Excerpt: Notes to Students

Notes to the Student

Craniosacral Therapy, for those of you new to the subject, will be a departure from the way you have worked and viewed the healing professions. In current western medicine, the allopathic medical model has been the standard for the last one hundred years or so, in hospitals, large clinics, and in university level medical education. The standard has been based on the allopathic principle of trying to eliminate the symptoms of sickness or disease from the body. Medications are delivered to quell fever, infection, swelling, dysfunction and normalize biochemical balance. Surgery or other invasive procedures (implanted electrodes, cryotherapy probes, radiation or interventional radiology just to list a few) have been employed to replace or augment medications. Standards of delivery of services have been the same treatment done to the patient in the same consistent manner, meaning, for example, all those of a certain body type, weight, age and gender are given the same dosage of medication, or medical intervention, in order to change or eliminate the symptoms of illness.

A.T. Still, the founder of osteopathy said anyone can find disease, our role is to find health. Our work, craniosacral therapy is by and large a dynamic departure from the idea of standard dosage. In CST, we are working with the patient to regain health. We are not delivering a standard dosage, or number of units of exactly the same treatment to the patient. Our work is based on gently joining with the patient in a field of compassionate touch. Our field is an inner living ocean of watery fluid that permeates and surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Our standard, if you will, is to blend with the patient, listen to their body, and encourage the body to heal itself. We are melding, blending, trusting, listening, inviting, and holding therapeutic presence and space for the patient’s body to heal itself.

Having said that, you, the new student, might ask, “What does all that mean?” As a teacher of the Upledger craniosacral therapy model, I feel this is a fair question and the discussion of definitions is a wonderful place to start to share some common notions; as I understand them.

Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a system of light touch, listening, and good intention to evaluate and invite the body to change and heal itself.

Craniosacral System (CSS) is an anatomical system composed of the ocean of cerebrospinal fluid, the structures related to the production and reabsorption of CSF—i.e., choroid plexuses, ventricles, arachnoid villae, lymphatics, and the meningeal membranes that surround the brain 2 CST Handbook and spinal cord; the bony (osseous) structures to which the membranes attach and/or interact; and finally the connective tissues of the body that influence the system (fascia). It is a system from the head (cranio) to the tail (sacrum), thus the term craniosacral.

Craniosacral Rhythm (CSR) is the rhythmic body echo of production and reabsorption of CSF as it circulates within the meningeal membranes, and reflects through the brain, the central nervous system, and connective tissue. Many practitioners believe it has a consciousness. As the heartbeat and breath broadcast through the body, the CSR is one more subtle intrinsic movement giving witness to the aliveness of the human form.

Whole Body Evaluation (WBE) is a concept promoted by Upledger, with its origins based on principles of Sutherland and Still to view the patient as a whole person, body or unit, and not a dysfunctional part. We don’t see a back patient, a neck patient, or a knee patient. We see a patient whose body is reflecting an imbalance in the whole unit. We have several wonderful ways to evaluate the whole body which include craniosacral rhythm characteristics, fascial glide, dural tube mobility, and arcing for energy cysts. Senior UI therapist and teacher Sheryl McGavin has a great review of the basic elements and concepts of whole body evaluation in CST work.

Listening. The therapist uses all his/her senses but mainly touch to feel and evaluate the craniosacral rhythm as it moves through the body. This is listening, with the hands, a simple form of assessment of the characteristics of the CSR movement to understand where the rhythm (flexion, extension) is held up or impeded by restriction. Listening is a way the therapist can appreciate how the rhythm is reflected through the body. It is also a means by which the therapist can evaluate the effectiveness of a therapy session (listening again, after a session) to see if a previously identified restriction has released. Importantly, listening is the very passive use of the lightest of touch in order to view the true picture of motion in the body with the least outside influence.

In a recent edition of Scientific American Mind (Apr/May 07), Christoph Kayser, a doctor of natural science says there is often “sensory crossover” and certain regions of the auditory cortex process visual and tactile stimuli. In other words, our eyes and fingers help us “listen.” This really gives new context to the term listening in CST.

Touch. Touch is usually in the realm of five (5) grams (the weight of an American nickel). It’s as if you had a hand on a musical system amplifier speaker and couldn’t hear the music. You would feel the vibration of it or listen with your hands. It is like the landing of a butterfly. She joins with the flower but never injures the blossom. Sue Cotta, a PT colleague and fellow teacher has written a beautiful book, I Can Show You I Care, in which children are shown how they can help each other with compassionate touch. The book is available in several languages and it is helping to change the world.

“You know your cranial anatomy, when you place your fingers on this lad’s head, they must think, feel, see, and know the anatomical picture that lies beneath them. Don’t get away from that for an instant.” W. G. Sutherland—as recorded by Adah Strand Sutherland in her book With Thinking Fingers. Basic Elements in Craniosacral Work 3