Please feel free to have the person lie on their side or face down.
- Find the top of the scapula bones or shoulder blades. Trace your fingers straight across about two inches from the spine. Using your middle finger begin rotating in small circles 50 x’s.
- Move directly down from the last point finding the middle of the scapula, tracing an invisible line directly across from the center and repeat stimulation in small circles 50 x’s.
- Find the bottom of the scapula and trace an invisible line straight across directly under the last point and stimulate in small circles 50 x’s.
- The next point is directly below the last point about 2 inches, stimulate in small circles 50 x’s.
After stimulating the points, do the following massage techniques on the mid-back and shoulders.
- Apply some oil or lotion to the back along the spine. Using the palm or fingers gently stroke up the back on either side of the spine. Maintain constant pressure all the way up the back and over the top of each shoulder.
- Next, using your full hand move up the spine and fan out towards the arms and sides of the body. Do this for a few minutes to increase blood flow and relax the body. Please do not put any pressure directly on the spine.
- Fish Flop-With the pinky side of your hand roll back and forth, starting at the base of the head and moving down to the shoulder and over the mid-back. Keep your hand relaxed and let it flop like a fish.
Turn the person over or come to the front of the body. The points on the front of the body are exactly the same as on the back.
- Find the sternum (the breast bone) at top of the bone find the hollow or ‘V’ shape at the top of the bone. Gently stimulate this point rotating clockwise with your middle finger 50 x’s. It is extremely important not to push hard or apply too much pressure. The movement of your fingers will be enough to open and relax the body.
- The next point is directly down from the first point about 2 inches, make sure to keep very light pressure here. Gently stimulate this point rotating clockwise with your middle finger 50 x’s. It is extremely important not to push hard or apply too much pressure. The movement of your fingers will be enough to open and relax the body.
- The last point on the chest is directly across from the nipples (or where they used to be). Gently stimulate this point rotating clockwise with your middle finger 50 x’s. It is extremely important not to push hard or apply too much pressure. The movement of your fingers will be enough to open and relax the body.
- Extra bonus point – The Snuff Box (Do not do this point on pregnant women)
This point is located in the webbing of the hand between the thumb and index finger. This point is good for inflammation and selling in the neck and shoulders. Rotate this point 50 times to create circulation.
If you are doing this point on yourself you may just squeeze it until it softens.
Massage techniques used:
- Slowly massage up and out like a fan from the center of the breast bone. Take the gentle massage movement up and over the top of the shoulder.
- Fish Flop movement over the top of the chest from the center out.
Psychosomatic energies connected to the lungs
- The lungs hold the energy of grief. Right now people are struggling in so many different ways that can show up as deep grief and loss.
- Inflammation in the chest cavity may indicate there is something we need to get off our chest. Irritation towards someone or a situation could make it hard to breathe as well.
- The body can feel like it is frozen when too much is happening, too fast and too soon. Simultaneously we can feel like there won’t be enough. Enough food, toilet paper, masks, ventilators, jobs, money, and the snowball becomes very big very fast.
- And then when the thinking goes to not enough and the shoulders curl forward cutting off the ability to take a full breath it just gets worse.
- Pull your shoulders back and give your heart and lungs more space to breathe.
Physical touch can alleviate some of the pressure that can build up in the chest and shoulders. Breath alone may not quite be enough. Combining mindfulness and awareness in the body to create more calming within you.
After stimulating the points, do the following massage techniques on the chest.
- Apply some oil or lotion to the sternum or breast bone. Gently stroke up the sternum to the clavicle 15 x’s. Do not put a lot of pressure on the chest. This is a very light touch massage technique on the front of the body.
- Using your full palm and fingers make a fan shape as you stroke up and out from the center of the breast bone. Avoid the breast tissue when working on a woman. Gently fan out from the center of the breast bone about 3 inches to create circulation and relaxation.