Our Core Principles: The Body has a Story to Tell
/Moving Mountain Institute believes that the body has a story to tell and, that informed hands-on healing work is a powerful medium for engaging with that story. Our courses draw from multiple disciplines to distill a handful of core principles that guide our work and provide an ever-evolving clinical context for going deeper into the complexity of the body.
Our courses are unified by core principles that Michael has been exploring in his work for the past 18 years. Inspired by the fundamental approach of osteopathic manual therapies and further informed by the wisdom of Chinese medicine, our classes take a deeper dive into these principles though the practice of the specific techniques. What has emerged is an effective, unique and integrated approach to incorporating hands-on therapies into any practice.
NARRATIVE MEDICINE
Oliver Jeffers, A Child Of Books
We are interested in stories. Our lives are comprised of stories, myths have guided human-kind for centuries. Often, we have a story in mind about ourselves or the condition/s that cause us to seek help and sometimes our body may be carrying a different and possibly more potent story. We think our approach to hands-on therapy allows this potential story to come forward.
HOW DOES THE BODY EXPERIENCE ITSELF?
This single question unifies our inquiry into the mystery of the body. It allows us to embrace the knowledge that western science offers and yet we are not limited by that one way of knowing. We love to dork out on anatomy and are inspired by the emerging field of connective anatomy. We draw on the wisdom of cultures across time to explore this question of how the body experiences itself. We draw on the imaginative muscle of the arts, of poetry and painting, sculpture and photography. All of it can inspire our own imaginations to grapple with the complexity of the body.
LISTENING HANDS
@bodyceremony
We think bodywork is a type of dialogue with the tissue. Our hands must be good listeners. We cultivate this listening-hands approach in our all of courses. Each class is an opportunity to go a little deeper with this essential skill. The body can perceive this quality of contact and begins to participate in the dialogue.
DIRECT - INDIRECT
Michael McMahon, LAc, LMT
This is a core concept in Osteopathic manual therapies. We can treat directly by engaging the tension pattern with a direct stretch. We can also treat indirectly by going into the tension pattern, allowing it to find the space to explore itself and find a pattern of release. We combine the two as a core vehicle for exploring the wisdom of the tissue.
We have woven these principles into techniques that we teach, into our clinical practice and into everything that we do. We would love for you to come experience this way of seeing the body with us. Check out our course calendar, course descriptions, or get in touch with us if you are curious to learn more.
We look forward to seeing you!
