Why Armpits Are Important

This month I've been focusing my training on the axilla region - the armpit! I attended a very interesting seminar run by kinesiologist and yoga therapist Susi Hately. This was all about the armpits. I particularly liked Susi's take on therapy, she is all about the subtleties that we can feel in our own bodies when we take the time and care to do so.

The armpit is an area that is often overlooked but when we do give it a thought it quickly becomes obvious why this is such an important area anatomically and energetically. This area is an important one in Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are many important acupressure points in this area. Similarly in Ayurveda the kakashadhara marma point is also located nearby. Those of you who have had MLD will know that there are many lymph nodes found in the armpits which are vital for our general wellbeing and health.

If we think about the armpit area anatomically, there are muscle attachments from the arm, chest, shoulder blade, back and pelvis all meeting around the armpit area! That's not even thinking about the fascia, or connective tissue, that wraps around the body. For example, the area of the left armpit is connected by fascia to the right buttock and hip.

Hopefully this gives you a small insight as to how a physical pain which you feel in your feet or your neck could be originating from your armpit, and why the armpit is such a fascinating area for bodyworkers!

One last word on armpits (for now) if you are particularly ticklish and the very idea of someone working on or near your armpits is worrying you then please know that although there will always be some people who won't be able to let anyone work on this area, the vast majority of us are able to relax enough to transcend this ticklish state. I have had a lot of experience working with ticklish armpits (my husband, for one) and believe that we can work together to make the treatment relaxing and effective rather than ticklish and stressful!

Why not try...?

I'm going with a slightly different suggestion for this months newsletter, instead of something new to try I'm suggesting not doing something. Not mowing your lawn. I have a feeling that this may be a bit of a divisive topic but let's try it...

May is 'No Mow May'. This is a campaign to ask people with gardens to refrain from mowing their lawns for the month and let nature take its course.

"Free the wildflowers in your lawn so they can grow wild and provide a feast for pollinators, tackle pollution, and lock away atmospheric carbon below ground."

That's it. Nice and easy, just sit back and see what grows. You may find you like the diversity that springs up and choose to grow a red clover lawn or a camomile lawn?

What is this to do with wellness, you might well ask. You could use the time that you would otherwise be mowing your lawn to sit in your garden and observe the plants and the animals around you. You may find it helps you be more mindful as you notice the differences that occur day by day in your growing lawn. You may even notice how leaving this task makes you feel - annoyed? bothered? calm? Take a little time to sit with these feelings. Let them be, acknowledge them and watch as they pass by.

It may be interesting just to see some growth and then to cut in back down in a month, noting that nothing is permanent and everything changes.