Chi Nei Tsang = Oriental Visceral Bodywork

Chi Nei Tsang (pronounced chee-nayt-song) is a traditional Oriental visceral bodywork that was introduced to North America only 40 years ago. CNT works to balance and invigorate the internal organs gently and effectively, and improves emotional and physical digestion. Tao Touch is the gentler North American evolution of CNT. Tao Touch pays more attention to calming the nervous system & the emotional body

The three pillars of CNT are breathwork, applied qigong, and beautiful manual technique – all three are addressed in each absorbing workshop. Unwind the Belly workshops feature very clear demonstrations of effective techniques, followed by hands-on lab work. The labs are punctuated with qigong practice and oriental five element theory, as well as visceral anatomy. In instructor Peter TS Melnychuk’s September 2019 CNT Fundamentals Workshop, student evaluations rated Presentation – 9.4/10, Quality of Content – 9.8/10. Unwind the Belly CNT Workshops also provide each student with a workbook featuring large print, photos, & descriptions of the CNT techniques learned – an invaluable clinical reference tool.

(the classes below count toward certification with the Chi Nei Tsang Institute in Berkeley, CA)

Universal Healing Tao Basics

In the Universal Healing Tao Basics we learn the simple invigorating qigong practices first introduced to North America 30 years ago by Master Mantak Chia. Included are the Inner Smile, a simple Taoist technique to wake up your immune system; the Microcosmic Orbit, a way to refine and distribute the life force (qi) throughout your body;  as well as the Six Healing Sounds, where we balance specific internal organs systems and their associated emotions, & transform stress into vitality. As a new students recently observed after doing qigong for only 2 days, “I noticed myself walking around with a big smile on face for no particular reason.”  We also learn

Iron Shirt, including

Embracing the Tree (to ground & build stamina)Earth Qigong (for grounding and energy building)

Bone Breathing (great for osteoporosis, vitality)

Bone Dreaming (sleeping qigong)

bonus (time allowing) – Jesus Sitting Qigong (the frequency of bliss)

There is no prerequisite for the Universal Healing Tao Basics. All are welcome. This class is a new prerequisite for CNT certification through the Chi Nei Tsang Institute in Berkeley, CA.

Universal Healing Tao Basics, dates TBD July 2025 (one evening + one day), Edmonton, AB

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Chi Nei Tsang Fundamentals

Each day we begin with the basics of Chi Nei Tsang – connecting with the energies of heaven and Earth (thru qigong), nourishing ourselves with extra qi (life force) so that we have extraordinary energy for our sessions.

Our initial focus is the Metal organs, the organs of elimination — the skin, the lungs, and the large intestine. We learn how to repattern and expand our client’s breathing, and to sense areas of chi stagnation. We gradually begin to distinguish between physical & emotional charges that burden the body.

Our sense of touch is refined, and we develop an awareness & healthy respect for our clients’ barriers. We awaken our own capacity to lead clients into a deep healing state. Once the client accesses this parasympathetic state, almost any technique or therapy we use with them will be tripled in power.

We learn the amazing protocol of Opening the Wind Gates — a traditional technique to release stagnant life force. Days 3 and 4 focus on ancient touch techniques to work with the energies of the Earth organs (stomach,duodenum, pancreas/spleen) and the Wood organs (liver, gall bladder). We are taught specific detoxification protocols.

Years of student evaluations note one of the best features of the Fundamentals workshop is the guided 45 minute CNT flow sequence of many of the learned techniques applied in sequence. Each student has the opportunity to fill the role of both the practitioner and the client. Student confidence rises exponentially after this part of the workshop.

The cutting edge Taoist techniques shared are superb for clients suffering from IBS, or constipation. Many of your clients will report the elimination or reduction of headaches, anxiety, heartburn, and acid reflux. Many lower back issues & some shoulder problems will diminish as you apply what you have learned.

CNT/ Tao Touch Fundamentals, 27-30 Mar 2025, (4 days), Corazon de Jaguar Healing Center, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, with Peter TS Melnychuk.

CNT/ Tao Touch Fundamentals, Dates TBD July 2025, (4 days), Providence Renewal Centre, Edmonton, Canada with Peter TS Melnychuk.

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There is no prerequisite for taking the CNT/ Tao Touch Fundamentals, all are welcome; but for Certification Track, the prerequisite is Healing Tao Basics.

Advanced Chi Nei Tsang (Tao Touch)

Advanced Chi Nei Tsang/ Tao Touch is a four day workshop. Days 1 & 2 are focused on Classical Chi Nei Tsang – the most effective old school techniques & protocols still practiced in Asia today. Days 3 & 4 of Advanced CNT dwell on powerful techniques from the contemporary North American style of Chi Nei Tsang.

Our days begin by embodying the five elements with Five Healing Intelligences nei gong. Then we ground ourselves with Earth Relationship qigong, and build our life force from the marrow out with Bone Breathing qigong. The remainder of the days are filled with clear demos and hands-on labs, punctuated by clinical examples, theory, and anatomy. Each student receives an invaluable clinical reference, an illustrated workbook with explanations, space for notes, & step-by-step descriptions of the techniques covered.

Student evaluations for the most recent Advanced Chi Nei Tsang (Tao Touch) workshop (Feb 2019) rated it as follows (out of 10):

• Workshop Content 10.0/10 “very detailed & concise”
• Instructor’s Delivery of Material 10.0/10 “I liked it all, the demos are awesome & it is presented so you can remember & go back & look it up”
• Workbook 9.8/10 “neat & orderly”, “each page provided so much”
• Cost 9.5/10

Topics and techniques covered include:

Opening the navel

Opening the front line

Opening the bagua – all in the classical style

The five lower burner points

Make space for Earth & Wood – while freeing the diaphragm

Chasing the wind that causes headaches

Chasing the wind that attacks the gall bladder meridian and causes TMJ

Chasing the 1st wind – that attacks the liver, pericardium, & heart

Chasing the 9th wind – that makes the legs and feet tired

How to optimize the water organs – the kidneys and bladder

Optimizing yang fire – the small intestine

Two methods to release the psoas muscles

Chinese Medicine 24 hour body clock

Balance each of the twelve meridians with applied qigong

A protocol to overcome hiatal hernia, acid reflux, & GERD

How to mirror & relax the nerves of the spine

How to relax the vagus nerve, & decouple the fight or flight response in the body

CNT Fundamentals is the prerequisite for Advanced CNT (Healing Tao Basics is recommended, but not mandatory).

Advanced Chi Nei Tsang (Tao Touch), dates TBD Sept 2025 (Thurs thru Sun, 4 days), Providence Renewal Centre, Edmonton, Canada with Peter TS Melnychuk

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Healing The Emotional Body with Chi Nei Tsang (Tao Touch)

Healing The Emotional Body with CNT (Tao Touch) is a five day workshop.  The retreat setting, which includes evening classes, helps create a safe and cohesive setting for deep emotional processing. We will sometimes work in groups of three in order to effectively bypass the body’s emotional denial system. As in previous levels, we punctuate the hands-on labs with qigong practice & remarkable information about the process of healing. Don’t miss this workshop – this is the first time it will be offered since 2010! In this workshop we learn:

the Denial system – the Emotional Guardian of our body

the 5 Healing Intelligences

the 6 Conditions of Healing

the 5 Elements and the Cycle of Surrender

to map the Emotional Colon; & to map the Emotional Body

the Peace Touch

how to locate the Emotional Closet Doors

the Mother/ Father Hip Release

Most experienced CNT practitioners will tell you this workshop, which focuses on healing the emotional body, is their favorite of all CNT workshops. Most have repeated it several times for their own benefit.

The CNT (Tao Touch) Fundamentals workshop is the prerequisite for Healing the Emotional Body with CNT (Tao Touch)

Dates TBD, (a retreat, one evening + 4.5 days) with Peter TS Melnychuk

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Visceral Anatomy: an East/West Perspective

Do you approach the viscera with curiosity but trepidation? Would you like to develop a holographic sense of the internal anatomy? Would you like to build your palpation skills and be able to treat the core effectively in the gentlest way possible? Here is your class.

The two day Visceral Anatomy class (directed not just at CNT practitioners but at any manual therapist) focuses on the topography of the internal organs, noting easily remembered bodily landmarks to help locate specific structures. Diagrams, slides, and photos are punctuated with hands-on lab time. We endeavour to develop a felt sensation for each viscera structure, and learn how to gently treat by first determining and then encouraging the specific “orbit” of each internal organ.  The eastern perspective traces the 12 oriental meridians, the rivers of energy transporting visceral energy through the body; as well as the traditional asian dermatomes, areas on the superficial surface of the abdomen that can be palpated in order to treat specific organs.

There is no prerequisite for the Visceral Anatomy Class.

Visceral Anatomy, 25-26 January 2025 (2 days), Corazon de Jaguar Healing Center, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chis, Mexico, with Peter TS Melnychuk

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