MysticMag chats with Heike Bettendorf, a passionate movement expert, regression therapist, and CANTIENICA® method trainer with a deep belief in the connection between body and soul. Growing up in Germany’s Black Forest, Heike’s journey began with a strong need for movement and curiosity, which led her to study Rhythmik at the Folkwang University of the Arts and physical improvisation at École Lecoq in Paris. Now based on the island of Fuerteventura, Heike combines her expertise in body biomechanics, Feng Shui, and Regression Therapy to help clients unlock physical and emotional blockages, guiding them towards self-healing and a pain-free life.
Heike, how does understanding the direction of energy, both in the body and environment, influence our ability to treat physical or emotional blockages?
In my view, one of the most important things to understand is how we, as human beings, come into the world. As we develop from childhood, it’s all about exploring, touching, and expanding. Every child has an innate desire to grow, to reach beyond their current limits, and there’s a physical expression of that. From the embryonic state, when we first begin to form small wrist buds that will eventually become our arms, this growth symbolizes our unique position as the only species that stands on two legs, leaving our arms free to explore, to touch, and to understand the world around us.
This, to me, signifies that we are an expression of energy. An energy that needs direction. Our frequency interacts with the energy of our surroundings. As we explore, we inevitably come into contact with things that block or challenge us, but instead of seeing these as punishments or something negative, they are opportunities for learning. Each blockage allows us to understand what is obstructing us from the outside. Normally, we might perceive limitations as something restrictive, but in truth, they provide us the chance to learn about different frequencies, different environments, and in doing so, we learn about ourselves and can continue to grow.
This process of learning and expansion happens not just on the physical level, but on the emotional level as well, because our physical bodies are energy, and our emotions are energy too. They are deeply interconnected. Often, we react emotionally to blockages or limitations, but the real lesson is in understanding our emotions and how they interact with the environment around us. In this way, both physically and emotionally, we learn, grow, and evolve together.
In your work combining the CANTIENICA® method and regression therapy, how do you address resistance in a client’s healing process? Can you share an example of how this approach has helped a client?
When clients come to me, I first need to determine whether they are seeking the CANTIENICA® method for body work or if they are looking for a more holistic session. In most cases, when they come for the CANTIENICA® method, it’s because they were referred by a doctor. I begin by working with the body, explaining how their body and body posture is related to their symptom or pain in their body and how applying the exercises can better their current situation.
If I notice persistent resistance, and once I’ve built a level of trust with the client, I may later ask if they would be open to exploring a deeper session around that resistance. Let me give you an example: I once had a client with a significant hip issue, which eventually led to a hip replacement. Naturally, our initial focus was on the hip problem and adapting to the artificial part of her body.
However, while working together, I observed a strong resistance in her shoulders. Whenever we encountered a challenging moment in the bodywork, her shoulders would tense and freeze. Later, when we explored this in a session, we uncovered that this tension stemmed from a childhood experience. When she was around three years old, an aunt criticized the way she walked, telling her it was wrong. For a small child, this was overwhelming, as it made her feel she herself was wrong, especially with the attention from adults. This criticism eventually led to an imbalance in her legs, and later surgeries: at the age of 18, a shortening of one leg that had not grown enough and later, at the age of 57, the hip replacement.
As she grew, she internalized the belief that she was wrong, and her shoulders would freeze in moments of stress. This resistance became her way of reacting to external limitations. Her shoulders were always tense, expressing a defiance against the feeling that she was “forbidden” from doing things. She created in her body a “resistance-orientated” energy. She knew she was doing things she was not allowed to do, yet she continued – “now I´m doing it even more”, creating more imbalance in her body. The tension in her shoulders, combined with the hip issues, resulted in a highly charged energy that needed release.
Our work together involved finding a balance—helping her understand what had caused her body to react in this way, and guiding her to release the tension. By expanding her awareness of her body and her emotions, she was able to free the blocked energy and reconnect with her body in a healthier way. It was a journey of expanding both physically and mentally, allowing her to move forward with a new understanding of herself and her place in the world. Ultimately, it was about restoring balance and creating a fresh, healthier relationship with her body and her environment.
Chinese metaphysics suggests that energy is neither good nor evil but dynamic. How can one best harness these energies for personal growth, and what are the key tools you use to guide clients in this process?
First and foremost, when working with the tools of Chinese metaphysics, it’s essential to understand what you truly want. Without clarity, where can you direct your energy? For example, if you simply say, “I want to be rich,” rich in what? Problems? Wealth? Opportunities? The most important step is identifying what the client genuinely needs.
Take, for instance, someone struggling with sleep and feeling uneasy in their home. My first approach would be to examine, at a very basic level, their sleeping space. How is the environment in the room where they sleep? One of the simplest tools is to look at the so-called “identity palace” in the house. This represents an area that supports the individual. We’d start by identifying where this palace is located and how it correlates to their sleeping arrangement and/or working area. This is an easy yet powerful first step. From here, we could dive deeper, identifying blockages in other areas of the home. A cluttered, chaotic home can reflect a cluttered, chaotic mind. Mess and disorganization in the physical space mirror confusion and turmoil in the mental space. Just like Marie Kondo advocates for decluttering spaces to bring clarity, the same principle applies here. Clearing the space can profoundly impact mental clarity and peace.
Another tool I might use is Bazi, which is linked to a person’s birth date—year, month, day, and hour. This creates a map of the energy they possess. If a person feels lost or uncertain, I would first examine their Bazi chart to uncover the dominant energy influencing them. For example, energy always has yin and yang qualities. Take yang fire and yin fire: yang fire is like the sun, radiating brightly, while yin fire is like candlelight, softer and more subdued. If a person is born with yang fire as their Day Master, they naturally need to shine and be in the spotlight, drawing people in like sunlight. It’s not about ego; it’s simply the way their energy works. On the other hand, a yin fire individual might prefer to stay in the background, feeling uncomfortable in the spotlight. They may learn to step into leadership, but it’s important to understand that their energy is fundamentally different.
Similarly, consider water: yang water represents vast, moving forces like the ocean, while yin water is more like a calm, still lake. If someone has yang water energy, they need constant movement. These people thrive on activity and may become restless if confined to a desk. It’s not that they’re unfocused—it’s simply that their energy demands movement, so they’re better suited to roles involving travel or dynamic environments. Recognizing this can be transformative. A person with yang water energy might realize they need to incorporate physical movement—running, walking, swimming—into their life to feel balanced.
Understanding these basic principles allows us to see not only what someone has but also how to align their energy with what they want. Once this foundation is clear, we can explore more sophisticated techniques to help someone find the right career path or make decisions at optimal times. In this way, Chinese metaphysics can guide people in their personal and professional development, ensuring they move forward with purpose.
Another valuable tool is QiMen, which provides a tactical and spiritual connection to the universe. It helps us see how individuals can naturally connect with universal forces to advance their goals. For instance, someone aligned with the “Phoenix deity“ has a natural charisma when speaking. Their words captivate audiences, regardless of the content. They may not always have the deepest knowledge, but their delivery leaves people fascinated. In contrast, someone else with profound knowledge might lack that same captivating energy, making their message feel flat despite its substance.
Ultimately, understanding your energy and how to harness it begins with knowing what you need and want in any given moment. Once you have that clarity, these metaphysical tools can support you in enhancing your path and advancing toward your true purpose.
The CANTIENICA® method emphasizes reconnecting with the body to regain mobility and eliminate pain. How important is self-awareness and consciousness in this process, and how do you help clients achieve it?
The CANTIENICA® method centers on transforming self-perception because many people have a distorted view of their own body and awareness. When someone comes in, they usually present with pain or restricted movement—perhaps after a long journey of trying to find relief. Even in cases like severe scoliosis, where the spine may be significantly twisted, it’s important to remember that nothing in the body is set in stone. The body is dynamic and ever-changing, and anything living has the potential for transformation. This perspective is fundamental in the method—you must consider the entire body, from head to toe, down to every cell.
One of the first things we do in the CANTIENICA® method is to show the client images of how the bones are naturally aligned, helping them develop an internal understanding of their body. It’s about learning the “blueprint” of the body and recognizing that, structurally, it operates with complete logic. Everything is interconnected, even if the movements we explore are small and subtle. It’s like peeling away layers to go deeper inside, and the only way to make profound changes is through conscious awareness.
Often, we work with the fascia—the connective tissue that envelops the muscles and bones—because even the slightest movement in one area affects the whole. For example, you might feel a shift in one part of the body, but that change is connected to other areas. It’s impossible to address one part of the body without considering the whole. If someone comes in with neck pain, for instance, it may be related to something much deeper. Perhaps the pelvic floor or diaphragm needs to be aligned to create the necessary space and support in the upper body. Even something as seemingly unrelated as the big toe may play a role, as the inside of the whole foot is connected to the spine, and the big toe with the neck and the head (so operating on a hallux valgus is only treating a symptom and not the cause of the problem). In some cases, the problem might stem from the feet, where the arches aren’t functioning properly, affecting the entire body’s alignment.
In a CANTIENICA® class the client is guided by the voice of the trainer. Sometimes, it’s almost like a meditation. This method is a journey, a slow yet profound process. Because we start by showing the skeletal structure, clients can gradually begin to feel each tiny movement and its impact. Over time, they may even reach the point where they can sense the independent movement of each vertebra. These subtle shifts reveal connections that extend through the entire body—from the heels to the sitting bones, all the way up to the eyeballs. There is no cell in the body that isn’t involved, and this understanding takes time.
At its core, CANTIENICA® is about reshaping how you view and approach your body. It’s not about chasing symptoms but rather working holistically to understand how everything is connected. This method can become a foundation for everything else—you can enhance your yoga practice, swim differently, walk with more awareness, and even write with greater ease. Once you grasp this interconnectedness, it feels like there are no limits. The journey inward is endless, revealing dimensions you never thought possible, and it feeds an innate desire for growth and expansion. There are no boundaries to how far you can go.
Regression therapy taps into past experiences stored in the body. How do you identify and address the root causes of chronic emotional or physical issues, and how can this therapy provide lasting relief?
There are many different approaches to Regression Therapy, and while it’s often referred to simply as “regression therapy,” various schools offer distinct methodologies. My background emphasizes a strong connection with the body. When a client comes to me, my first task is to understand how they articulate their issue or blockage.
Once I identify this, I look for example for verbal bridges—phrases or statements the client frequently hears or expresses. These help me locate the corresponding emotion and its physical manifestation in the body, guiding me toward the key moments in their life that need to be addressed. It’s not uncommon for multiple points to emerge, perhaps from when the client was 30, 16, or even 6 years old. These recurring patterns can reveal emotional responses where the client feels lost or sad in specific situations.
In many cases, the most profound insights can be found not in past lives but in childhood experiences, where foundational emotional energy resides. A child is like a seed, full of potential energy for growth in this current life. However, if that energy is blocked, suppressed, or abused, it becomes trapped.
When I work with the body and emotions, I focus on where this energy is stuck—whether in physical sensations, emotions, or even in the surrounding space. Merely talking about the issue won’t release this energy; the body holds the key. The body never lies – it is the most trusted ally. One could spend hours discussing the same problem, yet without engaging the body, true release remains elusive.
Through body-centered exploration, I locate where the energy is trapped and work to liberate it. This involves recognizing what belongs to the client and what doesn’t, allowing the energy to flow freely and integrate into their being. These sessions can be transformative. Often, we revisit moments when the energy was squeezed or constrained, allowing the client to reconnect with their inner child—an aspect that is more emotional and physical than many adults realize.
Adults often downplay childhood experiences, believing they’re insignificant. However, for a child, these events carry immense weight, especially up until 6 or 7 years of age when emotions are raw and physical. By bringing this energy back to the surface and integrating it, clients can reconnect with what they genuinely want in life.
Understanding and acknowledging what the inner child needs allows for a powerful integration of body, mind, and soul. This work is not just about intellectual understanding; it’s about engaging the whole body in the healing process.
If you would like to find out more about Heike Bettendorf, please visit https://heikebettendorf.com/en/home-en/
