If you're looking for a different types of alternative healing in Hong Kong to incorporate into your life, then these may be of interest
What does it mean to be well? Sure, eating healthy food and working out at one of the many gyms in Hong Kong can help, but what if you still feel under par? Our wellness maven Avelino Cortes decided to see if he could feel even better with the help of alternative healing in Hong Kong. Here’s what happened.
I’m fine, thanks. How are you?
I love a paracetamol.
If ever I have a mild ailment, like a cold or a headache, I’ll pop that magical pill and all will be right in my world. But is it really? Sometimes, it’s easier to look the other way than to face the truth and, quite often, many of us turn to conventional ways of healing our bodies. Popping a pill to get that ‘quick fix’ and hoping the ailment goes away is much easier than looking at what is actually causing the pain. Over the past few weeks, I’ve journeyed deeper into the world of spirituality to see how various alternative treatments work.
Alternative healing options in Hong Kong
1. SOUND OFF
If you’re unfamiliar with what a gong bath is, the session I experienced involved lying down as I absorbed and fully immersed myself in the sounds of a live gong. It’s a form of sound healing that takes the practitioner into a deep state of relaxation, often changing a person’s brainwaves to the theta state.
A sound experience will alleviate stress, relax muscles, and rejuvenate energy while clearing your mind of unnecessary clutter. What I find curious about this is that mediation gongs are serious pieces of hardware and Red Doors Studio’s impressive collection seem more geared towards an orchestral performance than lulling you into a lucid dream state.
But that’s indeed what happened! If you’d ask me where my mind peacefully drifted off to, I wouldn’t be able to to tell you. I can say that I wasn’t exactly asleep because I kept having visions of under-water rocks with openings and open doorways with vivid colours.
Result
Once again, I left feeling light, grounded and refreshed. Before experiencing the gong bath, I told myself to embrace my inner hippie, lie on the floor and let someone bang a symbol over my head to feel energetic and optimistic. As a result I have been able to experience a better quality of sleep.
2. TUNE IN
Tuning fork therapy is a non-invasive healing technique that harmonises the human energy field. The therapy is based on the belief that sound and vibration pass through the body and elicit a response within, while those systems in return respond to the sound and vibration that are activated by different tuning forks.
Alice Yuen of Alive Wellness asked me to set an intention for the session then DING! off we went to harmonise my energy fields. So what happened? Full disclosure – I fell asleep. Well it felt like I was conscious and concentrating on the buzzing I was engulfed in, but then I would catch myself with little snorts that would jolt me awake.
Result
I wasn’t really sure I was feeling any different to be honest… sure I had a quick power-snooze which made me all refreshed as I left. But then, that evening, I managed to process all the stuff I had to do the following day in a clear way. I felt kind of calm in myself; I didn’t have that dusty post-TV-binge feeling and I wasn’t experiencing headaches as I occasionally do when I’m rushing around doing things during the day. Even a week later, I think I felt more positive about life.
3. ENERGY BOOST
The Yuen Method of Chinese Energetic Medicine is a non-invasive and touch-free healing technique that strengthens the mind against negative thoughts and emotions and outside influences. The technique relaxes the body so it can heal itself. It is also a tool of empowerment because it gives you the means to take healing into your own hands.
It’s difficult to put into words exactly what this technique entails but I can say that Peggy Chui of Quantum Health Centre knows what she is talking about!
Result
It was eerie how everything that Peggy said resonated with me, despite not knowing any personal information. This has led to some (further) changes in my diet and consequently a healthier gut.
4. PINS & NEEDLES
The next stop on my journey of healing was at IMI: Integrated Medical Institute where I saw Galit Cohen Nagar for a round of Japanese acupuncture, which differs to traditional Chinese acupuncture in two main ways:
#1 A strong emphasis on touch – Galit felt her way around my body a lot before inserting any needles at all. There tends to be a lot of interaction between acupuncturist and patient as feedback is critical to guiding the treatment.
#2 Thinner needles – Japanese acupuncturists use very thin needles and insert them very shallowly. They are so thin that I didn’t feel any sensation whatsoever throughout the entire treatment.
Result: Some people favour the traditional Chinese approach but for me the outcome was immediate and equally powerful. Galit recommended that I combine this type of acupuncture treatment with yoga, meditation or other lifestyle adjustments (eg – diet), to help maintain the improvements experienced during my session.
5. NUMBERS & TOUCH
Numerology is the belief in a mystical relationship between a number and any event. You can use numerology as a sort of weather report to keep perspective and find empowerment in all sorts of situations, creating your own story as life goes on. I went along to Corie Chu Healing to see what it was all about.
Corie asked me for my birth date, did a few sums to come up with a series of numbers that mapped out my life – past, present and future. If you’re like me, numbers are as confusing as Donald Trump’s hair… #idontgetit, but I was once again transfixed by how well a virtual stranger, with no previous background info, knew me so well through a series of random numbers on a piece of paper.
After being faced with some home truths, Corie asked me to lie down for a reiki session.
Reiki is used to restore harmony to our mind, body and spirit. The idea is that by using gentle touch, the energy in your body will be balanced, thereby creating healing.
Much like my experience with the tuning forks and sound bath therapies, I’m pretty sure I fell asleep. But I vividly remember seeing loads of colours swirling around and my head popping out of the ocean at one stage. Corie told me that during our session she had visions of under-water rocks with openings, which if you remember, correlated with what I saw during the sound bath therapy… coincidence!?
Result: Corie is a warm and nurturing character that makes you feel at ease almost immediately. Echoing a testimonial on her website – the numerology reading was uncannily accurate and whilst I didn’t experience any specific revelations, she helped me clarify a sense of purpose and belief in myself, that has boosted my confidence. That’s surely something a little panadol can’t fix!
Read our interview with Corie Chu.
6. INTUITION
The intimacy of the guided one-on-one sessions led me to work with Gina Robinson, an intuitive guide. She started her spiritual journey over ten years ago, using meditation and alternative therapies to develop her innate healing and intuitive abilities. With a gift for gently guiding people to recognise and understand their own patterns, Gina’s engaging style uses questions and stories to enable her clients to pinpoint the core of the issue.
What exactly happens during a session with Gina?
Effectively I felt like I was just chatting to a friend who wanted to see me win at life. Over a series of sessions, she provided me with simple exercises that increased my awareness and outlook for the positive.
Result: Like with Corie, Gina has an amazing presence and aura that rubs off so you strive to be the best you can be. Since my time with her came to an end, I have found myself using some of the techniques to shake negative thoughts and patterns from my day-to-day. I’ve even used one or two in lieu of reaching for that little white magical pill!
Conclusion
So the burning question on everyone’s lips: Do you still love paracetamol? Absolutely! I also found out that it works a treat if you pop them at the end of a night of indulgence and then again when you wake up… it’s a miracle!
What! Did you not learn anything from your healing journey?
Well the answer to that is: sort of. Much like the 30 Day Yoga Journey I embarked on, I feel like the most important thing I’ve taken away is that it is all down to me. Much of what I have done might seem like a bit of woo woo, but if you’re open to it, I think that can play a huge part in your mind and body’s ability to heal.
