In the latest MysticMag interview, we had the pleasure of speaking with Tim Franklin, the founder of Fully Alive, about his fascinating journey into the realm of holistic health and well-being. Tim shares his inspiring story, tracing back to personal health challenges and a pivotal experience with Zero Balancing, which ultimately led him to integrate diverse healing practices and found Fully Alive. Continue reading to learn more.
How did you get into this line of work and what drew you to it?
My journey into this line of work is a bit of a collective mix of different things, shaped by personal experiences and a quest for healing. It all started when I was stressed out, low on energy, in pain, and working full-time. My brother suggested I see a therapist who practiced Zero Balancing, though he didn’t tell me much about it. He simply advised me to go in with an open mind, so I did. That experience flipped my world upside down. Not only did I start feeling relief from my own issues, but I also began to pick up on the pains and problems of others.
This intrigued me, and it reminded me of my grandmother, who was a spiritual healer. It felt like a calling, especially considering my own health history—I had been asthmatic as a child and spent time in hospitals. Seeing family members suffer from various illnesses, and even witnessing uncles pass away young, made me question my future health-wise. I had a premonition that if I didn’t change my ways by the age of 28, I wouldn’t make it, which propelled me to seek a different path.
Training to be a Zero Balancer requires a background in therapy, so I went to night college to qualify as a Swedish Massage therapist. My background was in martial arts, which I later discovered was aligned with principles of Zero Balancing or ZB for short. I trained under the founder of Zero Balancing, Dr. Fritz Smith, and travelled to New Zealand to study with Paul Cohen, a senior teacher with an insightful understanding to energy & structure.
Parallel to this journey, I felt a deep void, something missing in my life. This feeling was familiar from my martial arts training in my youth. In search of a mentor, akin to a “Mr. Miyagi,” I explored various avenues around the world, until I found a Shaolin Kung Fu school near my home. This led me to a Shaolin Grandmaster who became my teacher for over 20 years. I went to Malaysia and followed him around the world to deepen my study. Under his guidance, I learned not only Kung Fu, but also Qigong and meditation My Sifu (teacher) taught the importance of training mind, body, and energy as one. This holistic triad filled the gap I had felt and became a cornerstone of my practice.
Later, my teacher encouraged me to teach these arts. Later, he taught me Qigong Healing. He believed there was an urgent need for this ancient practice to help relieve suffering and illness. The combination of Zero Balancing and Shaolin arts provided a synergistic approach to health and well-being, focusing not just on eliminating illness but promoting overall wellness—physically, mentally, emotionally, energetically, and spiritually. I then started asking myself what it would be like if one was to start practicing being well, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and energetically. What would happen if we flipped everything upside down? That’s the approach I’ve been taking for years now and what I base my practice on.
As my life evolved, so did my practice. When my daughter, who is autistic, presented new challenges, I expanded my knowledge into cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and hypno-CBT, incorporating these techniques into my work. This journey also led me to work as a mental health support worker in the NHS in Scotland.
I was also introduced to Zen Yoga, Zen meditation, and mindfulness through another teacher, a Zen master who had spent decades in temples in the UK and Japan. This integration of mind, body, and energy, alongside my previous learnings, further solidified my holistic approach to health and well-being.
In a nutshell, my journey is a tapestry of diverse influences and disciplines, all converging into a synergistic approach to health and well-being.
Can you walk me through a 15-Minute Transformational Shaolin Cosmos Qigong Practice?
Before diving into the 15-Minute Transformational Shaolin Cosmos Qigong practice, it’s important to understand that Qigong is more than just physical movements. It’s a holistic practice involving body, mind, and energy management. Many people focus solely on one of the aspects, most commonly the physical form, but the essence of Qigong lies in its ability to cultivate and manage energy. A complete Qigong practice involves three main components (beginning, middle, and end): entering the Qigong state of mind, performing Qigong exercises, and returning to stillness. If you skip any of the three parts, you’ll be missing a huge potential for change.
To begin, entering the Qigong state of mind is crucial. This involves being physically upright and relaxed, whether seated or standing, with eyes gently closed and mouth slightly open. The focus here is on releasing unnecessary tension in the body and calming the mind. Breathing gently and deeply through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, like a gentle sigh, something like “haa”, helps in letting go of tension and promoting relaxation through relaxing the nervous system. This stage is about grounding yourself and preparing mentally and physically for the practice. When we loosen the muscles, we relax at the physical level, and when we give the mind something to do via the breathing exercises, we relax the mind, as well. There are multiple depths of entering the Qigong state of mind, but this would be the simplest one.
Next, we move into performing the Qigong exercises. This is the part of the practice where specific forms or movements are performed to generate an energy flow. This flow is essential for harmonizing and restoring health. Typically, you can choose 1-3 exercises and repeat each between 10 and 20 times, focusing not on the number but on the quality of the movement and the generation of energy flow. It’s important to remember that the purpose of Qigong exercises is to manage and enhance your energy flow, promoting overall well-being.
Finally, returning to stillness is vital. This approach follows the classics of Qigong and Tai Chi – movement in stillness, stillness in movement. In Qigong, we say “stillness, movement, stillness”.
After completing the exercises, we return to a state of quiet stillness, but the quality of stillness is now different as you’re now more in a meditative state of mind and energy is flowing more smoothly. There we enter the stage of non-doing, which is often referred to as “wu wei”. We just practice being. When we practice being, mind, body, and energy come together as one.
At the end, we rub our palms together and then massage our face and head together to gently bring ourselves back to here and now.
A complete Qigong practice, including these stages, can be done in as little as 15 minutes once or twice a day. It’s a powerful routine that doesn’t require special equipment or clothing, just a relaxed state and a willingness to engage with your energy on a deeper level. As for the timing, the best time of day to do this practice is in the morning and in the evening.
How are your courses and classes structured and what can you tell me about the work that you do through Fully Alive Academy?
The Fully Alive Academy was developed as a legacy project to preserve and pass on the teachings of the Shaolin arts, as instructed by my Shaolin Master. Historically, these teachings were kept secret, but as they have become more accessible to the public, we saw the importance of creating a platform to record and share this knowledge. The Fully Alive Academy now offers over 1,200 hours of recorded content, including beginners, intermediate, and advanced Qigong, meditation, mindfulness, yoga, Kung Fu, Tai Chi Chuan, and the Self Healing Warrior series.
Our aim at Fully Alive Academy is to empower people to help themselves. The platform provides a comprehensive range of resources, allowing people to practice at their own pace and level. Classes and courses are available live online and all sessions are recorded, ensuring that participants can revisit the material anytime they need.
The courses are structured in a systematic approach, catering to all levels of experience. Beginners can start with foundational courses to build essential skills, while more advanced practitioners can engage in intermediate and advanced practices. This flexibility allows participants to join at a level appropriate to their current understanding and progress through the teachings as they develop.
Overall, Fully Alive Academy serves as a vital resource for those looking to deepen their practice in these ancient arts, providing both live interaction and a rich library of materials for self-study and personal growth.
What therapy services do you offer?
I offer a range of therapy services, including Zero Balancing, CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), Hypno-CBT, and Qigong Healing. Zero Balancing is a hands-on therapy that integrates body, energy, and mind, helping to release held tensions caused by trauma, stress, anxiety, or inherited challenges. It’s non-invasive and is based on osteopathy principles, but without the clicks, and acupuncture principles, but without the needles. This therapy requires in-person sessions.
CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, works on the premise that our thoughts influence our feelings, which in turn affect our behaviors. At the same time, the way we behave affects the way we feel, which then affects the way that we think. By changing thought patterns or behaviors, people can improve their emotional well-being.
Hypno-CBT combines hypnotherapy with CBT, utilizing the power of imagination and suggestion to address issues like anxiety, mild depression, phobias, and fears. Unlike stage hypnosis, Hypno-CBT is based on clinical, evidence-based practices.
Qigong Healing involves practices that help balance and harmonize the body’s energy and can be done either in person or online. This therapy focuses on the physical, mental, and energetic aspects of health, offering a holistic approach to healing.
Clients who seek my services often deal with anxiety, depression, and pain, especially when other treatments have not been effective. These therapies provide a comprehensive approach, addressing various aspects of well-being to facilitate healing and personal growth.
Is there anything else about your work that you’d like to share that we haven’t covered?
One thing I’d like to share comes from an early experience I had as a child. I suffered from asthma and was told by a doctor that I wouldn’t be able to participate in sports or other activities like other kids. At that moment, I faced a choice: either accept that as my reality or shape my life differently. This experience taught me a valuable lesson about the power of will and belief in shaping our future.
Through my journey in martial arts, I learned that training the body builds strength and discipline, which in turn strengthens the mind and will. When I later incorporated Qigong, mindfulness, and meditation, I realized that combining physical training, mental discipline, and self-compassion with energy management creates a holistic practice for health, well-being, and life. This approach has not only been foundational in my own life but is something I believe can help anyone live a healthier, happier, and more connected life.
This philosophy underpins all my work, emphasizing that anyone can cultivate these skills and practices to improve their quality of life, regardless of their starting point. It’s about empowering individuals to take charge of their health and well-being, creating a positive and transformative impact.
To learn more about Tim’s work, you can visit www.fully-alive.co.uk and www.fullyaliveacademy.co.uk
