Myofascial Releasing with Right Brain vs. Left Brain

The last several articles explored the many ways we can heal our chronic pain and discomfort with fascia-based modalities like Myofascial Release (MFR.)

Fascia is very densely woven covering, which interpenetrates every muscle, bone, nerve, artery and vein as well as all of our internal organs including the heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. …  It is actually one structure that exists from head to foot without interruption. …  Fascia also plays an important role in the support of our bodies since it surrounds and attaches to all structures. These structures would not be able to provide the stability without the constant pull of the fascial system. …   [from John F. Barnes, P.T.]

We have discussed how our current physical pain, discomfort and disease, can be traced back to past physical and emotional trauma, with each trauma contributing to cumulative fascial restrictions.  Since the fascial system runs through every cell in the body, over time these cumulative fascial restrictions start to pull from adjacent structures, causing our current pain and discomfort.

As these systemic fascial restrictions are treated, the emotions stored in the tissue from the past traumas are also released, finally freeing up our bodies from their current dysfunctional state.  However, releasing the emotions stored in the tissue memory can be difficult for a lot of people, as “letting go” can be unfamiliar and uncomfortable.  To help you understand how to allow yourself to let go, it is important to understand how the right and left brains work both independently and inter-dependently.

Our brain is made up of two halves, a left brain and a right brain. There's a big fold that goes from front to back in our brain, essentially dividing it into two distinct and separate parts, connected to each other by a thick cable of nerves at the base of each brain. This sole link between the two giant processors is called the corpus collosum, creating a cross-over “wiring” connecting the left side of our body to the right side of our brain, and vice versa.

Each side of the brain has a characteristic way that it both interprets the world and reacts to it.  LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS_use logic, math, details, facts, words, language, reality, practicality, and safety.  RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS_use feelings, imagination, symbols, images, philosophy, fantasy, and emotions.

In today’s society, the two brains are in constant conflict, with the left side winning more often, as it is the practical and logical side vs. the right side, the seat of our emotions.  And since our conscious mind can only focus on data from on brain at a time (the most-used left brain), it can be very unfamiliar and uncomfortable to tap into the right brain.

However, if we truly want to heal ourselves, we MUST be willing to access that right brain and feel the emotions as they are released from the fascial system and just “let go”.

Most of use were raised with limited exposure to healthy emotional release, so as adults, emotional releases are often connected with unpleasant experiences.  We then learn to bury all true emotions, with of course, tends to create physical and emotional patterns leading to our current pain and disease.

There are many ways to access the right brain.  Start with something simple like morning journaling, a free stream of consciousness.  No one needs to read it, and it doesn’t need to be long.  Then, try taking a class doing something creative that you like, such as dance, art, voice or music.  Notice how it “feels” to take time in your life to “feel”.

As you start to be more comfortable “feeling” in your every day life, you may find that when emotions start to come up during your myofasical release session, you will be more comfortable allowing them to flow freely and release them and their holding patterns forever.
 
Frances Nicolais, LMT
MFR Therapist and Instructor
www.kneadedexperience-la.com