How do I do breast self-massage?
Excerpt from: Breast Cancer? Breast Health! the Wise Woman Way
by Susun S. Weed
First, make or buy some infused herbal oils or ointments. You’ll want several, as each offers unique benefits.
Then, create a comfortable, private place where you can lean back: in a warm bath or propped up with cushions in bed. (Protect linens and clothing from oil stains.) Arrange yourself there, bare breasted, with your infused herbal oils close at hand.
Let your eyelids fall. Put your hands over your heart and hum. Cup your breasts with your hands and hum. Imagine or visualize energy streaming out of your nipples. Allow your breasts and heart to open and flow as you hum.
Open your eyes. Transfer some herbal oil or ointment to your palms. Rub your hands together briskly until they feel warm. Place them on either side of one breast and hum.
Cup your fingers alongside or under your breast, thumbs touching and up as high on the chest as possible. (If your breasts are very large, rest the right breast in the right palm and massage with the left thumb, starting in the armpit and moving toward the center of the chest.) Press in and slide your thumbs down toward the nipple, pressing the breast tissue into your fingers and palms. Stretch your thumbs up toward the collarbone again, but slightly farther apart, press in and slide down.
Continue until your thumbs are as far apart as possible (the middle of your chest and your armpit). Repeat, gradually increasing pressure, but only as long as it feels good.
Caution: There is a slight possibility of spreading breast cancer through vigorous massage, rough handling, or very deep pressure.
Transfer more oil or ointment to your palms and rub your hands together. Cup your breast as before, thumbs up and touching. Hum. Repeat the previous pattern, but break up the stroke: Instead of a long, slow, smooth stroke, use your thumbs to make a lot of overlapping short strokes, gradually moving down the chest. Try various degrees of pressure.
Raise the arm of the breast you’re massaging, and put your hand behind you or on your head. If your breast leans to the outside, prop a pillow under that shoulder or lean over. Cover your breast with your free hand and hum.
Dip your fingers into your oil or ointment and, starting in your armpit, press the fingerpads of your first two or three fingers down with enough pressure to hold the skin, and make a small circle. Don’t let your fingers slide over the skin. Keep making little circles (with enough pressure to feel the underlying structures) as you trace an imaginary spiral from your armpit around and around your breast, growing ever smaller until you reach your nipple. (If it is difficult or impossible for you to use your fingerpads, use your palm.) Cover your breast with your hand and hum.
Curl your fingers into your armpit and gently grasp the ridge of lymph-rich tissues and muscles that extend from the shoulder down into the breast. Move up and down this ridge several times, using small squeezes or long glides or little spirals or your own strokes.
As you touch your breasts, imagine or visualize your fingertips emitting healing pink sparkles that embrace and nourish your breasts.Let your fingerpads sink deeply into your breasts. Allow any held distress to be soothed by the balm of the infused herbal oil/ointment. Let overactive energy be calmed by the rhythm of your fingers circling, circling, spiraling, spiraling.
Apply more oil or ointment with your fingerpads, making large gliding circles from midchest to under your breast, up toward the armpit and over and around, again, and again, with a steady rhythm.
When you’re done massaging your breast, close your eyes and relax. Hum. Call to your Wise Healer Within as you hum.
Massage your other breast, starting from the beginning: Put your hands over your heart. Hum. Cup your breasts. Hum. (Is there a difference between the breast that has already been massaged and the one that hasn’t yet?) Rub your oily hands briskly together; hold either side of your breast and hum. Extend your thumbs and massage as before, including all of the previous strokes and ending with your eyes closed, relaxing deeply and allowing yourself to contact and listen to your Wise Healer Within.
Afterwards . . .
After your breast self massage, take a moment to record your experience. This will help you learn more quickly what’s normal for you. You can draw a map of your breasts to help you remember what you’ve felt. Try using colors. Write down any messages offered to you by your breasts or your Wise Healer Within. If you like, make up a little song to hum during your massage. The keynote in breast self-massage is pleasure.
Excerpt from: Breast Cancer? Breast Health! the Wise Woman Way
by Susun S. Weed
Breast Cancer? Breast Health!
The Wise Woman Way
by Susun S. Weed
Foreword by Christiane Northrup, MD
380 pages, index, profusely illustrated.
Foods, exercises, and attitudes to keep your breasts healthy. Supportive complimentary medicines to ease side-effects of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or tamoxifen.
Retails for $21.95
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What a gift to women of all ages! This book helped me overcome my fear of what I might discover during self-examination. I am so grateful that this book came my way and I am healthier in mind, body, and spirit thanks to Ms. Weed's wise words! If I could, I would give a copy of this book to every woman in the world!
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