Spa therapist breaking barriers

luko Bascombe is a man on a mission, helping to improve the health and wellness of locals and visitors in Barbados.

The lone male spa therapist at Sandals Royal Barbados continues to break barriers. He is the first and only Barbadian to have trained, studied and successfully completed the Medical Qigong Practitioner Certificate by RedThread International Institute of Medical Qigong Therapy.

Developed nearly five thousand years ago in China, qigong is traditionally used for therapeutic purposes. As a mind-body practice, it integrates methods of movement, muscle relaxation, meditation, and respiratory exercise to improve physical, emotional and psychological health – regulating mind, body and spirit with chi.

Speaking on the discipline, Bascombe notes that Medical Qigong Therapy is the oldest of the traditional Chinese medicine modalities, pre-dating acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine by thousands of years. The discipline caught his attention when he was in his early 20s.

“I was already exposed to health qigong when I met a man on the beach practising this familiar type of exercise. I was intrigued and watched him for over an hour before I finally approached him. He told me he was practising Medical Qigong and we then met weekly where he taught me a great deal about the health and healing benefits of this therapy. I was truly fascinated by this ancient Chinese healing modality,” Bascombe says.

He adds that he was excited to study with the RedThread International Institute as it is one of a few top schools that offer Westerners the opportunity to study Chinese Energetic Medicine within the United States.

“I completed Emergency First Response training through the Learning and Development team at Sandals Barbados prior to my enrolment with RedThread International Institute. This training proved crucial because RedThread’s curriculum demanded emergency medical training from an outside competent provider prior to receiving certification upon completion of the Medical Qigong Practitioner Programme,” Bascombe notes.

The course has equipped him with skills that allow him to maintain good health, help others stay healthy, and treat various health issues. But he isn’t stopping here.

“I will be returning to the institute to further my skills in Medical Qigong Therapy,” Bascombe says. “I plan to study the Advance Practitioner, Masters and Doctoral levels of training. Ultimately, doctoral training will put me in a very unique position to train and qualify the next generation of healers. For me, this will also widen the experience offered to guests at Sandals Barbados to include vacations where people come tired and go home full of vitality, good health and a true experience of a connection to mind, body, and spirit.” (PR)