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CITYSunTimes Online Extras March 2011 | Read the full SECTION
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Bowen Therapy – Gentle, Powerfully Effective Pain Relief
The Bowen Technique is revolutionizing the field of holistic medicine. Clients who have experienced the amazing results from Bowen Therapy state that this non-invasive, all-embracing modality is so invaluable and effective for pain relief that they have given up all other therapies and modalities.
If you are suffering from pain in any part of your body, you can be pain-free without drugs, surgery, supplements or painful needles.
Bowen is a physical therapy that uses the principle that less is more. It is not massage, acupressure, chiropractic or energy healing, to name a few. It is a dynamic system of muscle and connective tissue therapy that addresses the entire body, by restoring balance via the autonomic nervous system, which controls over 80 percent of bodily functions. The slow, gentle movements made across or perpendicular to the muscles or tendons can result in greater blood flow, oxygen delivery and restoration of cellular activity in both muscle and organs. It works subtly and energetically with the body’s “Fascia,” which is the tissue that surrounds all organs and tissues of the body. Specific Bowen moves bring the fascia back to a hydrated, fluid-like state so the whole body functions at its optimum health level. In addition to a reduction in pain, increased mobility and a general sense of well-being – it is common to sleep more soundly and have increased energy levels. Bowenwork also improves circulation, lymphatic drainage and nutrient absorption and aids the body in elimination of toxins – all while being completely safe and appropriate to use for individuals of all ages and in all degrees of health.
A typical Bowen session begins with a practitioner taking a brief health history in order to address the reason for the visit. The session usually lasts approximately 60 minutes and involves gentle moves being performed while the client lies comfortably on a massage table, wearing loose clothing. There is a two-minute wait between the moves, allowing the nervous system to absorb the information put in by the practitioner before continuing. Most clients become so profoundly relaxed during the procedure, they fall asleep on the table. The deep relaxation brought about by Bowen allows their body to go from what’s called “sympathetic mode,” the stress, flight, fight mode of everyday life, to “parasympathetic dominance,” which is our body’s own relax and repair mode, thus allowing the body to be completely open to healing. Usually, only a few sessions are needed for the desired relief and with the occasional maintenance session, one remains balanced and with a stronger immune system.
This gentle and completely safe therapy restores the flow of blocked energy, modulates the autonomic nervous system and can correct and reset improper tension in the muscles. Bowenwork gently stimulates the body to heal itself in its own manner, like a catalyst, rather than forced healing through a more significant input of outside energy. Imagine how it would be to have relief from pain and tiresome health issues without the use of medicine and the many side effects that come along with it. Bowen is an elegant therapy, simply involving less work and with an unheard of 88 percent success rate, has deep and lasting effects.