Mexico Workshop

What an amazing opportunity and humbling experience it was to be in Mexico this past week-end. I was invited down by Belinda Garza who is actually a dance teacher. But she is so committed to psychotherapy and the body that she found my name on the internet and was convinced that my technique (of which she new nothing) was perfect for her group. She invited therapists, dance professionals, students and economically underprivileged people who needed help recovering from difficult lives of trauma. She is committed to helping women free themselves from violent relationships and becoming whole again. Wow – what an experience. I had about 100 people in my workshop and they had amazing breakthroughs. I am always so humbled when economically underprivileged people come to me to tell me how grateful they are for having such deep release from the tension in their bodies. Here are a few pictures from the workshops including the dancers. I forgot to have people photograph me giving my presentation. But I am in there somewhere.

 

The Great Wall of China

WOW!… is all I can say about the Great Wall of China. Even great wall is an understatement. I wasn’t expecting to be as moved by the experience as I was. It was overwhelming in its greatness. There was a power to the wall that was palpable. It was as though it exuded an energy of strength…. But it wasn’t military strength or power. It was more like the power of earthiness, mother earth, being of the earth. It was very inspiring. I was taken there by the CEO of the counseling center (http://psychcn.com/ )that brings me here and the vice president of the center. When we were there, the CEO told me that many great companies in China bring their entire staff to the wall because it is believed that when the company visits here, they will become very successful simply because of the power inherent in the wall. This was a beautiful gesture on his part because he believes so much in TRE and its potential here in China. They see TRE as an Eastern modality that was brought here through a western mind. They equate it with the inherent power of the Tao (道 ) which is a concept found in Taoism, Confucianism, and more generally in ancient Chinese philosophy. The character itself translates as “way,” “path,” or “route”. Their experience of the bodily tremors reminds them of a way back into the nature of their bodies. It is so organic and natural that they feel it speaks of the true essence of the body’s potential.

After the Great Wall we had the idea to go to the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences or the academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). We met the vice president of the hospital and explained TRE to him. He was very interested and very excited. He invited us back to teach TRE to a group of 20 TCM students. He wants them to have the experience and then try to articulate what they believe is happening in their bodies from a traditional Chinese perspective. While we were there I could not pass up the opportunity to have acupuncture once again. I was interviewed by an amazing young doctor that had both the skill and confidence of a master. He immediately won over the trust of the entire group of counseling staff and several of the staff members who had never received acupuncture agreed to experience with this unusually competent doctor. He also will be among the people whom we hope to recruit to help explain the bodily tremors of TRE from an eastern medical perspective.

Tomorrow we meet with one of the most famous news broadcasters in China. She has supported the work of this counseling center since its inception. She has heard about TRE and wants to meet me while I am in Beijing. After our meeting with her we will be traveling to the earthquake zone once again to provide workshops for the teachers and students of the earthquake zone.

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Click here to see all 13 pictures.

Chinese New Year

I am finally finding time to send a few pictures of my trip. It has been a real delight being here during the Chinese New Years celebrations. It is the year of the OX.

People born in the Year of the Ox (1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997) are patient, speak little, and inspire confidence in others. They tend, however, to be eccentric, and bigoted, and they anger easily. They have fierce tempers and although they speak little, when they do they are quite eloquent. Ox people are mentally and physically alert. Generally easy-going, they can be remarkably stubborn, and they hate to fail or be opposed. They are most compatible with Snake, Rooster, and Rat people.

Predictions for the year of the OX are: Year Ahead:  “The OX year is a conservative year, one of traditions and values. This is not a year to be outrageous. A slow but steady year. This OX year will bring stability and growth where patience and diligence pays off. This is a year of Harvest – when we reap what we have sown. Take care of business this year, do not let things slide. “

Since this is a 10 day holiday, I have had the wonderful opportunity to see a bit of China that I did not do last time I was here. Instead of going straight to work, they decided to show me the sites of Beijing.

First we went to the Olympic Square to see the Bird’s Nest and the ice Cube. They were as wonderful as we saw on TV. Then we went to the Forbidden City. It was amazing as most of the Chinese architecture and rich history has demonstrated.

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household, as well as the ceremonial and political centre of Chinese government.

Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms and covers 720,000 square metres (7,800,000 square feet). The palace complex exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture, and has influenced cultural and architectural developments in East Asia and elsewhere. It consists of beautiful names such as: Gate of Supreme Harmony,  Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central harmony, Hall of Preserving Harmony, Hall of Heavenly Peace & Hall of Terrestrial Peace. I just loved walking around in such an imense place that was at one time considered holy and sacred. I still believe there is strong spiritual energy there.

I also had the wonderful pleasure of being taken to traditional Chinese restaurants. They wore clothing that was reflective of a rich heritage and provided performances that were once performed in front of Chinese royalty. At one point, I was obliged to be part of the performance of a juggler. Some men stuffed me inside a giant metal flower pot, then a group of men hoisted me up onto the powerful legs of a woman who juggled me around in the pot. It was both humiliating and humbling but I could only laugh at how much the Chinese people seemed to enjoy watching.

Tomorrow it is off to the GREAT WALL OF CHINA! I can’t wait.

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Click here to see all 29 photographs.

Back in China

I have returned to China once again. This time I am in Beijing (a city of 17 million people and everyone seems to like running around). It is 4 degrees below zero Fahrenheit and no snow. What a bummer. Chinese New Years or “the Spring Festival” as they call it is on Jan 25th. There will be huge celebrations here and I can’t wait to see them. I hope to send some amazing photos afterward.

I spent the entire day yesterday getting briefings on the very developed counseling program called “psychcn.com” Their outreach is far more advanced than I initially realized. Through their on-line training program they have taught over 30,000 students the basics of counseling. They have an elaborate training program that utilizes up to date on-line schooling methods. They run internet seminars, psychology courses, teachers training and a lot more.

The pictures I am sending come from a new magazine that was published by “Psychcn”. It highlights the work this organization has done in the past year to provide trauma and stress management services to the Chinese people affected by the earthquakes. Since it is in Chinese, I am only sending the pages that have pictures of the work I was involved in last year.

Peace,
David

More pictures from the earthquake zone

Here are some more pictures from my final days in China.

Tilted house

School office

Pleasure

Click here to see a slideshow of all 33 photographs.

Video from the earthquake zone

Here is a video from the earthquake zone in China.