Hands of the Master

Hands of the Master

It’s a true blessing to be in the hands of the Master.

Wanna Know How I Gained My Life Back?

I was first introduced to the eminent Dr. Lee, a Taiwanese octogenarian who is a neuropsychologist trained in both western and eastern medicine one year ago. We had been meeting regularly for 3 months last summer to fall but I had to suspend our appointments.

I’m happy to say we have resumed our therapy sessions in recent weeks.

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Some of my readers may know that I’ve struggled with a mysterious hand disorder called focal hand dystonia for many years. And it ruined my professional music career.

It has certainly been one of the most frustrating and challenging hurdles I have ever been trying to overcome in my entire lifetime, often feeling like one step forward and two steps back.

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focal hand dystonia featured

Focal Hand Dystonia

You can read more about it in my post here.

Focal hand dystonia over time caused a lack of left hand dexterity that stole away my music career, which once provided a stage for my hallmark trait as a gifted guitarist who could play and improvise in all musical genres.

This only proves that all gifts and talents that we have been given can one day all be mysteriously taken away.  You can read the complete background of my plight in my article Living with Focal Hand Dystonia. 

Grim news with focal hand dystonia

Focal hand dystonia over time caused a lack of left hand dexterity that stole away my music career, which once provided a stage for my hallmark trait as a gifted guitarist who could play and improvise in all musical genres.

This only proves that all gifts and talents that we have been given can one day all be mysteriously taken away.

hands of the master succeeded after seeing 18 specialists in 11 Years

18 Different Specialists Over 11 Years

There was an 11 year period where I’d seen 18 different hand specialists, ranging from specialties in acupuncture, neurology, and hand surgery.

I’ve had every kind of ultrasound and test, 4 EMG’s, I even went through botox therapy for 6 months for focal hand dystonia in 2010-2011.

Yet despite all of these varied treatments, no one could ever explain the reason of what triggered my left hand to lose its special dexterity, other than a questionable claim that this was focal hand dystonia.

Since western medicine (and acupuncture) have consistently failed me, about 12 months ago I turned to eastern health and meditation practices.

I can now say with a high degree of certainty that of all the things I’ve tried, this has helped me the most.

hands of the master

My hand movements have improved so much due to a special eastern medicine deep tissue massage exercised by Dr. Lee that it “literally brought tears to my eyes!”

art of deep tissue massage

Hands of the Master: The Art of Deep Tissue Massage

Dr. Lee is primarily known to be a Qigong specialist. I was practicing Qigong with Dr. Lee for my bradycardia episodes. I may dedicate a separate post to this subject entirely.

I will say that being introduced to the eminent Dr. Lee has been an incredible godsend.

From the start, Dr. Lee did not know that I had once been an accomplished musician who suffered for many years from a separate ailment called focal hand dystonia.

We were primarily focusing on treating my bradycardia.

Period.

The hands of the master

Dr. Lee Read One of My Articles

Then 10 months ago Dr. Lee happened to read one of my articles.

However, I never mentioned my focal hand dystonia hand disorder to Dr. Lee; previously we were totally focused on Qigong to improve my bradycardia issues.

Qigong and hands of the master

Dr, Lee had been teaching me Qigong through demonstrating a series of short 5-minute meditative exercises in different body positions. This was done to improve for my bradycardia issues.

Keep in mind that Dr. Lee is not one of my subscribers, and is not interested in Googling to search how to build an online business. He is well-off and retired.

He texted me, and told me he read my article, was intrigued, and thought he could help. Fort FREE.

I was utterly flabbergasted.

He said, “Come see me on Friday, and we can start my treatment.”

I said, “Sure see you on Friday.”

hands of the master at work

The Healing Powers of Hands of the Master: Deep Tissue Massage

For the past one month, every Friday at 3:00pm I travel to see Dr. Lee. Over a time span of 1.5 hours he works on me by applying an eastern form of deep tissue massage.

This very special Eastern technique of deep tissue massage he learned from another Master.

hands of the master and shaolin martial arts

Many of these deep tissue massage techniques Dr. Lee learned from Shaolin Martial Arts in China from a colleague who was a Shaolin Martial Arts master. They require deep probing of his fingers into the joints and ligaments of my left hand, in between the fingers, and along the forearm.

I will not lie to you, it can be torture at times!

As part of my ongoing treatment, Dr. Lee told me to repeat these same masochistic hand massaging exercises on myself on a daily basis when I go home, When I am home, I am able to apply this special analgesic balm from China to those areas to reduce inflammation.  

analgesic balm

Dr. Lee has also given me one of his special “crystals” he purchased in China to wear around my left wrist that will open the chi energy after doing my daily home exercises.

Since I began meeting the Master Dr. Lee again weekly and getting treated at his home for the past one month, I’ve seen gradual improvement with my hand dexterity.  The left pinky is not “flying out” as much as it was. And the middle finger is not curling inward as much.

Wanna Know How I Gained My Life Back?

However, reversing the negative effects of focal hand dystonia – or whatever my mysterious hand ailment happens to be – is a long process that can take up to a year or more before I can even begin to see similar dexterity in my hands as I had before the onset of this ailment.

 One thing I must always remember is that there are still no guarantees.

However I now believe in the efficacy of Eastern medical deep massage techniques, the essence of Qigong, and the healing powers of meditation.

And I know I was in the good hands of the master.
I am now a true believer at the hands of the master

I Am Now a True Believer in the Hands of the Master

I must admit, at first I was the most skeptical person. Never would I have believed it would be that such a controversial Eastern medical technique could “improve” my mysterious hand malady, but recent results have turned me into a TRUE believer.

It has all been left in the hands of the master.

 Although there has only been slight improvements, there can be no denying this is the best my hand has moved in a long time! 

I love the hands of the master

I will continue my weekly treatments with Dr. Lee as I report my progress and pass along my newfound knowledge to you.

Thank You for reading this article on the art of deep hand tissue massage. .

Feel free to make any comments below.

About the Author

KAJU is the band leader and founding member of OFF THE HOOK, one of the premiere dance party bands in the New York Tri-State Area. After contracting a mysterious hand disorder, Kaju now writes to help other musicians and artists deal with disabilities. Currently he is a Full-time Affiliate Marketer and 1-on-1 mentor at Wealthy Affiliate, a community that can help anyone start an online business without prior experience. This is where he teaches others how to make a great passive income. Read more about his story here!

  • Lynn says:

    I have been very much into alternative medicine, massage therapy for the past 15 years, chiropractic for over 25 years, after Western medicine did little to help….other than prescribe pills. Pills, pills and pills. I turned away from that. I used to work in the pharmaceutical industry and knew better than to go down that road, if I could help it.

    • Kaju says:

      Yes Lynn, I believe in Eastern medicine and techniques. It is the only treatment that ever helped my focal dystonia even in the slightest bit.

  • Mitch Crim says:

    I’d never heard of Focal Hand Dystonia until you mentioned it, but I may also be a sufferer of the condition. Depending on what I’m doing, my left hand will cramp into a claw and I have to physically pry it apart (if I can’t spread it apart on my own). Now you’ve named the condition, I will cognizant of what I’m doing. Thanks for the knowledge!!

    • Kaju says:

      Mitch, I believe you have some form of dystonia, This not only affects musicians, it affects writers and essentially anyone who makes rapid repetitive movements in any task over time.
      Hon players develop a dystonia of the lip, called embouchure dystonia, where their lips can no longer “purse” properly. This is due to rapid and repetitive lip contortions.

      I am happy you were able to take some knowledge from this article.
      Go over to my article “Living with Focal Dystonia” for even greater detail based on my own personal experience as a musician.

  • Nicole says:

    So sad to hear what happened to you. Glad you were able to get better.

  • Dawn says:

    Wow. That must have been really difficult. Are you able play music again though? Also, does typing a lot bother you? You seem to type a lot or do you use voice dictation. I sometimes have to do that when my wrists are hurting.

    • Kaju says:

      Hi Dawn, I can certainly type (lol) and I don’t currently use voice dictation.
      Focal hand dystonia is task specific, which means it may affect my hand while playing guitar, but not while typing.

      I will never be able to play the way I used to play, there is currently no cure.
      We all have to overcome our own challenges, this is one of mine.

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