Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/259468
I t p a y s t o b e A B M P C e r t i f i e d : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 111 Often taking some form of a "t" shape, this symbol acknowledges the concrete world but also reflects humanity's ability to climb to reach a higher realm. 2 Virtually every culture has employed a circle or zero shape to represent the origins of the universe. 3 Among Tibetan monks, the circle is used in various forms to represent the multidimensional fields of consciousness. To Native Americans, it represents wholeness and healing. Little wonder that many perceive the circle as being linked to basic cellular and atomic functions, and able to produce therapeutic benefits; for example, meditation through drawing or coloring circular mandalas. 4 In the West, we must attribute the concept of universal shapes to Plato, who described the five basic shapes now called the Platonic solids. According to Plato, these shapes corresponded to the four natural elements that compose all physical and spiritual reality. For example, the square represents the earth element and is the most immobile and stable of all shapes. 5 Many cultures have attributed certain symbols with the ability to create change in the human body. 6 One example of this is the seven symbols, or seals, of ancient Islamic magic that were also used in the Jewish Kaballah in the medieval period. Including the shape of a star, these forms were said to mirror the archetypes wired into the human nervous system. To use them was to draw on the power of God to create miraculous change. 7 TODAY'S RESEARCH As healing professionals, we can do much more with shapes than we might imagine, empowering ourselves, as well as helping clients. Modern research is showing that symbols can, in fact, assist with everything from reducing inflammation to addressing disease. One noteworthy researcher proving this point is Ibrahim Karim, DSc, DiplArch, an Egyptian architect who has conducted clinical research into the beneficial effects of geometric shapes. Through Al-Azhar University, one of the most reputable schools in the Middle East, Karim participated in a hepatitis C research project in 1999. Karim's geometric-based treatment, other alternative treatments, and various mainstream medical treatments were compared. Karim's treatment involved having patients wear a geometric design engraved on an aluminum pendant. These amulets were given to 300 patients in the six-month study. Karim's design created positive liver enzyme changes in 90 percent of the patients, compared to an average 20–25 percent improvement in the medically treated patients. Other designs from Karim, all based on ancient geometric philosophies, have been studied in universities around the world and have been shown to grow apples with a longer than usual shelf life; cure cows of hoof disease; raise healthier chickens without chemicals; and decrease the effects of electromagnetic sensitivities. 8 Karim explained his work by saying he determines the qualities of an organ and creates a shape with the same qualities. The resonance between shape and organ attunes the organ into a healthier state. 9 Yet another particularly interesting set of experiments involves a pyramid built in Russia in 1999 by Alexander and Anatoli Golod for the sole purpose of experimenting with the effects of pyramidal design. The ratio used was modified from that found in Egyptian pyramids. As for the Many cultures have attributed certain symbols with the ability to create change in the human body.