Eithne Kennedy

Did you know that Kinesiology can help you identify the self-limiting beliefs that stop you from getting more out of life?  Did you know that Kinesiology also provides you with the tools to address these beliefs and make friends with yourself so you can move forward in your life with freedom and vitality???

A lot of people associate kinesiology with testing for food intolerances and nutritional imbalances.  Kinesiology is great for these, but it also has a whole host of other techniques in the ‘toolkit’ that can help you to become ‘unstuck’.  In Chinese medicine there are different emotions, colours, foods, sounds associated with each organ so it makes sense that dealing with emotional blocks is central to feeling at ease in your body.

The muscle test (that you may be familiar with) is a test of the nervous system’s response to challenge.  The kinesiology techniques that I use allows me to test for balance in the organs.  When an organ is out of balance, I test to assess whether it needs nutritional or emotional support.     If nutritional support is required, I will find the nutrient that is needed; if emotional support is required, I will test to assess the best emotional support for this person, at this point in time.  Emotional support can include:

• EFT (tapping acupressure points to release built up emotion, sometimes using affirmations),
• NLP (stress release to reinforce positive neural pathways in the brain and weaken negative neural pathways),
• ESR (Emotional Stress Release),
• Flower remedies (Bach/Australian Bush Flowers/Desert Alchemy). 

Often a combination of these tools are used in one session, the muscle test is always my guide and the body will only take someone where they are ready to go so its important that I don’t make assumptions or try to impose my will at any point!

Case Study:

Jean (not her real name) came to me feeling reasonably well physically but with a history of anxiety, poor sleep and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  She was doing very well at work in a high-pressure environment, she wasn’t sure it was what she really wanted to do but couldn’t find the time or the headspace to explore other avenues or to enjoy more time with her friends and family. Jean was curious to try kinesiology as a friend had mentioned it, but she wasn’t really sure what to expect.

We started muscle testing and the first imbalance was around Jean’s adrenal glands; they appeared to be depleted which is not unusual for people with busy lives and/or a lot of stress.   The muscle test identified a vitamin supplement to balance Jean’s adrenal glands and we proceeded.

The second part of the session showed that Jean was carrying a lot of internalised anxiety. In Chinese medicine, the Kidneys and Bladder hold fear and anxiety; Jean’s Kidney ‘reflex’ was out of balance and the muscle test indicated that the cause was emotional.  Using a combination of muscle testing and discussion we established that Jean finds it difficult to ask for help and puts herself under huge pressure to achieve.  Even when she was overwhelmed with work and/or family commitments, she did not believe it was acceptable to let anyone know that this was the case and she would take on additional responsibility with a smile. 

Jean held herself to an incredibly high standard, she was often worried that she wouldn’t be able to complete all that she had taken on, but it also made it impossibly anxious for her to say no.   Much of this pattern stemmed from a much younger time so we used a combination of tapping and affirmation ‘I have permission ask for help and to prioritise my happiness’ to release the accumulated anxiety.  Jean committed to working with these affirmations and tapping for several days; we also identified a Bach remedy to support her in this work.

The next time I saw Jean she was sleeping a lot better, was less anxious and her digestion had greatly improved.  She had started giving herself permission to ask for help, and to say when she had enough on her plate, without feeling anxious.    She also noticed that she now had enough time and space to start thinking about what she wanted from life, rather than accommodating everyone else.  Jean has also started to see the onset of anxiety or digestive symptoms as a warning from her body that she’s putting herself under pressure and to make sure she’s allowing time for rest and recuperation, particularly when life is busy.

We have continued to work together to help Jean connect with what brings her joy and how to bring more of that into her life.  I’m excited to see where this will take her!

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I am writing this from a friend’s house in the hills of Co Wicklow, not far from Glendalough.  

Only a few hours ago, I was in the midst of the busy-ness of Dublin city, perfectly happy but also slightly on edge; not completely relaxed. 

Now, I am sitting at a window that overlooks leafy deciduous trees, marvelling at the variety of colours, all of which we call ‘green’.  I can see and hear a myriad of small birds swooping about and I feel content, calm and grateful.

Critical to Wellbeing

Being in remote places, close to an abundance of nature is not everyone’s thing; there are plenty of people who much prefer the buzz and convenience of city living. But I think that, since the recent COVID lock-down, we’re all agreed that access to some sort of green space is critical to our sense of wellbeing. 

Deep down, we ‘know’ that proximity to nature is hugely beneficial and this is borne out in many studies – even pictures of the natural world can regulate stress hormones, respiration, heart rate and sweating  – calming us down and sharpening our performance.

Spending time in nature is SO important… make sure to stop and appreciate it; remember to breathe deeply! 

Even if you can’t get out into a forest, lie on the grass in the park, place your hand on a tree trunk or just sit and watch as birds fly or flowers bloom and know that what surrounds you is as alive as you are.  

The natural world is a wonderful source of Prana/chi (life force) and it provides a free reset for your nervous system, nurturing all of your being!

As the country slowly re-opens after three months of lockdown, we find ourselves in yet another transition; emerging from our cocoons and moving into a life that is still far from ‘normal’. 

February 2020 seems like another lifetime and our muscle for uncertainty is being endlessly tested as we move tentatively forward.    

There are plenty of great things about this new phase – I have a renewed appreciation for the things I once took for granted, like spending time with family and friends, being able to drive to the country to get out into nature, etc. 

Running alongside this appreciation is discomfort about the degree of uncertainty surrounding how life might look in the coming months… and it seems I am not alone. 

‘Re-Entry Anxiety’

Psychologists are referring to our current feeling of unease about emerging from lockdown as a form of ‘re-entry anxiety’ (a term usually used to describe the experience of young soldiers returning to society after war) [Irish Independent 12/07/20].   

Just as we were getting used to things being one way, they have changed again and this has left a lot of us feeling rattled.  It’s also worth noting that many people are finding the end of lockdown difficult – fear of getting sick, anxiety about the return to work/study or about the isolation of working from home, concerns about finance, etc.  If the feeling of worry or anxiety becomes persistent, it can be difficult to enjoy even the small pleasures of life.

Symptoms of Anxiety

Anxiety is a term that can describe feelings ranging from occasional flutters of fear to nausea, an inability to cope, and panic attacks.  None of these are comfortable but the far end of the scale can be debilitating and very challenging to deal with. 

One of the main physical symptoms experienced when we’re anxious is shortness of breath and/or tightening in the chest or belly. Paying attention to our breath is a great way to press ‘pause’ on anxious feelings.  Regulating the breath helps our nervous system to return to ‘Rest & Digest’, which is where we feel more relaxed.  One study has shown decreased levels of cortisol (stress hormone) and increased attention span after deep breathing.

Breathing Practices to Combat Anxiety

I use a variety of Yogic breathing practices to keep myself steady (Yoga teachers are not immune to stress!!) and I also teach these practices to my clients and students. One of the simplest of these is a combination of a kinesiology technique and breathing practice: if you’re feeling overwhelmed, place one hand on your forehead, the other on your belly (this bit is optional… depends on where you are!!) and bring your attention to your breathing.  Inhale through your nose for a count of 4, pause for a count of 4, exhale through your nose for a count of 4 and pause for a count of 4.  Repeat this at least 3 times, ideally for 4 minutes.  If a count of 4 feels like too much, just count to 3 instead. 

This practice can help to ease anxiety in the moment and will have great benefit if you can commit to practising it at least once daily. 

Don’t take my word for it, give it a try and see how you feel!

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