1 Anatomy and Physiology 

A The Navel in the Autonomic Nervous System 

The navel serves as a central hub in the body’s complex network of connections between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the fascial system. Through its links with the transversalis fascia, umbilical ligaments, and visceral fascia, the navel is functionally connected to the coeliac plexus and surrounding autonomic nerve plexuses, which regulate critical physiological processes.

The ANS governs the body’s unconscious activities, including cardiovascular function, digestion, immune responses, reproduction, and cell regeneration, as well as playing a significant role in mental health. It operates in two primary modes: the sympathetic (stress-related) mode, which prepares the body for action, and the parasympathetic (restorative) mode, which promotes relaxation and regeneration. The parasympathetic system’s main nerve, the vagus nerve, connects the brain with vital organs and extends into the neck, linking to the facial nerves, the cervical nerves, and the atlas (the first cervical vertebra).

The sympathetic nervous system is represented by the sympathetic trunk, which runs parallel to the spinal column and includes ganglia such as the superior cervical ganglion. These structures, alongside the vagus nerve in the vagina carotica, form a critical network in the anterior neck that influences the body’s regulatory functions. In the pelvis, the sacral parasympathetic system (S2-S4) regulates pelvic organs and communicates with the vagus nerve through the inferior hypogastric plexus, while the coeliac plexus near the navel acts as an integrative center.

Stress has profound effects on the ANS. Acute stress activates the adrenal glands, located near the lumbar spine, leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol. This response, combined with asymmetrical tension in the body’s fascial chains, results in pelvic torsion (PT)—a preparatory mechanism evolved for fight or flight. While useful in short-term situations, prolonged stress and unresolved trauma can lead to chronic PT, which distorts the body’s alignment and affects joint resilience. Over time, if the stress persists, the system may enter a state of exhaustion, marked by the absence of PT and reduced regulatory capacity.

B The Fascial System as a Regulatory Network

The fascial system is an intricate, three-dimensional web that envelops all muscles, organs, blood vessels, and nerves, including the spinal cord and brain. This connective tissue facilitates structural stability, supports dynamic movement, and enables communication between the body’s systems. It also houses the intercellular matrix, where nerves and blood vessels terminate, allowing the exchange of information, nutrients, and waste products.

Fasciae play an essential role in emotional and physical perception. They respond to stress by thickening and adhering, particularly in the dorsal fascia, and can store emotions—tightening during stress or trauma and relaxing in calming environments or through therapeutic touch. Emotional release often accompanies the resolution of fascial adhesions, underscoring their role in integrating physical and emotional well-being.

The fascial pathways, described as muscle-fascial meridians, extend from the eyebrows to the feet or hands, stabilizing the skeleton and enveloping the body’s cavities. Adhesions or distortions in these pathways can interrupt the flow of energy and information, leading to dysfunction. Techniques such as stretching, connective tissue massage, acupuncture, and the author’s integration therapy can restore fascial mobility and improve overall regulation.

Integration therapy specifically focuses on harmonizing disturbance fields and releasing tension in key areas. By calming the sympathetic nervous system and activating the vagus nerve, this approach helps to reestablish balance in the body’s regulatory systems.

C Disturbance Fields and Stress Patterns

Every individual has areas of the body where cells are either overburdened or traumatically altered, disrupting their ability to oscillate harmoniously with the rest of the system. These disturbance fields can stem from physical or emotional trauma, scars, or chronic stress, and they affect the body on multiple levels.

Initially, stress manifests as pelvic torsion, creating tension and misalignment in the musculoskeletal system. This leads to stiffness, reduced joint resilience, and susceptibility to pain in the body’s weaker areas, often the lower back. Over time, additional external stress can overwhelm the mental and physical regulatory capacities, resulting in irritability, exhaustion, and reduced vitality. The resolution of disturbance fields through fascial and neural therapy allows the system to recover its natural balance, often accompanied by a temporary reappearance of pelvic torsion as a marker of healing.

The Navel as a Central Hub

The navel holds unique significance due to its anatomical, physiological, and energetic connections.

•Fascial System: The navel is the convergence point for all fascial pathways and sheaths, making it a central anchor for the body’s connective tissue network.

•Autonomic Nervous System: Through its links with the coeliac plexus and related nerve structures, the navel directly influences the ANS, transitioning the body between stress and relaxation modes.

•Neural Therapy: Injecting local anesthetics into the navel can relieve disturbance fields, shifting the body’s regulatory system from stress to relaxation and restoring balance.

•Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): The navel is central to energy flow in TCM, with surrounding points such as CV 4 (“Gate of Original Qi”), CV 6 (“Sea of Energy”), and CV 8 (“Palace of the Spirit”) facilitating the regeneration and circulation of Qi.

•Vibrational Theory: The Indian physicist and mystic Emu Mukanda described the navel as the origin of each person’s unique vibrational keynote, which harmonizes the body. Disturbances in this keynote were believed to cause illness, and restoring the navel’s balance was seen as essential for healing.

Through its central role, the navel serves as a gateway for both physical and energetic integration, helping to relieve fascial tension, direct energy to areas in need, and restore the body’s natural rhythm.