The Bowen technique involves making a series of gentle, rolling
movements over specific areas of body.
This gentle rolling pressure appears to reset conditions within the
fascia which ultimately brings tissues and organs back to a healthy balance
(and reverses dis-ease conditions). The
way in which this may be achieved, is described below.
It appears that after many years of research, science is finally starting to prove to the west what the east has known for thousands of years: that meridians do
exist. Physically, the meridians are in the form
of a gel-like matrix and this matrix is connected with the transmission of information on a number of fronts. These fronts include chemical (via the circulatory
network), nervous (through the neural network), and through the fascial tissue
itself (possibly frequencies transmitted via water??). There is a condition which dictates how effective all of these
modes of information transfer are. That
is how hydrated we are. If, we lose
water from our body and don't replace it, the gel of the fascial matrix becomes
dehydrated. It becomes gummy and starts
sticking together and when this happens, other tissue that is dispersed
throughout the gel becomes compressed and restricted. Such tissue includes the nerves and the
capillaries, so we can end up with pain and inflammation or numbness in the area(s)
of dehydration. I will take you slightly further into my understanding of this situation, shaped largely by my Bowen teacher Jane Allen, Russell Sturgess, and Thomas W. Myers (author of Anatomy Trains).
The fascia is connective tissue that surrounds every organ, muscle,
bone, and cell in the body. It is
comprised of collagen, reticulin, elastin, and ground substance; which is made
of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and proteoglycans (PGs). Together, these components create a
latticework like a liquid crystal gel, forming scaffolding around cells and
tissues throughout the body; this is known as the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM generally holds a positive electric
charge, which is maintained by movement of the body and this attracts and holds
water, which keeps the ECM in a fluid, or hydrated state. When water moves out of the tissues, for
reasons including: too much sun, smoking, injury, air conditioning, toxins,
heating, electric blankets, too much exercise, and stress, the scaffolding
collapses and the ECM gel moves closer together and bonds. The tissue becomes ‘tight’, and structures
such as nerves, lymph and blood vessels within the ECM, become trapped and
compressed. Because of this compression
there is a restricted movement of nutrients into tissues, and restricted
movement of waste out of the tissues.
The result of this is a stagnant environment — which translates to
dis-ease. If the environment continues
to stagnate, chronic disease can result.
These enduring changes in chemistry can even result in DNA alterations
which can in turn lead to cancer.
The rolling movements of the Bowen technique across the fascia create a
‘piezo-electric’ charge. This changes
the electro-magnetic charge of the fascia to one which is once more attractive
to water. When the fascia becomes
hydrated, the ECM becomes looser, allowing nutrient-waste exchange, and
releasing the grip on other tissues and cells.
This relieves pain and restrictions, and allows the body to repair and
regenerate areas which have been stagnating.
It is therefore very important that someone receiving a Bowen treatment
increases their water intake. Increased
levels of hydration will support the changes that the body is trying to make,
and also help to reduce any detoxification reactions caused by release of toxic
waste material into the bloodstream; both by diluting, and supporting their
elimination, from the body.
As mentioned, the Bowen technique is essentially a series of small
rolling movements over specific areas of fascia. These movements appear to
reset the tension of the fasica, restoring balance to the fascial net with
immediate responses of pain reduction, general muscular relaxation, and deeper,
slower breathing.
The Bowen technique strongly affects the autonomic nervous system, the
system responsible for stress reactions such as the "fight or flight"
reaction, as well as the recovery responses of the body. When Bowen helps
reduce the "stress-oriented" dominance of the sympathetic part of the
system, muscle tension decreases, nerve hypersensitivity is reduced, and the
feedback loops that control acute pain in the body are interrupted.
At the same time as all this, the parasympathetic portion is
reciprocally restored, increasing blood and lymph flow, feeding starved tissue
and reducing inflammation. People can
feel shifts in their bodies during and after Bowen sessions while the autonomic
system comes back into balance. As this happens, the healing process can
accelerate.
Spasm and inflammation, normally healthy responses immediately after an
injury, too often remain long after and become the problem. Bowen technique can
directly relieve these symptoms through reducing sympathetically maintained
muscle contraction and increased blood and lymph flow.
While there are often immediate positive results, they are just as
likely to unfold over a longer period of a few days to a week. Patterns of dysfunction
that have arisen over time may take time and repetition to be replaced with
new, healthy patterns. Bowen technique can restore patterns of normal function
within 3-4 sessions with 3-8 being an ordinary treatment protocol.
The Bowen technique can be seen as new more efficient software for the
body's computer. If the software is more efficient, the computer works faster
and easier, and "crashes" less often.
Bowen technique introduces a carefully calibrated input to the body's
computer to facilitate a faster, more effective response to stress, trauma, and
injury. Bowen technique acts as a dynamic catalyst for healing.
Bowen technique is an innovative healthcare modality, providing a quick
complementary and very effective way to accelerate healing and recovery.
While there are often immediate positive results, they are just as
likely to unfold over a longer period of a few days to a week. Patterns of dysfunction that have arisen over
time, may take time and repetition to be replaced with new, healthy
patterns. The Bowen technique can
generally restore patterns of normal function within 3-4 sessions, with 3-8
sessions being an ordinary treatment protocol.
The Bowen technique complements and amplifies other healthcare modalities,
but like with computers, too many commands can overwhelm the program that is
running — over-stimulating the body and distracting it from responding fully to
its new recovery program. Bowen is
therefore best used in a rotation with other modalities.
