Origins - Tom Bowen
Bowen Therapy was pioneered by Tom Bowen of Victoria, Australia in the 1950’s. He was an industrial chemist who developed his system of bodywork with animals. Very little is known about the man, whether he was an intuitive healer or if he created the system out of his own research of eastern bodywork we will never know, as he was a man who avoided publicity and, from all reports, the use of words.
He ran his clinic simply and efficiently; his clinic treated 13,000 people in one year with a 90% success rate and if any of his patients ignored his advice they were unceremoniously sent home. Some say he was an intuitive bodyworker who would only do what was appropriate and would frequently send patients home after executing four simple moves. He did not waste his time or his patients’ money, if there was no response after two treatments he would refer them on (only 10% of his cases).
Tom Bowen died in the ‘80s as a result of complications from diabetes. While he was alive he taught his techniques to only six assistants working directly under his instruction; Keith Davis, Nigel Love, Kevin Neave, Oswald Rentsch, Kevin Ryan and Romney Smeeton.
After his death his techniques have blossomed and evolved as Bowen Therapy, Bowen Technique™, Fascial Kinetics®, NST, Vibro-Muscular Therapy®, and given time many more commercial names will be given to this simple, gentle and effective therapy. These names are not important, what matters are the intentions and integrity of the teachers and their students - if these are pure then the results are remarkable and often appear miraculous.
Tom Bowen