What is Chi Nei Tsang?

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Chi Nei Tsang literally means “working the energy of the internal organs”. It was developed by Taoists in ancient China. Chi, our body’s life-force energy, moves through the internal channels, nervous system, blood vessels, and lymph glands.

These systems concentrate and cross paths in the abdomen which acts as their control center. Over the days, months and years, this energy becomes blocked, which causes physical tangles and knots to form in the abdomen. Such blockages can arise from physical source such as overwork, accidents, surgery, drugs, toxins, poor dietary habit, and bad posture, or emotional source like fear, anger, anxiety, worry and grief. Although emotions do not have a physical nature, the presence of negative emotions affect smooth energy flow and cause obstructions which get stuck in the body. With the obstruction of smooth energy flow, physical bodily functions get affected and ailments set in.

The Taoists discovered that many maladies could be healed once the underlying toxic accumulations and negative energies were released from the body. This was how Chi Nei Tsang was developed. Chi Nei Tsang clears out the toxins and stuck energies that cause the organs to dysfunction.

How is Chi Nei Tsang Performed?

The work of Chi Nei Tsang is mainly on the abdomen, where the practitioner would use deep yet soft manipulations to unblock the stuck energy and guide the internal organs to work more efficiently. Although the work is mainly on the abdomen, it affects the entire body as the abdomen is a center that connects the various functional systems in our body. Unprocessed emotional charges are also addressed with the manipulations.

A treatment session begins with a dialogue between you and your practitioner, discussing your current health issues you wish to address and any health history you may have. Chi Nei Tsang practitioners are trained in a holistic approach, considering all aspects of your physical and emotional state of being together as one manifestation of the whole. Therefore, it is good to let the practitioner know your lifestyle habits even though you may not know whether it is related to your current issue. Before the session comes to end, the practitioner may give you some holistic dietary and lifestyle advice to support and maintain your well-being.

How Would I Feel During and After the Treatment?

Different people feel differently during the treatment. At different stages, some may feel some discomfort or even pain, while some feel relaxed and can even doze off as the tension is dissolved. Changes in energy flow, as well as physical or emotional healing may be experienced during the treatment, or it may occur days or even weeks after the treatment.

References:
1. Universal Healing Tao Chi Nei Tsang World Headquarters
2. Chi Nei Tsang Institute (United States)

(by Tan Shiau Tse, TCM Physician, Copyright® HST Medical Pte Ltd)