Zero Balancing: a Holistic Healing System
A Hands-on Mind-Body Therapy for Relaxation and Stress Management
Nov 8, 2009
Zero Balancing is a form of bodywork, which integrates Eastern concepts of energy flow or "chi" with Western science-based medical practices to achieve healing and wellness. It is a non-invasive technique that aligns the body’s structure (bones and muscles) and energy points (meridians) to relax, de-stress and energise the body. According to the Zero Balancing Association, it is a powerful therapy, capable of helping people on a physical and emotional level:
"Zero Balancing takes a person into a state of relaxation that refreshes their whole being and from which they experience a profound sense of wellbeing and body-felt unity," says the Association. 'It can help the body to function more efficiently and enables the mind to move into a meditative state."
The Origins of Zero Balancing Physical Therapy
An American doctor and osteopath, Fritz Frederick Smith, created Zero Balancing in 1973. He was fascinated by the concept of acupuncture, which moves blocked energy in a person’s body to enhance health and wellbeing. He began to research ways to fuse the Eastern practice of energy work with a Western scientific approach to the body, the goal being to create one therapy, which accessed both approaches. The name "zero balance" came about after a client described the treatment as "being brought back to balance, to zero." Dr. Smith now lectures and teaches advanced workshops on the technique around the world.
"We have an energy body and a physical body, and they are two different bodies. If you have energy and structure there must be an interface between them. If you learn to touch the place where energy and structure meet, you are touching the form and aspect of the individual," he said when interviewed by Massage magazine in 1994*.
What Are the Health Benefits of Zero Balancing?
Most people will find Zero Balancing beneficial and relaxing to receive. It can help with the following physical and psychological issues:
- Physical aches and pains, such aspostural and joint problems such as headaches, migraine, lower back pain, and arthritis. Poor posture and repetitive actions at work create stress and tension at a deeper level in the body, and the therapy works to release this.
- Long-term stress, anxiety and negative thinking – releasing chronic tension in the body helps the mind to relax and let go, making space for creative thinking, metal clarity, change and problem-solving. It has a meditative effect on the mind, which can help you to release repetitive thoughts and access creativity.
- Pregnancy puts a big strain on the body and joints, and Zero Balancing can help realign the body, prepare for childbirth, and improve posture and positioning post-partum.
- Self-esteem – physically, Zero Balancing makes you feel good, which promotes positive thought and self-esteem.
What Happens During a Session?
Your first session will begin with a consultation to give the therapist an indication of the areas that require attention. You will be asked if there are there any physical or emotional problems that you want to resolve or let go of. You then lie fully clothed on a massage couch, and the therapist performs a series of moves (called fulcrums), adapting them according to your needs. The moves include rocking, twisting, stroking, finger pressure and held traction, and there are frequent pauses to allow the therapist to listen to your body and read its energy. Areas that require attention may feel colder or be a different grain or consistency to the rest of the body.
The sequence starts with the feet to ground the body, moving upwards to evaluate the thighs, hips, back, arms, head and shoulders. The pressure is firm but not uncomfortable and it feels incredibly relaxing to be positioned and realigned on a couch by someone else. You may find yourself drifting off and coming back to yourself as the treatment progresses. At the end of the session you are given an opportunity to lie still for a while and the therapist may offer advice on posture, and how to move your body when getting up off the couch to avoid creating tension in the joints. You may feel lighter, taller and more connected to your body after a session.
Zero Balancing sessions last between 30-50 minutes, and a minimum of three is recommended to achieve homeostasis. It is a powerful form of bodywork, which realigns the body’s structure and energy points to achieve optimum health and wellness. It is like being reset and brought home to a more relaxed, spontaneous childhood posture. Simply put, it helps you to let go physically and mentally.
References:
*Massage Magazine Issue 52, November 1994
The Zero Balancing Health Association has links to worldwide sites, training, and articles including The Vocabulary of Touch: An Interview with Fritz Frederick Smith, originally published in Meridians magazine, The Acupuncture Institute, Summer 1995 edition.
A Whole Person Approach: The Zero Balancing Technique by Kate Chase Ryan L.M.P. Massage Magazine, Issue 161, October 2009.
Suite 101 received Zero Balancing from holistic therapist and Thai Yoga teacher Nicky Smith at the Wellington Square Natural Health Centre in Hastings, UK.
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