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Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D. © Copyright
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Discovering the World of Healing Touch
Acupressure Author's Path & Healing Experiences Growing Up
Michael, 5 Years Old, With Healing Hands
By Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., Acupressure's Potent Points Author
Love from my family upbringing created the roots that supported me on the path of serving others and led to my life’s healing work – practicing and teaching Acupressure.
When I was a little boy, I used to lie on my back relaxing on my bed and massage myself. I found various places on my body that were sore and tender. I explored massaging these points and would often just hold them, as I would let my mind wander into a dreamlike state.
I imagined these places would purify my body. I had the image of a vacuum cleaner coming in and cleaning up my body. I imagined my fingers releasing stagnant toxins or dirt and the vacuum cleaner inside me was cleaning up the mess making me a better person. My childhood healing images are filled with wonder.
At a very early age, my dear grandmother introduced me to healing touch, guiding me how to deeply give love from my heart through my hands. From the time I was age four to ten, she massaged my feet every Saturday night. She took care of my sister and me, in order to allow my parents to go out over the weekend.
The foot massage she gave me was ecstatic – something I looked forward to every week. This was one of her ways of loving me, with a love that was more abundant than a hundred brilliant suns. In exchange, I’d massage her swollen, painful arm, the result of medications her doctor prescribed.
At a very early age, my dear grandmother introduced me to healing touch, guiding me how to deeply give love from my heart through my hands. From the time I was age four to ten, she massaged my feet every Saturday night. She took care of my sister and me, in order to allow my parents to go out over the weekend.
The foot massage she gave me was ecstatic – something I looked forward to every week. This was one of her ways of loving me, with a love that was more abundant than a hundred brilliant suns. In exchange, I’d massage her swollen, painful arm, the result of medications her doctor prescribed.
My grandmother was supposed to die from cancer when I was three years old. After examining her breast cancer in the early 1950s, doctors all over the Los Angeles area predicted she would die in a matter of months. Against all odds, she lived over ten years more than expected. She’d beam with pride, “I have a purpose to live — I want to see this boy (me) grow up to be a man.”
Due to doctors’ limited perspective and fatal prognosis, my mother searched and found an endocrinologist, who gave my grandmother weekly shots which arrested her cancer. When she received these shots each Wednesday, however, her arm would swell, and she’d get very sick.
A few days later, she would recover enough to take care of my sister and me on Saturday nights. However, her arm would still be very swollen and hurt. Each week, I massaged her arm, and within 20 minutes the swelling decreased remarkably. In return, my grandmother would give me the most awesome, blissful foot massage that I'll never forget.
Due to doctors’ limited perspective and fatal prognosis, my mother searched and found an endocrinologist, who gave my grandmother weekly shots which arrested her cancer. When she received these shots each Wednesday, however, her arm would swell, and she’d get very sick.
A few days later, she would recover enough to take care of my sister and me on Saturday nights. However, her arm would still be very swollen and hurt. Each week, I massaged her arm, and within 20 minutes the swelling decreased remarkably. In return, my grandmother would give me the most awesome, blissful foot massage that I'll never forget.
The Greatest Gift of Love
As a child, I realized how my massage exchange with my grandmother was our way of communicating the greatest gift of love, beyond what any human being could say in words. As I grew up, my grandmother encouraged me to vow to be a doctor and to not smoke. Giving and teaching Acupressure has fulfilled the promise I made to my grandmother, and has satisfied my purpose in life.
Surrounded by Love
I was brought into this world with tremendous love. My parents loved and cared for me consistently throughout my life. My mother wisely taught me, “You can have anything you want in your life – but you have to know one thing: you have to know what you want in life – in order to be able to get it.”
My father believed it’s best to treat people the way you’d like them to treat you. In addition to this Golden Rule, he believed in positive thinking, and taught us to look people directly in the eyes, to see the essence within each person.
My First Empowering Teacher
I had an awesome, inspiring teacher in high school who completely changed my life view and my perception of the world. He put every social, economic, and psychological aspect of life into completely new light, with a global understanding. This changed my goals and directed me to pursue alternatives in health and in my education.
Just imagine what the world would be like if children were given this spiritual guidance, were loved unconditionally, and given these teachings and support.