From time to time someone crosses your path and you know instantly that person is going to make a difference in your life, and the lives of many for that matter. I have recently returned from a training session where I had such an experience. Dr. Rosita Arvigo is a Naturopath, herbalist, ethnobotanist, teacher and author. She has spent the last thirty years of her life in the rainforest of Belize learning and practicing the ancient Mayan approach to healing. It is a holistic approach using herbs, bodywork and prayer. It recognizes the continuum of body-mind-spirit. It recognizes the effects of the environment, relationships, nutrition and states of mind on health. As in all natural approaches to health care, the goal is to achieve a state of balance on this continuum, to allow the body to direct its energies towards healing itself. Dr. Arvigo has written 3 books to date and traveled extensively to teach and preserve one of the most important techniques in this ancient tradition, that of abdominal and uterine massage.
What is Mayan Abdominal/ Uterine Massage?
The Mayan Abdominal /Uterine massage is an external, non-invasive, painless
technique using only hands to improve circulation of blood, lymph, nerve supply
and chi to the uterus and attending organs. It is an ancient treatment which
has been practiced by healers for thousands of years around the world and
represents an unbroken chain of knowledge handed down through generations
of midwives, healers and shamans. Without Dr. Arvigo's dedication, it may
well have been lost, not only to us in North America but even in Central America
where traditional healers are getting older and apprentices fewer. Dr. Arvigo
has formed an association of Traditional Healers of Belize to help preserve
the wisdom in its homeland. I would highly recommend her books to you, especially
Sastun. It is as if you are right there in the Rain Forest with her and her
mentor Don Elijio Panti.
Why is Abdominal/Uterine Massage Important?
The goal of the technique is to insure the uterus is in the correct anatomical
position. When it is not, pressure on the blood and lymph vessels and nerves
can cause a wide variety of symptoms. Some of those might include PMS, heavy
and/or irregular and/or painful periods, headache/migraine related to periods,
infertility related to displaced or congested uterus, fibroids, menopausal
symptoms, painful intercourse, varicose veins and achy legs, incontinence
and/or frequent urination just to mention a few.
The Mayan tradition teaches that the uterus is the creative and spiritual centre of energy in a woman's body. The health of the uterus is therefore mandatory for optimal health and well-being . Improved energy and improved clarity of thought are the two listed benefits I look forward to most. In Dr. Arvigo's experience even women who have undergone a hysterectomy benefit from this treatment, diminishing the effects of scar tissue and improving the circulation to and function of stomach, bladder and bowel. Dr. Arvigo has observed the abdominal massage to be helpful in the early stages of benign prostatic hypertrophy with frequent urination, since the prostate is almost the same location as the uterus. Improving circulation in the abdominal cavity in general also improves function of organs of digestion and elimination. This is why it is also offered to men.
Dr. Arvigo uses the theories of the German physician, Dr. Wilhelm Reich to explain the emotional releases sometimes experienced through this work. Dr. Reich teaches that tissue has “memory” and we develop “muscular armoring” as a result of a variety of life-traumas. This armoring causes physical, emotional and energetic blockages which must be removed to bring the body to a state of balance and allow it to heal. This is how healing occurs along the mind-body continuum.
How Does the Uterus Become Displaced?
The uterus is an organ suspended in the body by ligaments. There are a huge
number of possible causes of displacement or malalignment. It is often referred
to as a "tipped uterus". It could be tipped forward, backward, to
either side or any degree or combination of the above. This might have occurred
as a result of any injury or fall, frequent, successive and/or difficult childbirth,
running on a hard surface, lifting heavy objects especially too soon after
childbirth or during menses... and the list goes on. It is suggested that
80% of women have a displaced uterus. One has to wonder what sitting at a
computer eight hours a day, year after year, does to increase congestion in
the pelvis. That's something ancient Mayans probably didn't have to compensate
for.
Self-Care
An important part of the protocol for both men and women is self-care. Each
person is taught how to do the self care version of the technique and advised
of the recommended frequency for their condition. Needless to say, in the
rainforest there is a rich tradition of herbal remedies which are also recommended
for a wide variety of conditions. Dr. Arvigo includes these recommendations
in her training and recommends substitutes when the Belize herbs are not available.
Another aspect of this therapy is the Mayan faja, a stylized truss and belly-band worn to support the uterus while healing and stabilization occurs. This faja is also used any time there is heavy work to be done or even for energetic dancing.
I am continually struck by the mindfulness and respect Mayan healers pay to the body, especially the organs of reproduction. In our throw-away society we buy new clothes when we're tired of the old, we change our cars with astounding regularity and we think we can replace body parts with the same ease. In some cases that is almost true. This past century has seen our knowledge base explode but our innate wisdom whither. The wisdom, that existed across all cultures, that kept our species alive and allowed it to thrive has been tossed aside. We were throwing the baby out with the bath water (excuse the pun). But now, with the advent of super-bugs and mad-cow disease and genetically altered everything, we are beginning to listen to those sentinels, like Dr. Arvigo, who have dedicated their lives to keeping the flame. Dr. Arvigo jokingly refers to her students as the "Womb Savers", an important role when Mother Earth herself is struggling to survive. There are those who believe that strengthening our capacity to nurture is the only thing that will save this planet.
Dr. Madeline Crnec is a local chiropractor with post-graduate training in
a variety of natural therapies including herbs, nutrition and acupuncture.
She is also a candidate for certification in the Arvigo Techniques of Maya
Abdominal/ Uterine Massage(TM). One of only four in Canada.
This therapy is currently being offered in her clinic.