Tui Na

Traditional oriental healing ideas are important to me nowadays, but I am not the only Western therapist influenced by traditional Oriental wisdom. An inviting example of a Western therapist who dedicates her life to oriental healing ideas is Mrs. Maria Mercati. Mrs. Mercati is a real ‘role-model’ for Western therapists, so to speak, at least to me.

Mrs. Maria Mercati is the promoter in the West of ‘Tui Na’ and other traditional healing technologies. Mrs. Mercati has been teaching and practicing Tui Na and Acupuncture for over 25 years. To date she applies acupuncture, Tui Na, Thai massage, and Indonesian massage, when I am correct.

Tui Na appied by Maria Mercatie

Photo Credit: Maria Mercati <bodyharmonics.co.uk/)

Being a licentiate in Acupuncture I regret it very much that I was never informed about Tui Na during the years I was treating health issues. As the theoretical background of Tui Na embraces the theory about the 14 meridians with 365 acupuncture points, and the traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis, it would be very convenient to me to apply Tui Na treatments.

‘Tui Na’ (pronounced: “Twee-Na”) stands for ‘Chinese medical massage & manipulation’. Comparable to Nuad Boran, Tui Na massage is given through cotton clothing and no oil is used. The receiver is sitting on a chair or lying on a massage-table. The massage techniques are applied with reasonable pressure and can feel uncomfortable or even painful in the beginning, which eases as the massage progresses.

Like Nuad Boran, Tui Na does not focus on the abdomen solely but on the whole body; it applies pressure to the meridians and specific points on the meridians which are called “qi” points (acupressure points). The Tui Na ‘Push & Grasp’ massage techniques aim to affect the flow of vital energy in the whole body.

Tui Na pressure of the Acupuncture point

Photo Credit: Alaska Institute <akinstitute.com/tuina-acupressure-massage>

Tui Na uses a wide variety of soft tissue techniques, to deeply stimulate the meridians and acupuncture points, together with powerful joint manipulations. Tui Na aims to balance the intrinsic energies of the body, mind, and spirit. I eagerly wait for an opportunity to visit China and enroll in a Tui Na course.

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