What exactly is Bowen? It is a type of bodywork that works holistically – not only on the muscles and tendons, but also the fascia, organs and pretty much every system of the human body (including emotional, mental & soul levels, I believe). I use it a lot when I do hands-on sessions, because it’s easy to add in, and it complements the Myofascial and other Energy work really well.
It’s really gentle, but very profound (like most of my work). Your body will keep working with it for about a week to 10 days after your session. I’ve never found anything else quite like it. It feels to me like I am typing code directly into your bio-computer. Each move contains instructions for your body on how to heal itself. Which is pretty cool! Nothing is forced. The body finds its own pathway and level of balance. It’s like the physical version of Homeopathy!
As my fingers complete each move, in a specific configuration, the information travels via a wave through the body. It’s kind of like strumming a guitar, where the specific placement of fingers on guitar strings create different musical notes when played. Each note played creates a vibration we interpret as sound. We hear each musical note moving through the air, until it dissipates. In Bowen, the wave contains healing information (just like computer code) which can be sustained for up to 10 days, as the body interprets and puts it to use.
I have seen it do near miraculous things with new injuries. It will realign torn muscle fibres, so that they heal correctly and don’t become a point of weakness (then a likely point of re-injury). And I have also seen lots of improvement with old injuries and chronic conditions. It will resolve trigger points without all of that painful poking! It also is used to treat things like Asthma, ADD, Stroke, Diabetes, Stress, Anxiety, Gastro-intestinal issues, ..all kinds of things. I don’t know why, but I’ve been watching it work wonders since 2002. So I stick with it!
I have kept a friend from needing to go ahead with carpal tunnel surgery. I have felt a man’s spine grow about 3cm, right under my fingers after I completed a move on his kidneys (3 severely compressed vertebrae had resulted from an impact near his kidneys a few years before). I had a lady with a 15 year old back injury tell me that it didn’t work for her and she felt no difference. ..Until her 4th session (which I offered free), when she walked in with no pain at all! I run into her occasionally. She says her back is still fine.
But the proof to me was when I was forced to do Bowen on my own ankle, after I severely rolled it while on holidays in 2005. I was in ridiculous platform shoes and I went over, and off the side of some paving. Ouch!! It was so swollen and painful I could not put any weight on it, and couldn’t sleep properly because it hurt at the slightest movement. Next morning, swelling was gone. Pain was gone. The bruising continued to come out, but I put my high heels back on and enjoyed my holiday. I haven’t rolled my ankle since. (*update – sadly I have done it again recently. But again, healed myself super quickly and able to walk without a limp on day 2.)
But, you know.. some people don’t like Bowen. Which is why I developed my Remedial work to get similar results, by working more with the fascia and integrating my healing abilities. This technique kicks ass as well. People are often surprised that something so gentle can get such results. I kind of sneak on in with my tricky moves and get things unstuck.
That’s why I used to call myself the Bodywork Ninja!! (also because I moved so quietly through the clinic I used to work at, that I was always scaring the Receptionist when I spoke to her.)