Dr. Renate Collier of Germany has developed an effective self-massage system to restore tone and proper peristaltic action to the
intestines. We have adapted her regimen to help you eliminate toxins, free blockages and gain maximum effects while cleansing. Read each of the step-by-step instructions,
and incorporate these healing exercises into your program.
Sensitivity
An abdominal self-massage requires sensitivity and the ability to tune into your body.
Time
In the beginning, let your massage last between 15 and 30 minutes. Since each of the successive steps takes only a few minutes, it is advisable to use an old-fashioned
hourglass to develop your sense of timing.
Treat yourself to an abdominal massage in the mornings and evenings while lying in bed. If desired, you can enjoy an additional session in lieu of an afternoon nap or
while taking a bath.
Pressure
With a little practice, you will understand the benefits of each technique as you "learn by doing." You can't go wrong if you keep the most important aspect in mind:
always apply light pressure on your abdomen-as if caressing a newborn baby. Even gently stroking the abdomen constitutes an effective massage!
Never massage a painful area directly; instead, work your way around it by massaging only the pain-free areas surrounding it. In most cases, the pain
will subside. If you have chronic pain, consult your healthcare practitioner.
Rhythm and Breathing
Always massage with your whole hands and not just with your fingertips; your palms are particularly sensitive. Just as there are waves and troughs in an ocean, the
abdomen expands and contracts during breathing. Your hands must
adapt to these natural movements. When your strokes are in harmony with your breathing, stimulating your diaphragm will enhance your abdominal massage as well as
encourage deeper abdominal breathing. During inhalation, your hands follow the expansion of the abdomen. During exhalation, your hands move along with the contraction.
The pressure applied by your hands is almost zero while inhaling, whereas it increases in pressure on
exhalation.
Remember
- Sensitivity during your upward and downward movements (expansion and contraction) of the abdomen is the key to an effective massage. How can you
enhance your sensitivity?
- Imagine a boat drifting up and down on the waves of an ocean. Whether it rides on the crest of a wave or sails in a deep trough, the boat always
rests on the water. Likewise, your hands should rest gently on the abdomen with no variation in pressure. Be fully aware of this pressure in order to train your
sensitivity.
- The intestinal walls respond best to soft stimulation. Imagine a cat that arches its back when petted but elegantly pulls away when the pressure is
increased.
- The softer the abdominal massage, the more effective it will be. After you have developed your sensitivity for the right "touch," everything else
will be easy. You can then intensify your massage strokes with gentle vibrations during the exhalation.
Hand Position
Lie down and stretch your legs. Place your hands on your abdomen so that your little fingers lie just above the groin. Thus, the lower part of the intestines will also
benefit from the massage.
Elbows
Prop up your elbows and let your hands rest gently on your abdomen. (Heavier people can prop up their elbows with pillows.) Your hands and elbows are the crucial points
that determine the pressure that is applied during the massage.
Inhalation and Exhalation
Listen to the rhythm of your breathe and feel the movements of your abdomen during the inhalation and exhalation. Feel the gentle pressure in your palms when you have
fully inhaled. To derive optimal benefits from the massage, no subsequent strokes should be applied with more pressure than this initial stimulation. The first phase, in
which the breathing affects an abdominal massage, should last at least three to five minutes. During the exhalation you may let your hands vibrate gently. This will help
you in getting a feel for the right contact.
Circular Motions
When the exhalation begins, draw nine circles counter-clockwise with your right hand on the right side, followed by nine circles clockwise with your left hand on the
left side. Then exhale. The pressure should be just enough to move the skin lightly. The circles should only be as large as the stretched skin permits.
Now perform circular motions with both hands so that the hands move towards each other. The right hand moves counter-clockwise, the left hand clockwise. Both hands are
moved from the lower outside region of the abdomen to the center. Once they reach the center the hands are moved upward, then to the sides and downward. Thus, each hand
draws one circle on the right and one on the left side of the abdomen.
The Pause
There usually occurs a short pause after the exhalation that you can use for gentle vibrations or circular motions. When the inhalation commences, refrain from applying
any pressure and just let your hands rest gently on the abdomen. This phase of the massage should last between three and five minutes.
Ending
To conclude, you can combine the circles with gentle vibrations. These soft strokes stimulate the entire intestine. This phase should also last between three and five
minutes.
Slender persons may prefer using just one hand for the massage. Through circling and vibrating the hand, as well as shifting the pressure from one area of the palm to
another, all regions of the abdomen can be treated with only one hand.
Perceptions
When you begin your abdominal massage therapy, it will take some time before the intestinal walls respond to the treatments. You will feel your success by noticing warmth
in your palms and abdomen. There will be less tension in your abdominal muscles. After a while it will take only 10 to 15 minutes for you to reach this state. An (almost)
healthy abdomen requires only five minutes of treatment.
The circular motions push the abdominal wall against the intestines. Notice the soft structure of your intestine underneath your abdominal wall. If you cannot feel it,
you will not be able to massage effectively. It is only this sensitivity which enables you to develop the right "touch" for massaging. Otherwise you will either apply too
much pressure or engender no effect at all.
The more experience you have in massaging, the more you will perceive. You might, for example, detect muffled, gurgling noises originating in the intestine. Sometimes
these are even quite audible. These sounds are caused by the movement of air or gas amidst the fluid intestinal contents. Obviously, these should not be suppressed.
You might also witness an abdominal contraction. This is due to an increase in tone of the intestines and foreshadows improved functioning. The intestine relaxes and at
the same time contracts. Frequently, you will be able to feel the abdomen getting warmer, as the blood flow to the intestines in increased when its motility is enhanced
and spastic blockages are dissolved. During the massage, you may feel a "lump" dissolve. This indicates that this particular section of the intestines has become clear of
fecal matter. If, on the other hand, it feels as if a "cord" has developed, the intestine has contracted.
The blood vessels in the abdominal cavity benefit from a general improvement in blood circulation. The veins transport the oxygen-depleted blood to the heart more quickly
and thus the arteries promptly respond by supplying the body cells with freshly oxygenated blood. The liver, the gall-bladder, and the pancreas receive a large share of
oxygen and nutrients and release their metabolic waste products such as carbonic acid into the bloodstream.
No segment of the intestine reacts in isolation; the intestines always respond to any stimulus as a unified whole. The peristaltic waves of the alimentary canal begin in
the upper stomach and continue down through the rectum where fecal matter is eliminated. In a healthy person, such a wave commences every 20 seconds during digestion.
When the digestive system is not actively digesting a meal, peristalsis is slower. Peristaltic waves must be able to flow unhindered through the entire digestive tract in
order to ensure the proper functioning of the intestines. Abdominal massage is highly effective in dissolving obstructions and restoring the harmonious flow.
For full details on intestinal massage, with illustrations, you can purchase "Dying to Cleanse", by Steven Hurwitz MA., DD. Contact us for information at 877-673-0224.
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