Neurolymphatic Massage

The Benefits of

Neurolymphatic Massage

By Lisa Wieben

Since we are heading into colder weather and your horses may not be moving as much as they do in the summer months, here is a wonderful energy technique with many wonderful benefits that you can do with your horse while standing in the barn.

Start by ‘hooking up’ the energies of the spine by placing one palm over the sacrum (you may feel a dip in this area, let your palm rest over the dip; this is a powerful energetic point) and the other palm at the withers (where the withers angle toward the back). Wait for the horse to lick, chew, or yawn (while taking a few deep breaths yourself) then place one hand at the withers and the other near the poll. Again wait for the release… the horse will always tell you when the energies connect. Connecting these points will begin to relax the nervous system.

Next you will do a spinal flush. Standing beside the horse’s throat facing the rear put one hand on either side of the neck just behind the ears. Begin to make small circles with your fingers moving along the upper edge of the cervical vertebrae of the neck about an inch at a time, then from the withers down both sides of the back an inch or two off the spine, continuing all the way down to the base of the tail. Using pressure as you massage helps to move lymph, which begins to release toxins and at the same time calms the nervous system. (Bladder meridian which governs the nervous system runs through this area).

As you are massaging take note of any tight areas. If you repeat the process two to three times you may notice those areas releasing and becoming softer.

Finish by sweeping the energy down the body and off the feet. Start at the poll and swipe your hand down the neck to the withers and down the front leg to the ground, then from the withers down the spine and down the outside of the hind leg. Do one side then the other. Moving slowly through this will connect the energy to your hand as well as relax the horse. Be careful with body position as you swipe down the hind leg. Keep your body near the flank, facing toward the hind end as you move down the hind leg. This will keep you in a safer area and will also allow you to feel if the horse shifts towards you.

If you would like a lovely treat for yourself, enlist a friend or partner to do a spinal flush on you. You can show them how to do it first on them, then they can return the favour. This can be done with one person either lying down on their stomach, seated, or even standing with their hands resting on a wall in front of them. The partner can begin the same way as above by hooking up the spine with one palm at the base of the spine and the other at the top of the spine… the palm can be placed so that the fingers are pointing toward the dip at the back of the skull (at the top of the neck) with the palm over the spine or sideways over the base of the neck. Take a few deep breaths together. Depending on the position you have chosen (lying, seated, or standing) you can either decide to massage from the top of the spine down or from the bottom up.

Again, stay an inch or two off the sides of the spine as you massage down. Play with the amount of pressure you use. You may find you can press quite hard. Make note of any particularly sore areas as you move down (or up) the spine. These are areas of congestion. Repeat 2-3 more times and spend a little more time at the sore areas as you proceed. Notice if they begin to become less sore. Finish as above by sweeping the energy down and off the body by moving your hands from the head down the body to the feet.

Lymph serves the purpose of eliminating toxins, but can become stagnant if we are not active. Unlike blood, lymph does not have a built-in pump and relies on movement to do its job. Neurolymphatic points are found mainly on the front and back of the body. Deeply massaging the points helps to: bring energy to the body, remove toxins, clear stagnant hormonal and emotional energies from the body, balance the meridians and their organs, and help with overcoming illness as well as preventing illness.

What a wonderful, quick way to help the body, especially as we move into cold and flu season. Enjoy!

Use either your finger tips or thumbs when massaging along each side of your partner’s spine. See which one they prefer. Rub in small circular motions about an inch or two away from the spine.

'Hooking up' from poll to withers, then withers to sacrum. Follow by massage along the spine of the horse either from poll to tail or withers to tail if the horse is too wiggly or curious with their head.

Lisa Wieben is an Essential Somatic Clinical Practitioner, an Eden Method Clinical Practitioner, a Centered Riding Instructor, Bach Flower Level 1 Practitioner, Equine Canada Competition Coach, and Irwin Insights Level 7 Coach. Her passion is developing Confident Healthy Riders. Available for online Somatics sessions, Energy Medicine sessions, and lessons. www.somaticrider.com