Tul ‘ix Indigenous Arts
Sobada/Maya Abdominal Massage/Arvigo and Spiritual Care
Tul ‘ix Indigenous Arts are a combination of Maya abdominal massage (also known as Sobada) and healing techniques from the Masawal Maya of the Yucatan region. This modality was formerly called Arvigo Maya Abdominal Techniques. Along with my learning from the Maya lineage, I also utilize healing techniques learned through ceremony, ancestry, and listening to the land.
This work is a powerful way to re/connect with your internal body wisdom. The techniques support your organs in moving into their optimal places and healing emotional, spiritual, and physical wounding.
Tul’ix therapies, and the healing traditions they are rooted in, can be supportive for but are not limited to:
- Pelvic/Uterus/Reproductive Care: Infertility, Dysmenorrhea (Painful Menses), Amenorrhea (Lack of Menses), Fibroids, Endometriosis, Fertility Journey/ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies) support, Pelvic Organ Prolapse, Prostate Care, Urinary Issues,
- Digestive: Chronic Indigestion, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gastrointestinal Reflux, SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, Crohn’s, Gastritis, Constipation,
- Multi-System: Migraines, Chronic Pain, Edema, Chronic Fatigue, Autoimmunity, Scar Care, Post Surgical Recovery
- Psychospiritual: Complex Emotional States, Spiritual Conditions, Grief Care
This massage is external and focused on the abdomen, lower back, sacrum and tailbone. It is predominantly gentle, and many folks find it deeply relaxing. There are a few techniques that are fascia-focused and some that can be more intense- these will all be spoken about with option if you’d like to experience them [everything is optional].
The abdominal/Sobada sessions are always done with spiritual support and care. Most often the conditions and traumas we experience didn’t just emerge on the physical and seen level, they also happened on the unseen and energetic levels. There are often emotional components to healing processes and they are fully welcome in these sessions. The unseen, our spiritual and Ancestral support, are holding the space and bringing the care for our human healing.
Similar to many other healing modalities like acupuncture, one session can be tremendously helpful- it can impact the outer layer or expression of what you’ve been experiencing. Ongoing sessions deepen relationship with the practitioner, the modality and your own body which allows for potential long terms changes and transformations.
I combine Somatic/Nervous System care into these sessions. Hands-on work can be a powerful way to reclaim agency after boundary ruptures/violations (ex: doctor and hospital experiences, physical, sexual, emotional abuse, etc.). Through active consent practice, relationship building and moving at the pace of trust there is great possibility in moving through birth trauma, processing emotional and spiritual complexity, having agency with touch, connecting with one’s supportive ancestors, moving through big life changes and crisis, and transformation.
All Tul ‘ix Sessions: It is best to not eat right before the session. If you have a uterus, it is best to have a session when you are not menstruating.
Uterus focused Tul ‘ix Sessions: It’s best to have a session during the time that you are not bleeding, and not 5 days before your blood begins. It is okay at the very tail end of the blood. An ideal time for a session pre-ovulation.
Post-partum Tul ‘ix Sessions: you can schedule a session 4-6 weeks after giving birth vaginally and 6 weeks or after the scarring has had time to heal after giving birth through cesarean.
Fertility Tul ‘ix Sessions: it is best to have a session scheduled for as soon as you finish menstruating/bleeding. The window between end of menstruation and ovulation will be the most supportive time to receive hands-on work. For those navigating IUI and IVF, hands on sessions are ideally after you finish your bleeding cycle, and then a follow up before insemination or pre-transfer.
For those with IUDs, I will omit the physical strokes directly over your uterus and instead do energetic strokes. The Lower strokes are contraindicated for people experiencing Urinary tract infections, bladder infections or inflammation.