Classes in Animal Healing Arts - Animal Acupressure Training Academy

	Acupressure for Animals: Meridians & Potent Points The ancient Chinese sat beside the river and watched its flow, saw the trees bending in the wind, observed the changing of seasons—all of which revealed a world of nature alive, moving through different states of energy in a constant cycle of transformation. The ancients also sensed that all living beings were a refection of nature. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupressure evolved from these observations of the ancient Chinese over 5,000 years ago, viewing health as a manifestation of the smooth flow of energy correspondences throughout an organism. This class focuses on the rivers or channels of energy called meridians and their twelve corresponding organs, the Governing and Conception channels, and powerful acupressure points located on individual meridians. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yin & Yang, and Five Element Theory Ø A knowledge of the 12 organ meridians and their relationships Ø Learning 30 potent acupressure points on the meridians Ø Understanding the “body clock": the phases of transformation for the 12 organ meridians Ø An understanding of the functions and emotions associated with the 12 organs Ø Learning flow patterns for mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual disharmonies Ø Learning acupressure points and flows for strengthening the immune system Ø Developing listening, tracking, and touching skills for harmonizing the organs and meridians
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	Acupressure for Animals: Extraordinary Channels Sometimes called Strange Flows, Wondrous Meridians, the eight Extraordinary Channels are unlike the 12 Organ Meridians in that they do not flow continuously. Rather, they act as vital reservoirs of energy and flow only when they are needed to enliven, balance, and moderate the rivers of energy in the 12 Organ Meridians. The Extraordinary Channels are believed to develop prenatally in advance of the meridians and, as such, are considered to give a being its basic constitution. Moreover, the Extraordinary Channels function as a framework for the distributing and balancing the energy in the 12 Organ Meridians. Perhaps their most important value in working with the Extraordinary Channels is that they give access to the core of our beings, touching into the body-mind at its deepest levels to effect transformations in states of being. The Extraordinary Channels, with the exception of the Central Channel pair (Governing and Conception), do not have acu-points, but intersect them at master points on the 12 Organ Meridians. Accordingly, in sessions, we can activate the Extraordinary Channels by holding their respective master points. Think, then, of the Extraordinary Channels as the portals for reconnecting a being with its true nature. For the practitioner, working with the Extraordinary Channels can effect powerful changes in animals and humans. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø A knowledge of the nature, function, and ancient wisdom of the Extraordinary Channels Ø Knowledge of the four pairs of the Channels: the Regulator, Bridge, Central, and Penetrating/Belt Ø Knowledge of the Master Points associated with the Extraordinary Channels Ø Learn flow patterns for the working with the Extraordinary Channels Ø Learn to use the Extraordinary Channels for effecting deep changes in the body-mind
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	Acupressure for Animals: The Five Elements The Chinese and other peoples who live in harmony with nature know that nature is also within us, and that all living organisms follow the same transformational or seasonal changes of nature. We are the seasons, the elements, and nature itself passing through an unending cycle of life. They know too that health emanates from the interaction of the five elements—wood, fire, earth, metal, and water—affecting all body functions and processes. They believe that all of nature is dependent on the preservation and regulation vital life force energy, or qi. This class focuses on the Five Elements on the physical level and the Five Spirits on the “psychic” level—the soma-psyche relationship of an organism. Five Element Theory offers a way of seeing animals, humans, and all living things in their cycles or transformation, in states of harmony and disharmony, and provides a framework for restoring wholeness and promoting health. In essence, the Five Element Theory is a way of understanding nature, a way of using our senses to assess disharmonies, and a way to preserve the virtues and vitality of life. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø An introduction to Five Element Theory Ø Five Element interrelationships to organ functions, the nervous system, and the spine Ø Knowledge of the Five Spirits as the animating and vitalizing forces of an animal Ø Learning transformational cycles of the Five Elements in assessing disharmonies Ø Learning specific acupressure points and flow to address harmonizing our animal friends
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	Animal Acupressure 50-Hour Summer Institute The 50-hour Summer Institute is a certification program designed for students traveling great distances or with limited time availability. It is a seven-day program focused on the providing a foundation in the principles of acupressure, including the concepts of yin & yang, the Five Elements, acupressure meridians, powerful acupressure points, and the Taoist cosmological and philosophical perspective on what is now called Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The other major focus of the program is to provide an understanding and hand-on experience with related healing modalities, including Tui Na, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Qigong, and CrainoSacral. This multi-modality approach to Animal Acupressure give students a rich “tool basket” of techniques in which each modality provides a different approach for connecting with the mind-body and different ways of imparting energy through our touch. Students will learn to give full body-balancing sessions using a combination of modalities called the Blend Flow. The Summer Institute will be held at A Chance for Bliss Animal Sanctuary in Penryn, California, just east of Sacramento. Class days will be a mix of lecture, working on each other to acquire a felt-sense of the modalities, and working in a clinical setting with the Sanctuary’s 70+ animals. Students will leave the program with assurance that they can begin a professional practice of working with animals. *Elements of this seven-day, hands-on intensive program include:* Ø Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Five Element Theory, and the meridians Ø Applying the Five Elements to assess virtues and imbalances in the energy fields of animals Ø Knowledge and application of the modalities of Tui Na, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Qigong, and CranioSacral Ø Developing intelligent and sensitive listening, tracking, and touching skills Ø Clinical practice on animals with a variety of disharmonies
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	Animal Hospice: Dancing to the End of the Song Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and other Asian therapies offer an invaluable service to pets and their guardians. Beyond the benefits of naturally strengthening an animal’s immune system, reducing pain, and raising its spirit, the ancient principles of TCM bring peace, nurturance, and comfort to the animal. Moreover, teaching animal guardians acupressure techniques they can use on their animals gives them a sense of empowerment and a compassionate role in aging, critical illness, and end of life situations. One of the greatest benefits of the TCM approach to animal hospice care is the deepening of the connection between animal and guardian in this critical time. Once conventional medicine can no longer help the animal, their guardians often feel helpless and guilty that they cannot help their animals. TCM recognizes that although physical recovery is not possible, the animal still has a mental, emotional, and spiritual journey to make. By teaching animal guardians compassionate and therapeutic touch, we can empower them to participate in that journey until the animal’s final breath. Once animal guardians know that they can assist their animals, they can walk the final days together, living each moment in joy as well as sorrow. Once that helpless feeling is dispelled and death is accepted as a part of life, there is freedom to dance to end of the song with their beloved animals. As all hospice workers know, the vital work of hospice is not letting a sentient being die alone, but to be comforted and assisted by compassionate, continuity of care. The death and dying process can be transformed by deepening the relationship of animal and guardian. When the journey is walked together, there may be inevitable grief, but there is not regret. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø Benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine and related health care modalities in animal hospice Ø Attending to the holistic needs of aging, chronically ill, and terminally ill animals Ø How to strengthen the animal’s immune system with acupressure and other modalities Ø Empowering guardians to participate in hospice care Ø Building a support team for the animal and its guardians Ø Exercise, supplements, herbs, massage, and physical therapy, and palliative care Ø Becoming an animal’s advocate: natural death and euthanasia Ø The grieving and recovery process Ø Ways of celebrating the animal’s life
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	Assessment: Coming to Your Senses The approach of “coming to your senses” focuses the direct observation and felt-sense of the Four Methods—listening, seeing, touching, and smelling—to assess the virtues and imbalances in an animal’s state of health. The direct observation gleaned from the Four Methods is then integrated with the Eight Principles and Five Elements in formulating clinical applications of specific Asian therapies. Assessment skills assist us in knowing and sensing what therapies and techniques are appropriate to an animal’s state of being in the moment. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø Deepening our listening, tracking, and palpation skills through exploration of the Four Methods Ø Applying the Eight Principles and Five Element Theory in assessing disharmonies in the animal Ø Knowledge of acupressure points used in TCM assessment, including Source and Alarm Ø The basics of tongue, pulse and body reading Ø An introduction to the Zang-Fu (organ) patterns of disharmony Ø Learning to identify the presence of Shen (spirit) in the animal
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	Apprenticeship Training The intent of Apprenticeship Training is provides a small group, hands-on, clinical setting for applying the knowledge learned in our classes. It is a required class for an advanced animal acupressure certification. Students work with the instructor and each other to assess the virtues and disharmonies in the animals, and to develop session plans that include point patterns and flow patterns. The format of the workshop is group discussion, not lecture. We put our heads and hearts together, working with our assessment skills and knowledge in a clinical setting with animals. Students working toward an advanced animal acupressure certification may take the class more than once. Notice of additional Apprenticeship Training workshops will be sent out via email and posted on the web site.
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	CranioSacral for Animals CranioSacral is an invaluable form of energy work for animals because of its focus on the cranium, spine, and sacrum—all of which house the central nervous system. Freeing the sacrum and the cranial bones to their natural movement can restore flexibility to the spine, alleviate pain, and restore free movement of limbs and joints. Moreover, the gentle touching and palpation skills of CranioSacral allow tense muscles to relax and blocked energy to flow again. Students will work on each other and animals in class. Those who have experienced a CranioSacral session know that it directly affects consciousness, taking one deep into the core of his or her being where the higher intelligence of the “body-mind” can restore homeostasis to the body and peacefulness to the mind and emotions. Animals get “lost” and confused, just as humans do, and CranioSacral can bring them back home to themselves. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø Introduction to CranioSacral system Ø Knowledge of crainal “bone energetics” Ø How to sense the cranial rhythm in the body Ø Learning touch, tracking, listening, and palpation skills Ø How to restore motility to the sacrum and hip joints Ø Working with special cranial flow patterns for common animal disharmonies Ø Learning acupressure points that augment cranial sessions
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	Jin Shin Jyutsu for Animals Jin Shin Jyutsu® translated as “The Art of the Creator through the Person of Compassion,” is an ancient healing art of gentle touch and deep listening. It stimulates and directs the natural flow of healing energy to allow an animal or human body’s innate capacity for self-healing to restore harmony and health to body, mind, and spirit. Jin Shin Jyutsu is one of the most powerful healing modalities for animals that I have encountered. Jin Shin Jyutsu employs 26 energy or soul centers—akin to charkas—which are called Safety Energy Locks (SELs) by its developers, Master Jiro Murai and Mary Burmeister. The Jin Shin style is to work in flow patterns or sequences of SELs, synergizing the resonance of each of the SELs. In this class, we will learn effective flow patterns for the most common disharmonies of animals. In addition, we will study the energetic essence of the 26 SELs, which can be used individually or in combination flows. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø A knowledge of Jin Shin Jyutsu as a healing modality Ø Learn Jin Shin balancing flows to balance mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical disharmonies Ø Learn Jin Shin points and flows for strengthening the immune system Ø Knowledge of the essence of the 26 SELS Ø Developing touching skills for “listening” to the SELs harmonizing
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	Reiki for Animals Reiki means "universal life-force energy." It has proven to be very powerful and effective in working with animals. During a Reiki session, the practitioner places his or her hands in a number of positions on the animal's body, and the healing universal life energy is transmitted to wherever it needs to go in the body. The practitioner acts as an energy channel. Reiki works at the deep levels the “body-mind,” facilitating healing energy to flow freely and stimulating the body's natural ability to heal itself on a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual level. Reiki evolved from the experience and dedication of Dr. Mikao Usui, a professor of theology who lived in the 19th century. Today Reiki continues to be taught by Reiki Masters who have been trained in the traditions passed down from master to student. Being attuned (initiation) into Reiki is entering a lineage, the purest form of which is the Usui lineage. Tom Wilson received his Reiki attunements (Levels 1, 2, and Masters) from his Reiki Grand Master of the Sai Reiki Center, Pune, India. His lineage goes back through only eight Reiki Masters directly to Master Usui. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø Knowledge of the history and lineage of Usui Reiki Ø Knowledge of basic hand positions for a treatment Ø Special hand sequences for animals Ø Knowledge of special advanced Usui hand positions, similar to acupressure points Ø Listening and tracking skills for the energy transformations in the body Ø Application of Reiki (Level 2) for animals that can’t be touched or are at a distance
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	Taoist Alchemy: The Five Spirits At the heart of the ancient Taoist and shamanic perception of reality is the concept of yin and yang and the interplay of spirit and matter. When yin and yang are balanced, the result is a conscious being, aware of itself and its place in the universe. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Five Spirits—the Shen, Hun, Po, Yi and Zhi—constituted aspects of consciousness in a sentient being, each of which contributes to the wholeness of mind, body, spirit, and emotions. The Five Spirits is to address aspects of awareness. It speaks to transforming our emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of being that change perception and affect health on all levels. They cause a shift in one’s state of being. It is a spiritual approach to healing. Began in Shamanism, to Taoist philosophy, like the Tao Te Ching, the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. Looks at the Chinese characters to see the depth and richness of this spiritual look into the physical world. The alchemy is the change in the way one perceives being in the body and experiencing the world and the nature of spirit. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø Introduction to Taoist and Shamanic origins of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Ø The essence and relationship of the Five Spirits: Shen, Hun, Po, Yi and Zhi Ø Learning a guided meditation to address the Five Spirits in yourself Ø Learning flow patterns for giving healing sessions that address The Five Spirits Ø Examination of the Chinese Characters Ø The efficacy of addressing the Five Spirits in Animal Hospice Ø Listening and tracking skills for the energy transformations in the body
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	The Heart and Art of Animal Healing Sessions Learn to give a complete healing session to animals using a blend of Traditional Asian Therapies, as well as CranioSacral. This class will focus on the theory, art, and techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Five Element Theory. We will focus on how to touch and use our senses to assess an animal’s physical, emotional, and spiritual states. Your healing sessions will come from a base protocol called “The Blend” that includes the healing touch modalities of Acupressure Meridians and Potent Points, Tui Na (Chinese Massage), Zen Shiatsu, Chi Nei Tsang, Qi Gong, Jin Shin Jyutsu, plus CranioSacral and Tellington TTouch. You will learn to treat animals as whole beings with your intuitive, intelligent, and loving hands. This two-day class is for both experienced body/energy workers and those wanting to begin an in-depth study and practice of working physically and energetically with animals. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø An introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Ø A basic knowledge of Five Element Theory Ø A basic understanding of the modalities in the Blend Flow Ø Giving full-body energetic balancing sessions using the Blend Flow Ø Explore the dynamics of touch and palpation skills Ø Listening and tracking skills for the energy transformations in the body
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	Tui Na for Animals (Chinese Massage) Animals love the active, nurturing, and relaxing nature of Tui Na massage. Tui Na is an especially effective body-energy work modality for animals that do not like having acupressure points held. An Asian bodywork therapy practiced in China for 2,000 years, Tui Na differs from traditional Western massage in its application of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s (TCM) theory of Qi (life-force energy) flowing through the 12 organ meridians. Tui Na blends acupressure meridian massage, active soft-tissue hand techniques, and range of motion techniques much like those in Zen Shiatsu. Tui Na offers acupressure techniques for Qi and blood flow; soft tissue massage of muscles, tendons, and the circulatory and lymphatic systems; and range of motion techniques to realign the musculoskeletal system, thereby addressing joint injuries and nerve pain. Tui Na beautifully augments other forms of body and energy work for animals, and enhances the practitioner’s “tool basket” of modalities for working with animals. One of Tui Na’s greatest benefits in working with animals is its ability to establish a heart connection between animal and practitioner. From poetic and archetypal perspectives, Tui Na is a language for communicating at the body-mind level of consciousness between animal and human. *Elements of this two-day, hands-on workshop include:* Ø Knowledge of the theory and practice of TCM Ø The essential nature of the 12 organ meridians Ø TCM’s Five Element theory for assessment and application Ø Learning the hand techniques of Tui, Na, An, Mo, and others Ø Giving a full Tui Na massage to animals Ø How to massage the major muscle groups of animals Ø Listening and tracking skills for the energy transformations in the body Ø Moving into stillness and peace by connecting with your Higher Self
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