbally guided through a sequence of
movements designed to relax the body and help
abandon destructive patterns, (11) Therapeutic
Touch (also known as T-Touch or TT) uses the
principle of the universal life force energy that
flows in and out of the body. Where there are dis-
ease, illness, and pain, they indicate a block of
such energy. Practitioners are taught to detect such
blockages by passing their hands above the
patient’s body. Energy imbalances can be equal-
ized, therefore enabling the body to heal. As of
1988, the method was taught in 80 colleges and
universities in the United States and in 65 foreign
countries, (12) Reiki, similar to Therapeutic Touch,
is a gentle technique meant for stress reduction
and relaxation. The practitioner may position his
or her hands either above or on the body in order
to tap into the life force energy and to locate and
clear blockages to improve health and enhance
their quality of life. Treatments can be performed
when the patient is sitting up or lying down and
do not require the removal of clothing, (13) Lomi-
Lomi massage, a Hawaiian tradition, uses knead-
ing techniques as well as bone adjustment, baths,
and religious practices. Hot and cold stone massage
uses rock formed by volcanic and sedimentary
action to manipulate the muscles and induce
relaxation and healing.
Aromatherapy, the use of aromatic essential oils,
is often coupled with massage to enhance treat-
ment. These oils are used to affect the way you feel,
such as to deepen relaxation, rid the mind of worry,
or energize. Aromatherapy adds the air of luxury
and pampering to a massage session. Before accept-
ing such treatment, the client should be sure the
oils are pure and of good quality. Although massage
is considered safe treatment for many diseases and
conditions, there are some instances in which it
should not be used. Check with a physician before
having a massage treatment after recent surgery
or when there is acute inflammation or redness,
swelling, difficulty breathing, fever, skin rash, vari-
cose veins and other circulatory ailments, cancer,
or any other serious illness or infectious disease.
Before booking a massage appointment with a
therapist, ask about his or her credentials. It is not
uncommon for people with little or no formal edu-
cation to pass themselves off as certified. A thera-
pist should have completed 500 hours of training at
an accredited school and be affiliated with an orga-
nization such as the American Massage Therapy
Association (AMTA) (see Appendix I). It is prefer-
able to choose someone who is either state or
nationally certified. This means the therapist has
been taught and tested in the areas of anatomy and
physiology, pathology, massage technique, mas-
sage-related medical treatment, and ethics. Licens-
ing of massage therapists is now required in 25
states, and an increasing number of states are
adopting the National Certification Examination. A
national list of trained massage therapists is avail-
able from the AMTA. To locate a therapist, contact
a local school of massage for the names of qualified
local therapists.
See also AROMATHERAPY; ESSENTIAL OILS; FEL
DENKRAIS METHOD; HELLERWORK; MACROBIOTICS;
REFLEXOLOGY; REIKI; THERAPEUTIC TOUCH; TRAGER
INTEGRATION.Mayr intestinal therapy A modified fast using
mild laxatives combined with a specified diet and
exercise. The Mayr therapy, popular in Europe, is
concerned also with an individual’s posture and the
condition of his or her intestinal tract. More infor-
mation is available in the book Health through Inner
Body Cleansing, by Erich Rauch, M.D. (Haug Pub-
lishers, Heidelberg, Germany, 1986).
See also COLONIC IRRIGATION.meditation The art and science of quieting and
centering the mind and coordinating breathing for
the purpose of achieving deep relaxation and clar-
ity of thinking.
See also TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION.mentals In homeopathic medicine, symptoms
related to one’s emotional or mental condition and
moods.
See also HOMEOPATHY.meridians In traditional Chinese medicine and
other Asian medicine practices, the pathways—also
known as jing-luo—along which vital energy points
carry the body’s ch’i, or life force. Fourteen pathways
go to and from the hands and feet to the torso andmeridians 83