Bowen

After 1950, Tom began studying with Ernie Saunders, a legend in the 1940s – 1960s in body manipulation. They spent many hours together chatting and studying the body. From Ernie he learned what became his method, the Bowen Technique, or connective tissue release, a technique that he continued to develop until his death. In the late 1950s, Tom worked at the Geelong Cement Works, where his interest in relieving people’s suffering grew even greater. What he did and how is a mystery. During this time, he met and became good friends with a man named Stan Horwood, who believed that Tom had a special gift, a gift from God. Stan invited Tom to have facilities in his home, where Tom received people after work hours.

It wasn’t long before the demand for Tom’s help became so great that he quit his job and opened a Bowen therapy clinic in Geelong. Business grew, even though there was no advertising, just word of mouth. People waited for hours to get in. Tom worked every weekday from 9am to 11am and 1pm to around 5pm, and after dinner he would make house calls. Every Saturday morning he provided free services for disabled and mentally challenged children. People made a great effort and it was not uncommon for people to drive 3-4 hours

with the children the other way. The success of the treatment for these children was not as immediate as for most, but after a few years it became incredible. Every Saturday evening he had an open house for athletes in case someone had been injured that day. Judging by the popularity of his Bowen treatment, he could have become a wealthy man, but that was not his priority. What he could do to alleviate people’s suffering was all he had in mind. He may not always have the answers to all problems, but then he took the time to study the matter and usually had a solution a few days later.

Tom trained many people who later opened their own treatment centers, including Keith Davis, Nigel Love, Kevin Neave, Oswald Rentsch, Kevin Ryan and Romney Smeeton.

Around 1970, due to unavoidable circumstances, he had to move and at the same time applied for a license to operate his business. This process took a long time and was eventually rejected. Tom took this rejection very badly and felt as if the system had failed him, that his work was of no value or appreciation. But whether he was registered with a license or not made no difference, people continued to come to him for treatment.
Today, the Bowen Technique is taught all over the world and is at university level in Australia. Anyone who learns the Bowen Technique will develop their own technique in treating both people and animals. Each person has their own interpretation and method, the only original Bowen technician was Tom himself. He developed, changed and improved this technique, depending on how the physical condition presented itself to him in his work at each time. The basis may have always been the same but with different twists.

Tom had a favorite saying that he lived by:

“I expect to pass through this world but once, any good thing therefore that I do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow-creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall never pass this way again.“

An abridged translation of Tom Bowen’s biography written by his daughters Heather and Pam.