hara abdominal massage
Through my own therapeutic journey and nearly 12 years of clinical bodywork practice, I have found that inner disharmony of the digestive system is a leading cause in physical and mental distress.
The ancient Taoists realized that the body’s Qi (life force energy) circulates in the nervous system, blood vessels, connective tissues, organs, lymph, bones and cells. This life force energy is closely related to the chemical messengers like enzymes, hormones and nutrients that make up all of the body’s metabolic functions.
Our guts are one of the largest sites for chemical messengers and nutrient exchange, making it a key site for metabolic and mental health.
Our abdominal cavity is central to how we think, feel and express our emotions.
The bidirectional relationship between gut and brain have been widely studied in immunology, gastroenterology and psychology research.
Psycho-neuro-immunology is the study of how our thoughts and feelings affect whole body health.
How we hold our body’s posture, how we breathe, how we digest and sleep are all processes related to various hormones and neurotransmitters along the gut-brain axis. Here lies the masterful irrigation for our inner garden, the intersection of the psyche and soma {mind and body}.
The solar plexus or celiac plexus is the largest gathering of the “gut brain.” Located just above the navel and below the diaphragm, this is a major intersection of nerves, lymph, organs and connective tissue are like a circuit board to the mind-body feedback mechanism.
When our bodies physically cave into the pathogenic factors of life such as stress, diet, environment, posture and un-digested emotions, the capacity for exchange is constricted like a kink in the garden hose. Disturbances in the connective tissue {knots} result in the gradual obstruction of energy circulation. This causes stasis, pain and limited capacity for blood, movement and nutrient exchange.
The research on gut and brain health is now finding that the microbiome of the gastrointestinal system is directly related to mental health.
How we process nutrients, energy and waste in our digestive tract is how we process thoughts, memory, feelings and trauma.
Energy, clarity, mood, memory and focus are all caveats of a well functioning gut.
While there are many ways to address imbalances within the gut-brain axis, there is only one simple fact: What we eat determines our health.
Addressing what we eat is very important, however other hands on modalities like acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, cognitive behavioral therapy and somatic healing are also beneficial to promote gut function and vagal nerve regulation.
Hara Abdominal Massage stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system allowing for the repair of our natural microbiome while promoting the detox function.
Abdominal acupuncture, massage and herbal medicines are notably recognized for treating gastrointestinal symptoms, mental health and more.
Hara abdominal massage is beneficial for gastro and fertility related conditions such as
IBD/IBS
Bloating
Constipation
Diarrhea
Hemorrhoids
Acid reflux
Benefits weight loss
PCOS, Fibroids, Cysts
Infertility
Painful menses
PMS
Hara abdominal massage fascinates greater vagal tone which benefits motility, inflammation and repair of gut function. Vagal tone is also suggestive of emotional regulation by stimulation the parasympathetic nervous system {rest & digest}.
In this sense, how we digest thoughts and emotions and heal from past trauma are equally concerns of building parasympathetic tone.
The ancients utilized various forms of abdominal massage {Internal organ alchemy} to harmonize the systems linking mind and body.
The results, a clear mind and resilience against disease.
A clear, functioning gut is a clear, functioning mind!
Book a Hara abdominal massage with your next acupuncture session here.
