I actually incorporate bellywork into my own practice.. I mostly do some solar plexus energy cleansing. Most of what we carry emotionally and how we see ourselves is in the third chakra the solar plexus. I use Reiki and Singing Bowls. Each overtone from the bowl vibrates with different chakras in the body. Sometimes I use stones and my Singing Bowl together. If I'm doing a massage I really work the tissues with specific organic essential oils to relax and heal the belly, while using guided imagery and breathwork. Most people breath from their chests and not their bellies. I help to redirect their breathing to their bellies in order to breathe deeper and bring up more emotional stuff. Anyways I don't find to many practitioners that really work the belly, and in a nurturing and gentle way. I have a lot of pelvis and lower back pain. Energy work is great, but I feel I need to really get to some deeper layers physically, but not having someone beat on me. I read about maya abdominal massage and it sounds like what I may need or something similar. I give myself belly massages, but there is nothing like receiving it. I use belly breathing on myself and some days it's a life saver. I even taught my boyfriend how to do it.

As Astrid mentioned above, Maya Ab Massage is truly transformational, speaking from personal experience as well as my clients’ experiences. First of all, our bellies are considered our source of power or our chi and if this is stagnated due to physical, emotional, or spiritual blockages our energy and/or physical health is not optimal. Secondly, we can hold trauma in our tissues. As my teacher would say, "Our issues are in our tissues." Think about when you get upset. You may have shallow breathing, tightness in your belly or feel nauseous. There is no flow in your belly and all that emotional energy gets stored in your body, namely your belly. I have had clients burst out in tears on my table as I hold a nice safe space for them to do so. Others have emotional releases at home and others just feel nurtured having their bellies rubbed. Everyone’s experience is different. For women specifically, this massage also addresses her reproductive organs (all external and non-invasive massage) and hormones, which at times can drive our emotions directly and intensely. Realigning the uterus helps realign a woman’s flow and hormonal balance.

As for me, I had a huge emotional, physical, and spiritual release and amazing transformation during my professional training. I would highly recommend receiving this modality by a practitioner trained in The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Massage (www.arvigomassage.com) in your area.

Cheers to Belly Work!

Hope this helps, Petra!