Movement for Self-Healing

Underlying most forms of self-healing through movement is the idea that, in engaging your active participation in your own healing process, you awaken the body’s ability to heal itself. Recent research suggests that moving your body to speed healing can help on a much more profound level than if you are simply a passive recipient of the healing efforts of others. Healing through movement is no substitute, however, for traditional medicine. Before beginning this type of program, first consult a physician.

Theories / Speculation

Most forms of movement for self-healing claim to work by retraining the body to move in a way that’s more efficient. For this reason, both eastern and western forms are excellent for chronic pain conditions and relieving physical and mental stress caused by repetitive movements or situations that require you to remain sedentary.

Peggy La Cerra, co-author of “The Origins of Mind: Evolution, Uniqueness and the New Science of Self” and director of the Center for Evolutionary Neuroscience, argues in an article for Spirituality & Health online that when you create repeated positive experiences for yourself, you lay down new neural networks—literally changing your own mind. By shifting the field in which disease processes occur, you make it more difficult for illness to perpetuate itself.

Western Types

In the west, some schools of movement for self-healing arose out of expedience. F. M. Alexander, an Australian actor, developed the Alexander Technique because he wanted to avoid the chronic laryngitis that arose whenever he performed. Today, the Alexander Technique teaches people to release unnecessary tension and perform day-to-day activities with more efficiency and ease. Meir Schneider, founder of The School for Self-Healing, also developed his unique method of massage, movement and breathing exercises as a result of his own self-healing experience. Born with cataracts, Meir Schneider was legally blind until he used the Bates Method of eye exercises to heal himself.

Eastern Types

Tai chi and chi kung seek to return the body to the relaxed, supple and connected form it had when you were about 10 years old, by retraining the body to move all together, instead of in a disjointed fashion. Because these methods also engage the mind, they can result in the profound release of stress and negative emotions. They are also spiritual practices. Michael Mayer, practicing psychologist in San Francisco and author of the 2009 book “Energy Psychology: Self-Healing Practices for Bodymind Health," says that tai chi and chi kung provide the modern world with access to the altered states of consciousness that ancient cultures used to achieve self-healing.

Research

Preliminary scientific evidence suggests that self-healing through movement is very effective. In their 2010 review published in the "American Journal of Health Promotion," Roger Jahnke and colleagues concluded that tai chi and chi kung “demonstrated consistent, significant results” in improving patient bone density, immune function and physical function, as well as psychological symptoms and quality of life. Research shows positive results for western styles of movement too. A 2003 review of clinical trials published in the journal "Research in Complementary Medicine" noted that the patients using Alexander Technique experienced some success in reducing the disability associated with Parkinson’s disease and relieving back pain.

Warning

Self-healing through movement can have a profound impact on your mental, emotional and physical state, but it is not a replacement for medical treatment. Let your doctor know that you are pursuing self-healing before you begin any program of study. Self-healing techniques are best learned from a knowledgeable teacher. A good teacher will help you avoid injury and maximize the benefits you receive from what you’re learning.