The origins of Metamorphosis
Regarded as more than an energy healing procedure, Metamorphosis is a way of life. This gentle self-healing art was developed by Robert St. John in the late 1950s. There were 3 approaches to healing that St. John was working with in the 1950s that led him to create his own approach to healing: Naturopathic medicine, the Bates Eyes System and Reflexology. With the Bates Eyes System he observed that the attitude of mind was reflected in one's eyesight. These attitudes are reflected in our personalities, emotions, physical bodies and mental attitudes. They come in with us at conception and influence how we come into life and then how we deal with it.
When St. John came across Reflexology, he felt he was getting closer to his intention of finding a means of erasing or changing these primary attitudes of mind. He also appreciated that Reflexology recognised that the body is self healing. He borrowed the idea of reflex points but used them as symbols for a period of time rather than for the physical body. He felt that reflex points acted as symbols and the level at which they worked depended on the level of intention behind them.

How does Metamorphosis work ?
Metamorphosis shifts one's understanding of illness, disease and emotional disturbance away from the physical body and towards the underlying stress patterns that permeate physical, mental and emotional levels. Incorporating the principle of stimulating the reflex points found in the feet, hands and head, St. John's Metamorphosis therapy relies on the powerful inner source of healing available to every form of life.

Blocks in the flow of consciousness express themselves in conditions of imbalance in the body and mind resulting in illness and psychological dis-ease. Blocks also keep us from being fully in the moment, where parts of the psyche are forever trapped in times linked with the experience of unhealed pain. Metamorphosis does not treat symptoms but works deeply to reach the heart of the issue and calls on each person's innate healing power to right imbalances on every level. In this regard the therapy challenges existing healing paradigms and yet provides an extremely self empowering, practical system of healing that is available to every person, from medical professional to lay person.

Disturbances of the feet are one area that gives us an idea of the underlying tensions. St. John felt that shoes are not the cause of feet abnormalities but rather the precipitator. When shoes rub on tissue with underlying tension the result is often a physical reaction. If one did not have disturbance, one would not get bunions, blisters, calluses, or other irregularities on their feet regardless of their shoes.

One of the primary principles of Metamorphosis is healing from the Inside Out. If we treat things from the inside out we focus on the underlying pattern causing the array of symptoms we all experience. This means that change is permanent. It also means that we heal and change our lives with little effort. The only effort involved is the hands-on aspect of Metamorphosis, which is simple in its approach and easy to incorporate into any lifestyle.

The benefits of working from the inside out are:

1. Simplicity
2. Responsibility and credit for healing
3. Little effort
4. Can be done on self at the time of disturbance rather than wait for a scheduled appointment.
5. Changes are permanent.

When can Metamorphosis be used ?
Typically we treat behaviour problems with modification techniques or medication. If we go from the inside out, there is little effort and no dependency. Addressing the imbalance rather than the symptom means we no longer have to continually struggle with the symptom.

If one struggles with addictions we don't try to stop the behaviour. Addictions can be to food, sex, relationships, alcohol, cigarettes, any substance usage that creates disharmony in our lives. It never works to take one's coping mechanisms away because they are needed and they are usually replaced with another one. If we change from the inside out, we come into balance within and we no longer need the object of the addiction. Going from the inside out makes this a permanent change without effort.

Understanding that behaviour problems in children are due to an underlying stress means that we don't need to teach children behaviour modification methods or medicate them for hyperactivity or ADD. Most importantly we take the focus off what is 'wrong with them'. Trying to make someone be 'other' or 'better' than they are adds to their tension.

Mental illness is an imbalance as well. Often an extreme reaction of retreat under stress in utero or in life. As one comes into balance, functioning becomes optimal at all levels.

Mental tension creates muscular tension. That is why in some cases massage does not alleviate chronic muscle tension for long. Addressing the symptom means we become dependent on our form of relief. Addressing the pattern means that we will cease to have the discomfort.

If one is ill, we don't try to cure the illness. With Metamorphosis we don't see it as an illness but rather a pattern expressing itself physically. As one comes into balance they cease to create illness.

In relation to pregnancy and childbirth. The idea here is that the resistance in the baby to coming forward into life creates a more difficult labour. Metamorphosis addresses both the tension in the baby and in the mother, during pregnancy and labour, resulting in a quicker and less painful birth.

Metamorphosis is not a miracle cure, it takes courage and commitment to address our patterns.