Must therapeutic patting be very painful and cause bruises to be effective?

Greater pain and bruising do not mean greater effectiveness. News of injuries caused by patting saddened me. Wanting to help and having the ability to do so without injury are separate matters. You cannot keep demanding endurance by saying 'it only works if it hurts.'

I have discussed Sheng Zhen Men's use of a patting stick as light tapping combined with intention and visualization to understand energetic adjustment. The purpose is not to strike people until marks or injuries appear. This is our religious practice, not a guarantee of treating disease. Nor does a name suggesting Taoist lineage establish confirmed medical ability.

The news we discussed was shown to me by a student. Someone was struck for a long time, and the practitioner continued even after vomiting and fainting. The specific case was a news account, but the reminder is clear: when someone is already unwell, we cannot simply keep trusting a teacher's claim of effectiveness. Television appearances, books, and fame do not make every judgment correct. Respecting expertise still requires looking at what is actually done. You cannot hand over all your own perceptions and judgment.