The Importance of Breast Massage

Things have been full the last while as I’ve been focusing on my families needs, interwoven with hands on care and sound healing. This has been deeply meaningful, however it hasn’t given me a lot of time to connect with you through my writing.

Honouring the ebb and the flow

I wanted to share a piece I wrote, which was posted on the blog for The Centre for Health Innovation, where I practice massage therapy on Mondays.

This was an important offering to write, and feels necessary to share widespread, this is support for you.

My intention in writing this piece was to share some insight and reflection on the consideration of a part of our bodies that is often neglected in our care, our breast health

Your whole self is important to consider in your care, every part of you contributes to the experience of feeling your wholeness.   

The parts we walk around with and a deep honouring for the parts of us that have changed or that we have lost over the years.  I am learning this more and more as time passes.   

Statistics show that many people experience breast discomfort at some point in their lifetimes, and that the number that will report this pain to their primary care giver, or to anyone, is quite low.   Perhaps because breasts don’t often receive healthy attention or the level of importance in a person’s overall care that they deserve.  Breasts are sometimes seen as a “taboo” topic, often sexualized rather than respected, which may contribute to a decreased sense of confidence in voicing any concerns a person may have about their breasts. 

Independent of gender, breast tissue is a part of all bodies, completely unique to each of us depending on the anatomical body we were born into, the impact of potential concerns and pathologies we experience, surgical removal, as well as the many transformations we undergo through our lifetime.    

Our breasts may also evoke many different emotions, which needs to be honoured when we start to tend to this part of our bodies. This is a first step in deepening our understanding.

I wonder how you feel reading these words.

I invite you to take a moment to reflect, perhaps bring your hands to your heart and welcome in a few deep breaths.  Notice how you feel and thoughts that may be arising.  

Our breast tissue is located in the front of our chest cavity and in many bodies extends into our armpits, anatomically adjacent to our heart and lungs.  This is the part of us that is energetically associated with compassion and love, as well as shame, grief, and sadness.     

Every time we take a breath our breasts are affected by the movement in our chest wall.  Did you know that the muscles of respiration (of breathing) are the same muscles which directly affect your breast health and contribute to the ability for the breasts to drain effectively.    

Breath and postural patterns through the neck, chest (upper thorax), back and shoulders are some of the primary areas we need to assess when we start to consider ways we can offer ourselves care for our breast health.   

Here is a link if you’d like to continue reading the whole article The Importance of Breast Massage.

Heidi at the Centre for Health Innovation helped me to include some beautiful images to support your exploration.

I also created a self breast massage video, and some dry brushing guidance, just as an extra resource for you

This work travels through my heart to you.

If you need extra support or want to deepen your understanding of this sacred part of you, I offer a six – week virtual program (I’ll be setting dates for the fall soon), as well as one-on-one care / support (both in person and virtually). There are also so many other incredible practitioners in our wider community offering this care and support.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Lots of love

Amber