Since many people want to know how craniosacral works in detail, I have written this article to describe what I do in a craniosacral therapy session and how I understand craniosacral therapy.
Osteopathic Origins & Inherent Motion
Craniosacral therapy is based on principles that come from a discipline called cranial osteopathy. Cranial osteopathy is based on the idea that there is a subtle, natural movement of the cranial bones that happens involuntarily. Like the breath or the beat of a heart, it happens all the time, even when we sleep. This movement was first perceived by osteopathic practitioners and since has been supported by science (Rasmussen). We refer to this movement and to other rhythmic motility patterns noted in the field of osteopathy as inherent motion.
This rhythm, which we craniosacral therapists call the cranial respiratory impulse (CRI), is reported to have a mean frequency of 6.16 cycles per minute. In my experience as a practitioner, this cycle time can vary considerably. This rhythm is expressed as an opening and closing of the sphenobasilar symphisis, or a flexion and extension of the cranial bones. This opening and closing is also expressed in all the bones of the body.
In addition to the CRI, there is a rhythmic movement of all bodily fluids. This rhythm has a frequency of about 2.5 cycles per minute and varies less than the CRI. We call this the “mid tide.” A third rhythm called the “long tide” is the longest rhythm of the three at roughly 1 cycle every hundred seconds. This rhythm has no variability and it is perceived as a pulsation of a person’s “auric field.”
Peripersonal Space: A Scientific Perspective
The western scientific perspective on the auric field uses a more scientifically acceptable name called peripersonal space (PPS) (Pellegrino). PPS is a construct of the brain and nervous system in which the brain maps the immediate area around the body. There are brain regions devoted to mapping this space in the same way our brain maps our body parts themselves and anything with which they may be in contact. In essence, when we craniosacral therapists are working with the long tide, we are palpating a client’s field of awareness.
The Etheric Field: An Eastern Perspective
Biodynamic osteopathy refers to the long tide as “primary respiration.” It is also called the breath of life because biodynamic osteopaths believe primary respiration as the source of life. It is moving as long as we are alive, beginning at conception, and when it stops we’re dead. I’m not going to get into the argument of pro life vs. pro choice here (or anywhere), but I will say that most of the scientific research that supports biodynamic osteopathy in fact comes from embryology.
The auric field or etheric field is a commonly described phenomenon in Taoist energy anatomy. Many practitioners of qigong describe a sensation of a palpable “field” around their body, almost as if the area 3-6 inches away from their skin feels thicker than air. According to Taoist energy anatomy, the etheric field is an expression of the second energy body, or a person’s qi. The first energy body is the physical body, and the next deepest layer is the qi that runs the physical body. The 8 energy bodies, along with moving progressively deeper into a person’s energy channels, move progressively outward in a field around thew body. Like the osteopathic concept of primary respiration, when your qi stops moving, you are dead. Considering that, we could look at the idea of primary respiration and qi as two perspectives on the same phenomenon.
Applications for Healing
Craniosacral therapists and osteopaths are able to work with these inherent motion patterns to treat a wide variety of conditions. Practitioners are supporting the natural healing process of a client’s body. Places where the inherent motion gets stuck are places where dis-ease will take hold. These rhythms are the body’s mechanism of self-healing; by keeping all parts of the body moving smoothly, they keep everything functioning with optimum health. Stress, trauma (mental or physical), or other environmental factors can all play a role in causing the body to become stuck.
Craniosacral vs. Cranial Osteopathy: Not All Practitioners Are Equal
Craniosacral therapists have a much less rigorous training than osteopaths. Osteopathy is a doctorate-level practice, whereas there’s no regulation of craniosacral therapists. Most craniosacral therapists have only basic anatomy training. Unfortunately, the discipline of craniosacral therapy has been diluted by practitioners who attend a weekend workshop, get certified, and start practicing with very little knowledge or experience.
Typically, craniosacral therapists are working with the cranium, spine, and sacrum. These are the parts of the body that respond best to light/listening touch, and work in these places is highly effective. Doctors of osteopathy apply light/listening touch and the principles of biodynamics to the whole body and not just the cranium/spine/sacrum.
Body Alchemy: Why I Stand Out
In my training with Thomas Walker who teaches courses under the auspices of Listening Hands Seminars, I have learned to utilize biodynamic principles in the whole of the human structure. Thomas, who teaches a biodynamic-informed approach to Rolfing®, shows students that the principles used by craniosacral therapists can be applied to any tissues in the body including viscera.
You can be confident if you book a craniosacral therapy session at Body Alchemy that you will get the benefit of my ongoing training, practice, and experience with the modality. My training in the anatomical knowledge, contact style, and quality of presence required for craniosacral therapy are far beyond the requirements for one to become a practitioner, and I believe I deliver a superior service to my clients.
Conclusion
While craniosacral therapy can be interpreted, taught, and understood in a variety of ways, the core principles derived from cranial osteopathy remain the same. As with any practice, going beyond techniques to learning and applying the principles of a system will yield better results and is the sign of a highly skilled practitioner.
Hopefully, this article gives you some insight into how a craniosacral therapist works, better informing you on your treatment and practitioner decisions.
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