Qigong and Chinese Medicine in New Zealand

Treatment Modalities

Spanning over 3000 years of only documented history Traditional Chinese Medicine accumulated and sharpened many practical tools to promote and maintain health suitable not only for a trained practitioner but for an average person to use. We have taken it to the next level adapting these ancient practices to meet the realities of the modern world. Chinese Medicine revolves around the concept of Chi, the life-force flowing through a complex network of multi-dimensional pathways known as Jing-Luo or ‘the channel network’ in Chinese. All TCM tools are therefore designed to unblock the free flow of Chi in the channels and let it restore the balance naturally. In our sessions we combine all modalities listed here as required.

Qigong Healing / 外气疗法

Sometimes also spelled ‘Chi Gong’, this is a hand healing method involving a highly trained practitioner directing the Chi to restore and revitalise its flow through the patients’s channels - thus relieving pain, flushing out pathogens and clearing accumulations. Chi-gong is particularly effective when the condition is internal and has ‘emotional’ origins such as break-ups, stress, grief, anger or anxiety. The conditions otherwise known as psychosomatic. Unlike acupuncture, Chi-gong can reach deep directly affecting the organs and inner channels.

Tui-Na Massage / 推拿

Tui-Na (pronounced twei-nah) is a point-based system of bodywork, the origin of Shiatsu. Incorporating a wide variety of techniques including shaking, slapping, rolling, pressing points, brushing and kneading tissues, it aims to not only stimulate the isolated ‘acupuncture points’, but to directly affect the muscles, fascia and the movement of bodily fluids. Tui-Na is a therapy in itself, highly effective in sports medicine and as an invigorating stress-relieving all-body massage. All our sessions usually include Tui-Na.

Herbal Medicine / 草药

Plants and minerals prescribed according to an elaborate theory that classifies all substances into categories, channels they enter, temperature based on the effect they create e.g. warming or cooling, and the pathogens they are able to clear. There are herbs for nourishing, generating fluids, clearing inflammation and venting externally contracted pathogens such as bacteria or viruses. Herbal medicine accounts for about 80% of TCM treaments in China and is best suited for deeply-rooted stubborn chronic conditions.

Acupuncture / 针灸

This practice involves insertion of hair-thin needles into active points of the body, where the flow of Chi surfaces to and from the internal organs or ‘transport hubs’ often connecting many channels together. The points are essentially whirpools in the flow of Chi through the channels. The freedom of their rotation ensures the Chi flows smoothly without pain. This is particularly effective in acute muskulo-skeletal conditions such as injuries, and quick to relieve pain. Our acupuncture is gentle and pain-free.

Moxibustion / 灸

Moxibustion involves warming of channels and biologically active points of the body by burning a thick cigar-like incense made of Chinese medicinal mugwort (moxa) close to the patient’s skin. According to TCM classification, this herb has a strong Yang nature which, further strengthened by burning, makes it capable of dislodging cold pathogens and stimulating the vital points towards activity. Moxa is used when the condition presents the signs of Cold - e.g. fixed pain, paleness of skin, onset following the exposure to cold wind or water.

Cupping / 拔罐

Cupping is a form of channel stimulation by applying glass cups to the skin using flames to create a vacuum. Cups are able to create suction powerful enough to dislodge pathogens rooted in subcutaneous tissues and even in the internal organs. Besides China, cupping is known in many other cultures including parts of Europe and Middle East, where it is used routinely to relieve cough, reduce fever, and ease muscular tension. It is often applied on top of an oiled skin with movement, as a form of deep tissue massage.

The Advantages of Our Method

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has evolved as an all-rounded empirical science of health cultivation particularly honing the practical aspect. It contains only the essense of medical theory and designed to provide understanding deep enough for successful treatments without the need for costly equipment. TCM is widely used as a frontline clinical care in Japan, China and Korea where it is practiced alongside modern medicine. We believe there is no reason why here in the West we should not benefit from it. Click each item below to see what are the advantages TCM has to offer.

Treating you, not the diagnosis

At the core of our method is a careful observation and deep understanding of your needs at the moment you come. We meet you - your body, heart and mind just where you are. Assessing the balance of Yin and Yang with precision at every stage, we deliver the treatment accordingly. This way you can be sure each treatment is laser-focused towards your current imbalance, and the first things will always come first. This makes our treatments very gentle, yet powerful and efficient, uncovering layer by layer of whatever burdens you.

Very few, if any side effects

Traditional medicines are known for having significantly less or no side effects at all. This is because they use natural methods and herbs that were “designed” by the very same architect who designed the human being. Pharmaceutical drugs are prone to creating adverse effects because their active components (often also derived from herbs) are taken in isolation, and therefore are not balanced.

Unlike the pharmaceutical drugs, in the natural herbs the ingredients are combined to match the complexity of such a highly connected and finely tuned system as a human being’s organism. The natural medicine is therefore able to adjust all moving parts at once acting holistically.

Accessible and easy to learn

Chi-gong as an ultimate form of healing requires practicing a kind of dynamic meditation and exercise on a regular basis, which leads to the development of self-awareness and intuition and brings the inner sense of what needs to be done and how. These exercises and the meditation can be practiced by anyone anywhere.

If on top of that you also learn some TCM theory and some major acupuncture points, this will further explain how the system works. The theory also becomes your map helping to navigate the landscapes of other practices out there and transforming your perception in a way that you see your world and yourself more holistically.

Goes beyond the quick fix

In TCM we are not looking to suppress the symptoms or to relieve pain by disconnecting you from feeling of it. Instead, we embrace the pain as a valuable signal that something has been out of balance within the body for a period of time, and go deep to uncover what caused it. Pain is seen as a stagnation of Chi in a channel, and may be alleviated simply by unblocking the channel.

We dig deeper still to find out why the stagnation happened in the first place. Was it due to emotional turmoil you were going through? Or was it a deeply buried trauma, or an old injury? Was it due to a continuous stress that causes muscles to tense up and block the flow of Chi? All of these will be identified, and the treatment - administered accordingly.

Opens another dimension and solutions

There are many bothersome ailments that impact the quality of life, and where you may have been led to believe there is no treatment possible other than pain killers. Armed with Chinese Medicine diagnosis and its pattern weaving technique we will go deeper with you to identify the actual cause and target the treatment.

Let’s assume you have a headache, where pain-killers is an obvious choice. Did it just come about? If so - have you been exposed to a cold wind or were sitting under air conditioning for some time? Is the pain fixed? Is your upper body tight as well? This particular set of symptoms would indicate the headache is acute and caused by the Cold pathogen obstructing the channels at the back and the nape. For this, we will offer a medicine to induce sweating, so the Cold pathogen is released. On the other hand, if your headache is chronic, temporal and comes about particularly before menstruation - the story is completely different, and that will require a treatment to unblock the Liver Qi to release the stress and the period flow, so the headache will go with it.

There are 3 types of headache known to the modern medicine, while TCM lists over 20 patterns for a headache, and there are combinations, and all of them require different strategies. All these conditions may be relieved long term, while modern medicine only offers to relieve them temporarily, and only until your body is used to the pain-killer.

Holistic, takes everything into account

Traditional medicine considers your whole world in connection with you. Have you been suffering from trauma or loss? Have you been stressed at work lately? How about your relationship - do you live with the sense of dissatisfaction, and your teenage chldren give you a hard time? What about injuries you had when you were younger, or maybe there was an alcohol or drug addiction at one stage? All of these has to be taken into account as any of these may affect or actually cause the problems you are currently struggling with.

This happens because we are truly connected beings, and our world directly affects not only our psyche but our physical health too. For example, an intense grief experienced earlier on may lead to problems with the Lung, and make you prone to recurrent infections or hay fever. A boat trip in cold weather two years ago and a chill caught may be the actual cause of your constant neck pain and tightness you have even now!

How’s that for you? Does it look too far-fetched? Well, whatever it is - we will help you see it holistically.

Testimonials

Tiredness

Thank you for a wonderful massage and the treatment, I have never felt so understood in my body before. It was so relaxing!

Lara, massage therapist
Titirangi, Auckland

All body joint pain (diagnosed as Rheumatoid Arthritis)

I had such bad and painful joint problems I could hardly walk. After trying different alternatives and different remedies, which did not work, I was recommended to go to Oleg. I have not felt this well in a long time. I am now able to play with my children without pain; I can even keep up with my oldest son when he is running! I can really recommend Oleg to everyone! As a teacher, Oleg is very pedagogical; clear and to the point. He has deep knowledge and knowing, and I have learnt a lot from him. I can highly recommend him as a healer; he has helped me with a number of ailments, such as extremely painful and stiff joints; in this case no other medical treatments helped.

Annika, author
Auckland / Sweden

Foot spur and shoulder pain

It is excellent - the explanation of the clinician, built trust. Good combo of Acupuncture + que jong (spelling?) I do not have the spur pain anymore, but the shoulder is still there a little on the other side which is chronic. I wish I would have 2 sessions a week but not possible with my schedule & clinician’s days of clinic.

Kim, traveller from Canada
Waiheke, Auckland

Tennis Elbow

My treatment was great, Oleg was very good at explaining to me and I felt safe at the clinic. Oleg was very professional in his approach towards culture (Indian), he also was very polite. Oleg is good, I mean good at his job - I would like to thank him for his time and the way he healed me, and I feel much relief! Very professional and down to earth. Thank you, Oleg!

Michael, hairdresser
Panmure, Auckland

Lower back pain

I had very bad back problems since I was about 29 years old, after the birth of my second child. Three years later my third child was born and my back felt so very bad that I could hardly walk or even sleep. And there was also kind of feeling numb on my whole right side. A feeling of being there only half. My back got worse, I saw an osteopath and chiropractitioner for quite a long period of time. That helped for a while, they did their best to treat the symptoms. But obviously not the reasons because the pain came back every time. Then I thought there is something really wrong how people look at their body and soul. My intuition said: try something different. I didn’t know what and so I did nothing because I didn’t know what I needed. I hadn’t heard anything about Qi-gong before but the name. Then I met Oleg. And then I found out about it. Already during the first session I could feel that something was changing. There was less pain yes, but there was definitely something else that was changing: my whole inner constitution I would say. I felt very weak afterwards and needed a lot of time to think about things in my life that I had forgotten or wasn’t aware of anymore. Yes - I thought a lot and there was a lot of clearing grief. After the second session I started to develop like an inner strength and became very clear like I never did before. The pain was almost gone and came back from time to time but very little. Somehow I started knowing where the pain comes from and think about it (or better: feel about it) and then it seems as if I could think it away. And after that last session I want to say thank You Oleg from all my heart for the warm, knowing and sensitive help that you are able to give to people. This is a real gift.

Isabelle, designer
Auckland

Anxiety, tension & pain in the upper body

… that episode you speak of did indeed affect me deeply, I am amazed that you saw that… And the tension in my upper torso has greatly diminished already, and there is a joy I havent felt in a while.

Hilde, artist
Norway

Hyperthyroidism

Thank you Oleg, I have been given all clear with my thyroid!

Bridget*, teacher
Auckland

Motion sickness

What did you do to me? I used to have such a terrible motion sickness and now I am not even nauseous in an auto!

Kathrin, real estate agent
Berlin, Germany

Pain in the chest

For about 3-4 years I had a pain in my chest. Sometimes it was sharper and sometimes I did not feel it much yet it never left me completely. After the first session of chi gong massage the pain was gone immediately, however came back a few days later. After the second session it did not come back. So far so good! Also, during the treatment Oleg found that old injury on my right leg which I had when I was 17. It was not sore but from time to time I had an uncomfortable feeling and numbness in this area. It’s weird during the treatment I felt a very sharp pain in the spot where the injury was and then it disappeared a moment later.

Darren, salesperson
Glenfield, Auckland

Sciatica

Good! Sciatica pain improved significantly. [Oleg] got to the root of problem - 1st acupuncture treatment worked wonders! Second and thrird were not as good. 4th, 5th and 6th - very good again!

Kevin, optometrist
Howick, Auckland

Exema rash and itching

Oleg is a good listener and he answered all my questions in great detail. My daughter felt safe with him. After her first cycle of treatments her skin rash disappeared and did not come back for a long period of time until December 2011. We came for another cycle then, and her rash decreased but this time however it did not go away completely and was still itching. Having asked more questions about our current situation, Oleg explained that such a flare-up is due to stress and peer pressure my daughter was going through at the school. My girl somehow managed to change her situation at school and since then everything is still okay. I’m happy! This lady came for the girl’s chronic skin rash diagnosed as ‘allergy’. The Mother refused to apply steroidal (hormonal) cream for the child and chose a natural treatment instead.

Nina, mother of a teenage girl
Glenfield, Auckland

Chronic pain in the leg and foot

Oleg was extremely courteous, professional and caring. He explained the treatment he was to give at the beginning of each appointment, made sure I understood what was about to occur, made sure I was comfortable and at ease during treatment. He also made certain of my privacy and was very well cared for before during and after each session. After over 20 years of pain I felt a relief for several days after each treatment I can’t thank you enough for that wonderful job you did for Colin. He feels so much lighter after years of pain in his leg and foot. -Margaret

Colin (an 83-year old gentleman)
One Tree Hill, Auckland

Sports injury

Hi. I had an encounter with healing Qigong which I can’t explain in any scientific way. A few months ago I almost ripped a tendon in my left knee during skiing at Mt Ruapehu. That evening I took some pain killers and Oleg (who was nearby) tried Qigong on me which didn’t produced immediate results so I decided to wait and see – after all, busted tendons usually take a really long time to heal. Next morning when I woke up I almost couldn’t walk – I was slowly limping to shower and back. A little later on I had to limp into the car as my friends were still going to ski a little bit before heading home. The drive took maybe 20 min during which time Oleg were doing some strange things with his hands all that time ;-). When we finally arrived I was totally amazed that I could actually climb out of the car and walk. I was still limping but that was nowhere near as bad as it was before. The pain was almost gone, and I spend next few hours in one of cafes which I had to walk a few hundred meters each way. I am still a bit skeptical about this whole Qigong thingy, but not as categorically opposed as I used to be since it clearly worked on me at least once (I don’t feel like breaking my leg again and again for the sake of experiment).

Serge, engineer
Onehunga, Auckland

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Qigong and Traditionl Chinese Medicine