Today we explore the earth element.
Earth element types are nurturing individuals who may experience insomnia due to worrying about their loved ones or if they experience conflict in their relationships.
The organs and meridian channels associated with the earth element are the stomach and spleen and these assist in digesting,
Transforming and assimilating all that you take in.
Research conducted on a form of stomach massage practiced in traditional Chinese medicine has shown it to be an effective method for chronic insomnia and belly massage has been known anecdotally to be an effective technique used by mums worldwide to soothe their babies to sleep.
Today's practice for the earth element is a guided belly massage to combat insomnia,
Release rumination and worry and welcome physical and emotional tension release.
There are some contraindications or precautions for today's practice.
If you've recently had abdominal surgery,
If you are pregnant,
If you've recently given birth or had a c-section,
If you've had a mesenteric infection,
A systemic infection,
Skin conditions or eruptions or other chronic gastrointestinal disorders,
Then you may wish to skip this practice and instead of this belly massage,
Follow the fourth lesson in my other course,
Healing Touch Emotional Alchemy Acupressure and the Creative Cycle.
For today's belly massage,
We will practice this lying down in your bed or any other comfortable place.
At the end of the practice,
You will have the option to drift directly off to sound sleep after finishing the belly massage.
If you wish to use any massage oil,
You can also now pause this audio and prepare it before we begin.
To start,
Find a comfortable and supportive place where you can lie on your back with your belly exposed.
It's advised that there is some support such as a pillow underneath your knees to ensure proper alignment and release of your lower back.
Some people prefer a space with soft lighting or calm music to promote relaxation,
So please take the next couple of moments to adjust and prepare your space.
Feel free to pause this audio and come back when you feel ready to continue.
Before we begin this massage,
Allow a few moments as you guide your awareness to your breath.
Inhale,
Feeling your lungs expand,
Your diaphragm gently press down on your digestive organs,
Letting your belly gently rise.
And then as you exhale,
Feel your belly gently descend as your lungs release the air and your diaphragm domes up back into your thoracic cavity.
Continue for a few more moments,
Connecting with slow,
Relaxed and full abdominal breathing,
Relaxing the whole of your body.
When you feel ready to begin,
Warm your hands by gently rubbing them together for about 20 to 30 seconds.
When your hands feel warm enough,
If you wish to use a massage oil with an essential oil or any fragrance,
Apply any oils that you're using on the hand that you'll be using to massage your stomach.
Use the palm of that hand to begin to massage the whole of your stomach in a clockwise direction five times.
It's important that the direction of the massage be in a clockwise direction,
As this is the general direction of digestion in your small and large intestines.
Then slowly massage the center line of your belly,
Starting 1 to 2 inches below your sternum and ending about 3 inches above your pubic bone.
You can repeat this also for five times.
If you feel ready to move on,
Then do three more lines about an inch apart on the left side of your belly,
Repeating the up-down massaging movement.
And for each of these lines,
Massage them five times as well,
Just as you did for the center of your belly.
Now we'll repeat the same on the right side of your belly,
Adding three more lines an inch apart down the right side of your belly,
And massaging each of these lines at least five times.
When you are ready to move on,
Press your fingers into your navel firmly,
Then continue massaging with gentle pressure while circling outwards from your navel in a clockwise direction.
Please take as long as you wish with this exercise.
As we prepare to conclude this belly massage,
Feel free to pause this audio and spend extra time on any specific areas that feel like they need some extra attention.
When you feel ready to conclude the belly massage,
Gently place one palm on your chest and the other palm on your belly.
We will now focus on taking ten slow,
Deep and relaxed belly breaths,
Inhaling all the way to the bottom of your lungs,
And feel your belly gently rise.
As you exhale,
Notice your belly gently falling.
Continue like this for the next few breaths,
And what's happening is that as you take a long,
Deep inhale,
Your lungs expand and your diaphragm,
Which usually domes up in your thoracic cavity,
Is pushed down by your lungs,
And it flattens and then pushes down on your digestive organs,
Which are in your digestive cavity.
This causes your belly to bulge slightly out.
And now gently let go of this technique,
And feel how effortless this way of breathing is,
As if your breath is breathing you.
Guide your awareness to your exhale,
And as you exhale,
Relaxing all ten of your toes,
Your ankles,
Your heels,
Your calves,
Your shins,
Relaxing your knees,
Your thighs,
Your buttocks,
And your hips,
Softening and releasing your belly,
Your lower back,
Your chest,
Your shoulders,
Your arms,
And all ten of your fingers.
Feel this relaxation spread up to your neck,
Your jaw,
Your cheeks,
Your nose,
Your lips,
Your ears,
Your eyes,
And feel the space between your eyebrows soften,
And feel even the crown of your head relax.
From head to toe,
From toes to head,
The whole of your body is now fully relaxed.
With your next exhale,
Let this full body relaxation spread and move even deeper,
And saturate your mind and your consciousness.
Allow it to guide you as you descend into a state of deep restfulness.
From here,
If you wish,
Let yourself drift into sleep.
If you wish to awaken,
Slowly and gently do so,
In your own time,
Without rushing.
Thank you for joining me for this Earth Element Belly Massage to release rumination and worry,
And welcome sound sleep.
