Meridian Touch



  Since the players have been doing Meridian Touch™, we’ve found the kids have become a lot more flexible and hence a lot less likely for injury. They have told me that they get a better workout and feel more stretched out. It helps stretch and elongate their leg and back muscles. We’re very excited about having Darryl and Meridian Touch™ on our side!



Craig Robinson
Head Coach of Oregon State University Men's Basketball Team
Former Head Coach of Brown University Men's Basketball Team
Former Assistant head Coach of Northwestern University Men's Basketball Team
Big Brother of First Lady Michelle Obama

 
  During the third game of the season my sophomore year, a helmet to my knee broke my leg, and tore my MCL and meniscus. And unfortunately,these injuries would be the first of many more to come throughout mycareer as a college football player.

After surgery and a couple months on crutches, the x-ray and MRI machines reported no more broken bones and healed ligaments. Read More


However, no piece of equipment could show me the muscle imbalances caused from months of compensating for a weaker leg. As a result, the two seasons following my surgery were plagued with pulled muscles, tendonitis, and a torn hamstring.

Not until I started practicing Meridian Touch™ with Darryl did I start restoring balance in my body. My constant fear of pulling a hamstring during sprints abated, and my degree of soreness after workouts lessened immensely. Meridian Touch™ does more than increase flexibility and balance though; it also improves body awareness and reduces stress. A workout with Darryl is comfortable and relaxing, which makes it a nice compliment to the intense physical training associated with football.

The pressure point techniques he teaches are also a great way to open up your body during class, at work, or at home in front of the TV. I owe a lot to Darryl for introducing me to Meridian Touch™. He has helped my body recover from imbalances and injuries, and now I have the best chance to perform at my fullest potential this season.


Adam Kadela
Middle Linebacker
Northwestern University Football team Alum ‘07 Middle Linebacker

 
  After doing Meridian Touch with Darryl, I couldn’t believe how great my back felt.

After being plagued with problems from competing in strength athletics for years, I never thought that I would be able to train the way I used to again. Read More


It only took a few sessions to see that this is a remarkable technique that can restore you back to pre-injury condition without having to partake in surgeries or take all different types of medications that are supposed to heal you. I believe in it so much, I trust Darryl with my athletes’ wellbeing and it only takes one session for them to become big believers as well.

Thanks so much Darryl!


Nick Zostautas
Director of Strength & Conditioning
Univ. of Illinois at Chicago
Former Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning
Northwestern University, Evanston

 
  If I could use one word to describe Meridian Touch, I would say "Amazing". Before being introduced to Meridian Touch I suffered from chronic patella tendinitis.

My tendinitis at one point had become so acute that I was unable to participate in running workouts during Winter Workouts. My knees had become so tender that it even hurt walking up a flight of stairs. Read More


This really worried me because as a Cornerback, being able to plant and break is of great importance. As a CB, it is tough to play on the edge if unable to get out of break. Even though I was still affected, I would eventually return to action.

My knees still badly ached, and my play suffered as a result. Being introduced to Darryl and Meridian Touch was the best things ever for my recovery. Darryl showed me how to use tennis balls to access my meridian points. By using tennis balls to access these various points, it took a significant amount of pressure off of my knees. Darryl not only showed me a variety of beneficial stretches, but also introduced me to Moxa rolls and a variety of liniments, which in conjunction with the stretches did wonders to my knees as I was able to re-gain full strength.

With my knees strengthened from Meridian Touch therapy, I was able to make a significant impact on this year Alamo Bowl squad, as I had my best season. I really thank Darryl for his commitment in teaching me the ways of Meridian Touch. I am such a believer of Meridian Touch, that if I were a coach I would make it mandatory for all players.

If I could give one bit of advice to any serious athlete I would tell them to work with Darryl and master Meridian Touch™, because it will take you a long way.


David Oredugba
Cornerback
Northwestern University Men’s Football

 
  I had the good fortune to study Meridian Touch™ with Darryl Aiken-Afam in NYC. The information Darryl imparted and the feeling of well-being I experienced from the sessions was unforgettable.

As a dancer and choreographer, heading a company about to celebrate its 30th anniversary, I have taken many workshops & done quite a lot of different types of body work.
Read More

I found Darryl's approach so valuable because it incorporates the practice of offering and receiving from the other participants as part of the learning process.

His patience and ability to share his knowledge with clarity is impressive. He has put together a unique combination of exercise and philosophy.


Wendy Osserman
Founder of the Wendy Osserman Dance Company, New York City

 
  Meridian Touch™ is a great compliment to my martial arts and yoga practice. Perception of ki and meridians is a difficult skill to cultivate, but these exercises really make it accessible.

I will never forget the first time I distinctly felt the energy moving along a line in my body. I got up and looked at a meridian chart, and sure enough, the sensation I was feeling matched up exactly with the meridian that the exercise was intended to activate!
Read More


Deep relaxation is the other great skill that Meridian Touch™ teaches. This is something we rarely get enough of these days in our fast-paced, "time is money" society. What people so often fail to realize is that taking a little time to ourselves to relax, re-energize and revitalize can make us much more efficient with the rest of our time.

The body is a storehouse of information about our lives, and unlike the mind, the body never lies. Meridian Touch™ is all about learning to access that information and make use of it to better ourselves and our lives.


Jonathan Knipping
2nd Degree Black Belt Aikido
Instructor Kikumatsu Dojo
One Point Dojo, Chicago, IL

 
  Conventional athletic wisdom stalwartly reminds us, “No pain, no gain!” Yet for anyone weary of this arduous old-school mantra, Darryl’s Meridian Touch™ yoga program offers a refreshingly effortless alternative that nevertheless yields definite results towards enhanced physical performance.
Read More


Darryl’s unique style of yoga involves the stimulation and channeling of the various energy pathways—or meridians—that permeate the body, interconnecting every muscle, organ and nerve. The program utilizes a variety of stretches, poses and movements, complemented by a focus on deep breathing.

Throughout the flow of dynamic positions, which draw on a synthesis of traditional Eastern medicine and modern Western physiology, emphasis is placed on painlessly following the spontaneous wishes of one’s own body; exertion and stress—the common tenets of most sports—are categorically discouraged as inhibitive to the program’s goals.

The benefits of Meridian Touch™ include increased flexibility and circulation as well as generally enhanced calmness and body awareness. As a rower whose back and joints endure rigorous daily abuse, I have personally experienced relieved spinal tension and increased range of torso and hip movement, not to mention the intrinsic virtue of relaxation during the classes.

Our team highly recommends giving Meridian Touch™ yoga a shot—you won’t regret it!


Matt Miller
Northwestern University Varsity Oarsmen

 
  Meridian Touch™ has been unlike any other yoga class I've ever taken - rather than put you in uncomfortable positions that feel like you're tearing every muscle in your body, Darryl's class puts you in a true state of relaxation, which in turn leads to greater flexibility. But don't think you'll be sleeping all of class - Meridian Touch™ challenges you mentally to relax and to release tension in your body so that you can stretch and revitalize your body. Read More


Perhaps more importantly, Meridian Touch™ teaches you the art of mental relaxation and correct breathing, which only benefits you as a person and as an athlete.

Having a teacher like Darryl who takes such a personal interest in your success really makes you excited about yoga - Darryl consistently does everything he can to make your experience a good one. He's helped me find liniments and other treatments for sore backs and muscle pains that would have kept me out of the boatotherwise. I can honestly say that Meridian Touch™ has been one of the smartest decisions I've made and it is consistently the highlight of my week.


Sam McAleese
Varsity Crew Team Oarsman
Alum '08

 
  Offensive lineman are asked to put on as much mass as possible while still being able to move athletically and generate a lot of force. This extra mass and the constant pounding of physical play on our bodies really causes a lot of trauma – especially to our backs. The more I grew and the more I played also brought about an increase in physical maladies including: back pain, sore calf muscles, tight hamstrings, and loss of flexibility.
Read More


Working with Darryl helped all of these problems. I have continued practicing Meridian Touch and acupressure work for the last three years. My body has responded well and I feel healthier because of it.

Now, I make a point to carry with me tennis balls to use for pressure point relief. I truly feel that learning and practicing these methods has improved my athletic abilities as well as my overall physical health.


Adam Crum
Offensive Lineman
Northwestern University Football team
Alum ‘07

 


  I noticed significant results in the very first class I took with Darryl. I walked in to class unable to touch my toes, in fact, I was so inflexible that I could only get my hands to my shins. By the end of class, I was not only able to touch my toes, but I could put the back of my hand on the ground with very little effort! This class is like a massage for the entire mind, body, and spirit and would highly recommend these teachings to anyone who needs to let go and relax a little!

Tracy Tanguay
Fitness Consultant & Trainer
Owner of Tone: A Holistic Fitness Center in Chicago


 
  When Darryl first demonstrated Meridian Touch™ exercises, I didn't believe they could be effective in relaxing and stretching a stiff body like mine -- WRONG! Since then, I've found Meridian Touch™ to accomplish all of which it claims, and more. Meridian Touch™ helps relax my body in ways I've never known.

It makes me more flexible, the exercises are comfortable, and mentally, Meridian Touch™ keeps me centered, focused and primed to meet the day with a better outlook. I love the idea of allowing my body to 'melt' into a position instead of resisting and fighting a stretch. It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend Meridian Touch™ exercises to everyone.

Ken Blanchard
Co-author of The One Minute Manager


Back to Top