Glossary

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Kentro

Kentro body balance is a technique of gentle centering and balancing movements that stretch, exercise, relax, limber, and strengthen every area of the body.

Founded by Angelika Thusius, Kentro is based on her observation of people around the world who move with ease into an advanced age. Kentro movements can be practiced by anyone and are easily integrated into everyday activities for muscular and joint relief.

Kinesiology/Applied Kinesiology

Kinesiology is the study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy related to human body movement, specifically the action of individual muscles or groups of muscles that perform specific movements. Applied kinesiology involves muscle testing to assess a client’s condition. Click here to find a kinesiologist.

Kinetic Awareness

Developed by dancer/choreographer Elaine Summers, kinetic awareness is a system of bodywork that aims to increase knowledge of the human body by understanding tension as a positive and necessary part of movement affecting health, attitude, and emotional well-being.

Designed to improve mental image, clients can gain a heightened sensitivity to posture and movement. All parts of the body are encouraged to be free to move in all directions possible. A goal of kinetic awareness is to free the body so it is always moving away from pain and toward pleasure.

There are five phases of awareness: attention to breathing, simultaneous movement of body parts, level of tension, speed of movement, and relation to others.

Korean Martial Therapy

This is a deep-tissue modality that includes massage strokes, body movement, stretches, pressure point therapy, yum yang therapy, and Korean energy work. Gentle on the practitioner, Korean Martial Therapy (KMT) may be performed with the client on a table, the floor, or in a chair and may or may not incorporate the use of oils.

Derived from Hapkido and traditional Korean medicine, KMT began as self-therapy stretches that were found useful for keeping warriors in top condition and helping them recover quickly from injury.

Kripalu Bodywork

The Kripalu bodyworker guides the client into a state of deep relaxation and meditation for the purpose of releasing physical and mental tension. This technique, based on Kripalu yoga, uses specific massage strokes and verbal/nonverbal procedures to aid clients in reconnecting with their body’s own healing wisdom.

Kriya Massage

Kriya is defined as spontaneous energy movement. Kriya Massage, developed by Kamala Renner in 1980, emphasizes the intuitive aspect by the practitioner in flowing with the kriya movement while performing the massage. It is an art form that integrates the universal, life-affirming flow of energy between the practitioner and client, with any classical massage techniques integrated into the dance.

Kriya Massage is a bodywork dance with the individual creating her own style in harmony with four universal forces. The strokes and techniques are a combination of energy work, Swedish, neuromuscular, and somato-emotional release work done in a connected smooth pattern.

The experience of a Kriya Massage is one of stepping out of time and space as a means of taking inventory of one’s condition, then allowing the subconscious to shift and adjust programmed responses to life. The healing quality of Kriya Massage is accomplished by transforming attitudes. Giving, as well as receiving, a Kriya Massage is a regenerating experience.

(Adapted from Holistic Health Directory.)

Kundalini Energization

This is a form of healing energy in which the objective is to raise the client’s Kundalini energy for the purpose of spiritual enlightenment.

First, the chakras and energy bodies are thoroughly cleansed and balanced by undergoing RoHun transformational therapy, a therapy based on Carl Jung and his theory of archetypes, the personal and collective unconscious, and spiritual awareness.

The therapist then performs noninvasive, light physical touch and manipulation of the chakras and energy bodies through use of the hands.