The Arvigo Technique of Maya Abdominal Therapy is an external non-invasive massage treatment of the abdomen and lower back suitable for men & women.

It works to:

• soften musculature,
• enhance circulation of the blood, lymph, nerves & qi
• improve digestion, assimilation & elimination
• and reposition internal organs that have shifted (such as a tilted uterus which the Maya believe is responsible for a myriad of female problems).

The focus of this work is not on treating symptoms but on restoring homeostasis (balance within the body) and hemodynamics (blood flow within the body).  Having said that, this work helps all manner of digestive and reproductive issues such as painful periods, bladder incontinence, PMS, fibroids, painful intercourse, prolapse, difficult menopause, post-hysterectomy scarring, low back ache, constipation, IBS, swollen prostate and depression.  By normalizing the body’s processes and removing obstructions, health concerns resolve naturally.

Many cultures incorporate abdominal massage into their medicine, such as the Maya have been using these techniques for thousands of years. The Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy are based on the teaching of Rosita Arvigo, who apprenticed for ten years with Don Elijio Panti, one of the last Mayan shamans of Belize. Rosita saw the power and benefits of his treatments and incorporated her own training as a naprapath (an off-shoot of chiropractic) to create the method that bears her name. Their story can be read in her biography, Sastun: My Apprentice with a Mayan Healer.

20 years ago, when I lived in Mexico,  I was introduced to Maya Abdominal Massage and Rosita Arvigo but completely forgot about it until one day fate brought me back to it via a magazine article sent by a dear friend. She had been suffering with fibroids and I had just found out I had them too. After reading the article, I googled Arvigo Therapy in Australia and booked myself in for a treatment, as well as their 2 1/2 day self-care course. A lengthy intake form is filled out before the treatment, so that the two hour session can be spent on the massage and teaching the self-care.

The massage entails work on the abdomen, lower back and sacrum, along with gentle corrections to the hips. Other methods may be incorporated depending on the circumstances including faja (abdominal wrap), bajos (vaginal steam used by the Maya and Korean woman), castor oil packs, and when appropriate dietary guidance. The self-care courses build upon what is learned during the treatment and I can’t recommend them highly enough. These days they are taught world-wide and I am working toward becoming a self-care teacher myself.

I am a massage therapist, acupuncturist and Kripalu yoga teacher, but these days, I find myself focusing on the Arvigo Therapy before anything else as I have seen such amazing results for all kinds of reproductive and digestive problems. It is also a wonderful preventative treatment and an adjunct to any detox program. I particularly like that the self-care is an integral part of the work and clients are taught tools to take home and integrate into their lives, encouraging them to be active participants toward optimum health.

If you would like to learn more about Arvigo Therapy, please visit these websites: www.essentialself-care.com or www.arvigotherapy.com

For more information please contact Lisa Levine at info@essentialself-care.com .