I just had an amazing blog interview with Lucy Mitchella, LMT, D.Ay., Herbalist – who is teaching the Maya Abdominal Massage Self-Care class in Marlboro, MA in August. You may have noticed from other blog entries that I’ve long been intrigued by The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Massage and the opportunity to attend this class has finally come up for me.
This recovery path I’ve been on has been like a gentle unfolding of mind, body and spirit. With each step I take, I continue to learn and discover new ways to awaken myself at each of these levels. One of the areas that I’ve been focused on recently is healing my abdominal area, which has often been referred to in Chinese medicine as our energy powerhouse. In this area, I am certain that I’m still holding old emotional issues, trauma from the past and damage from years of bulimia.
Body In Holding Pattern
My mind is not consciously feeling this holding, but I know it’s there. How I know is that I can FEEL this holding through my body and it manifests as constipation, primarily. It also speaks to me through frequent urination, mostly at night when I lie down. This disrupts my sleep by making it difficult to get settled at night and waking me in the night for a visit to the bathroom (sometimes 3 or 4 times, if my kidneys are out of balance). I’ve often wondered about these things – about these and other symptoms I’ve felt in my abdominal area, my energy powerhouse.
After Emily’s comment and subsequent comments from Karen about Qi Gong abdominal massage – and my interview with Sheila Shea (who referenced Chi Nei Tsang), I started to get more curious about healing techniques. I did some research and while I am intrigued by each of these, I kept coming back to my curiosity about Maya Abdominal Massage. When I did, I noticed the Self-Care class coming to my area. Well – 2.5 hours away anyway, but close enough!
Researching Techniques
For all things, I am a researcher – so I found a great article which talked more about Maya Abdominal Massage and even mentioned Lucy Mitchella. I contacted Lucy and today we had an interview about Maya Abdominal Massage, the healing benefits and more — so I could share this information with you. I was so inspired by Lucy, who is a wealth of information about our bodies – and has worked with clients with eating disorders and digestive distress – that I wanted to let you know about my upcoming post on her interview.
In this interview, Lucy shed some light on several missing pieces in my research about what happens to the body from trauma and eating disorders – I can’t wait to write the article up so that I can share it with you!
To Learn More
In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about Maya Abdominal Massage, take a look at their website. I remember a comment Emily left on – I think it was Feisty Frida’s blog – about her husband’s idea of all of us meeting someday. I thought it was a beautiful idea to meet my fellow bloggers – and also readers! If anyone is within the vicinity of Boston, MA and is interested in learning this healing self-care technique, I’d love to meet you there!
Lucy does a 30 minute private evaluation with each participant and after speaking with her, I’m really looking forward to this. If you decide to go, Lucy is someone who could really help with insight into the healing process of an eating disorder or digestive distress.
The class I am attending is:
Maya Abdominal Massage Self Care Technique
August 11 – 13, 2006
Earthsong Yoga Center
186 Main St.
Marlboro, MA
It would mean so much to me to be able to meet bloggers and/or readers there for a weekend of healing. And if it’s not possible, I will share the highlights of what we learned after the class, so that you are with me in spirit. You can also check out other self-care trainings in your area.
I hope to have the interview written up at the end of this week or early next week!
That sounds wonderful! I would love to take the workshop and meet you there if I lived closer! It’s a bit far for me, though…
I just found out yesterday that my Qi Gong teacher is planning on offering a Chi Nei Tsang class in September. I hope to be able to take it. If anyone is interested in it, I’ll keep you posted on it.
with love,
Emily
Comment by Emily — July 12, 2006 @ 11:48 pm
Hi Emily, How cool — I would love to hear what you think about Chi Nei Tsang — I would definitely go if it was in my area. I still think your husband’s idea is a good one…we need a blogger’s convention where they pay all of our expenses to come and speak, meet, etc. They do that sometimes — the Netherlands just did one. Hmmm, let’s all keep our eyes out for that!
With love,
Heather
Comment by Heather — July 15, 2006 @ 9:36 pm
Yes, it would be so much fun to all get together and meet! I am confident that it will happen one day!
love,
Em
Comment by Emily — July 17, 2006 @ 12:09 pm