What is Polarity Therapy?
A blend of several traditions, Polarity Therapy, is a holistic method or a system of energetic bodywork that maintains and improves a healthy lifestyle by balancing the flow of energy. It was developed by Dr. Randolph Stone and is a system that consists of exercise, bodywork, diet, and lifestyle counseling. The therapy’s purpose is to restore positive energy flow in the body. Moreover, it helps relieve numerous problems such as stress, breathing disorders, anxiety attacks, and hypertension. Six years of study and practice were involved in the culmination of this therapy. And it represents a combination of Western and Eastern healing techniques and principles. These techniques positively impact the spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional well-being of a person.
How does Polarity Therapy work?
In Polarity Therapy, several techniques are used to influence the energy balance and the energy flow within the body. Polarity therapy practitioners believe that the body suffers stress and trauma when there is a disturbance in the body’s energy flow. The practitioner starts by finding the sources of energy blockages and scans the body for symptoms. The sessions usually take up to 60-90 minutes, and the therapist uses interview methods, palpation, and observation to assess energetic attributes and symptoms. The symptoms can vary from person to person and may include muscle tension, pain in the shoulders and back, muscle spasm, discomfort, and more.
Once the therapist determines the source of energy imbalance in the patient, they start the session with a series of bodywork that releases and rechannel the person’s misdirected prana. Akin to massage, polarity therapist uses circulation motions and energetic pressure. The contact in the session may be light, medium, or firm and offers the patient a chance to slip into a state of deep relaxation. The therapist helps the patient in experiencing profound relaxation and increasing self-awareness of subtle energetic sensations. The therapist uses various techniques, including movement exercises and spinal realignment, to clear the energy blockage and the paths of energy fields. Take a look at the four areas of focus of Polarity Therapy:
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Stretches and Yoga Exercises
According to Dr. Stone, movement can free up stuck energy, hence facilitating the body’s healing process. Stretches and polarity yoga exercises help relieve the restrictions in the body while balancing the flow of energy. The various yoga poses used in polarity therapy use stretching movements or gentle rocking instead of traditional static. The key difference between traditional yoga and polarity therapy exercise is that it uses body movements along with vocal expression. The use of voice and gentle rocking stretches stimulate the flow of life energy.
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Nutrition
The energy in any matter helps identify the nature of that matter, and the same goes for our food. For instance, polarity therapists believe that a toxic and congested body is not favorable for a free-flowing life force. Therefore, in Polarity Therapy, the proper diet and food are as important as exercise and counseling. Consider it like this, using food with the opposing nature reduces the effects of a particular condition, while eating food with the exact nature increases it. Hence, a polarity therapist may often recommend following a cleansing regimen or a purifying diet to help rid the mind and the body of negative energy and toxins. According to the energetic qualities of food, a polarity therapist may suggest a diet that supports energy balancing during the session.
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Bodywork
Polarity Therapy related to bodywork aims to release tension in the physical body through a series of specific manipulations. The bodywork involved in Polarity Therapy is different from kneading and massaging; instead, it consists of the use of various kinds of touch to interface with the body and relieves it of stress and pressure. Polarity therapists use various bipolar holds just like in the cranial sacral and release the energy blockages. They may also use different types of pressure along with sound, vibration, and rocking to manipulate and adjust the body’s structures.
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Mind (Verbal counseling)
In Polarity Therapy, there is a belief that life energy is the link between mind and body. The way we think is what we become, and our thoughts directly affect the life energy in our bodies. For instance, our physical bodies will suffer if we surround ourselves with negative thoughts and the environment. This is where polarity therapy helps patients understand and respond well to self-acceptance and self-awareness. This therapy allows you to have a positive outlook and helps develop a positive attitude towards oneself and their body.
What is the link between polarity therapy and free-flowing energy?
The human body is a vast system of energy that has negative, positive, and neuter poles. Energy flows within these poles, and these energies must be free-flowing to maintain good health. Even though it may seem logical that the energy system’s balance remains static, it should be in a dynamic uninterrupted cyclic flow. It is here that polarity therapy poses a positive approach that helps maintain that balance and relieve the body of stress. Following are the states of energies that are a significant concept in polarity therapy:
- The receptive or negative aspect
- The outflowing or the positive aspect
- An integrating or neutral aspect
Polarity practitioners use the natural phenomenon of the movement of energy that is repulsion/attraction to track energy flow. The energy moves out from a central source (repulsion) and then returns to the original point (attraction). One can consider polarity therapy as a way to develop strong connections to other holistic and healing systems. Polarity therapy aims to unite and realign the mind, spirit, body, and emotions into vibrant health.
How does polarity therapy help in managing stress?
Many studies suggest that polarity therapy can offer different health benefits, including relieving the mind and body of stress. There is sufficient evidence that polarity therapy helps reduce stress. According to a 2012 study, participants who underwent polarity therapy experienced a significant reduction in depression and stress levels than those who didn’t. Take a look at the following various mental health benefits related to polarity therapy:
- Help reduce anxiety, stress, and tension
- It helps brings motivation, concentration, inspiration, and focus
- Decreases headaches and sleeplessness
- It helps in inducing a relaxing state and increases energy levels
- Eliminates self-sabotage tendencies, negativity cycles, and limiting beliefs
Stress is a silent killer, and it lurks inside a physically and mentally unfit person. One of the signs of being an unhealthy person is to resort to a breakdown and surround yourself with negative energy. Polarity therapy is a highly efficient way of balancing life energy and removing all the obstacles between you and healthier life. It is a holistic practice that inspires positive change and heals you emotionally and mentally.
Conclusion
The concept of polarity therapy depends on balancing and stimulating the flow of life energy within the human body. The therapy utilizes the concept that the body and mind are healthy as long as the body’s energy fields are flowing freely and if there is a blockage, it may present itself in the form of stress, pain, depression, etc. The therapy uses different methods and techniques to restore the balance of energies and accelerate the healing process that brings a spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally relieving experience.
