Professional use of muscle testing

Because I was so intrigued by what I had discovered about muscle testing I wanted to learn how to do it myself. Although I studied and researched many hours with my mentor, I never felt that I had the confidence to try it without his supervision. So although I felt that I was an expert on the theory of how it worked, I learned how to do MRT from a video training course I bought.

After the book project was scrapped, I continued to research the idea of being able to access and question the subconscious mind through muscle testing. I spent a lot of time on the Internet reading about how others were using MRT. Some of the conclusions they presented were based on false ideas so I knew they weren't for me. Then I found Dr. Brad May of Serenity Systems.

A second witness

I have written about my experiences with Dr. May previously, but I want to focus on what I felt were the two greatest benefits of his work. First, he corroborated for me what I had learned from my original mentor. Although the method of releasing stress was a little different, the method of discovering the source of that stress was almost exactly the same or more precise.

Second, Dr. May brought the credentials of a PhD. to the study and had used MRT clinically in his work as a psychiatrist. He documented his work with videos and specific training manuals that showed exactly how to perform muscle testing and how to use the unique questioning techniques to access the subconscious mind. His case studies were well defined and explained.

MRT on the fingers

The most exciting part of his work to me, was that he taught how to use finger testing in addition to arm testing, and demonstrated exactly how it was performed. After reading his book I just had to have his video training series which I purchased and reviewed many times. In the videos he showed that finger muscle testing was actually more comfortable for most of his clients.

Dr. May is also the only practitioner of MRT I know who explains surrogate muscle testing which allows muscle testing to be performed on an individual without being in physical contact. I knew that my first mentor used surrogate testing but he did not encourage it as it was not endorsed by the originator of the technique. However, I knew he used it as well. What was the problem?

Surrogate finger testing

The difficulty of surrogate muscle testing is that it is more subject to interference or more correctly stated, to interpretation. It is harder to be certain that the results being received through surrogate finger MRT are from the individual being tested and not your own subconscious. It takes years of practice to really get it right and be confident in the results.

The beauty of this advanced technique is that you can help someone who is not even physically present in the same room or even the same city as you. It can be performed while chatting with the individual on the phone or over the internet. Dr May even mentions covert testing where MRT is performed on a client without their knowledge or permission, as requested by a loving and concerned parent or spouse.

This is real and is being used

The purpose of sharing this information is an attempt to persuade you that muscle response testing is not a fluke and is not hokey. I know it is hard to believe that this could be used by anyone in the medical community but it is. I have discovered several other examples over the years of professionals who use this technique to help them in their work with their clients.

In the fifteen years since I first discovered it, I have researched dozens of websites of doctors that claim to use it in their work. Because it is so foreign to Western medicine, there is a lot of opposition, especially from individuals like Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch. As I have written before, Dr. Barrett does a lot of good but he is very opposed to the use of muscle testing.

Summary and conclusion

Because of the power and reach of the AMA, you will not find very many practitioners in the United States who use muscle testing in their work. But because of the worldwide reach of the Internet, we can now discover professionals outside of the U.S. documenting their work and corroborating the efficacy of questioning the subconscious through muscle response testing.

I am grateful that I was exposed to MRT many years ago and learned it from several of the pioneers in the field. After fifteen years, I remain convinced that it is a legitimate tool when used properly. There is no doubt that it is misused as well. MRT is a unique and special tool that can produce valuable and reliable results when used by those who are trained and practiced.

Negative energy and negative entities

Once I had eliminated most of the unresolved stress from my life, I wanted to learn how to become a stress management consultant. I proposed to write and publish a book on the subject and began a series of interviews with the individual who had helped me. He agreed to teach me what I needed to know about the technique so I could feel comfortable with the methods.

I recorded and transcribed these interviews which were most revealing into areas where Muscle Response Testing could be used to discover other things about the subconscious. When I asked where my trainer had learned all this I was referred to the originator of the Stress Management technique. I contacted and interviewed him and obtained an early copy of his own manuscript.

First efforts to publish book

I then wrote the first few chapters of my book and published it on the web. After reviewing the material, we all decided that the time was just not right to publish the details because of the complexity of the work. This was right at the time when false memories of sexual abuse were becoming a huge problem in the world of stress management. More needed to be learned.

One of the basic tenants of this particular method of stress management involves the belief that stress is caused by taking offense. When we take offense, negative energy can temporarily or permanently jump from one individual to another. If it is temporary, it leaves behind hurtful or disabling feelings. If it is permanent, what jumps to the person is a negative entity. This is rare.

Negative energy can be eliminated

We also discovered that negative entities were almost always involved in early emotional trauma involving rape, incest or homosexual encounters. In other words, though no fault of their own, a victim could be inflicted with the lingering presence of a malignant entity. In time, this entity came forth to express itself. The victim could be drawn into the exact same offensive behavior.

The only way to remove the negative energy, or in some cases, negative entity was through the process of forgiveness. But first it had to be identified. That is where muscle testing came in. Through MRT, the source of the original trauma could be identified and the individual involved could be forgiven. The negative energy was then directed to leave the suffering individual.

Forgiveness is the key

The most common method of releasing the negative energy was simply saying out loud, "I forgive so-and-so for causing me to feel belittled or hurt or for causing me great pain when I was x years old. I release the negative energy associated with this traumatic event and direct it to leave my body or spirit and never return." There are several variations on this procedure.

It was also fairly clear that in many of the traumatic instances the individual needed to forgive themselves for taking offense or for being less than perfect or for taking the negative stress into their own system. We also discovered that sometimes, the stress was created without anyone else being involved. Negative energy was absorbed by incorrect choices at some point in time.

False memories and negative entities

The most astonishing cases for me involved dealing with multiple personalities. These are the false memories I was referring to earlier. Sometimes an individual would claim or test positive for having suffered sexual abuse as a child. In reality, the memories being accessed were those of someone who had passed into the spirit world and was using the victim to express themselves.

Now I know that this is going to sound incredibly bizarre and out there to anyone who has not been exposed to it before. I am not the only one who practices this particular kind of stress management. The best resource online is Russ Stewart in Oregon. I invite you to visit his website to learn more. You will find references there to the originator of this technique.

Dealing with unresolved stress

I have written previously about my introduction to the techniques of using muscle response testing to discover hidden stress and emotional trauma in the subconscious mind. Because I was so intrigued with what I had witnessed, I decided to schedule a visit to the stress management consultant to address a few unresolved issues that had been bothering me for many years.

I asked for help in understanding more about anger issues I was experiencing at that time in my life. I could not figure out why I would become upset in certain situations. In what I now consider to be a classic approach to stress management, the counselor led me through a series of questions that pinpointed the exact cause of what set me off and when it originally happened.

Eliminating stress

Once we identified the source of the problem, the stress management consultant asked if I wanted to eliminate it from my life. Thinking there was some long and drawn out process I would have to go through, I asked how much it would cost and how long it would take. I was very incredulous when I was informed that it could be taken care of in about one minute.

I was taught that our body stores stress when we have conflicts. Every time we encounter similar situations, the unresolved stress is remembered. People have different capacities for stress. Some can manage a huge load of stress without resolving it. I had reached my capacity on this particular issue and my body was reminding me that it needed to be resolved.

Releasing the stress

The original feelings of anger came to the surface every time this issue came up. In this case, it was a challenge to my authority that was the problem. Amazingly enough, the resolution was a very simple process. All I had to do was to forgive the person who originally caused me to take offense in order to release the stored up negative energy in the form of anger. It worked.

I felt an immediate and palpable sense of relief. For me, it was a very emotional experience. Because the relief was so real, I asked after a few moments if we could find and resolve other hidden issues. For the next hour or two, the counselor helped me discover and resolve dozens of specific instances of stress that had been annoying me for years, some of them very traumatic.

Actual methods involved

Now there is a lot more to this process than I have noted here. There are a couple of methods that help to relieve the stress. One involves slowly stroking the spine from top to bottom, as it is theorized that the spine is a central repository of stress. Another involves holding the left middle finger in the proximity of the left foot of person being treated while they express forgiveness.

I know, it sounds hokey. I thought the same thing when I first was introduced to this method of releasing stress. Muscle Response Testing is not for everyone. Some people will never accept that it works. The same goes for the methods used to release the stress. There is an element of faith involved because as far as I know, this is contrary to traditional science and medicine.

Summary and conclusion

Learning how to identify and release unresolved stress was a turning point in my life. I went on in working with this and other stress management consultants to study the techniques myself. I became proficient in using Muscle Response Testing on both the arm and on the fingers. I did a lot of self-study and analysis until I concluded that I had eliminated all my unresolved trauma.

I concluded that the technique of MRT is legitimate, at least for me. It works in my case, but perhaps that is because I believe it works. It can be and is misused by individuals wanting to sell vitamins and supplements. But for me, the best use of MRT is to discover hidden stress from our past. I have even used it to eliminate what I consider to be inherited trauma.

Questioning the Subconscious Mind

In October of 1993 my son was ten years old and struggling in school. Being concerned as to the cause of his problems we asked several other parents for advice. One friend recommended a new family counselor who had just become a certified stress management consultant. I had no idea what stress management was or if it could help with the problem.

The visit started out normally enough with some simple conversation between the counselor and our son. Being a typical ten year old, Mike did not have much to say but answered the questions cheerfully enough, usually with just a yes or no but mostly, "I don't know". Then the counselor turned to us and suggested that we try a new technique to find out what was really going on in Mike's subconscious mind.

Questioning the subconscious

"Mike, stand up here for a minute, will you please?" He did. "Now hold out your arm straight out in front of you like this," and demonstrated with the arm. Mike thought this was fun and had no problem following directions. "Now I want you to hold your arm straight and strong as I ask you some questions and try to pull down on your arm. I want you to keep your arm straight."

"Say, 'my name is Mike'." As Mike complied the counselor tried to push down on Mike's arm with a small amount of downward pressure. Mike held his arm strong and it did not go down. "Now say, 'I am wearing shoes'." Mike gave us a quizzical look but repeated the statement. Once again the counselor tried to push the arm down but it remained strong and did not move.

Muscle Response Testing

"Now say, 'I am doing well in school'." A big smile came across Mike's face and he shook his head from side to side as he repeated the statement. This time his arm was easily pushed down by the family counselor even though Mike tried to hold it strong. "Hey, wait a minute!" Mike exclaimed, "Try that again." He felt that his strength was being challenged.

So they went through the process again with a similar question. "I turn in my homework on time." Same results only this time Mike was paying close attention. So was I. The counselor explained, "You see, the body has an electrical energy field that momentarily loses a little bit of strength when an untruth is repeated. It's kind of like a built-in lie detector."

The family counselor then began to ask a series of questions that Mike would repeat while his arm strength was checked. Once I got over the initial shock of seeing Muscle Response Testing in action I began to focus on the questioning technique that was being employed. I thought it most unusual that the counselor was asking Mike about dates and places.

The root of the problem

Soon we got down to the root of the problem. When Mike was in Montessori school at a very young age (four or five) he had a teacher who was very set in her ways as to the way things were and the way she wanted her pupils to do things. Through Muscle Response Testing the family counselor determined that Mike took offense at her 'dogmatic' ways.

Now Mike had never heard that word before but that's the word on which he tested positive. This was after the time frame of the initial occurrence had been established through Muscle Response Testing. We now knew what the cause of the problem was within less than five minutes of testing and were able to deal with it appropriately (more on that later).

Can this really work?

I confess I was blown away. I had never seen anything like this before and could not believe what I was witnessing. Is it really possible to question the subconscious mind through Muscle Response Testing and get accurate answers? The counselor explained that everything we have ever experienced is stored in there somewhere. MRT just helps us access it and bring it out.

What do you think? Have you ever heard of the idea of questioning the subconscious mind? If you have experienced it, tell me about the first time you saw MRT in action.

A tribute to Donna McDermott

If you have visited a certified stress management consultant you may have read a little booklet with a blue cover and two white doves. The booklet describes the unique stress management technique that is the main subject of this blog. It was written by Donna L McDermott back in 1992 when she was running the Family Stress Management clinic in Phoenix Arizona.

I never met Donna but it was her booklet that got me over the initial skepticism that I felt the first time I was exposed to this technique. I don't know what your reaction was the first time you saw it practiced but I probably dropped my jaw in disbelief. I sat through the first session and then promptly asked for some documented evidence that what I had witnessed was for real. I was handed Donna's booklet.

A legacy left behind

Sadly, Donna passed away of cancer three years ago (in 2004) but she left an online legacy in an extensive interview posted on the IPTQ.com website. You can also read more of her story on the Chi-Lel website. Scroll down past the top two stories. I am amazed at her energy that she describes in another Chi-Lel story here. I don't know what Chi-Lel or gongs are but they appear to be some sort of demanding physical exercise that increases energy. Donna also contributed a wonderful story, "From the Heart of a Joyous Child" to the Choose Life website.

Donna was one of the first to be trained and become a Certified Stress Management Consultant. I am confident that she helped hundreds if not thousands of individuals find relief from the stress of life over the years that she practiced. If you knew Donna or were helped by her, please feel free to add some comments to this post so that others may honor her memory as well.

A lesson in what Stress Management is not

Bob Forston runs the Forston Institute for Success through Stress Management. He is the past president of the National Association of Certified Stress Management Consultants. You can read all about his other credentials on his 'About us' page. Although he has a PhD in Psychology, he makes it clear that "He is not a licensed physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, or social worker." I guess that's because Stress Management is not recognized by the medical community as a valid profession.

It becomes even clearer upon reading this wording from his disclaimer, "The services in this website and any other media are not intended to replace the services of licensed physicians, neurologists, psychoanalysts, clinical psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychometrics, social workers, psychotherapists, chiropractors or other similar professionals. The Forston Institute does not provide medical or mental illness evaluations, diagnoses or prescriptions.

Continuing to quote from the disclaimer, "The coordination of verbal and nonverbal energy responses along with a protocol of stress and congruency questions are not the practice of medicine, psychiatry, psychology or chiropractic. Memory events are considered ‘Emotional Reality’ because these events may or may not correspond with actual or historic reality. Therefore no claim is made as to what may have happened in the past and what one must or should do in the future.”

False memories are an issue

Wow! One can learn a lot from this well-written disclaimer. To me it is evidence that Western Medicine (read the AMA) does not like what people like Bob do when practicing stress management. I wonder why that is? I especially like the wording about 'memory events'. I imagine this has to do with false memories that may come up when questioning the subconscious mind about past events. It would be awful if someone thought they had a repressed memory of sexual abuse that didn't really happen to them at all.

Is it possible that the memories discovered and revealed may not belong to the person that currently possesses or expresses them? I'm not suggesting past lives as I don't believe in reincarnation but I am suggesting that those memories could belong to someone else who put them in the subconscious of the person in whom they are discovered. Food for thought.

Energy Healing and Balancing through Kinesiology

Russ Stewart is a CSMC or Certified Stress Management Consultant practicing in Grants Pass Oregon. To quote from his page: "Since 1993 I have been practicing a combination of Energy Healing and Balancing, Kinesiology Techniques, Time-line Healing and Relationship Building." I know about Energy Healing and Balancing as well as Kinesiology Techniques but am a little unclear on what is Time-line Healing.

Time-Line Healing

Update: Russ emailed me this description of Time-line Healing: "About time line healing. I thought of using the term so that people would say what is that? In your blog you went on in other ways and described it very well. In questioning one's intelligence through muscle response testing we find stress, unresolved matters negatively affecting a persons life. The stress is having a present affect but from my experience the emotionally charged stress is usually connected to past events.

Russ continues, "In questioning the intelligence we often times notice a pattern of poor choices made by a client while under the inability to deal with the stress in their lives. The client's intelligence prioritizes their stress and clients recall events with time periods. We meet these mile markers as opportunities and teach forgiveness to relieve and manage the stress. The object is to help our clients take responsibility for their own happiness and wellness, and make forgiveness a way of life."

How it works

On the 'How it works' page he describes the stress evaluation process. He says, "In performing the stress evaluation, a series of yes/no questions are asked. The process is much like detective work. After a careful review of your situation and concerns, we will assist you in determining which kind of stresses you are experiencing, when the stresses occurred, who else is involved in the stress and what you need to do to relieve each stress."

Continuing to quote from his website, "If you haven't experienced the reaction of the muscle response testing to a correct answer and then to an incorrect answer, it would be hard for you to understand what I'm talking about. What it looks like is; you are lying in a comfortable reclined position with one of your arms raised above your head, elbow locked and fingers loose. I ask you a question requiring a yes or no response from you after which I push on your arm while you give a little resistance.

The subconscious knows

When a person answers a question contrary to what their intelligence or subconscious knows to be true, it affects the energy field which in turn reduces muscle strength causing the arm to weaken. The response is very obvious to the client and me. This appears to be the same principle upon which the polygraph machine registers physiological responses. The intelligence knows truth and it recognizes untruth, even when we do not consciously know the answer!

Clients are often surprised to discover the nature of the stress affecting them. What we think and what we feel can be exactly opposite. What we THINK and what our intelligence THINKS can be very different. What we THINK we feel and what we ACTUALLY feel are often very different." Russ has accurately described the same technique I have used for years to discover and eliminate hidden stress, including muscle response testing.

More on the questioning technique used to discover hidden stress in a future post.