The “energy” explanation

One of the premises of Bowen Therapy is that in today’s fast paced world, we are often over-stressed due to constant stimulation, which means our bodies are locked into ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. This constant state of alertness has many repercussions – our immune system is affected by stress (prolonged levels of the stress hormone cortisol and adrenaline have long been proven to have an adverse effect on a person’s health) and any injuries we sustain throughout our life (from birth through to old age) in a state of stress may take a long time to heal properly, if at all. In short, aches and pains, hormonal imbalances and symptoms of stress such as fatigue are our body’s way of telling us that our emotional, mental and physical health is being impacted upon. 

Bowen therapy uses relaxation moves to bring the body back to homeostasis – the level where it should be operating to maintain optimum health – to then allow the body to work on repairing itself. The Bowen moves send a signal through the body (via connective tissue called fascia) to determine if there are any blockages in your body. During a treatment, these energy blockages may be evident in the form of feeling cold, hot, tingly or simply feeling an energy surge or an adjustment in a certain part of the body. Another very common way to determine an imbalance in the body is when a particular muscle feels tight or tender during a Bowen move. All these signs provide clues to the Bowen therapist in regards to what areas to concentrate on in order to iron out the kinks or snags in the fascial system and promote energy flow and overall health and wellbeing.

There is a brief pause after each move, which allows time for the muscles to relax and the move to integrate into the body. The importance of the ‘wait’ after each Bowen move can be likened to a guitar string – if you were to touch a guitar string straight after plucking it, the vibration/sound of the string would stop. If, however, you let it be, the vibrations continue. Many clients report feeling deeply relaxed during a treatment; often peristalsis (a gurgling tummy) can be heard, which is also sign that the body has let its guard down and is feeling relaxed enough to start the recuperation process (in other words, shifting from ‘fight or flight’ mode to ‘rest and digest’).

Due to its holistic nature, Bowen therapy recognises that mental and physical health cannot be separated; with good energy flow comes emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.