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a less forceful approach but also seemed kinder to the body. These less forceful approaches utilised body positioning and the tensity of the tissue to facilitate the correction.

One of the most eminent researches studied and utilised Eastern methods of therapy and from their theories developed new physical techniques to match the criteria. Dr George Goodheart developed from Chinese Meridian Theory a series of muscle tests that correlated with the diagnostic method of pulse diagnosis used in Acupuncture. Collected pages of Dr. G. Goodheart. Acupuncture and the knowledge of the meridian system are thousands of years old. Applied Kinesiology is one of the very few systems that has added new information to the ancient knowledge. Walther, D.S. (preface) Applied Kinesiology.

These muscle tests soon became a reliable and empirical backdrop to understanding the links between Eastern and Western methodology. With muscle tests, he demonstrated the effectiveness of a technique and a reliable form of diagnosis and post checking. Even the Swedish massage that I initially practised was developed by a Swedish doctor Peter Ling from a Chinese backdrop. This sparked for me an interest in Eastern methods of therapy and lifestyle. My other interest in the East had also begun in 1970 when I began studying Japanese Karate. After studying for fifteen years, I discovered many of the Japanese masters were also doctors of Japanese medicine.

In 1985, I began my study of an ancient form of Japanese warrior principles. The Grandmaster of this school was a Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi and was the holder of ancient scrolls of nine schools of martial arts and a school of ancient medicine. His daytime occupation was a Seitai practitioner, which translates to a Japanese form of Osteopathy.

I initially met with Dr Hatsumi when he came to England for the first time in 1986 to demonstrate his martial principles. Although his martial skills were frighteningly effective, another quality shone from him. He was friendly, gentle and his body movement was graceful. He seemed to have plenty of time to evade attacks made on him during demonstrations and seemed to float as he walked through various techniques.

I watched in awe of a man twenty years my senior, working with ease and with fingertip precision to lock his opponents in tangled body configurations. To learn that this man practised as an Osteopath totally intrigued me and made me ponder as to his methodology. As he practised martially, he would say “Budo and Medicine are the same!” and if medicine was practised poorly, it could kill. He told us to study nature and learn from nature and that natural movement was all that was required to maintain health.

That day in 1986 changed me, I had found my mentor, a man who practised my hobby and my occupation and described them as being one. I changed from a hard physical disciplined Karate to a softer evasive body defence method. This also influenced my decision to stop manipulating in the standard Osteopathic method and study Dr. Hatsumi’s naturalistic approach.