healingways
Abdominal Massage
The Ancient Chinese Secret to Mental and Physical Health
by Benjamin Krieg I
n 527 A.D., an enlightened Indian monk named Da Mo visited a Chi- nese Shao Lin temple. The monks there were sickly and weak, due to their sedentary lifestyles, and he could see that they were focusing on their minds alone, neglecting their bodies. Da Mo went into seclusion for nine years to ponder this problem and emerged with two written texts, whose basic theory was that a strong body was necessary to support the mind in the quest for enlightenment.
Da Mo’s first text, Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic, outlined a series of techniques to improve the health and resilience of the body. The monks found that by practicing these meth- ods, their health improved and their strength increased dramatically. From then on, the Shao Lin monks were known for their powerful martial arts skill and incredible strength. The first technique, Chinese abdominal massage, is now called Chi Nei Tsang, meaning “internal organ en- ergy.” It is designed to change the body from weak to strong by improving the energy of the internal organs and is currently used by Taoists to achieve the goals of health and long life.
ENHANCING INTERNAL ORGAN HEALTH Healthy internal organs are neces- sary for a healthy body. According to its practitioners, Chinese abdominal massage helps improve blood circula-
22 East Bay Area |
www.NAEastBay.com
tion to and from the organs, enhances hormone production and accelerates waste removal. The stomach, intestines and pancreas are then better able to convert food energy into life energy. By softening hardness in the abdomen, abdominal massage allows the dia- phragm to contract more fully, po- tentially increasing lung capacity and strengthening respiration.
Proponents note that abdominal massage also reinforces the ability of the liver and kidney to detoxify waste products in the blood. By augmenting the function of the uterus and the ova- ries, the technique reduces pain and bloating before and during menstrua- tion and improves fertility. Abdominal massage also indirectly improves male reproductive health, because the lower abdomen houses the prostate.
THE LINK TO EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING Chinese medicine practitioners consider the abdomen very important in treating anxiety, depression, insomnia, chronic stress and other mental conditions, and believe that abdominal massage directly improves mental and emotional well-being. One common manifestation of the link between the abdomen and the psyche is restless sleep or disturbing dreams after overeating.
Modern anatomical knowledge also supports the idea that the abdo- men is closely related to mental health. The enteric nervous system, the control
center of the stomach and intestines, houses more neurons than the spinal column—close to the number of neu- rons in the brain. If the vagus nerve, the primary communication link between the gastrointestinal system and the brain, is severed, digestion still contin- ues. Because of this, the enteric nervous system has been called the second brain, as it requires no input from the cranial brain to perform its function. The majority of fibers in the vagus nerve carry information from the abdo- men to the brain, while only a minority of them travel in the opposite direction. This means that the abdomen has more influence in telling the brain what to do than vice-versa.
If there is any malfunction in the abdomen, the enteric nervous system goes on high alert and potentially sends distress signals to the brain. Life events that seem to be crises can be approached with a greater degree of poise and mental clarity if the abdomen remains soothed and relaxed. This goal can be achieved through abdominal massage.
Benjamin Krieg,
L.Ac. practices acu- puncture, Chinese medical massage, abdominal massage, cupping and herbology at Roots of Eastern Medicine Acupuncture Clinic, in Pleasanton. For more information, visit
AcuRoots.com. See Community Resource Guide listing on page 30.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32