I have been using fascial release techniques for the past 10 years. I recently elevated this practice to a new high when I joined a free 28 day fascial reset program.
Before I get too deep into my story… let’s begin with a definition of the fascia:
Fascia is a complex network of connective tissue that permeates the entire human body, providing support and structure to organs, muscles and other tissues. (I like to say… “if we did not have fascia, our internal organs would be down around our ankles… it keeps everything in its’ place!”)
Composed primarily of collagen, elastin and other proteins, fascia surrounds and intertwines with muscles, bones, nerves and organs, creating a three-dimensional web-like structure. To give you a bit of a visual, consider a piece of raw chicken breast… fascia is the see-through film that sits between the skin and the meat.
Its’ role extends beyond structural support, as fascia is involved in transmitting force, conducting electrical current, maintaining posture and facilitating movement.
The fascial system is dynamic and plays a vital role in maintaining the body’s overall function and well-being. It can become tight and restricted due to injury, stress, poor posture, repetitive movements or prolonged sitting, leading to discomfort and limited range of motion. When I observe restricted fascia… it energetically looks like a piece of Saran Wrap that has been left out in the sun ☀️… dry, brittle and ready to fall apart!
Ok… enough of the science stuff… back to my story!
In 2012, I was still practicing massage therapy and heard about a course called Anatomy Trains, which taught movement therapists to release Myofascial Meridians. I was not exactly sure what that meant… but I was intrigued enough to sign up.
My text book arrived in the mail and I dove in! The premise of the course was based on Thomas. W Myers’ research in the anatomy lab where he started dissecting the fascia out of cadavers and found that it ran in long lines through the body… hence the name myofascial meridians.
I got sooo stinkin’ excited about this because the very same week that my textbook arrived, I was gifted the Donna Eden “Energy Medicine” book by my friend Ellen. As I dove into that book I was introduced to Energy Meridians and my whole world changed!
At that point in my life I was just starting to really embrace being able to see people’s energy systems and I was trying to understand what I was observing. I would walk through the mall or grocery store and wonder “why do those three people have a blue neon line running up both sides of their spines & why does that person have one running up their right arm?” What was I looking at??
TaaaDaa… Energy Meridians! When they were out of balance they looked like blue neon tubing and when they were in balance they looked like a clear stream flowing! It made so much more sense to me now!
To make things even better… the fascial lines in my course perfectly corresponded to the Energy Meridians! I thought I was brilliant! Did anyone else know that energy ran through the fascia? As it turned out… yes they did… I got to the last chapter in my text book and there were four pages of pictures that tied the two concepts together!
(Tom Myers’ work is what facilitated acupuncture to enter the physio clinics and doctors offices… western medicine now had a physical structure to focus on… not just the woohoo energy stuff from eastern medicine.)
I drove to Vancouver and took part in the ‘hands on’ module of the course. It was illuminating, because not only was the fascia responsible for tight restrictive movement and pain, along with blocked energy flows, it definitely also held trauma and pent up emotions. As we all worked on each other over the weekend… every single practitioner in the room burst into tears at some point or another! It was a wild weekend of massive release!
I came home and added Myofascial Meridian Release to my massage practice… it made my clients feel great, but hurt my hands, arms, shoulders and neck like crazy! After 2 months I had to quit doing the release techniques…but I knew that I had to find another way to bring this excellent rehab tool to my clients and to myself.
I decided to get my physio and massage clients to begin using their breath to move energy up and down the meridian lines. The results were so fabulous, they eventually led to the development of Breath Therapy class.
But… in the back of my mind I have always been looking for a physical release system to accompany the energy and breath release. About 6 months ago I began following two new instagram accounts @thehumangarage and @mikechangofficial… they both offered me some interesting release options that I had not tried before. Please check them out!
Jan. 1st, 2024 I signed up for the free 28 day Fascial Release Program with The Human Garage. My first 6 days have been awesome… my movement patterns feel open and free, a little bit of hell has broken loose under my right shoulder blade (which is very normal when fascia begins to release… old pain spots make themselves known), I have had tears pouring down my face during some of the twists as emotions surface and release and I generally feel really good!
I do have to say, that the program is pretty physically intense and they are not currently offering any easier modifications… so I decided to try teaching it to my mom and a couple of friends in an easier, friendlier format… we had great success. The Human Garage has open sourced their content and encourages other instructors to create classes, courses and programs to help them spread their mission of impacting a billion people healing themselves with these techniques!
I am going to teach two of the most impactful fascial releases during our next Breath Therapy class Wed. Jan 10th!
I am excited to share them and would like to offer anyone who attends class… in-person or online… a free recorded version of these fascial releases, so that you can experience them and see if it makes a difference in your life…physically, mentally and emotionally!
Click the link below for class details ⬇️ & I hope that you consider giving fascial release a try! ❤️
Marnie ❤️
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