Healing, at its core, is about discovering inner peace and resolving the conflicting feelings within. Yet, it often feels as though an invisible force overrides our will, dictating our thoughts and actions. We may aspire to be loving, peaceful, or free from anxiety, jealousy, or depression, but the mind seems to have its own agenda, leaving us feeling drained and as if our efforts are in vain.

Thus, we employ various healing techniques, including Eye Movement (derived from EMDR), hypnosis, relaxation, meditation, Qi/energy work, and self-analysis—to overcome obstacles and break free from these troubles.

Self-Analysis

Who am I, or what is the so-called “self”? The first step of the journey is Self-analysis, a process of self-dissection and analyzing the self by observing our own thinking, emotional, and behavioral patterns. “Is this truly my emotion if I have no control over unmanageable impulses, depression, or anxiety?” or “Is this my conscious thinking, or have I been conditioned to think in certain ways and act in a particular manner?”

Sorting what factors have shaped who we are: upbringing, past experiences, societal norms, cultural influences, or genetic predispositions shape our identity and self-image, projecting our internal reality.

As we deepen the journey of self-exploration, we will delve into the metaphysical realm and explore the teachings of Chan/Zen to understand the nature of reality and its dualistic attributes. Additionally, we will examine insights from various scientific fields to better comprehend this reality. 

Eye Movement (derived from EMDR)

The “Eye Movement” is derived from EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). EMDR is a method of psychotherapy commonly used to treat trauma or PTSD and endorsed by various organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and World Health Organization (WHO). Many also shared their personal experiences, including Prince Harry of the United Kingdom, who used EMDR to cope with anxiety.

Please note that the “Eye Movement” we introduce is not formal EMDR. If you’re interested in exploring the formal 8-step EMDR therapy, please refer to this APA article for further details. Please consult a licensed healthcare professional for help if you experience symptoms or severe episodes.

EMDR was initially introduced to veterans to alleviate traumatic memories and flashbacks from the battlefield, but it is also applicable to a variety of traumatic situations: accidents, violent events, harsh childhood, or any lingering memories. Additionally, it can also be applied to a wide range of conditions beyond psychological trauma, including depression, fear, anxiety, compulsive disorder, chronic pain, addictions, and sleep disorders. Since, to some degree, those are symptoms of lingering pain or troubling feelings.

While the degree of trauma may vary, it essentially leaves a scar, creating troubling neural circuitry in your brain. Accidentally tripping this circuit can activate painful imagery and emotions, haunting you in nightmares or driving unconscious and undesirable behaviors.

Eye movement reduces the emotional impact by dissociating negative emotions from the event memory or specific situation. As the intensity of the emotion fades, whether depression, anxiety, fear, or whatever bothers you. Once out of the emotional trap, you will realize that you have been fooled by your own brain. The torturous emotions are merely illusory constructs of the mind.

Use the video below for eye movement by following the running chicken! For best results, use Full Screen or set the video as wide as possible to maximize the range of your eye movements.

Meditation (Fishing in the Sea of Unconsciousness)

Meditation is an umbrella term encompassing various approaches and practices, with mindfulness meditation being one of the common methods. However, we focus less on mindfulness and more on exploring the subconscious.

The unique state of consciousness of deep meditation, or Altered State of Consciousness, allows us to explore the depths of the subconscious, uncovering hidden emotions and thoughts that remain obscured during the waking state of consciousness.

While meditating, we focus on a specific issue, then mind-watching and let the insights reveal themselves. It's like fishing in the sea of the subconscious—you cast a bait, such as an unsettling feeling, emotion, memory, or physical pain, and wait for responses. This process can be combined with other healing methods to achieve more profound healing.

Deliberate Relaxation & Mind-Body Connection

Deliberate relaxation has tremendous therapeutic effects. However, it is more than just getting a massage or lounging on a beach in the Caribbean. Similar to meditation, relaxation allows your brain to enter the meditative state and let the body reveal the connections between physical symptoms and mental states. Unexpected and unconscious feelings may surface.

Deliberate relaxation is intentional and focused on subtle bodily sensations, strengthening the mind-body connection. Relax your breath and every inch of skin and muscle, from head, face, shoulders, neck, chest, abdomen, gastrointestinal areas, to your toes—slowly releasing the accumulated stress and emotions stored in your body. 

Hypnosis (Reprogramming)

We are often conditioned and framed to think in particular ways, and hypnosis is a tool to hack the brain, the bio-computer. Hypnosis is essentially the same as meditation but with a specific intention. You enter a trance state and perform mental engineering by deprogramming or deconditioning certain thinking, emotional, or behavioral patterns. Feeding the brain with hypnotic suggestions is like entering commands into a computer to alter the software embedded in the brain.

During waking hours, your brain tends to repeat the same neural pathways and follows habitual patterns. We behave and think in specific ways. Patterns or habits are not inherently problematic, but they become troublesome if we are dictated by harmful behavioral patterns or when we cannot break away from repetitive, negative emotions or thoughts.

Hypnosis not only disrupts old patterns but also establishes new perspectives. One might have an implicit feeling of despair or bleakness from never feeling truly loved, perhaps growing up with parents lacking in love or support. Interestingly, or somewhat magically, through hypnotic suggestion and vivid imagery, you can "install" new programs to create new perspectives. While you cannot change your childhood memories, you can fill the void of love that wasn’t there before. It’s as if love is absent and missing in your heart, but you can replenish it through hypnosis.

Qi & Energy Work

The scientific understanding of qi and energy work may be insufficient, but benefits from these ancient healing techniques are evident. We don’t rely on a higher or divine power or spirits; energy work is independent of beliefs and deities. That path has its own risk. Therefore, we encourage focusing inward and finding our own inner power rather than relying on outside authority. The only external connection we make is with nature: listening closely to the flowing stream or opening your heart to the majesty of the mountains and receiving energy from the heavens and the earth. The human body is like a small universe mirroring the larger universe. Thus, we leverage the power and energy of Mother Nature to nurture and replenish this small universe. 

Emotions are closely related to your thinking patterns, but they do not always originate from you. This means that not all emotions are produced at the cognitive level. You might feel irritated, scared, or depressed without a clear reason. Trying to think harder to get rid of anxiety or depression often doesn’t help and can even make it worse.

There are several factors to consider: the surrounding environment plays a huge role in our emotional state, as well as our body's operation, as highlighted by Traditional Chinese Medicine. Disarrayed or cluttered energy can cause irritation or other emotional turbulence. Therefore, we can use the energy work to clear unwanted energy and restore balance. For example, grounding the overflowing qi or energy by standing barefoot on the lawn could release excess energy. This, in turn, rebalances the internal energy flow of the body and harmonizes the mood.