"On Tuesday, scientists announced they’d found the 80th organ: a network of fluid-transporting vessels that span the entire body called the interstitium. But it has left some people familiar with human anatomy scratching their heads. The interstitium is nothing new." The vessels have been found to "connect to the lymphatic system, a central part of the human immune system, suggesting it could play a role in immune function." "Interstitium' acts as a web-like shock absorbers for vital tissues and could improve understanding the spread of cancer."
"We propose here a revision of the anatomical concepts of the submucosa, dermis, fascia, and vascular adventitia, suggesting that, rather than being densely-packed barrier-like walls of collagen, they are fluid-filled interstitial spaces."
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-23062-6
For the last few decades a French surgeon, Dr. Jean-Claude Guimberteau, has been studying this interstitial connective tissue and has even captured the fractal-like, elastic tissue with endoscopic cameras in living subjects.
As science is finally catching up to what many bodyworkers, and medically trained professionals have already been interacting with...we, as owners of this vast web-like, fluid-transporting structure, can start working to heal our bodies through optimizing our fascial mobility.
In his book, "Born To Walk," James Earls explains that it is the fascia that is the "motor" for our walking movement. It is highly desirable to have these fascia released (by a qualified therapist), because the fascia become stuck as we age and due to improper movement habits, injury and scarring.
This image of Frodo is what I often see in my mind when I work at nursing homes. Not to be dark or depressing...but this is the fate of the majority of us if we don't become pro-active about our nutrition, lifestyle, beliefs and movements.
Those familiar with the word "fascia", understand that it is a web-like connective tissue that spans the entire human body. It connects muscle to skin and covers individual muscle fibers. Nerves run through it and organs are supported by it. When we get injured, undergo surgery, come down with an infection, create obstructions, or engage in repeated dysfunctional movements, the fascia begins to "hold" us in restricted patterns. If we allow those restrictions to progress we are literally mummifying ourselves...from the inside out. Rigor Mortis-style!!!
I KNOW you know what I mean! What pattern are you manifesting? Is it a stiff shoulder, mid-back, psoas, sacrum, neck, hip, knee? All of the above?
One major effect on the fascia that is rarely addressed is emotions and beliefs. I can't begin to count how many times I have witnessed patients cry and moan on the table when their scars begin to release. Holding patterns that have been there since childhood start to unravel, and the cellular memories begin to surface for integration. Literally everything that happens to us in life – good and bad – is felt and recorded within the fascial structure or system. This is because every emotion causes changes in our nervous system that is enveloped in fascia.
Freeing the fascia can be a powerful tool to access subconscious programming that carry an emotional charge. In other blog posts I've written about effective self-mastery tools such as sacred union, fasting, plant allies, and dream-walking. Similarly, fascial release can bring up old wounds from our past, and perhaps even previous lifetimes, as we start to unwind the tapestry that connects us through our lifetime(s) to all that ever was. Which, of course, brings forth what is... and will be.
The good news is that through feeling and releasing those restrictions, in the physical and emotional body, we can finally start to allow those old wounds to heal. If we are able to forgive everyone involved in the circumstances surrounding those past traumatic events...or at least forgive ourselves...the obstructions can be cleared...allowing the frequency of love and appreciation to flow freely.
Many people succumb to these restrictions not knowing that this doesn't have to be their fate. These patterns and restrictions CAN be reversed...through targeted diet and lifestyle changes and bodywork. Personally, I was able to reverse decades of damage to my spine, reproductive system and bowels in about 2 years. Now, I am pain-free and steadily improving my alignment through a dynamic movement practice...and even more importantly, I have learned how to clear the physical and emotional obstructions in order to live more consciously.
To live more consciously is to cultivate a feeling of harmony and wellbeing within and without. When we keep our instrument (the body) tuned like you would a guitar or piano to transmit the music of the universe, we can use our gift to serenade and dance with all who cross our path.
According to John Barnes, PT, "The fascial system functions as a fiber optic network that bathes each cell with information, energy, light, sound, nutrition, oxygen, biochemicals, hormones and flushes out the toxins. The brain and nerves are an important but a much slower form of communication. The ion-transfer mechanism of nerve impulses is slow to account for the massive amount of information necessary for our body/mind to function. Therefore, it is the fascia, your liquid crystalline matrix, that is the major and most important communication system of our body. The fascia functions as a fiber optic network connecting every aspect of our mind/body at an enormous speed."
The fluidity of it determines our individual vibrational signature. If it is flexible and free, then we can pass this signature on to others we interact with. If we are restricted, stuck, and holding grudges...this will affect our gift of self in the same way externally.
My purpose here is to assist my brothers and sisters to DE-mummify...one step at a time...so that we don't have to end up...motionless...in a web...like Frodo...on a cocktail of chemicals to at least keep our hearts beating. Yeah, I'm sorry, sounds grim...but the opposite experience is SO worth EVERY effort!!! Aloha!!!!
Pachee