Craniosacral Rhythms

Craniosacral therapy is a holistic therapy that uses gentle touch to bring the body back to optimal health. It works with subtle rhythmic motions that are expressed in the body, on the principle that as long as these rhythms are expressed freely a state of good health follows. These subtle levels of physiology dictate how we function, in body, mind and spirit. Michael Kern co-founded the Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust in 1989 as a teaching facility for those who want an in-depth training in this healing art.

Motions of Life

A key principle of Craniosacral Therapy is that life is expressed as motion. In health all tissues and fluids in the body express gentle and involuntary breath-like movements, that can be described as an inhalation and exhalation. All living cells subtly breathe with these motions of life, but these rhythms may become compromised as a result of unresolved stresses or traumas that are held in the body. By gently facilitating these rhythmic movements in places of stuckness or inertia, practitioners can support the body towards a state of optimum health.

Dynamic Stillness

Craniosacral Therapists trained in the ‘biodynamic’ approach also recognise a ground of deep stillness that underlies all our day to day physiological functions and activities. This stillness is a unified and essential ground state of being that exists within the core of everything, with no object, subject or duality. An experience of ‘dynamic stillness’ can become accessible when we quieten our minds and deeply let go and rest in our natural state, resulting in a reconnection to our full potential for healing.

Motion from Stillness

Once we emerge from an experience of dynamic stillness, we never come out in the same way that we went in! Something changes and re-organises towards health. Within the stillness there is an opportunity for the intelligent forces of the ‘Breath of Life’ to make any corrections and adjustments to the body.

The Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust in London trains practitioners to work with the subtle rhythms of life and to reconnect clients with their full potential of health.

 

Fascia-nating New Research into Fascia

In recent years an appreciation of fascia’s function in the body has become more understood in the wellness community. For more information about fascia, see the attached PDF. 

Explaining the Human Body: What is Fascia?

Michael Kern, founder of the Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust, has written about the important role played by the ‘living matrix’ of fascia in maintaining our health, so helping to dispel the myth that fascia is an insignificant part of the body.  

There is still a lot more research needed on this topic, but many practitioners are now recognising fascial motion and function as a major contributor to health.  

Healthy Fascia, Healthy Body 

Fascia is a type of connective tissue that’s extensively found throughout the body, so it’s understandable that the health of fascia reflects the health of the whole, and vice-versa. Healthy fascia can make it easier to recover after exercise and plays a significant role in the regulation of the central nervous system. Even cellulite may be reduced by increased fascial health.  

 

To learn about three main types of fascia found in the body, take a look at the attached infographic.  

Introducing the Three Types of Fascia

The Influence of Inertial Fascia 

The benefits of a healthy fascial system cannot be underestimated, but likewise it’s easy for lifestyle issues, stress or trauma to cause the fascia to become inertial and constricted, potentially creating a range of problems. Eating an inappropriate diet, not getting enough water or sleep, and not getting enough exercise are common factors that may affect fascial health.  

Restoring Fascia Health 

Healthy fascia is supple, hydrated and mobile, and regularly performing stretching exercises can contribute to overall fascial health. This, of course, is also good for the body as a whole. Stretching regularly can keep the fascia in a state of optimal hydration, suppleness and support.   

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy for Fascia Health 

Based on the principle that a healthy body physiology expresses subtle rhythms in all areas, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy seeks to work with these rhythms when they get out of sync or become inertial. Fascia can be a significant place of engagement for Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, since it can be an important factor that influences the functioning of the whole system.  The gentle and skilful hands-on approach of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy can provide an effective treatment for stressed or unhealthy fascia. 

For an overview of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and how it works, take a moment to watch the embedded video.