by Georgi Ilchev – President Bowen Association of Bulgaria
WE ARE all captivated and inspired by the results that can be achieved with Bowen therapy. Throughout our training, the Bowtech curriculum offers dozens of procedures and moves that enrich our practice, both at basic level and in the advanced SBP-1 and SBP-2 modules.
Among these, there are shining examples used daily in our practice, as well as others that we reserve for non-resolving or chronic cases.
But what of those moves with very specific indications, which we use only very rarely… those I call the unsung heroes. Over time, each therapist begins to adapt and build their own approach, frequently relying on a specific set of Bowen procedures and moves. This can lead to the gradual neglect of other procedures; I even know of therapists, where due to lack of use, who have forgotten that certain Bowen procedures do in fact exist!
However, some of these procedures are like valuable objects around us that we don’t regard as precious simply because we don’t realise their worth.
These procedures can often become the quick, easy and convenient solutions for many of our clients and we urgently need to highlight, revive and use them more frequently. In every part of the Bowtech training, there is at least one such ‘rough diamond’.
In this first of a series of articles for Bowen Training UK, I have highlighted one of my favourite procedures which I hope will prove useful to Bowen students and therapists.
From the basic Modules 5 and 6, I am using the Thoracic procedure more frequently, consisting of a combination of upper stoppers, supine respiratory and neck moves, addressing a range of complaints involving the upper back and thoracic area.
Often, the effects of the Thoracic procedure are nearly instantaneous, or may take up to 24 hours to manifest. Over the years, I have been constantly impressed by how effective this procedure is and perhaps even more so, by how reluctant therapists are to use it.
As an instructor I discovered the main reason for this hesitation is the procedure comprises only a few moves that when performed without a break take just 1-2 minutes. Afterward, a long break is required marking the end of the current session. Many students feel uneasy about working this way, often worrying the impact applied may seem insufficient, the client may think they lack knowledge or perhaps they are concerned about justifying their fee for such a short treatment.
All of this is completely unjustified and does not reflect the reality. By disregarding the primary Bowen principle of ‘less is more’ and measuring their Bowen sessions with time and quantity of moves rather than with effectiveness, they underestimate the quality of their work. A good therapist should not tie their work to time or quantity of moves but solely to the results achieved.
Editor’s note: More ‘unsung heroes’ in future articles.