Watching a small group of people learning the principles of Ki Awareness — my perspective on the mind and body coordination exercises I learnt through my Ki Aikido classes — then taking those same principles and putting them into practice through a gentle energetic bodywork called Ki-in Therapy, that I have been creating for the past 15-plus years, was mind-blowing.

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It was so interesting to observe them embark on this journey of self-discovery about themselves, going through twists and turns, triggers and trauma as they tried to find balance and equilibrium to hold space for another. At the same time, they were learning a practice in assisting others to relax, release and rediscover themselves.

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I know?! It sounds intense…. And it was at times, as they were in the mix of it all and not looking from the outside in.

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They couldn’t see the incredible job they were all doing on their very first day. It was like a blockbuster movie — there was excitement, frustration, tears, Ah-Ha moments, laughter, confusion, clarity, and a sense of magic in the air as they watched people transform in front of them.

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They all had the same look on their face and mentioned — “I didn’t do anything?!”

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The light and gentle touch they were embracing was allowing the person in front of them the opportunity to breathe in deeply, feel supported enough to lower their guard and step into their light of being themselves.

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Having the choice to either pick up that old baggage they have been carrying around or leave it on the table and move forward with ease, balance and a sense of anything being possible.

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Now remember, this was my observation; it might have been something completely different happening for them in that moment.

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It is a hard thing to learn a practice without too many structured guidelines, asking you to trust in what you are feeling and feel vulnerable while trying to assist another person.

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It doesn’t make any sense?! BUT when we allow this to happen, it’s as if the body’s own intelligence acknowledges the human being who wants to assist or help — someone who has come with an open, non-judgemental presence and without an agenda — and allows us to connect with where that body is at.

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Now, I may be wrong….. this is just a theory — at the moment.

When you have bodywork done, they are working on the physical body, which can be seen as matter and energy. When you start working with energetic bodywork, we start working with more of the energy and less of the matter, which is why there is no deep tissue practice, no forcing or fast manipulations.

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You’re working with the fascia, the channels/meridians and at a different vibration.

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You’re holding space in the room for you and them, being aware of every sound, movement and cue the body is making. You’re sensing everything but focusing on nothing, allowing things to unfold for themselves.

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And every now and then, you stumble upon an area where you sink into the space a little deeper, relax even more and focus your attention on an area where the quantum field opens up to play — where deep release and balance can occur, unknown to us, as we embrace this unique practice of Ki-in Therapy.

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And I saw this happen over the first-ever workshop in Ki-in Therapy, by people who had no idea what to expect or what was possible.

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Thank you all for your participation, your belief in yourself and trusting in the process.

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Here are some of the ROCKSTARS who participated, and thank you to Belinda Fahy for assisting me.

 

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Thank you.

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There is more to explore

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This article is an introduction to some of the ideas and principles behind Ki-in Therapy. Just as I do with my students, I believe these concepts are best understood gradually — by exploring them, experiencing them and seeing how they relate to the body and the person in front of us.

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Over the coming weeks and months, I’ll be sharing further articles that explore these ideas in more detail, including the principles behind Ki-in Therapy, the three lenses of observation, developing sensitivity and awareness, working with movement, and what it means to follow rather than force.

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So if something in this article has made you curious, stay connected. There is much more to discover.