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These are difficult and painful conditions to live with both physically, emotionally and mentally.
The point of this post is that I want to bring awareness to something that is so common amongst sufferers and I know many women will be able to relate to this common factor even if there is great reluctance to admit it.
(Please note: My work frequently brings me into contact with women who have one or more of the conditions above and although this post highlights a common factor please remember there are always other factors that play their parts in individual cases.)
If my massage couch had ears I think it might think I’m a broken record the amount of times I gently encourage people to “release, relax and let go” - or at least many variations of those words depending on what is required.
But my point is that one of the key things that we as women particularly don’t seem to allow ourselves much of is proper deep **active relaxation**.
This might seem like a bit of a basic statement but it’s far from it when you breakdown what happens through the relaxation process or in fact the lack of it.
When our bodies do not experience true active relaxation - and by this I don’t mean sitting on the sofa scrolling through fb and I also don’t mean going to bed exhausted which most of us tend to do - we end up getting into a cycle where limited amounts of blood and nutrients are taken to the 2 body systems that are ‘least important’ for our survival: digestive and REPRODUCTIVE.
To cut a bit of a long physiological story short, when clients start engaging in active rest through massage or meditation it is almost immediate that we hear gurgling noises from the abdomen and this is not because they are hungry! It’s basically because the body has slowed down enough and found it safe enough to start resending blood and oxygen to those 2 aforementioned systems that aren’t deemed crucial for life in the ‘survival state’ (which is what many of us find ourselves permanently living in these days).
It is a very challenging place to be when our bodies are in constant states of stress particularly coupled with pain but it’s like a catch 22; unless we can find ways to deeply rest we cannot support the systems that are causing us pain.
I wanted to write this little piece as an awareness post for women who are suffering because I know the pain and I can truthfully relate to the inability to turn off.
But, I also know just HOW important it is to learn how to actively relax and to recover from painful conditions that can be so utterly all-consuming.
Massage, bodywork, acupressure and visualisation work can greatly support women in accessing their parasympathetic nervous system - the system that is deemed responsible for relaxation and repairing. I always encourage clients to deepen their connection with their body rather than allow the monkey mind to continue to chatter through sessions. Very often they drift in and out of consciousness in a sort of dream space which is quite an addictive place to be. We work together to bring awareness of unconscious body and mind tension, unhealthy lifestyle patterns and both physical and soul alignment (ask me about that if you’re curious). Please, please remember that this common point I’ve highlighted is not the only reason for these disorders to manifest but simply part of the greater picture as each women is unique in her story. If you suffer from any of the conditions above and dare to be honest, ask yourself the simple question whether you are able to truly practice regular deep relaxation. It may just be the most important, life-changing question you ask yourself. ***** If you wish to discuss anything I have mentioned above with a view to working together please do get in touch. So many of the women I have worked with have dramatically improved from living in a life of constant pain within just a couple of bodywork sessions. I do not claim to “cure all” and some of the work we cover can be very emotionally challenging but that is where the deepest gold lies and this is where we get results. Contact me for a brief informal and confidential chat if you would like to discuss your individual situation. Please don’t suffer in silence.