Aches, pains, and tension. That feeling in your bones when it’s going to rain. Making those groans and creaks we thought only our parents and grandparents were condemned to make. We’ve taken it for granted that it’s all a part of getting older.
You might be thinking this is all taking place in your muscles and joints. But could it be the fascia?
In this class, Matthew Wood and Seán O’Donoghue illustrate the fascia, the thin membrane of connective tissue that coats, surrounds, and supports every bone, tendon, muscle, nerve fiber, blood vessel, and organ in the body. It is composed of layers of collagen lubricated by the fluid and polysaccharides (hyaluronans) of the extracellular matrix, from which it arises, in a sense. Its collagen fibers and its fluids both carry signals throughout the body.
In addition, it is coated by a refined, comprehensive network of nerves, analogous to the skin, making it exquisitely sensitive, almost as much so as the skin -- and especially sensitive to movement and vibration For this reason, it reacts to stress, tightening up, and relaxation, loosening. And for this reason, it not only acts as a protective, stretchable coating but as a ‘body memory’ system. When stresses or strains, as well as relaxation, become internalized, these changes are registered in the fascia. The fluid can get sticky and thicken, or dry out and crinkle up.
Wouldn’t it be great if we could ease the issues surrounding the fascia, releasing past traumas and having the opportunity to move forward in life? It almost sounds too good to be true! But with the combined expertise of Matthew Wood and Sean O’Donoghue, there are hardly two teachers in the herbal world better suited to the exposition of this subject.
Matt has been studying and applying knowledge of the extracellular matrix (ECM), the primal Mother Ocean that surrounds the cells of the body, is bounded by the fascia, and provides the fluids and polysaccharides that moisten and lubricate it, while Seán has been studying and applying knowledge of the fascia in his practice and in his daily life. Seán's understanding of the fascia has been deeply influenced by the insights of Gil Hedley and Wilhelm Reich. Both Matt and Seán have learned to work with the matrix, the fascia, and herbal medicine. Join them to learn about the role of herbs in healing and supporting the fascia.
Matthew and Sean don’t skim the surface; they get to the heart of the issue. When you understand the energetics of your body and the situation, you can help your body repair on a much deeper level. They’ll explain the “why” of the situation:
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Tightness around muscles and structural tissues can limit mobility and result in pain.
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Gumminess can cause inflammation and sluggishness while drying out can cause adhesions, or catching - even knotting up.
- The fascia can be damaged by physical activity (too much or too little), injury, surgery, or chronic tension, and unresolved ‘body memory’ issues.
- Altogether, the fascia gives rise to the biomechanical regulatory system of the body, which adjusts and compensates for stress, integrates and facilitates movement, and ‘remembers injury.’
So how do we go about fixing it? The fascia lies at the core of healing through:
- body movement
- massage
- acupuncture
- acupressure
- and other physical modalities
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herbal medicines, which operate on the fluids, lubricants, structures, and regulatory systems of the body
In this class, you can expect to learn:
- The nature and function of the fascia.
- How to address physical injuries to the fascia with herbs.
- How to improve mobility by working with herbs that lubricate the fascia.
- How the fascia can hold onto emotional patterns
- How herbs can help release emotional patterns affecting the fascia.
- How herbs can complement massage, movement therapy, acupuncture, and other physical modalities in healing and supporting the fascia.
