HOW BOWEN WORKS
How does the Bowen Technique work?
Bowen Practitioners
respect and regard the body as capable of healing itself
innately. Through the Bowen Technique, the body is encouraged to
respond by stimulating its own natural healing abilities.
As a unique form of neuromuscular patterning,
the Bowen Technique works primarily through the autonomic
nervous system to align and balance the body both structurally
and energetically. During a Bowen session, the body is
“programmed” to a chemically balanced state of restoration in
order to activate healing. Practitioners predominately use their
thumbs and fingers on a prescribed area of the body to perform
precise Bowen moves which work with the body’s natural
circulation. These moves elicit neuro-chemical responses in the
body, immediately bringing the body from a state of chronic
stress to restoration. At this point, the body’s natural healing
mechanisms are triggered.
When the body is attempting to function in an
unnatural state of perpetual stress (our
fight-or-flight/protective mode), our innate healing systems
gradually shut down. Subsequent illness and injury ensue, and a
pain/spasm cycle becomes constant. This is analogous to
switching on a circuit breaker to restore power (i.e., the
body’s healing systems), which shuts down (due to stress,
injury, trauma, toxicity, dehydration, etc.). In a Bowen
session, as the body moves out of a perpetual stress mode, deep
relaxation is induced almost immediately. As the body receives
the Bowen signals, it processes this information and readjusts
accordingly.
The gentle, rolling movements performed by
the practitioner over muscle, fascia, other connective tissue
and nerve bundles elicit a systemic, cellular response so
powerful that momentary pauses are observed between sets of
moves. By implementing short waiting periods between hands-on
movements, the brain is able to assimilate and interpret the
sensations and send positive impulses back to the area of
origin. The signals generated by Bowen moves encourage and
facilitate muscular relaxation, allowing structural alignments
and organic changes to occur in the body. Muscles relax and/or
release from spasm, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to
circulate through the body. Lymphatic drainage is stimulated and
toxins are eliminated as dysfunctional fluids. The important
process of body balancing begins as the body’s systems
communicate with each other to initiate healing. The body’s
ability to repair itself is re-booted and accelerated.
Simultaneously, natural energy flow is stimulated. As the
pain/spasm cycle is interrupted, Bowen works on the body to keep
the body out of spasm.
Energetically, the Bowen Technique is similar
to tuning a stringed instrument that sends harmonic vibrations
or subtle energy releases rippling outwards, encompassing the
entire body. Specific messages are sent throughout the body,
balancing the autonomic nervous system and initiating healing
for areas in need. Because it works in harmony with the body,
the Bowen Technique is highly effective for acute and chronic
muscular, skeletal and nervous system imbalances. Every level of
the body-mind is affected: physiological, energetic, physical,
mental and emotional – depending on the body’s priorities and
pace of healing. Release of energetic blocks, such as emotional
energy, is often triggered, further accelerating the healing
process.
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