I first heard about Tong Ren a few years ago, when a friend of mine went to a workshop with her Mother. There were many people there with stories of miraculous recovery from various serious illnesses thanks to Tong Ren, and if you look it up online, you’ll find thousands more.
Not too long ago, I found out that people also do Tong Ren on animals, and had to learn more. I have communicated with several practitioners and the stories they tell are pretty amazing. We have three case studies in this post (all from Christine Taylor), and I don’t think it’s possible to read them and not want to try, or at least consider, Tong Ren for oneself and ones pets.
What Is Tong Ren?
It is an energy healing technique that was developed by acupuncturist, Tai Chi Chuan and Chi Gong healer Tom Tam.
The theory behind it is the same as with all energy healing methods: a blockage in the energy flow (chi) somewhere in your body has led to your current health problems. But the way you go about treating someone is very different from all the other energy healing methods we have talked about on this blog. The practitioner uses an acupuncture model (a small anatomical figure with acupuncture points on it) and taps on specific points (but can also use their intuition) related to the illness or ailment with a magnetic hammer. This helps remove the blockage, and once the energy is flowing freely again, the body can begin to heal itself.
It it also based the natural tendency of synchronicity and harmony, and Carl Jung’s theory of the “collective unconscious,” – the belief is that it is our collective unconscious minds that create the healing energy. You can’t consciously access your unconscious mind; therefore it is no use to think about the blockages that need to be cleared while tapping on the doll. In other words, don’t let your mind get in the way of the healing. Tom Tam says: “A child’s mind is purer than an adults and without resistance. That is why children are more effective when using the hammer technique than most adults.”
You don’t necessarily have to believe that it works in order for it to work, but it helps. Negative thoughts (or rejection) is also energy, and can therefore hinder the healing. To get the most benefit from Tong Ren, you should just accept the energy and allow it to heal.
The treatments can be done in person or over the phone with a practitioner, or in group sessions (called Guinea Pig Classes – all classes are called that, not just the ones for animals). The patient just relaxes while the practitioner(s) hammer on the doll(s), and you are usually asked how you’re feeling both during the “treatment” and afterwards.
Meet Christine Taylor
Today’s featured practitioner is Christine Taylor, founder and owner of BodyKneads Muscle Therapy in Whitinsville, MA. She has studied many different modalities and focuses her practice on Human and Equine massage, laser therapy, fitness and flexibility, animal communication, and Tong Ren for both humans and all types of animals. She also teaches workshops in Equine massage, saddle fitting, stretching and pressure release techniques.
Christine has generously offered to share three of her case studies with us here: A horse with colic and impaction, a dog with an abnormal growth, and a dog with skin cancer. But first, here are some questions I asked Christine after reading these amazing case studies:
Q: When you’re doing Tong Ren on an animal, is it most often in person or distance?
Most often via phone over distance
Q: What do you (or the animal’s owner) usually notice in the animal during the treatment?
People most often say that they feel heat or tingling sometimes tingling sensation creeps from the feet all the way up towards their head and they can feel their whole body pulsing, but sometimes people feel nothing. Animals just seem to relax or sleep.
Q: Are there any conditions in particular that respond better than others to Tong Ren?
I have found that biochemical illnesses and bioelectrical problems like nerve or speech problems seem to get the quickest results. But I have worked on skin tumors and growths that required about 6-8 sessions before they seemed to be gone.
Tong Ren Case Studies
by Christine Taylor
Musket – a 16-17 year old mixed breed gelding
I was contacted by a friend in Germany who’s 17-year old horse had colic and had been taken to the animal hospital because they could not get him comfortable and they suspected impaction. She called me after the horse had been at the hospital for a day or two. The vets had suggested that even after mineral oil treatment and feeling around in his intestines, there must be a deep impaction they could not loosen manually and therefore the horse should have exploratory surgery to find and release the impaction.
I contacted the horse (Musket). He told me he had not had any manure passing for two days and was in a lot of pain. He had had a change in feed and was not drinking because the water was too cold and made his stomach cramp.
I worked on his emotional state first… thinking I needed to calm him and relax him. For this I chose points GB13 and GB20. Then I worked on his mortorcortex to help relax the muscles. I then moved to his abdominal area where the actual pain was. After feeling some relief there, I worked on his entire spine and the points related to digestion: T7, 8, 9 T10, 11, 12 then also L1, 2, 3. I also went on some points that would help relieve toxicity (thinking he had not had any bowel movement).
There are mapped points for specific conditions. However in most of my treatments I follow my intuition and where the collective unconscious guides me to go. Each treatment therefore is different, and I do not decide to work anywhere ahead of time or during the treatments. I just allow the hammer and the “feeling” I get to guide me where to work.
That night I felt I had created some change in Musket and told him I would work on him again the next day. Because there is a 6-hour time difference, I worked on him again at 6 am the next day (noon their time).
Again I worked on the similar points but felt that he had loosened the impaction and it could move… I continued to work on his emotions, his abdomen and muscles and again on the digestive process and colon. I felt he would pass manure and be able to go home and he needed to drink lots of warm water.
About 10 am, Linda called me and said that when she had arrived at the hospital, Musket had had a massive release from his bowels and had made at least 4 piles of manure during the night and next morning! They had called her and said she could come and take Musket home and he was fine. I recommended that she give him some herbs and also hot water to drink during the winter. Linda did not believe that her horse would drink the hot water but when she tried it, she told me he drank a whole bucket down right away and continued to drink it. She has continued to offer him warm water and the herbs since last year and he has not had another episode of colic.
Jasmine – a 3-year old Doberman with an abnormal growth on her left paw
The owner Kim contacted me. She had taken Jasmine to the vet because there was a red strawberry-like tumor growing on her left paw and was told it was a benign tumor. I worked on her “ouch Point” mostly… the area where the tumor was growing (an ouch point is the area where the pain is or the surgery was, etc.). I did 2-3 treatments per week and worked on the points for the immune system (T1, 2, 3, 4, 7), a lot on T4 for skin, and also a lot on her spleen points for cleaning the blood and helping to move fluid around with BL9 and the medulla which is the point for the cardiac center (because the heart moves the blood, which moves the body fluid, which then goes to the kidneys which then clears the lymph from the skin, etc.). You can see it is a whole process of knowing the body systems and how the flow of healing goes through the body.
After 8 treatments, approximately 3 weeks later, the lesion was completely gone. Jasmine had been put on antibiotics as well, because a tissue sample showed some e-coli bacteria. So we can not say 100% of the healing was Tong Ren but a good chance is that there was some infection that took place and it was helped by both.
Micki – a dog with skin cancer
Kim had used my services prior to this. I had helped her other dog, Micki, when he was diagnosed with skin cancer on his face and anus 3 years earlier. Micki had only been given 6 months to live at that time. Kim asked me to do Tong Ren for Micki immediately after he was diagnosed (a skin biopsy was done) and did no other treatments for the cancer (partially because she thought he was going to die from it). Micki recovered after 6 weeks of Tong Ren treatments, and when the skin lesions appeared a second time, he was treated by me a few more times and he has remained cancer free since. After the cancer was gone and did not re-appear, the vets decided that he must have had something else.
Also see my post on how Christine used Tong Ren to help our dog Sadie with Cushing’s
Hi Charlene,
I’m sorry to hear about Ozzy’s troubles. I have two replies for you:
From Lisa Ruthig:
You don’t mention what symptoms Ozzy has now, so it is hard to say for sure, but massage and/or myofascial release may be helpful. Deep massage strokes can help break up scar tissue, and if the area is too painful for that to start, myofascial release can loosen up fascial tissue gently. Passive range of motion is key to maintaining and improving joint range. Look for a certified small animal massage therapist that was trained at a hands-on school with a substantial anatomy & physiology and pathology component. Myofascial release is often a modality learned through further training after certification. I wish you and Ozzy the best of luck!
From Dr. Beth Innis
Physical therapy would be best for sure!
Hi!
I am at my wits end with my beautiful black lab, Ozzy. Diagnosed with supraspinatus tenopathy in Jan, supposedly healed with scar tissue but remains chronic (????) very confusing, have done rest, very difficult, acupuncture, laser, brought him to angell to be assessed for shockwaves but that’s no guarantee
& seems like a lot of sedation for him. Currently doing golden paste daily for an inflammation & short walls, was told swimming is good. If you have time would love your thoughts. Years ago I did ton ren & enjoyed it. Thank you