The Myofascial Energetic Release by Satyarthi Peloquin

An innovative deep bodywork technique to free yourself from chronic pain

Chronic pain can make life impossible. And it affects millions of people around the world every year. One of the causes is our increasingly sedentary and online lifestyles, involving poor posture, stress and a lack of physical activity. But even if you pay attention to your posture and are physically active, it can be difficult to get rid of the pain that has set in.

In recent years, muscle fasciatherapy has come into its own in offering solutions to these chronic pains. Fascias, long unknown in anatomy, are now making a comeback in many fields. But what exactly are fascias? Are they the hidden culprits behind our ailments? And how does muscle fasciatherapy work? This is what Satyarthi Peloquin, creator of the Myofascial Energetic Release (M.E.R.) technique, will explain to us.

Can you give us a simple explanation of what fascias are?

Fascias are fibro-elastic membranes that envelop and penetrate our muscles, organs and bones. They are linked together like superimposed spider webs, connecting all the elements of our body. Fascias are elastic but also fibrous, which means they have a shape. They shape the form of our body. If we could magically remove all the muscles, skin and bones from a body, we would still be able to see its shape, preserved by the structure of the fascia. We now know that fascias are linked to the nervous system. It is thanks to them that we are aware of our body and have a sense of unity (known as proprioception), and it is partly through them that we feel pain (nociception). The fascias enveloping the muscles are called myofascias.

Fascia and pain, what's the link?

When fascia is healthy, it is flexible, allowing the body to move naturally without pain. They also allow fluids and vital energy to circulate freely throughout the body. In short, you feel good. When, on the other hand, the fascias are too rigid and dry, they send a message of ‘danger’ and therefore of constant pain to the brain. The areas involved are less well supplied with fluids and energy because of the contraction of the fascias, which adds to the sensation of discomfort and pain.

Why are the fascias sometimes too rigid, contracted and dry?

In many cases, repetitive bad posture causes over-contraction of the fascia. For example, sitting in front of a screen with your head too far forward will force your neck to contract more than usual to hold your head off its axis. The muscular fascias will naturally harden in order to maintain posture and eventually cause pain if they are pushed too far.

A lack of physical activity, on the other hand, will create adhesion between the superficial fascias, causing them to stick together and restrict mobility. It's a bit like riding a bicycle that you only use once a year and whose cogs get stuck with rust when you want to use it.

Fascias can also contract in the face of emotional stress, trauma or strong fears. When the situation lasts or is repeated regularly, the contraction takes hold and becomes a part of ourselves. A very common example is arching your back and shoulders as if to protect your chest and vital organs. It's an unconscious defence mechanism that emerges in the face of life's difficulties. The person develops this protective posture, which then becomes the cause of physical pain. In the event of trauma, we may also cut ourselves off from our inner sensations to ‘stop feeling’ the pain, whether physical or emotional. Over time, this fragmentation leads to more poor posture, a failure to listen to our needs, a loss of vital energy and enthusiasm for life, difficulties in relating to others...

But the good news is that there is no irreversible damage to fascia!

How does M.E.R. work? How does it help to free muscular fascias from pain?

An M.E.R. session is a unique bodywork session designed to recreate overall harmony by working on the myofascias, the fascias that envelop and cross the muscles. The client is not passive. The practitioner and the client work together to release tension in the contracted fascias, to rebalance the different parts of the body and to circulate energy by releasing blockages in the contracted areas. We work a lot with breathing and movement to accompany the manual work. It is through breathing that the client will ‘charge up’ and thus help to release blocked energies. The practitioner works with his hands, elbows and fists, but above all with his presence, observation and intuition. It's like a dance designed to bring the whole body back into harmony. In this technique, I also place great importance on verbal support to help the client become aware of and put into words what is happening in their body during the session. In this way, a real process of awareness of unconscious contraction mechanisms can begin. The client leaves with a better understanding of themselves and the work of change (posture, lifestyle habits, reactions, etc.) can begin.

How many sessions are needed to achieve long-term results?

In most cases, one session brings immediate relief. But this technique is not magic. It generally takes at least 5 or 6 sessions to achieve longer-term results, and active participation on the part of the client. Between sessions, the client may be given small exercises to do to support the process.

Satyarthi Peloquin

Originally from San Francisco, Satyarthi Peloquin has been a bodyworker for 47 years. After studying therapeutic massage techniques, structural integration, acupuncture, shiatsu and meditation, in the 1980s he created the Rebalancing technique, which is now practised worldwide. Many years spent with the great Indian mystic Osho helped him to develop an awareness of the multi-dimensional unity of body, mind and spirit. His insatiable curiosity and passion for pain relief led him to take an even greater interest in scientific research into human development in the years that followed, and to create the MER technique. Passionate about transmission, Satyarthi has trained over 10,000 practitioners worldwide in 41 years, most of whom are now full-time practitioners.

The 6 key elements of a MER session :

- Sensitive touch

- Connection with the breath to increase the energy charge in the body

- Relaxation and harmonisation of muscular fascias throughout the body

- Receptivity, listening and presence of the practitioner

- Verbalisation during practice

- Exercises to do between sessions

Professional training in MER :

The Elemental Bodywork association organises professional M.E.R. training courses in France and Greece with Satyarthi Peloquin. The training is divided into 7 one-week modules, which can be attended independently.

For more information, visit www.elemental-bodywork.com