Insiders' View of Insight Acupressure

a book review

Soul Lightening Acupressure: Empowering Whole-Being Health is a collection of Insight Acupressure (formerly called Soul Lightening Acupressure) case studies assembled by Insight Acupressure faculty, Cathy Miller, LMT, ABT and Deanna Waggy, OTR.

There are two training tracks for students within Insight Acupressure: Process and Clinical. Process Acupressure addresses emotional and mental well-being. Clinical Acupressure addresses physical well-being.

As Cathy Miller reflected in one of the case studies, the two tracks merge in actual practice. Indeed, the manuals of established protocols is available to sessions with the primary focus on Process and Clinical. The case studies underscore this, even though Section Two is identified as Clinical and Section Three is identified as Process.

As a student of Insight Acupressure, the distinction is pragmatic because it allows immersion into one aspect of Insight Acupressure and then the other. Most students complete courses in both curriculums.

Section One of the book is dedicated to Insight Acupressure’s outreach. The Seva Stress Release is a large part of the outreach, but it is not only protocol taught to others to serve humanity. Good Points: Acupressure for Anyone, Self-Care Series is a selection of protocols from Insight Acupressure manuals. Good Points, Self-Care is taught by faculty several times a year.

Although not officially named as a section, the pages following Section Three are testimonies from healthcare professionals in other fields, who have used Insight Acupressure or have trained staff that administers Insight Acupressure for patients in their care.

Aminah Raheem, the founder of Soul Lightening Acupressure, now known as Insight Acupressure, designed the protocols within the manuals to support and awaken the inner intelligence in each person for their own healing. Points along meridians are held not to manipulate qi, but to open communication in the meridians for qi to come into balance.

In the book’s Foreword, in Raheem’s words, Acupressure is the basic body balancing model that makes fluid energy flow in the body possible. It also makes the integration of body, mind, emotion, and soul possible and effective.

As a student of Insight Acupressure, this book helps knit the Clinical and Process Acupressure together as I experience the crossover in my practice. Certainly the traditional names of the points along the meridians reveal a crossover between body and spirit healing. For example, on the gall bladder meridian point 34 is called Yang Mound Spring. This point is described as addressing a wide range of knee and foot issues, as well as select emotional states and mental difficulties.

As a practitioner of Insight Acupressure, GB-34 is present in a variety of Insight Acupressure protocols, such as: hips, respiratory system, and tension are examples. Choosing the appropriate protocol for a client is done at the beginning of a session with client input and data collection. Taking meridian pulses, per the 5-Element model is one data point.

[link to 5-element]

Outside of the Insight Acupressure community this book can be read to get an idea of what Insight Acupressure is and witness its efficacy. Yet like reading a recipe, understanding comes from eating the food. I invite you to find an Insight Acupressure practitioner to experience awakening of your inner healer.

© 2025 Lisa Patrell

https://dellaureo.com