24/02/2025
What is the body’s original blueprint?
When Bowen Therapists talk about treatments helping the body reorient to its original ‘blueprint,’ what exactly are we referring to? And how does this blueprint arise in the first place?
The answer lies in embryology, where the body’s fundamental organising forces first emerge.
At day 15 of development, a structure known as the primitive streak appears, laying down the basic body plan.
From this point, the three germ layers form, each giving rise to essential systems:
🔹 Endoderm – Develops the epithelial linings of major systems and glands
🔹 Mesoderm – Forms muscles, connective tissues, and the circulatory system
🔹 Ectoderm – Gives rise to the nervous system and skin epidermis
Fascinatingly, some of the very first Bowen moves are performed over the exact region where the primitive streak first appeared. This is no coincidence. These moves may have the ability to awaken a ‘tissue memory’ of health, often experienced as warmth or an uplifting force through the spine.
Why does this happen? Because embryological forces never truly leave us.
The midline created by the primitive streak later folds to form the neural tube, the structure that gives rise to the brain, spinal cord, and autonomic nervous system. Bowen Therapy aims to work with this deep cellular memory, especially within the fluids and connective tissue, where the body’s original blueprint remains imprinted.
As Bowen Therapists, we are not just addressing symptoms — we are working with the body’s inherent intelligence to restore balance and health at a foundational level, to the best of the body’s ability.