Authored by Karen Townsend, CMT
Those of you who’ve seen me for bodywork before know that I love working the abdomen and ribs. A couple potential benefits of this are releasing back tension, promoting peristalsis and good digestion, developing body awareness, and being able to take deeper, more relaxed breaths. Who couldn’t use a little deep breathing right now? Abdominal massage can be a powerful tool to target digestive and reproductive issues. Here is an easy self massage sequence you can do at home to help deepen your breath, bring energy and blood flow through your organs, and release muscle tension in the abdomen and back.
As you do this sequence, pay attention to yourself about how much pressure is appropriate for you. Work in slowly and gently. If you discover a sore spot feel free to spend more time there. Bellies are awesome and sometimes we hide a lot of judgement and emotions in them and about them. Have compassion for yourself. This is a good time to let your belly hang out and not worry about what you look like, but focus on what you feel and let yourself feel it all, especially the things you may normally try to hide.
Begin by lying on your back. You can be flat on the floor with no bolster, with a pillow under your knees, or with your lower legs propped up on a chair, sofa, or table about knee height.
Feel your entire body supported on the ground. Let your self feel HEAVY. Feel how heavy your head can be on the ground when you let your neck muscles take a break from holding it up all day. A lot of us use our neck muscles when we breath. Try letting your neck and shoulders stay passive and relaxed as you use only your diaphragm to draw air into your lungs letting your abdomen fill with air and release air. Feel how your head is connected to your spine and the rest of your body. Give yourself plenty of time to settle into this deep relaxation.
You can end by doing the same gentle , clockwise circles around your navel and giving your self a few moments to relax on the floor before returning to the upright part of your day. Pay attention to any physical or emotional discoveries you may have made while connecting with your belly. Let this inform how you move and treat yourself. Work this self massage into your daily routine if that feels appropriate.
I hope you found this sequence easy to follow, informative and helpful. Please let me know if you if you have any questions or feedback. I look forward to hearing what you think!
