Bringing together Body-Mind Centering, Taoist energy arts, integrative acupressure, qigong tui na, and other somatic methods, Ishmael developed Integral Somatic Bodywork. Here are some terms to provide further insight into the practice.
Integral | Unifying fields of knowledge dealing with the body, mind, heart, and soul. Recognizing that the mind and experiences are reflected in the body, attention can be given to facilitate increased awareness allowing for more choices and expanded consciousness of the body-mind.
Somatic | From Greek, somatikos, 'of the body'. Somatic education is the study of the body through the personal experiential perspective.
Tui na | The therapeutic bodywork system of China, which is considered to be of a higher level than ordinary Chinese massage (known as ammo). Included within its therapeutic interventions are acupressure, bone setting, and joint and vertebral manipulations, along with deep tissue myofascial, craniosacral, tendon and ligament work, and internal organ/gland realignment and rebalancing. When combined therapeutically with qigong, it is called qigong tui na. (Definition from www.energyarts.com)
Based on the principles of Qi (energy, also spelled “chi”) and balance, Integrative Acupressure blends traditional Chinese healing and diagnostic methods with a modern understanding of the body's structure and physiology.
In the strictest sense, acupressure is a method of using finger and hand pressure on specific points on the body to improve health. It is based on the ancient practice of acupuncture, which uses needles to stimulate electromagnetic energy that flows along specific pathways within the body. That energy is known as the life force or, in Chinese medicine, as Qi. It flows along pathways, known as meridians, to every organ, system, and cell. By boosting or balancing the energy, or life force, flowing to organs and tissues, the therapist can initiate healing. Acupressure applies these same principles, but instead of using needles to cause healing, the acupressurist uses finger and hand pressure to stimulate points along the meridians. By pressing these points, an acupressurist stimulates life force to flow along the meridian, or pathway of energy, to a specific organ or part of the body, thereby triggering the healing process.
Integrative Acupressure takes acupressure beyond its traditional limits to combine energetic work with structural alignment. Like traditional acupuncture and acupressure, Integrative Acupressure is based on Chinese medicine. The acupressurist manipulates the body's life force, or Qi, to promote physical, psychological, and spiritual healing. But health concerns require going beyond working strictly on meridians and energy imbalances to work also on relieving muscle tension and correcting structural misalignment. Therefore, Integrative Acupressure also draws upon the fundamentals of anatomy, physiology, physical therapy, and therapeutic massage.
The results of Integrative Acupressure are similar to a combination of acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage in that it is soothing, relaxing, addresses structural imbalance, and all organs and systems.
Integrative Acupressure can help clients:
Recognize and relieve symptoms of many common ailments and disorders
Relieve stress and chronic pain
Relieve structural imbalances and back, neck, and joint pain
Detoxify the body of impurities
Restore the body's Qi, harmony and health
Prevent disorders associated with energy imbalances
Use your body's natural energy to achieve physical and spiritual balance
Improve overall health and vitality
(Adapted from Integrative Acupressure by Sam McClellan)
Following years of other studies in multiple hands-on healing modalities, Ishmael Dengate became an apprentice in Integrative Acupressure with Gwen McClellan in 2008, also taking classes with Sam McClellan.
Ishmael has helped clients balance their chi and heal from back pain, sports injuries, digestive problems, panic attacks, PTSD, car accidents, and stress-related illnesses.
Ishmael mostly works on adults but has also worked on children, cats and dogs.
Sessions are clothes-on on a massage table. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
In a session, Ishmael will typically interweave both Integrative Acupressure and Qigong Tui Na modalities, depending on the clients needs and interests.
Qigong Energy Healing or qigong tui na (Chi gung tui na) is a special branch of Chinese medicine designed to unblock, free and balance chi in the body. Qigong tui na works with chi at it moves through the deep and superficial channels and tissues of your body and through the energy field which surrounds your body. During hands-on touch on a massage table, the practitioner projects energy from his hands to facilitate healing.
In order to heal others, the practitioner must be very experienced in the art of qigong, to first unlock and free his own chi and to control the specific pathways through which it flows. The practitioner must be so sensitive that even with the lightest of touches he can feel and directly influence chi far inside your body.
Qigong tui na practitioners work not only with your muscles, but many other body systems, including your ligaments, tendons, fascia, internal organs, various types of fluids, and nervous system. Qigong tui na is especially recommended for conditions involving particularly strong or deep energy blocks or imbalances. It is a form of Chinese medicine that complements other branches such as acupuncture and herbs.
Ishmael Dengate has studied Qigong Tui Na with Taoist lineage master Bruce Frantzis since 2001, and the form has continued to complement his ongoing Chinese energy arts, qigong, and meditation studies with Bruce Frantzis. Ishmael maintains his sensitivity to chi through a qigong and meditation personal practice of two to four hours daily.
Ishmael has helped clients balance their chi and heal from back pain, sports injuries, digestive problems, panic attacks, PTSD, car accidents, and stress-related illnesses.
Sessions are clothes-on on a massage table. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
In a session, Ishmael will typically interweave both Qigong Tui Na and Integrative Acupressure modalities, depending on the clients needs and interests.