Learning
more about The Arvigo Techniques
of Maya Abdominal Therapy
By: Billie Ann Hagen
The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal
Therapy® (ATMAT) works on the power of being unrestricted at the core of
your being. ATMAT is a non-invasive hands-on healing technique for the
uterus and surrounding structures. This almost-forgotten folk remedy can
help get rid of restrictions in the abdomen including the organs and
ligaments, circulatory, lymph, and nervous systems.
These techniques
have been passed down for thousands of years, from generations of
midwives and folk medicine practitioners, to Dr. Rosita Arvigo, DN (my
teacher). Her story has been told time and time again; her amazing
journey took her from the USA to live in Belize and eventually
apprentice with famous traditional Shaman healer Don Elijio Panti. He
was well known throughout Central America, and people would travel for
miles to see him to improve their health. He lived to be 103 years old,
and I believe it is in part from doing this work on himself. Don Elijio
believed, “The uterus is a woman’s center and if it is out of balance,
she will be physically, emotionally, and spiritually out of balance.”
This story is told in Dr. Arvigo’s book, Sastun. Now this work
is in her hands; she has been looking at techniques in depth and
exploring the practice for the last 30 years to more fully understand
why it works.
But this work is not just for women. Relieving the
tension that men have in the gut and surrounding structures can decrease
pressure and inflammation on the prostate, without working directly on
it. ATMAT practitioners have found that by applying these techniques,
they can decrease symptoms of prostatic congestion and other conditions
men have.
The Five Channels of Flow
This
therapy’s techniques work on the five channels of flow: arteries, veins,
lymph, nerves and Chi. Hemodynamics is the study of dynamic blood
circulation: the flow of blood through the arteries to carry nutrition,
hormones and oxygen to the organs. The body’s homeostasis depends on
keeping these channels self-regulating to heal and repair systems. If
these five channels become obstructed or restricted, homeostasis cannot
occur. Slowly over time, you have a buildup of stagnant blood or chi in
your abdominal organs.
The barrier between the heart and lungs
in the chest and the abdomen is the diaphragm. When the diaphragm (which
is vital for breathing and digestion) is constricted, essentially
binding and restricting blood flow, it affects 3 structures from
functioning optimally: the aorta, the esophagus and the vena cava. With
restriction, these structures are likely to decrease blood flow to the
lower organs. Misalignment of the ribs, spine, and adipose tissues can
also restrict flow, as well as cause stress and built-up emotions. This
stress can trigger the flight or fight response in the body.
Therapy applied to the upper abdominals has a number of benefits to all
organs, digestion, breathing, reproduction and well-being. ATMAT works
specifically to bring well-being and flow back through these five
channels.
Reproductive Systems
The
anatomy and physicality of the reproductive system is complex and all
the ligaments support the ovaries and the uterus, but this information
is found everywhere. I’d rather mention how small the artery is which
leads to the uterus: it is so small that if the uterus is tilted in any
direction, it can cause a significant decrease of proper blood flow to
the uterus! Just as a bend or kink in a garden hose will slow or stop
the flow of water, a tilted uterus can slow the blood flow (which
includes the oxygen, nutrition, and all those hormones). This tilt can
impede the five channels as well, which makes bringing your body to
homeostasis challenging.
When stressed, we feel tightness in our
bodies, which restricts our breathing. Our necks might get tight and
eventually our shoulders are hunched up around our ears; we might even
have a knot in the back that we give a pet-name because it comes back
every time we are stressed out. If it’s happening in your neck and
shoulders, there is a good possibility that this stress is going on in
your abdomen too. The uterus sits right in front of the large intestine
so if one is inflamed, you can bet the other organ is upset too. This is
why ATMAT is really good for your digestion tract as well.
It is
for human-folk; that’s right, men can benefit from this work too.
Relieving the tension that men have in the gut and surrounding
structures can decrease the pressure and inflammation that sits on the
prostate, without working directly on the prostate. ATMAT practitioners
have found by applying these techniques for men can decrease symptoms of
prostatic congestion and other conditions men have.
In
Summary
If you know the benefits of massage therapy on
your body, why wouldn’t this work on your organs? The Arvigo Techniques
of Maya Abdominal Therapy® focuses specifically on areas neglected by
traditional massage therapy. By increasing relaxation, flexibility, and
circulation in the abdomen, these techniques improve movement, help with
lymphatic drainage — detoxification of old cells and bacteria — and
build healthy white blood cells to fight off infections. Bottom line,
the continuous and routine application of Arvigo Techniques of Maya
Abdominal Therapy can increase your overall health and well-being for
life.
Billie Ann Hagen, massage therapist, makes house calls to perform Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy® at your location. Billie will come to your home with all the necessary supplies – massage table, clean linens and lotions/oils.
Call 908-688-6008 today to schedule
your customized massage.