The Body Already Knows: Shaking, Fascia & the Interstitium

This episode comes from two threads that have been weaving together in my practice lately: training in Polarity Champissage — a beautiful Ayurvedic marma-based body therapy developed by my friend and mentor Caroline Crichton — and developing Somatic Stretch and Shake, the movement class I've been teaching at Soma in Belfast, Maine.

I want to be upfront: these ideas are still in process for me. I'm researching this both academically and in my own body, and it doesn't feel fully cooked yet. But there has been so much synchronicity around this topic lately that it felt like a sign to share what I have so far — and keep exploring from here.

What we cover:

• The neurogenic tremor — the natural, involuntary shaking response that animals use to discharge stress (and that we've learned to suppress), and why somatic shaking gives this built-in mechanism somewhere to go
• What shaking does to fascia — the connective tissue web running through the entire body, richer in nerve endings than muscle tissue, and how trauma and chronic stress can cause it to tighten, thicken, and lose its fluid quality
• Mechanotransduction and hyaluronan — how vibration triggers cellular responses in fascia, including the cycling of hyaluronan, the gel-like substance that keeps fascial tissue hydrated and gliding freely
• The interstitium — the recently mapped, fluid-filled connective tissue network discovered somewhat by accident in 2015, and why it was invisible to traditional biopsy methods for so long
• A possible bridge between systems — emerging research suggesting the interstitium may be the physical substrate for the meridians of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and how this connects to marma points and Polarity Champissage
• The rasa dhatu connection — why interstitial fluid flow decreasing with age (especially after 50) may be one physical mechanism behind the dryness and depletion of rasa dhatu in perimenopause, and how movement and shaking help keep this fluid circulating
• How to actually shake — shaking in sets of three to six minutes, followed by a minute of stillness to let the body integrate; why subtle shaking is just as effective as big movement; and why consistency matters more than intensity

The synchronicities:
Thinking about a chapter on the interstitium in Abigail Rose Clark's book Returning Home to Our Bodies — and getting an email from her about an emboided anatomy class she is teaching on the interstitium hours laters. A New York Times article on the interstitium. An interview with Dr. Neil Theise, the NYU pathologist at the center of the 2015 discovery, on fascia, the interstitium, and consciousness. All arriving within days of each other.

Somatic Stretch and Shake:
In-person classes are held Thursdays from 9:30–10:30am at Soma in Belfast, Maine. Online on-demand classes and a live series are coming soon — join the email list to stay in the loop.

Bibliography & References

The Interstitium — Discovery & Research

Benias, P.C., Wells, R.G., Sackey-Aboagye, B., et al. (2018). Structure and Distribution of an Unrecognized Interstitium in Human Tissues. Scientific Reports, 8, 4947. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-23062-6

Theise, N.D., & Mahler, S. (2024). Fascia, the Interstitium, and the Living Matrix: Implications for Consciousness Research. [Interview/lecture referenced]

Fascia & Mechanotransduction

Effectiveness of Vibration on Myofascial Trigger Points. World Journal of Yoga, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. https://irispublishers.com/wjypr/pdf/WJYPR.MS.ID.000583.pdf

Dynamic Responses of Human Skin and Fascia to an Innovative Stimulation Device — Shear Wave Stimulation. PMC/NIH. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11351488/

Understanding Fascial Tissue on the Molecular Level — The Calcium-Hyaluronan (CHA) Axis. PMC/NIH. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12785924/

Interstitial Fluid Flow & Aging

Interstitial fluid flow decreases with age, especially after 50 years. NMR Biomed, 2024 Jul;37(7):e5030. PMID: 37675787. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38796942/

Regulation of interstitial fluid flow along adventitia of vasculature by heartbeat and respiration. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S258900422400628X

Somatic Shaking & TRE Research

The Science of Shaking Medicine: Unlocking Neurogenic Tremoring for Trauma Release and Nervous System Balance. https://www.shakingmedicine.com/science-of-shaking-medicine

The science of somatics: how shaking resets the nervous system — Rori Cross Brown Yoga. https://www.roriyoga.co.uk/resources/the-science-of-somatics-and-shaking

Books Mentioned

Clark, A.R. Returning Home to Our Bodies. [Chapter on the interstitium]

Resources:

Free Masterclass:  The Alchemy of the Perimenopause Portal

Ayurvedic Dosha Quick Reference Guide

Abhyanga Self Massage Guide

Weekend Nervous System Reset

Nourished For Resilience Workbook


Find me at www.nourishednervoussystem.com

and @nourishednervoussytem on Instagram