What is Koshi Balancing / Sotai?

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Koshi-Balancing is the culmination of Jeffrey's years spent studying with masters of acupuncture, teishin, bodywork, movement arts, and the martial arts. It represents a marriage of subtle bodywork, movement work, and acupuncture (or teishin-enshin techniques). 

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Bob's work in Yin Sotai should be seen as an evolution of Dr. Keizo Hashimoto's Sotai-ho in an even gentler direction. Bob has been Jeffrey’s student since 2004 and  has worked moved Sotai in an even gentler direction. In addition, he has penned the one book we have in English on the teishin and enshin.

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This workshop is designed for all interested: Students, novice and experienced practitioners. No experience in Traditional Japanese Medicine is necessary—we look at acupuncture as a special kind of manual medicine. Our focus throughout will be on practical skill development and mastery of the basics. Because we will use teishins and enshins, it is also appropriate for non-acupuncturists.

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In this online webinar Jeffrey & Bob will demonstrate how, using resonance, the axes of movement in the body, and Sotai we can dramatically reduce the number of points we need to treat and can improve the patient’s freedom in movement. In addition, we will explore the fascial anatomy of the abdomen and back and show how this plays a key role in the KB approach.

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Additional Resources Located Here...

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Brief Overview of Seminar...

In this course Jeffrey Dann, Ph.D, LAc. and Bob Quinn, DAOM, LAc. explore how far Koshi-Balancing has come since its inception. Jeffrey will stroll down memory lane in a lecture tracing how KB has developed and changed. Bob will demonstrate what KB looked like in 2004 when he first studied with Jeffrey. He will then demonstrate how this protocol can be streamlined using teishin techniques in the hara and the use of resonance (ganying). In the resonance technique, we treat two points at the same time.

 

This course will be taught with a focus on the teishin and manual techniques. As such, it is appropriate for all professions that use manual therapy. We will use teishins and enshins—no needling techniques will be taught, although of course KB can be practiced with needles. 

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We will explore the supine and prone positions, the upper body, the hara, and the cervicals. 

 

 

Participants are encouraged to have a partner they can practice on as a model; 

affords an opportunity for  the learning to immediately come alive. 

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Day one...

Introduces the original Koshi Balancing assessment and treatment. Jeffrey will discuss the evolution of his KB thinking over time and how the treatment has changed. He will demonstrate how to gently assess the various axes of movement in the body. Also demonstrated will be teishin hara treatment options and attention to releasing restrictions in the center line (Chong, Ren, Du) to reduce the number of leg points that need to be treated. A resonance assessment and treatment protocol will be introduced to demonstrate how the treatment of just a few leg points can release the constraint held in the entire body. Normal and Yin Sotai movements that are part of the KB supine protocol will also be reviewed. Starting with the Japanese idea of the Pattern of Distortion as a point of departure, Jeffrey will explain the concept of the Patterns of Engagement.

 

In the afternoon Jeffrey will demonstrate manual fascial therapies and Sotai movements in the abdomen and back. 

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Day Two... 

  We explore supine KB—how did it look in 2004, how does using the teishin on the hara and the back reduce the points on the legs that need to be treated? How can we employ resonance to further economize our work?  We will explore techniques and Sotai for shoulder alignment and thoracic-cervical alignment with particular emphasis on the first rib as well as for the C-1 cervical-cranial zone. We will discuss and explore the neural pathways of the vagus nerve and its association with cranial nerves. The 11th accessory nerve is explored for its relationship with the sternocleidomastoid and mid-trapezius muscles. A key emphasis will be on teishin techniques for regulating vagal tone.

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At the completion of this seminar, participants will emerge with:​

• An understanding of the principles of Koshi Balancing, Sotai, Yin Sotai, and Teishin work

• An ability to perform Koshi-Balancing assessment and Sotai moves in the prone position—lumbar-pelvic and thoraco-lumbar alignments

• A knowledge of Koshi-Balancing techniques for shoulder and cervical alignments

• Teishin techniques for unwinding fascial restrictions (e.g. abdominal, paraspinal, SCM and scalenes), i.e., the fascial Listen-and-Follow technique

• An understanding of how to assess 4 key sphincters; KI-21/22 (LES); CV-12 (Pyloric); ST-23 (Oddi); ST-27 (Ileocecal Valve)

• A knowledge of how to assess the axes of movement