Balancing on the Steppes of Mongolia

Touch for Health emphasizes 'self-care' and personal responsibility for maintaining one's own health and a means to help others do the same. In June 2006, Alfred Manuel from Toulouse, France, accompanied by Catherine, traveled to one of the most geographically remote areas on Earth, the Steppes of Mongolia, to teach TFH.

In this photo, Manuel is on the left and Catherine on the right. Here they are balancing with their nomadic students in front of their very functional homes called Yurts (also known as Gers).

How many muscle tests can you identify in the photo?

It began to rain so hard that class went inside a yurt. From the photo it is easy to see that these homes are amazingly pretty and functional. Known by some as the original 'mobile home', these homes can be packed and moved relatively easily as the tribes continue their nomadic ways as they have for many generations.

The Mongolian Nomads are some of the last people on Earth to retain their ancient ways, but it can be seen from the photos that they now have solar electricity, TV and satellite dishes. Still, their life in some of the most remote places on Earth means self-reliance, something that Touch for Health can help provide to a greater degree.

Photo essay of the Nomads of Mongolia.

Alfred says, "TFH balancing definitely works. It's an honor for me to dedicate this adventure to John. It was an itinerant class, we walked on through the Steppes, horses carrying our things. Catherine also came and showed some French cooking recipes."

Alfred and Catherine spent three weeks in Mongolia and also visited the Gobi Desert while traveling.

It is obvious that Touch for Health can be practiced almost anywhere as witnessed from these photos!

Linda Reece of San Diego, California and Debbie Benson of Everette, Washington testing while aboard the Belle of Cincinnati. Dinner and dancing on the boat ride was an exciting part of the Touch for Health Kinesiology Association conference this year.

In the background is the Cincinnati skyline with the Great American Ball Park, on the left. The ballpark is the home of the Cincinnati Reds. Later in the evening, many aboard witnessed the 555th home run hit by Cincinnati native Ken Griffey, Jr. His homerun was followed by brilliant fireworks that lit up the sky. Luckily, there were two home runs that evening and we got to experience the fireworks twice while our riverboat cruised slowly down river. Our energy sure seemed to help the teams that night! Thanks, Ladies!

Arelene Green, TFH and PKP Instructor and Trainer from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Moku Busch, TFH instructor from Hawaii, attend a game at the Great American Ball Park during the THFKA conference in Cincinnati.

Home of the Cincinnati Reds, the ballpark is located along the winding banks of the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati. Fans get a scenic view of the river and the riverboats going by while sitting in the stands. Some homerun hitters can put the ball out of the park and into the river.

We made it to the stern of the Belle of Cincinnati as she sails beneath the golden arches of the I-471 bridge, officially known as the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge.

Daniel Carter Beard was known as a 'friend of children' and is best known as the founder of the Boy Scouts of America. He lived in Covington, Kentucky and was the author of 21 books on surviving and living in the outdoors. Covington is just north of 'Daniel Boone' country and Beard was heavily influenced by Boone.

This bridge is known locally as the "Big Mac Bridge" due to its golden arches and the fact that McDonalds wanted to build a floating restaurant nearby! The building of the bridge was very controversial.

While on the boat, I tested the ability to connect wirelessly with the Internet as touted in the area's LilyPad Project but did not have success.

Karen Beleck tests the Teres Major of Payge Hodapp while in front of the Great Serpent Mound in southeastern Ohio. This earthwork is commonly believed to be the largest serpentine earthworks and one of the most mysterious effigies in the world. It is uncertain who built the mounds nor do we know why. They were found in America when the Europeans began arriving and carbon dating puts their origin at around 1080 AD. In 1993, a study suggested that their alignments also could be used as an astronomical calendar.

One interesting aspect of effigies like these is that their full form can not be fully appreciated unless seen from the air, much like the Nazca Lines in Peru. This leads to interesting theories relating to their purpose.

Another theory examines the worship of serpents and how it is interwoven in human history and the advent of religion.

Derrick and Suzi, TFH novices, are gracious to be part of Balancing the World. They are on a beach along Lake Michigan, near Spring Lake, Michigan. This area is known as the 'west coast' of Michigan.

The sand in this area is soft and squeaks when you walk on it because of its quartz content. Due to its property of 'not sticking', it is prized for use in iron casting. There are conflicts between mining and protection of the sand dunes.

The lake is so big that it could almost be a sea! During the winter, the lake freezes and there can be icebergs 30 feet tall floating by! The lake moderates temperatures so that blueberries and cherries abound. The home of Gerber Baby food is nearby.

Balancing while balancing.
We are standing in Windsor, Canada with Detroit, Michigan and the Detroit River in the background. Detroit is where Dr. George Goodheart, DC, discovered Applied Kinesiology. The International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK) is "Going Home" in 2007 for their annual International Meeting.

Dr. John Thie, Dr. Walter Schmitt and myself were also born in Detroit relatively close to each other, (albeit in different generations). After the 2006 TFHKA Conference, we went on a Detroit adventure looking for beauty and history. Here are photos from the 2005 TFHKA Conference when Thie, Goodheart, Schmitt and many other founders and leaders of energy kinesiology were all together for the only time in history.

The Love of a Grandmother

Little baby Leo, 5 1/2 months old, was having difficulty staying upright in a sitting position. Luckily, Leo has a loving grandmother, Carol Gottesman, helping him. Carol is both a Nurse and a long-time practitioner and instructor in Touch for Health.

Carol, from Ohio says, "Here is a picture of me doing NLP points [neurolymphatic points] on my grandson, Leo. He is obviously loving it. I tested and balanced him, using myself as a surrogate. Afterwards, he sat taller, and by the way he was moving, you could see that he had more control of his back and neck muscles."

Famed TFH/PKP Instructor Arlene Green testing in front of a waterfall in Western North Carolina. The Appalachian Mountains, some of the oldest on Earth, run through this part of the state. Some of the most spectacular vistas in the U.S. can be seen here.

Many movies have been shot in this area and one of the most famous was the Last of the Mohicans. This was shot near Chimney Rock.

Students Susan Blanchett, left, and Gail Frost test the Trapezius of the Sandy Springs turtle while Pam Bryson tests the Fascia Lata of Gail.

These turtles, which are spread around the city, have become the unofficial mascots of the new city and each is decorated differently. This guy sits along our walk from the classroom to Whole Foods.

Battles for self-government continue around the world. We hold our TFH classes in the new city of Sandy Springs, just north of Atlanta. The residents of Sandy Springs have fought for over 20 years in the courts and legislature to be allowed to form their own city and on Jan. 1, 2006, the new city began functioning.

This turtle mascot of Sandy Springs is decorated with flags of the world.