Resistance Therapy

This discussion would be voluminous and valuable for those interested in liberation and self-realization. 

Yet leaving aside for now the immensely valuable spiritual and meditative revelations found within the feelings and knowledge of ‘resistance cultivation’, this essay addresses the topic of ‘Resistance’ and will stay decisively within the parameters of professional yoga and bodywork therapeutic involvements.

Resistance therapy is a dream technique come true for any enthusiastic practitioner of the noble healing arts!

Resistance technique, as a facet of any therapeutic procedure or remedial protocol, is an immensely valuable and untapped domain for achieving exceptional results in Classical Yoga and Massage Therapy such as Nuad Borarn Vedic Thai Bodywork.

However, Resistance Therapy is commonly NOT being used! Resistance Therapy is generally NOT being accessed and frequently remains unapplied.

OMG!

Resistance rehabilitation therapy is a sleeping giant in the field of manipulative energetics. 

In general, Thai-Yoga Massage sessions are an example of active/passive attitudes. Ordinarily, the therapist is being active while the receiver is being passive. Active/passive is again the modus operandi description obvious to any casual observer of a standard Vedic Thai Massage-Assisted Yoga treatment.

Though quite infrequently used, unconventional and extraordinary, the use of resistance, as in active / resistant is very satisfying and simple to execute for the receiver as well as for the practitioner.  Accomplishing easily very desirable results, Resistance Therapy eliminates deep persistent and elusive problems with effortless grace.

Combined with the usual active/ passive attitude procedure, the supportive use of active/ resistance therapy achieves satiation of somatic and psychological cravings and the removal of undesirable tension wondrously.
Resistance Therapy supplies fullness and power to the physical function previously living as weak or empty. 

A skeletal joint or bone ache succumbs positively to the radiant heat activated by the assertion of muscular Resistance Therapy.  Additionally, positive postural alignments and strengthenings are also benefits resulting from the skilled compliance emphasized with Resistance Therapy.

For example, ‘Twisting’ a receiver passively into a spinal rotation stretch position, known as Matsyendrasana in yoga terms, and then instructing the receiver to exert active intentions to ‘untwist’ and return to the initiating resting position while the practitioner applies Resistance Therapy, provides for the fortunate receiver a gratifying and marvelous consequence.  Positive emotions such as physical confidence and personal empowerment are the usual outcomes for the receiver as well as the giver.

Another procedure where resistance therapy positively affects a therapeutic protocol is the notorious Sciatica discomfort.

While the recipient is in a prone position, the practitioner kneels with one of the receiver’s feet positioned between the practitioner’s knees. Instructing the receiver to draw their heel towards the glutes, the practitioner firmly ‘resists’ the receiver’s flexing  and ‘holds down’ the receiver’s ankle.

The neurological and muscular [as well as pranic] assemblies of the receiver’s hamstrings will compute the resistance being conscientiously applied by the practitioner. The recipient’s central nervous system will consequently respond to the neurological impulses and then somatically [as well as emotionally] comply and succumb.  The consummate results are effortlessly achieved. The experience of delight and fulfillment benefits the receiver as well as the giver. 

The experience of using Resistance Therapy can also be described as a reversing of neurological wiring and cellular programming.

Resistance therapy causes the area to become drained and deprived temporarily of essential energies such as oxygen, minerals, blood and pranic power etc.  Yet after the resistance subsides and a mutual neutralization occurs between the giver and the receiver, the refreshing, revitalizing and empowering energies of oxygen, minerals, blood and pranic power return to surcharge the region. Resistance Therapy ultimately ‘floods’ the targeted region with superior results and desirable quality.  Resistance Therapy tonifies an area effortlessly.

For the fortunate and grateful receiver, this experience is tranquilizing and transcendent. This experience is encouraging and supportive to the receiver’s spirit.

Relaxation is not devoid of tension

Resistance therapy teaches that a certain amount of stress and tension is absolutely necessary for optimum and bracing postural alignment and countenance.  In other words, for emotional, physical and spiritual balance to manifest within a person, true repose and ease would exclude total limpness and flaccidity.  There would always need to be some representation exhibited of muscular alertness and nervous attunement to characterize real rest.

This sounds almost contradictory and invalidating.

Though when we analyze the function, for example, of the anal muscle or the bladder muscle, it would be counter-productive if at night that some tension didn’t remain within these assemblies so that urination and defecation would not occur while asleep!

In fact, it is well known that AjurVed and Asian therapeutics advise all to develop habits to strengthen the perineal pubo-coccygeous region of the body.  Chinese medicine, for example, determines the health of an individual by the soundness and quality of the anal function.

In The USA we have a significant demographic of our elderly population wearing diapers while others become embarrassed by losing control of their eliminative functions after laughing, sneezing and coughing! As health and yoga enthusiasts, we are taught about the personal empowerment acquired from developing conscientious control of the perineal area of the body. Many of the elderly were obviously not taught this fundamental development.

In yoga we know that the mulabhanda function is indispensible for achieving positive and equal distributions of fluids, nutrition, energy and spirit throughout the body and mind.

Needlessly expended for years and years, therapeutic effort is frequently drained when Resistance Therapy is not utilized during a treatment.  LET’S USE IT MORE AND MORE!

Continuing…
Ordinarily, for example, the cervical/cranial energies are very elusive and mysterious to access and administer to with any therapeutic proficiency.

Yet when Resistance Therapy and its benefits of neural rewiring, its benefits from replenishing by displacement endocrine/glandular chemicals and Resistance Therapy’s benefits from reversing the polarities of muscular insertion and origin functions occurs, the targeted tensions and stresses disappear. Delightfully!

Furthermore, a practitioner is rendered authentic and professional when personal expertise is demonstrated.
With respect for Resistant Therapies, personal expertise is demonstrated most particularly and precisely at the delicate transition between the exhaustion of the therapeutic intention, also referred to as the full capacity of the assertion, and the gentle release.

The most frequent mistake, which generally spoils the entire application, is exhibited at the Release.
Inexperienced practitioners excessively sustain their power at the release yet the release is a time when relenting and softening should be administered.

You like wholeness and satisfaction?
When we feel the exhaustion of the somatic intention beginning to transpire it is then compulsory to gently and slowly release. Otherwise the receiver’s neurology will not allow a safe experience to result because it will be biologically in survival mode unable to surrender elegantly.  This is also true for any vertical application perpendicular to the body’s surface, such as we see with Shiatsu, Tuina or Anma. 

To reinforce the theory, how can it be possible to viscerally open and surrender to a therapeutic application when an immediate counter-force is also impending?
IT IS NOT POSSIBLE.
Doing anything at that moment aside from neutralizing and relinquishing our energetic response is unacceptable, discourteous, immature and of course counter-productive.

Celebrate the discovery of Resistance Therapy.
R T is a friend in our sacred modality of dignified and righteous humanitarian service!

Thank you.

See? Sometimes something good comes from resistance!