How Myofascial Release Became the Next Step in My Journey of Self Discovery and Healing
- By Elena Gournelos
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- 23 May, 2017
Meditation and yoga were once the most transformative practices I had in my toolbox, but now it's myofascial release. Here's why ...
There was a time in my life when meditation was the most profoundly healing and transformative practice I had ever encountered. It changed me like nothing else ever had. Over years of 10-day silent retreats, long-term service at meditation centers, and daily practice, I slowly tapped into areas of myself I didn’t know existed. I tapped into my strengths and faced my fears. I confronted my erroneous beliefs and my false images of the world and myself. I became more calm and peaceful, more level-headed and better able to function under all types of pressure. I was able to free myself from so many “patterns of being” that were keeping me from living a contented and joyful life.
My ashtanga yoga practice was pretty cool too. I was “good at it” … which, at that time in my life, meant my body was able to do most everything I asked of it (now I know better!) I felt great while I was doing my practice, and there’s no question that it was beneficial for my body, spirit and mind. It worked for a while, but deep down I knew something was missing. These practices, as beneficial as they are, only took me so far.
But when I started experiencing myofascial release, it was another story altogether! My other practices had never touched me so deeply … what was going on??? Had I been missing something all this time???
I found myseIf entering another dimension of transformation and healing, a place of deep and authentic feeling. I realized that in the past, I had trained to myself to sit still for hours on end observing my inner landscape, but I was just an outside observer. I felt everything in (sometimes excruciating) detail, and yet I was not really feeling. I was training my mind and body to be what I thought was best. I was controlling and regulating myself from the outside in, meticulously following the meditation techniques and yoga sequences I had learned.
But I was not honoring my authentic self. I was not truly inhabiting my own body from the inside out, or experiencing the depth of my humanity in the way myofascial release has helped me experience. This was the difference for me. Myofascial release helped me feel and come alive … to dive into the feeling, no matter how uncomfortable, with all my heart and soul, and come out the other side a resounding YES!
Now I know that I am not just a peaceful soul. I am a survivor. I have tasted my own strength, and the power deep within my being. My heart and soul expand daily. It has been a personal revolution that has changed my relationships, both to myself and others. I feel connected and inspired. And I haven’t lost any of the things I gained from my former practices; in fact, myofascial release has only deepened and broadened those skills. And I am more alive today than ever before!
Don't despair! Myofascial release often succeeds where other therapies fail. And you don't have to abandon your current doctor, therapist or chiropractor to reap the benefits.
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Why is the myofascial release approach so important? Myofascial release, especially when combined with cranial work, acts on a cellular level to release restrictions in the body that other therapies aren't able to address. Fascia is a matrix of connective tissue that is present everywhere in your body, surrounding and connecting every cell. It does not appear in X-rays, MRIs, or any other standard medical test. However, when fascia gets restricted, it can wreak havoc inside your body.
Fascial restrictions have a tensile strength of 2000 lbs per square inch, and they can exert a lot of force on surrounding muscles, joints, and even internal organs, causing severe pain and dysfunction. Releasing these restrictions releases the pressure safely and naturally,returning your entire body to a fluid and responsive state. The result? Less pain, better functioning, and a healthier body.
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So do you really need surgery? Maybe, maybe not. Myofascial release may be able to alleviate your symptoms and spare you the significant risk, expense, and inconvenience of surgery. And if you do decide to go under the knife, myofascial release can be used both before and after surgery to promote healing. Addressing restrictions in the connective tissue before the procedure may make your surgeon's job easier and decrease the risk of complications. Myofascial release after surgery may decrease the amount a scar tissue formed and speed up recovery time.
In fact, myofascial release can even act synergistically to enhance the effects of other therapies. Because it never works in opposition to the body, combining myofascial release with chiropractic, acupuncture, yoga, or physical therapy can be a powerful approach to healing. When the fascia has been released, chiropractic adjustments hold longer, energy flows more easily through the body, yoga becomes easier, and physical therapy becomes more effective.
So whether you choose to use myofascial release alone or in combination with surgery or other therapies, the benefits are immense, both for your body and your spirit. The sooner you are able to get back to living fully the better!
Also, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their contributions, especially those of you who have shared your personal stories in the form of testimonials. Your healing experiences help to inspire others as they take their own steps toward health and wholeness.
