Our Journey – Yael Saslove Shani and Iris Abarbanel – of exploring the pelvis, was born out of curiosity for understanding its many facets and the magical worlds hidden within it. We have met, over the years, countless women with different pelvic maladies and aches. They have been to many professionals: gynecologists, urologists, gastroenterologists, proctologists, orthopedists, neurologists, and other “logists” along the way, trying to find a cure. Each professional tried to help with his knowledge and familiarity with his field alone – and the problem remained.
A deep inner need has arisen within us, to create a new field which sees the pelvis in its multidimensionality… And so, upon meeting each other at a significant crossroad, each of us and her own journey, we have decided: two are better than one.
My journey began with studying Chinese medicine. I got there by chance, but fell immediately in love. Today, years after, I understand how rich and complex Chinese medicine is, and how what I’ve experienced 25 years ago was just the tip of the iceberg of a wondrous, endless universe, which continues to reveal itself to me to this very day.
My studies led me to China, to an authentic experience of the origins of Chinese medicine. I’ve spent long days at the gynecology department at the university hospital: there I have found my calling.
Along my years of working with women, I’ve witnessed countless cases of aches and pathologies in the pelvis, menstrual problems, pregnancy aches, fertility difficulties and more – with, or without a clear explanation behind them. At times I’ve felt that my clinic was the last resort for women who’ve been to many medical or para-medical professionals, and whether they’ve been diagnosed or not – the solution they’ve received was often incomplete.
In my personal life, I practice Yoga and Karate for many years. Martial Arts and different practices of movement, all put the pelvis, the “Hara” or the “Dan Tien” in the center. “That’s where it all beings, that’s where it all ends.”
I was wondering: how can it be that such a significant center in the body carries so much pain, and there are no good solutions for treating it?
My frustration led me into action. I kept on learning and investigating further more within the world of Chinese medicine, but little by little I was exposed to other methods of treatment, and decided to roll up my sleeves and start dealing with the pelvis. Not only with acupuncture needles, but with my hands, my heart, and the intention to delve into its depths, and to figure out why is it so many women suffer when it comes to this highly significant part of their body.
I embarked on my Pelvicademy journey.
The journey outside the borders of Chinese medicine started with “Arvigo” – a massage method which originates from Belize in Central America. Rosita Arvigo learned this method from Don Elijio Panti, a local Shaman, and delivered it to the rest of the world. Galit Bareli was the one who brought it to Israel. In the western world, Arvigo got the reputation of a unique treatment method, almost a ’boutique’ method, and I felt I needed to learn and understand it. And indeed, my introduction to touch work in the pelvis, revealed to me new worlds I was yet to know. I realized how much can be achieved using touch: healing, restored equilibrium and release, and that one can learn so much just by using it – even me and my ‘Chinese’ way of thinking.
After discovering this meaningful method, I’ve encountered the “Anpuku” method – a stomach massage originating from Japan, a method which Iris Abarbanel treats with and teaches here in Israel.
Anpuku is an enriching and wondrous pelvis-based method, which originates in the east as well. And thus came together my Chinese knowledge, the Arvigo touch I’ve studied and the precision in diagnosis of channels and organs which the Anpuku, with its oriental approach, contributes.
Iris Abarbanel and I decided to keep on learning together. We’ve investigated various fields that deemed relevant to us, we’ve found unique female professionals and asked them to teach us more about the pelvis, we’ve invited different practitioners to join this research – and together we soar over new horizons.
The human soul has intrigued me since my youth. In high school I chose a psychology-sociology major, out of the desire to learn and understand what happens behind the curtains of our minds.
In my early twenties, somewhere in the 90’s of the last century, I began to investigate the mind-body as a whole; first as a patient, trying to understand my own symptoms and patterns. And indeed, I’ve managed to find both relief and answers to my questions, in the form of memories that emerged out of my body as a result of touch work, along with verbal guidance for further investigation. I was treated with the Grinberg method. Later I realized it was a somatic investigation: reaching the memory which is held in the body, on the cellular level. I was especially intrigued by the stomach, being the very core of this database. That’s where I truly fell in love!
During those very days, as fate would have it, I learned of an amazing method of touch therapy, called “Anpuku”, which figuratively means: the pulse of the stomach. That’s where the biggest love affair of my life began.
I had a knowing, deep down inside – that I have reached home.
Anpuku is an ancient, deep and unique Japanese touch therapy. It is focused on the stomach, the thorax, and their relationship. I’ve abandoned my previous occupations, made a big shift in my professional life (up until then I was working in the fields of architecture, event planning and still photography), and embarked on this new path with great excitement!
As a part of my studies, in the early days of the new millennium, I was exposed to a thrilling integration of emotional-body mapping. One that was familiar to me, back from the days during which I was treated with the Grinberg method. Completely connected to emotional and deep stomach-work the Anpuku offers, and to the holistic perception of Japanese theories, such as “the Source Theory”; which views the “Hara”- the lower stomach, as our root and as a tremendous and unique source of power.
The pelvis, belonging to the earth element according to this approach, fascinated me. I felt I have to keep exploring this wondrous region of the body, which functions like the internal foundation of our house, the basis on which everything is engraved. I’ve experienced it on my own, and have seen it with patients of various ages and stages of life. I wanted to know more.
Over the years I kept on studying, learning about other disciplines, creating an integration in my clinic between Chinese and Japanese traditions – with current information that was developing during those years as part of the new sciences of the brain, such as ‘the second brain’ and neurobiology.
And then, Yael Saslove came to learn about Anpuku, and my life entered a new and exciting stage.
Yael invited me to join her on the Pelvicademy journey she had dreamt about, that will deepen the investigation by combining other disciplines she had mastered, her love and her rich experience.
Like an exciting calling of fate, of an emotional and a harmonic professional connection- our common journey began. It began out of our shared desire to study more within a group, to gather more knowledge and to share it with whomever wishes to posses it.
As our investigation deepens, my sense of inner knowing and excitement intensify: the pelvis, both in itself and as part of this marvelous tapestry of our bodied and minds, is one of the greatest and most unique works of art I have encountered both in women and men, starting from the womb and the very first embryonic stages.
I experience the pelvis, and everything I find out about it, like a marvelous trip in wonderland, one taken out of children’s fairy tales.
During our gatherings, courses and study-days with topics such as: fascia, osteopathy, the neurological system and the vagus nerve, anatomy, philosophy, and many others topics we’ve learned along the way – we have reached some clear understandings:
The pelvis is an anatomical, energetic and emotional center, which effects and is effected by all parts of the body.
The pelvis contains life, and releases everything which is redundant.
It is similar to a province or habitation area – containing within it endless layers of tissues, muscles, ligaments, fascia and organs – as well as the lymphatic, neurologic and hormonal systems, and more.
At the same time, the pelvis holds our genetic center, layers of ancient knowledge; our essence, our past, present and future.
How can one perspective, one treating method, can meet the needs of such a complex area?
This research has to be multi-disciplinary. The pelvis calls for the cooperation of several perspectives.
We felt a deep need to create a body of knowledge which will see the pelvis in its multidimensionality. A need for a new science that can be viewed from different aspects, one that combines different methods of diagnosis and treatment, and will create a new research we are yet to know.
And this is how this new field was born: Pelvicademy
It is a place for investigating, sharing, learning and conversing all about the pelvis. We invite you practitioners to join us.
Here we can gather the richness of experience of each practitioner, so that each of us can learn according to our heart’s desire.
You are welcome to wander around this website and have a taste of tens of articles, researches, podcasts, lectures and courses – all are free and approachable to all. If you are intrigued and wish to deepen further in a specific field, you could do so using our paid courses. On the bulletin board we will publish various workshops, in Israel and around the world, regarding different pelvic-related topics.
Professionals of many schools have joined us already (Arvigo, Anpuku, Chinese medicine, Shiatsu, martial arts, Somatic Movement, Somatic Experience, pelvic floor physiotherapy, osteopathy, yoga, gynecology and more), with the goal of learning different perspectives, and to form together a multidimensional technique. Our aspiration is that it will meet all needs of women who suffer from pelvic problems, and will benefit women’s health in general.
Each of us contributes from her own experience, and is invited to deepen her knowledge according to her own desires. We have created a rich database of knowledge that each practitioner could learn from and be enriched by. Our website grants a lot of exposure both to the practitioner, as well as to the knowledge which is being shared.
Pelvicademy: what have we here?
The Pelvicademy website invites you, practitioners of different schools of the healing profession, to explore and study.
To gather the richness of experience of each practitioner, so that each of us can learn according to our heart’s desire.
You can wander around the website and have a taste of tens of articles, researches, podcasts, lectures and courses – all are free and approachable to all. If you are intrigued and wish to deepen further in a specific field, you could do so using our paid courses. On the bulletin board we will publish various workshops, in Israel and around the world, regarding different pelvic-related topics.
And we’re only at the very beginning.
We are in constant movement; adding, editing and making the work clearer and more precise. We would love to hear your experience, ideas for improvement, or anything you feel would contribute to our Pelvicademy journey.
You are welcome to contact us.
Yael Saslove
+972-538259711
Iris Abarbanel
+972-524373830
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