WHAT IS KINESIOLOGY?

DEFINITION

Traditionally Kinesiology  means the study of body movement; in particular the study of how muscles act and coordinate to move the body. However, in the natural health field the term Kinesiology is used in a different way. Here, muscles become monitors of stress and imbalance within the person where "muscle testing", the technique used in Kinesiology, is applied as a verification tool for detecting and correcting various imbalances in the person which may relate to emotional or physical stress, nutritional imbalances, learning problems, injuries and so on.

WE ARE CREATED PERFECTLY

Essentially everything we need for survival, with the exception of food, air and water is found within the body itself.  The human body is self-regulating, and self-healing.  This means that in order to survive, our body must maintain balance and is constantly monitoring itself and the environment via our nervous system and making the appropriate adjustments and changes. The cerebellum, the “computer” in the brain, is responsible for these adjustments, and responses are sent between the muscle and brain via the nerve pathways.  

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG

Living a stressful life style, as most of us do, sometimes we are unable to adjust and respond in an appropriate way and then the signals between body and brain become unclear.  This shows up as a change of muscle response that is abnormal via muscle testing.

A specialised kinesiologist tests a person’s muscle and monitors the response of that muscle test and in so doing  is able to find out where the person is not coping or is unable to adapt in their life. 

YOUR BODY IS TALKING TO YOU - ARE YOU LISTENING?

A specialised kinesiologist does not only work with how the muscles relate to physical movement in a person.  When we are under stress, either mentally, emotionally or physically, our body talks to us through symptoms or dis-ease.  This is the messenger that our body uses to focus our attention to the fact that we are not living to our full potential.   Disease or dis-ease results from blocking the flow of life and symptoms are the body’s way of dealing with the blockage.  Treating the symptoms is like killing the messenger for bringing bad news.  By treating symptoms we are stopping the body from expressing that we are unable to adapt. Your body is literally talking to you.  So the symptom is not the problem it is merely the messenger!  Therefore it is important to find out what the message is and what area of your life it is telling you about!

For example, have you ever loved and lost? Have you experienced that while the relationship was going well, you had abundant energy, could stay up late, eat junk food and yet felt on top of the world?  Then, when the relationship fell apart, you suddenly felt unworthy / depressed /hopeless / angry… and you got physically ill – perhaps in the form of back pain or neck pain?   What was the real cause of the pain?  Something you did physically “wrong”?  Or was it perhaps an outer manifestation of your internal state that affected your physical body?  

In the above example if we just worked on the pain and the muscles of the neck and back, we may be missing the real cause, i.e. the person’s inability to adapt to the new circumstances in the relationship. In other words it is important to see the pain, “disease” or negative patterns as a messenger. 

As kinesiologists we want to find out what is the message behind the symptom!

  Therefore a kinesiologist;

• Uses muscle testing to verify responses and to see if those responses are appropriate or inappropriate for a person
• Works in all areas – i.e. mentally, emotionally, and physically with a person – e.g. relationship issues, emotional stress, learning difficulties, physical aches and pains, food intolerances self worth issues, repetitive negative behaviour patterns, fears and phobias etc.
• Uses kinesiology protocols to effect a positive change.
• Finds the “age of cause” for any issue that a person may have; i.e. the memory that may be related to or is maintaining the negative cycle.

Kinesiology treats the whole person, to find out what is behind the symptoms!

WHERE DOES KINESIOLOGY COME FROM?

Dr George Goodhart, a chiropractor came up with the idea of working with the muscles in the body to enable the spinal manipulation that he used in chiropractic to hold better and last longer.     Along with his knowledge of muscles, Dr Goodhart incorporated other modalities, mostly from the Chinese system of medicine to develop Applied Kinesiology.

In the early 1970's, Dr John Thie, also a chiropractor, and a student of Dr Goodheart's realized the value of Applied Kinesiology in home health care for the general public.  He systemised Kinesiology for the layperson by writing the Touch for Health Manual and taught workshops thus allowing people to take responsibility for their own health and well being using simple techniques.  Touch for Health is now taught worldwide and has been translated into many languages.