Golden Apron

Within the theme of spaciousness, I am offering a Body-Mind Centering ® perspective this month upon a highly specialized tho’ often overlooked part of our abdominal cavity, the oementum, and next month I will offer a restorative practise based thereon. Our organs of digestion (stomach, liver, pancreas, small and large intestines, and so on), found within the abdominal cavity, are beautifully suspended by connective tissue that itself is connected to the peritoneal wall. This allows our organs to slide, glide, and move about as we change body position and orientation to gravity, without having these essential organs becoming compressed, compromised or lose their relative relationship to each other. Additionally, within our abdominal cavity is a specialized connective tissue (or mesentery) called the oementum (Latin, meaning curtain or apron) that suspends posteriorly the stomach and liver… anteriorly to the pancreas… then descends downward and slightly forward to drape and suspend over the intestines… and then is folded back along itself in the reverse direction. This folding creates a sac or bursa which is filled with fluid, acting as a suspensory cushion. Furthermore, the oementum is very rich with blood vessels, rich in lymphatic tissue, and rich in fat… giving the appearance of a golden apron. Some consider the oementum to be an organ in its own right as it offers immune protection and healing of trauma within the abdominal cavity. Incredibly, the oementum can isolate and adhere to areas of organic damage or leakage… preventing further deterioration and promoting healing. Because this bursa is filled with fluid, the membranes of the oementum can help to move the fluid, AND the fluid itself can help to move the membranes, so there is a lovely dance happening within the golden apron at all times. Trauma in the form of injuries, surgeries, stress, mal-positioning, adhesions, and so on can negatively affect this golden apron, compromising its function and flow, thus blocking our vitality. Practitioners of t’ai chi and qigong have been aware of this for over 2000 years and have developed breathing practices to help restore the flow of life force within the golden apron, enhance our immunity, promote peristalsis, restore blood supply and flow of nutrients to our gut, and essentially calm our ‘gut brain’. For this month, have a good look at the picture offered with this blog post, or look up other photos of the oemental bursa and then rest your hands atop your abdominal cavity, sensing and being grateful for the amazing dancing miracle happening within each one of us! Join me next month as we explore a practice of breathing in the oemental bursa.