HELLO magazine: Chi Nei Tsang massage
Every week I write a column for Hello Magazine, and am on a mission to cut through the noise and find out what really works, in order to help you become the happiest, healthy version of yourself. I set out to explore everything and anything I can to increase happiness, and promise not to hold back.
Living in a world that’s constantly pushing and pulling us to achieve more, do more or earn more – can be overwhelming to say the least. One thing we can all agree we want more of, and let’s be honest, need, is happiness. The quest to be happy can feel both all-consuming and never-ending, and often we don’t know where to start to reach those desired dopamine levels or feel energised by joy.
There’s a lot of noise out there in the wellness industry, with an abundance of treatments, therapies and professionals on offer – all promising to boost our general wellbeing and in turn make us happier. But what really works? How do you know where to start? This week I tried Chi Nei Tsang.
It’s no secret that the way we think, impacts the way we feel. Our mind controls our body, to a certain extent, and it’s a connection we can often overlook when we think about our emotions and how we can store or experience them physically in our bodies. We all know how that feeling of bumping into an ex when you’re least expecting it, or having to stand up and speak in front of a group of people can giving you a physical response – going red, sweating, heart palpitations, knots or ‘butterflies’ in your stomach – the list goes on. I have always assumed these responses were fleeting, and that our emotions come and go through us as they please. The more I experiment with holistic treatments and slightly less conventional forms of medicine, the more curious I am about the concept of our emotions becoming stored (and trapped) in our bodies. If what we feel has the power to provoke a physical response, what’s to say that this can’t have a negative impact on our overall health. With our minds being as powerful as they are and so connected to our bodies, it makes complete sense to that what we feel (mentally), we feel (physically). Feeling very stressed or exhaustion can lead to stomach and digestion issues. Heartache can stop us sleeping and strip our appetite away. Grief can wreak havoc on our nervous system and sleep patterns.
With this in mind and on my never-ending quest to increase happiness and wellbeing, I booked myself in for a Chi Nei Tsang treatment. It’s an ancient form of Chinese massage, that claims to release emotional blockages that are physically trapped in our body. Based on the belief that worry, stress and tension can manifest in the body, creating a knotting of the nervous, blood vessels and lymphatic nodes. I was told it would aid ‘general wellness’ and help to restore and re-balance my body back to its original function. The session focuses on a gentle, deep massage of the abdomen, in order to ‘train’ the internal abdominal organs, so they can function in a more efficient manner, which in turn is believed to enhance our physical and emotional well-being. The treatment claims to detox and cleanse your internal organs, stimulate the lymphatic and circulatory systems, strengthen the immune system, improve digestive function and help you to “get things going”, so to speak. A blocked system does not perform well. Studies have shows that many of the neurotransmitters responsible for happiness and wellness are produced in the intestine. So it’s logical that a healthy intestine will better perform its function, and improve overall (and emotional) health. What’s not to love!
During the session, I lay on a padded mat close to the floor, with my clothes on and covered in towels. The set-up was similar to a traditional massage, so it felt relaxing and calming as opposed to clinical. The technician’s focus was mostly on my stomach, as I’m told this is the like our ‘second brain’, and is where holistic practitioners believe that all of our emotion is stored. She explained that ‘stress and worry are stored in the stomach, fear is held in the kidney and sadness can stay stuck in our hearts’. She also explained how Chi Nei Tsang can improve the quality of our sleep. Serotonin is stored in the stomach, and so when it’s released, it not only makes us feel happier but it ignites the melatonin in the brain, which will help us to sleep. It’s no secret that we all want better and deeper sleep! The treatment lasted for 90mins, and she used a sequence of deep, soft and gentle pressure on my abdomen, rib and pelvic area. Guided by my breath, the intensity was increased as I breathed out, allowing her to push further down on to my organs. It was overall very relaxing, with some points feeling slightly tender and sensitive. Oils were used to enhance relaxation, as the more relaxed you are, the more effective the therapist can be at identifying your organs and treating specific parts on your body. If at times I felt my muscles involuntarily contract, or was unable to relax fully, she released my ligaments through gentle rocking, stretching and shaking. The session ended with a mixture of breathwork, and chanting ‘healing sounds’.
I have to say, the session was incredibly relaxing and restorative, and I definitely left feeling cleansed and renewed. It can be difficult to measure the impact of each treatment individually, and often it takes a 360 approach to your own individual health and wellness to find out what really works for you. I would recommend this treatment for anyone feeling lethargic, struggling with digestive issues or just off-balance in some way. It feels very cathartic and nurturing to have your stomach massaged, and you will definitely benefit from90 minutes of that – even if that’s all you take away from it. It’s so often women that struggle with stomach and digestive issues, and it can be overwhelming knowing what to do and where to start. I will definitely be including Chi Nei Tsang treatments in my monthly regime going forward, its brilliant self-care and much needed me-time!