Tai Chi and Tapping

Every class I give begins with tapping on the body.  We tap up and down the legs, the arms, around the torso, and on our back.  The expression changes on everyone’s face.  Some begin to smile.  Others to relax.  Other seem to wake up.

Tapping is so powerful I began to try it in a variety of situations, with many different ages.  And I began to study what is happening from the scientific, medical, point of view, especially according to Chinese medicine.

This began a very interesting journey for me.  I even tried tapping on my dog’s back on either side of the spine.  He stands there almost mesmerized.  He rarely gets enough.  His nose stretches into the air.  You can tell it feels very good.  The energy, CHI, must be moving through his body in a very comfortable way.  Whenever I finish my tai chi practice he stands next to me for his Tai Chi turn.

When we tap on the body the chi, energy, begins to wake up and move.  Heat is created in the body as the chi moves.  Energy moves to the organ, muscles, joints, nerves etc.  It moves everywhere.

According to Chinese Medicine blockages in the flow of energy can cause pain, disease, depression, inability to focus and concentrate, a general feeling of tiredness and discomfort.  So tapping all over our body is important to keep the energy flowing everywhere.  The great thing is that you can’t do it wrong.  Anywhere you tap, if you do it so it feels good, will move the energy in a way that is good for us.

One of the big problems teachers and parents deal with is learning challenges and lack of cooperation, or maybe we could call it disruptive behavior.  More and more often I suggested parents and teachers try tapping.  The results can be astounding.  Try some of the following tapping methods on your body or on your child or partner.  It becomes a tapping massage.  You can use your finger tips.  But much better is the palm of your hand.  The most powerful energy point in the body is on your palm.  So you can put energy into each spots as you tap on yourself or another person.  I will give instructions for two wimple tapping massages you can do on another person.  You can adapt it if you want to do it on yourself.  These massage are from Louisa Silva’s book QIGONG MASSAGE FOR YOUR CHILD WITH AUTISM.  It is available in bookstores or online.  there are many wonderful suggestions.

1. Opens the brain and the senses, calming, boosts the immune system – have the child lie on his tummy.  With the palm of your had tap lightly on the top of the head until the neck relaxes.  tap down the center of the back turning your hand sideways at the base of the head.  Tap down to the tail bone. Then tap down the middle of each leg to the heels.  Your child will eventually begin to relax and become more aware of the world around him.
2. Tapping the ears to help the child listen and improve language acquisition.  With the child lying on his back cup your hands over the ears and tap with your fingers in back of the ears.  This is a wonderful tai chi tapping exercise that you can do to yourself.  Then tap down the sides of the neck and down the arms, one at a time.  The ears are very sensitive and can become easily blocked.  In time the blockages will reduce and the sensitivity will decrease.

I will give you more suggestions another time.  Tapping massage is amazing.  You should try it.  Or get Louisa Silva’s book to learn more