What is it?
"Worms will not eat living wood where the vital sap is flowing; rust will not hinder the opening of a gate when the hinges are used every day. Movement gives health and life. Stagnation brings disease and death"
(Proverb in Traditional Chinese Medicine)
History
Life expresses itself as motion and all healthy, living tissues subtly 'breathe' with the motion of life - a phenomenon that produces rhythmic impulses that can be palpated by sensitive hands. This motion is produced by the body's inherent life force, which is called the 'Breath of Life' (also called chi' or 'prana'). It can be palpated in the fluids around the cranial bones, the brain and spinal cord and the sacrum. The presence of these subtle rhythms in the body was discovered by osteopath Dr William Sutherland over 100 years ago, after he had a remarkable insight while examining the specialised articulations of cranial bones. After much research, and contrary to popular belief, Dr Sutherland realized that cranial bones were, in fact, designed to express small degrees of motion. He further discovered that this motion is closely connected to subtle movements that involve a network of interrelated tissues and fluids at the core of the body; including cerebrospinal fluid, the central nervous system and the membranes that surround it, and the sacrum.
Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy
In the biodynamic approach of craniosacral work the subtle rhythms produced by the Breath of Life are regarded as expressions of health that carry an essential ordering principle for both body and mind. The essential ordering principle carried in the rhythms of the Breath of Life acts as a blueprint for health; and when these rhythms are expressed in fullness and balance, health and well-being naturally follow.
in response to physical knocks or emotional stress, the body's tissues contract. Over time any unresolved tensions, strains or traumas create states of inertia in the body; which can accumulate over time and hinder the natural motion of the Breathe of Life, and thus our ability to function. Common causes of inertia are physical injuries, emotional and psychological stresses, birth trauma and toxicity. Restrictions in the body's functioning show up in the way craniosacral motion is expressed. Craniosacral therapists are trained to feel this subtle motion, and can use it to identify areas where there is congestion or restriction. Then using their hands to reflect back to the body the pattern it is holding, the therapist provides an opportunity for the body to let go of its restrictive pattern and return to an easier mode of expression. During treatments, the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit are acknowledged, as well as how the body reflects, experiences and retains the memory of trauma.
