The Sacred Flow: How Lymphatic Drainage Became Part of My Spiritual and Healing Journey

Gua Sha as a sacred practice.

Sometimes, the universe drops exactly what you need right into your lap—or in this case, onto your TikTok feed.

Lately, I’ve been diving deep into my health, not just in a surface-level way, but truly trying to understand how my body moves, heals, and regenerates. And just when I was tuning into that, the lymphatic drainage trend showed up on TikTok .

Now, let’s be real—I’m not in my 20s trying to get “snatched” for selfies. At 55, my focus is on something way bigger: long-term health. I want to feel vibrant, mobile, and strong well into old age. And I had this gut feeling that my stagnant lymphatic system—frozen for too long—needed some serious love.

Lymph: The Silent River of the Body

The lymphatic system is this incredible, often-overlooked part of our bodies. It’s not just about puffiness or water retention—it’s our internal drainage system. It moves toxins out, keeps our immune system strong, and plays a huge role in how we feel every single day.

From a medical standpoint, the lymphatic system:

✔️ Carries away waste and toxins from cells

✔️ Supports immune function by transporting white blood cells

✔️ Helps regulate fluid balance in the body

✔️ Doesn’t have its own pump (like the heart does for blood), so it relies on movement, breath, and massage to flow properly

And here’s where the mystical side comes in…

The lymphatic system isn’t just physical. It’s deeply connected to energy flow. In many spiritual traditions, it’s thought to be a conductor of electricity in the body, influencing our magnetic field and even how we attract Source energy. If the lymph is stagnant, energy gets stuck. If it’s flowing, we’re more open, receptive, and aligned.

My Sacred Gua Sha Ritual

I won’t go into all the technical details—there are plenty of great TikToks for that! But here’s what my personal practice looks like:

1. Priming the Pump – I start with gentle lymph massage in key areas: behind my knees, my groin, my belly, under my collarbone, armpits, the crook of my arms, jawline, and the bridge of my nose.

2. Creating Sacred Space – Before I begin, I apply organic virgin olive oil that I consecrated in ceremony. It turns this from a simple beauty routine into something sacred.

3. Gua Sha Movements – Simple, repetitive strokes that help stimulate lymph flow. It’s soothing, meditative, and deeply healing.

   
   

The Energetic Release

Here’s what I noticed right away—my brain yammers during gua sha. Nonstop chatter, old thoughts, random worries. And instead of trying to silence it, I reframed it: this is part of the detox process. Just like my body is releasing toxins, my mind is too. With each stroke, I imagine sweeping away stagnant energy, emotional debris, and outdated thoughts that no longer serve me.

Lymphatic work isn’t just physical—it’s a full-body reset. It’s about making space, clearing blocks, and allowing your body to function the way it was designed to.

And yes, your face gets snatched, too. But more importantly? Your energy gets lighter, your mind clearer, and your whole system starts to hum with a new sense of vitality.

I love this practice for how it reconnects me to my body and clears the stagnant energy that’s been sitting there for too long. It’s a reminder that healing isn’t just about what we do—it’s about how we listen. And the more I listen, the more I realize my body has been speaking to me all along.

Gua Sha History and Dr. Xiu-Min Li

Gua sha, a technique rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been practiced for over 2,000 years. It involves scraping the skin with a smooth-edged tool to promote circulation, release toxins, and alleviate pain. Originally used to treat a variety of ailments, it is deeply intertwined with the philosophy of balance and energy flow in TCM.

Dr. Xiu-Min Li is a renowned practitioner and researcher of Gua Sha. With over 30 years of experience, she has integrated traditional Chinese practices with modern clinical applications. Her book, "Gua Sha Scraping Massage Techniques," offers an in-depth look at this healing method and its therapeutic uses. Link to book

There are tons of books on these topics - Chat GPT offered these

• "The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma" by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.This book delves into how trauma affects the brain and body, offering insights into healing and recovery.Link to book​

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• "The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine" by Ted J. Kaptchuk An in-depth exploration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, discussing concepts like energy flow and holistic health practices.Link to book

And I would suggest Dr. Joe Dispenza . He talks a lot about the lymphatic system and it's role in our evolution. I learned a lot from him - and I became a meditator because of him. Highly recommend.