Wisdom in the Body

by Michael Kern

  Expressions of health

  Dr. Sutherland believed that the potency of the Breath of Life carries a basic Intelligence (which he spelled with a capital “I”), and he realized that this intrinsic force could be effectively employed by the practitioner for promoting health.11 An essential blueprint for health is carried in this potency, which acts as a basic and powerful ordering principle at a cellular level. This integrates the physiological functioning of all the body systems. A similar concept is found in many traditional systems of medicine, where the main focus for healing is also placed on encouraging a balanced distribution of the body’s vital force.12

  The presence of full and balanced rhythms produced by the Breath of Life signifies a healthy system. As long as these rhythms are expressed naturally, the body’s essential ordering principle is harmoniously distributed. Therefore, these rhythmic motions are primarily an expression of health. Their existence ensures the distribution of the ordering principle of the Breath of Life, and their restriction can have far-reaching consequences.

  This brings us to two basic tenets of craniosacral work:

  Life expresses itself as motion.

  There is a clear relationship between motion and health.

  Dr. Harold Magoun D.O., a student and colleague of Dr. Sutherland, described the intelligent action of the Breath of Life in the following way:

  All life is manifested in energy or motion. Without motion, in some degree, there can only be death. Furthermore, motion is essential to function. But that motion must be intelligent and purposeful for the living organism to successfully compete with its environment. Hence that motion must be guided and directed by a Supreme Being. There must be a channelling of the Universal Intelligence down to the individual cell or organism. Otherwise all would be chaos. What is the Supreme Intelligence? How does the channelling take place? No one knows for sure. The fact remains that the existence of such is a positive and irrefutable fact which is emphasized by the world’s greatest scientists.13

  Primary respiratory motion

  Dr. Sutherland named the interdependent system of tissues and fluids at the core of the body the primary respiratory mechanism (see Figure 1.2). As the subtle rhythmic motion of these tissues is not under voluntary muscular control, they are also sometimes referred to as the involuntary mechanism (or I.V.M.). Sutherland used the term “primary” because this motion underlies all others. It is the manifestation of the life-stream itself. Each cell expresses primary respiration throughout its life. Significantly, many different symptoms and pathologies that involve both body and mind can be traced back to disturbances of primary respiration.

  There are, of course, other vital rhythms in the body such as the heartbeat and lung breathing. Although necessary for the maintenance of life, these are considered secondary motions because they are not the root cause of the body’s expression of life. Without the Breath of Life these other rhythms could not be present. Lung respiration—the breath of air—is therefore sometimes called secondary respiration.14

  Figure 1.2: The primary respiratory mechanism (illustration credit 1.2)

  This fact was proved to Dr. Sutherland early in his development of this work. During the days of prohibition in the United States during the 1920s, he was staying at a cottage on the shores of Lake Erie. One day he heard a commotion outside. A drowning man who had been drinking too much illegal liquor was being dragged out from the water. By the time Dr. Sutherland reached the shore, the man was lying on the ground. His normal life signs—lung function and cardiovascular pulse—had ceased, and all attempts to resuscitate him had failed.

  With some quick thinking, Dr. Sutherland held the sides of the man’s head and encouraged a rocking motion of his temporal bones, in an attempt to stimulate primary respiration.15 This worked; within a few seconds the man’s breathing and heartbeat started again, he regained consciousness and made a full recovery. This experience helped to affirm to Dr. Sutherland the tremendous power of working directly with the Breath of Life.

  Sustained by the Breath of Life

  The importance of an underlying vital force for the maintenance of health has been demonstrated by many reliable accounts of seemingly magical feats performed by advanced yogis. Some of these feats include being buried alive for up to seven days with no access to air, water, food or light. Amazingly, it seems that these yogis are able to sustain their bodies by going deep into meditation and being conscious of the fact that their lung breathing is not the main thing keeping them alive. It seems they are able to suspend many of the secondary physiological functions of the body, but still preserve the primary expression of the Breath of Life. Their survival depends on their ability to stay in relationship with this fundamental, life-giving principle.

  The expression of the Breath of Life at a cellular level is a fundamental pre-requisite for good health. If the rhythmic expressions of the Breath of Life become congested or restricted, then the body’s basic ordering principle is impeded and health is compromised. The main intention of craniosacral work is to encourage these rhythmic expressions of health. This is done by gently facilitating a restoration of primary respiration in places where inertia has developed.

  SPREAD OF THE WORK

  Nature heals, the doctor nurses.

  PARACELSUS

  Dr. Sutherland developed various therapeutic approaches to harness the intrinsic power of the Breath of Life and help resolve any restrictions to primary respiration. He began to teach this work to other osteopaths in the 1930s and continued to do so tirelessly until his death in 1954. Because it challenged some of the closely held beliefs among practitioners of the time, his work was at first largely rejected by the mainstream osteopathic profession. However, his clinical results in a wide range of cases were impressive, and he began to attract a small band of osteopathic colleagues who wished to study with him.

  In the 1940s the first osteopathic school in the United States started a post-graduate course called “Osteopathy in the Cranial Field” under the tutelage of Dr. Sutherland. Soon after, others followed. This new branch of practice became known as cranial osteopathy. As the reputation of cranial osteopathy began to spread, Sutherland trained more teachers to meet the demand. The most notable of these early teachers were Drs. Viola Frymann, Edna Lay, Howard Lippincott, Anne Wales, Chester Handy and Rollin Becker.

  However, even today many osteopathic colleges do not teach this work in their basic courses, and so it is often studied as an option at post-graduate level. Consequently many practicing osteopaths do not use this approach. Nevertheless, in the last few years, post-graduate training courses for practicing osteopaths have become widely available.

  Dr. John Upledger

  In the mid-1970s Dr. John Upledger was the first practitioner to teach some of these therapeutic skills to people who were not osteopathically trained. Dr. Upledger had become drawn to exploring primary respiration after an incident that occurred while he was assisting during a spinal surgical operation. He was asked to hold aside a part of the dural membrane system that enfolds the spine while the surgeon attempted to remove a calcium growth. To his embarrassment, Upledger was unable to keep a firm hold on the membrane, as it kept rhythmically moving under his fingers.16

  Dr. Upledger took a post-graduate course in cranial osteopathy and then set out on his own path of clinical research. Over the years, he has developed some clear and practical perspectives about the impact of trauma on the primary respiratory mechanism, as well as a combined mind-body approach for working with traumatic experience called somato-emotional release. Furthermore, he has done a great deal to popularize craniosacral work around the world.

  When Dr. Upledger began to teach non-osteopaths, he encountered great opposition from many in the profession who believed that the foundation of a full osteopathic training is necessary to practice the craniosacral approach. Many osteopaths are still of this opinion, and it continues to be a cause of debate and argument. However, many also believe that this work can provid
e an integrated approach to healthcare in its own right and need not remain within the sole domain of osteopathic practice. Nevertheless, one thing is for sure, a good foundation in anatomy, physiology and medical diagnosis is necessary in order to apply craniosacral work with safety and competency. It also takes time and proper training to develop the necessary skills. It is an unfortunate fact that in recent years many people have set up in practice with only minimal training.

  Cranial osteopathy and craniosacral therapy

  It was Dr. Upledger who coined the term “craniosacral therapy” when he started to teach to a wider group of students. Dr. Upledger wanted to differentiate the therapeutic approaches he had developed; furthermore, the title “cranial osteopath” could not be used by those practitioners who were not osteopathically trained.

  One question I’m frequently asked is, “What is the difference between cranial osteopathy and craniosacral therapy?” Although Dr. Upledger states that these two modalities are different,17 the differences are not always so obvious. They have both emerged from the same roots and have much common ground, yet different branches have developed. A variety of therapeutic skills are now commonly used by both osteopaths and non-osteopathic practitioners of this work, so neither cranial osteopathy nor craniosacral therapy can be accurately defined by just one approach. However, in practice, craniosacral therapists often work more directly with the emotional and psychological aspects of disease. Aware that I’m running the gauntlet of professional politics, in this book I use the term “craniosacral” to include the whole body of work from the early pioneering cranial osteopaths to more recent developments in the field.

  Biodynamics and biomechanics

  In the branch of practice referred to as “biodynamic” craniosacral therapy, there is an emphasis on working with the underlying forces that govern how we function. The focus of a biodynamic approach, predominantly referred to in this book, is to cooperatively and respectfully employ these organizing forces for both diagnosis and treatment. This has practical ramifications for the way in which diagnosis and treatment are carried out, as will be explored a little later.

  In contrast, “biomechanic” approaches focus on the results or effects of these organizing forces (i.e., the manifestation of tissue tensions in the body) rather than directly relating to the underlying forces themselves. They rely on the application of relatively active techniques of treatment. We could say that biomechanic treatment works more from the outside-in, whereas biodynamic treatment works more from the inside-out.

  Craniosacral biodynamics

  In biodynamic craniosacral work, the healthy functioning of the body is considered to be determined by the ability of the potency of the Breath of Life to play freely throughout the body.18 This understanding has a direct connection to the pioneering insights of Dr. Sutherland. It is interesting to note that during the latter years of his life, Dr. Sutherland focused his attention more and more on working directly with the potency of the Breath of Life as a therapeutic medium.19 He saw that if the expression of this vital force can be facilitated, then health is consequently restored. Dr. Rollin Becker, Dr. James Jealous and Franklyn Sills have each added valuable insights into the operation of these natural laws that govern our health.

  In recent years there has been a huge increase of interest in craniosacral work. It is now taught and practiced in many countries around the world. As this work is largely unregulated by law, professional associations that uphold standards of practice and appropriate codes of ethics have been set up in many of these countries. The Resource Guide at the end of this book includes contacts of professional organizations with registers of practitioners who are qualified as such in biodynamic craniosacral work.

  2

  THE CRANIOSACRAL CONCEPT

  The same stream of life that runs through my veins

  night and day

  runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

  It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust

  of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks

  into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

  It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle

  of life and death, in ebb and flow.1

  RABINDRANATH TAGORE

  THE THREE TIDES

  Life manifests itself like a development of fluctuations; up and down, hunger, sleep, waking up, feeling like working, feeling like resting, etc. When we start feeling that behind these fluctuations there is something immutable, we stop being perturbed.2

  ITSUO TSUDA

  The craniosacral concept focuses on how we function in mind, body and spirit, on subtle levels of physiology. At the basis of this concept is an understanding about the workings of the Breath of Life and the critical role played by its rhythmic motion in distributing our essential forces of health.

  In this chapter we will explore some of the different aspects of the integrated physiological system of the Breath of Life, referred to as the primary respiratory system. We will also draw comparisons from the world of modern physics and biology.

  Life as motion

  As we noted, life is expressed as motion. All living cells demonstrate this basic truth. They breathe with the Breath of Life which vitalizes them and maintains the numerous physiological functions necessary for survival.

  As the Breath of Life is expressed in the body, a series of tide-like rhythms are generated, producing subtle involuntary movements of the fluids and tissues. This motion initially arises at the core of the body and significantly involves the central nervous system, the cerebrospinal fluid and surrounding membranes and bones. The manifestation of these rhythms in the body denotes the effective distribution of the Breath of Life and is indicative of healthy function.

  The cyclical rhythms of the Breath of Life have two phases of motion. These can thought of as a “breathing in” and a “breathing out.” These phases are called primary inhalation and primary exhalation. Generally speaking, during the inhalation phase a subtle motion occurs in fluids and tissues, which rise upwards and at the same time expand from side to side (while shortening from front to back), oriented around the midline of the body (see Figure 2.1). During the exhalation phase, the opposite occurs: a motion that generally recedes down towards the lower part of the body and narrows from side to side.

  Figure 2.1: Primary inhalation and exhalation (illustration credit 2.1)

  These movements manifest in all parts of the body, producing rhythms that have been scientifically measured and can be palpated by sensitive hands. The combination of an inhalation and an exhalation phase constitutes one rhythmic cycle.

  From the core of our being a succession of rhythms emerges, creating a whole system of primary respiratory motion. Three main rhythms have been identified. These all express phases of inhalation and exhalation at a different rate and are sometimes referred to as the “three tides” (see Figure 2.2).

  Each of the three tides is a manifestation of a different level of functioning of the Breath of Life. Each one is enfolded in the others, producing rhythms within rhythms, known as:

  the cranial rhythmic impulse

  the mid-tide

  the long tide.

  Figure 2.2: The primary respiratory system (illustration credit 2.2)

  Cranial Rhythmic Impulse

  As the Breath of Life is conveyed into the body, it sets up a very slight rocking motion of all fluids, bones, membranes and organs. Individual tissue structures behave like boats gently rocked on the surface of the ocean. This motion occurs at an average rate of between eight and twelve cycles each minute and is called the cranial rhythmic impulse (C.R.I.). The C.R.I. is primarily an expression of how individual parts of the body move in their relationship to each other.

  During each phase of the C.R.I., each tissue structure expresses a specific pattern of motion, often called craniosacral motion. The midline structures of the body rock backwards and forwards in motions referred to as flexion and exten
sion, and the paired structures rock outwards and inwards in motions referred to as external rotation and internal rotation. The movements of flexion and external rotation both occur in the inhalation phase of the C.R.I. Extension and internal rotation both occur in the exhalation phase. The fluids of the body (i.e., cerebrospinal fluid) express this motion as a longitudinal fluctuation, rising up the body in inhalation and receding in exhalation. These movements can also be thought of as individual waves that ride on deeper tides. All these patterns of motion will be described in further detail in Chapter 3.

  The cranial rhythmic impulse is considered to be the outermost (i.e., most superficial) unfoldment of the Breath of Life. It is produced as a result of how our deeper forces of health interface with any conditioning or experience held within the body.