Maya abdominal massage
Maya Abdominal Massage is a gentle, therapeutic modality designed to support the optimal alignment of your uterus within the pelvic bowl. When the uterus is properly positioned, it can enhance reproductive, urinary, digestive and emotional health.
Each session begins with a comprehensive health intake, to understand your unique herstory and needs. From there, I offer intuitive hands-on bodywork that listens deeply to your body's signals and supports its natural capacity to find balance.
Together, we also explore "small wins" that create big shifts-- simple sustainable lifestyle adjustments that support your long-term wellness goals. These incremental changes open the door to profound transformation in pelvic, reproductive, and whole-body health.
I have been blessed to have studied directly with Dr. Rosita Arvigo, who apprenticed Mayan elders and healers in Belize. With their guidance and wisdom, she wove ancient Mayan wisdom with her studies of naprapathy, to create this lineage of work.
These techniques are gentle, hands-on and non-invasive, helping to reposition organs that have shifted, restricting the flow of blood, lymph, nerve and chi. These techniques focus on the abdomen, lower back, sacrum and tailbone -- areas central to pelvic and reproductive vitality.
I studied Maya Abdominal Therapy with Rosita Arvigo and became a certified practitioner in 2009. Today I am a member of the Abdominal Therapy Collective, Rosita's current organization, where you can learn more about her work.
The Origins of Maya Abdominal Massage
Based on over thirty years of training and experience in massage, naprapathy, herbology, and spiritual healing, Dr. Rosita Arvigo developed these techniques, which now bear her name. This modality incorporates a holistic approach to health care, which including massage, anatomy and physiology, herbology, nutrition, and emotional and spiritual healing.
Dr. Arvigo learned these techniques from her mentor, Don Elijio Panti, the great Maya Shaman of Belize, Central America, with whom she apprenticed for ten years. Don Elijio believed that a woman's center is her uterus. "If a woman's uterus is out of balance, so is she," he would say. Rosita also studied with Hortense Robinson, a 73 year old herbal midwife of Belize who has been delivering babies since she was 13.
"If a woman's uterus is out of balance, so is she."
- Don Elijio Panti, Maya healer
Benefits of Maya Abdominal Massage
Maya Abdominal Massage offers a wide range of physical, emotional, and energetic benefits by supporting the optimal alignment and function of the pelvic and abdominal organs. Clients often experience both immediate relief and long-term transformation.
Reproductive Health
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Encourages optimal uterine alignment
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Supports menstrual regularity and ease
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Many women find their periods become easier, with less cramping and congestion
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Supports circulation to the uterus and ovaries, which many women find helpful when preparing to conceive
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Supports healing after miscarriage, birth, or pregnancy loss
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Nourishes hormonal balance during perimenopause and other transitions
Digestive & Urinary Well-Being
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Improves digestion by supporting organ function and motility
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Reduces bloating, constipation, and gas
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Supports sluggish digestion and can ease constipation
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Enhances urinary flow and reduces frequency or urgency
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Supports lymphatic flow
Pelvic & Structural Support
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Relieves lower back, sacral, and pelvic pain
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Encourages healthy circulation of blood, lymph, nerve, and chi
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Supports alignment in the pelvis and lower abdomen
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Helps ease tension patterns held in the hips, low back, and tailbone
Emotional & Energetic Benefits
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Creates deeper connection with the womb, belly, and intuition
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Releases emotional imprinting stored in the pelvic bowl
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Supports grounding, stability, and a sense of inner belonging
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Offers a gentle pathway for trauma-informed nervous system regulation
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Cultivates a renewed sense of vitality and embodiment
Long-Term Wellness
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Builds awareness of your body’s signals and needs
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Encourages simple lifestyle shifts that create sustainable change
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Supports the body’s natural capacity for balance and healing
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Serves as a preventative practice for long-term pelvic health
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"I received Maya Abdominal Massage from Chaya in the last week of my pregnancy, at a time when I had such extreme pubic symphysis pain that basic activities like walking were difficult. I thought it would be impossible for me to get comfortable on the table, but Chaya was able to get everything just right so that I could really relax. She provided much needed relief and support to help me move through that last week and my early labor."
Esther W.
After a series of sessions with Chaya, my menstrual cycles shifted profoundly. My symptoms included debilitating cramps that often induced vomiting, with an understandably melancholy affect. After five sessions that including Maya Abdominal Massage, Holistic Pelvic Care and Vaginal Steaming, I actually began to have peaceful menstrual cycles. I now have more awareness of my internal organs, and that feels empowering. " Chaya has an admirable way of creating space for healing. I have never had such an encouraging outcome from a chronic health issue. Thank you Chaya!