Rollin E. Becker, D.O. presented the following instructions and mediation as part of a lecture given in 1976 at the Sutherland Cranial Teaching Foundation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The title of this portion of the lecture is “Sitting With Your Mechanism”.

“Now, sit in your chairs with your feet on the floor, straighten your spines, and shift forward slightly so you’re sitting on your pelvic bones and not leaning in your chair at all.  Then, quietly, for a moment, with your eyes closed, think of a potent cerebrospinal fluid expanding and contracting rhythmically.  This is an internal feeling – quietly within yourself try to feel a body of fluid that comes to a still point and expands, comes to a still point and ebbs, comes to a stillpoint and expands, comes to a still point and ebbs, rhythmically every five to ten seconds.  Fuse that feeling with the to-and-fro rocking of the reciprocal tension membrane by focusing on the straight sinus, the fulcrum of the reciprocal tension membrane.  Don’t worry about the ends of the levers, look to the fulcrum.  Focus your attention, not your mental brain but your awareness, on the reciprocal tension membrane at the Sutherland fulcrum.  Quietly.  Quietly.  Still…be still and sense this life in motion.” 1.

Click on Illustration to enlarge.

Notes:
-  “The dural membrane system was called the “reciprocal tension membrane” by Dr. Sutherland.” 2.

-  “The movement of the membranes has a natural point of balance, or a fulcrum, within the straight sinus where the leaves of the falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli meet.  This natural fulcrum was considered so important by cranial practitioners that it became known as Sutherland’s fulcrum.” 3.

References:
1.  Becker, R.E., Life In Motion, Rudra Press, 1997
2.  Sills, Franklyn, Craniosacral Biodynamics, Volume One, North Atlantic Books, 2001
3.  Ibid.

Illustration by Tad Wanveer, LMBT, CST-D, Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved

I recently devised a fascia model representing collagen, elastin, and restriction of motion, which I hope you find useful.

To make the model you will need the following items:
1.  Pair of scissors,
2.  Business card, and
3.  Rubber band.

Instructions:
1. Use a pair of scissors to cut a business card lengthwise and then cut a small “V” notch towards one end.  The piece of card represents collagen.

2. Have your client hold the piece of card between their thumb and index finger snugly yet softly.  Their grasp of the card represents a restriction.

3.  Place a rubber band around the piece of card so it sits within the “V” cutout.  Ask your client to hold the rubber band with their other hand.  The rubber band represents elastin.

4.  Ask your client to take the slack out of the rubber band slowly in the direction away from the “V” cutout, which means just to the point at which they feel the stretch (elastic quality) of the rubber band.

5.  Have the client continue taking up the slack in the rubber band as the piece of card rotates within their grasp.  The movement of the piece of card represents mobilization of a restriction.  Refer to Figure #1 (click on the image to enlarge)

It may be helpful to demonstrate using the model before the client uses it.  You can show how to apply minimal traction to the rubber band.

Perhaps explain to your client that fascia surrounds all structures in their body.  Actually, every cell is surrounded by fascia; collagen and elastin are two principal components of fascia. Fascia is the substance through which bio-chemical processes and biomechanical force and action occur, therefore normal anatomical structure and physiological function are dependent upon unencumbered balanced mobility of fascia.

Gently engaging the elasticity of the rubber band transmits force throughout the rubber band and paper.  As the paper moves between thumb and finger (restriction releases) continue to take up the slack of the rubber band; this represents following the tissue.

What would happen if there were hundreds, or thousands, perhaps millions, or billions of interlinked models?  Isn’t the fascia interlinked, interconnected, to form a continuous network throughout the entire body?

Does this model demonstrate how minimal force can create change?  Does it suggest how a local change can cause a global change due to the interconnected nature of fascia?

Perhaps if we (CST practitioners) use this model periodically it can help us hone our craft of using the minimal amount of input into a client’s body to aid their self-corrective process.

Harold Magoun’s words regarding palpation reminds us, “To employ other than a skillful and delicate sense of perception is to lose the shades of physiological reaction so necessary for success.  Living cells prefer persuasion to force… One must work with the tissues not against them.” 1

Reference:
1.  Magoun, H., 1966, 1976, Osteopathy In The Cranial Field, The Journal Printing Company, Kirksville, Missouri

Optimal sinus function appears to have a considerable influence on our overall health.

Various functions of our paranasal sinuses continues to be explored with recent research focused on the molecule Nitric Oxide (NO). NO is involved in blood circulation, blood pressure regulation, neural transmission, mitochondrial function, the inflammatory process, weight loss, immune function, digestion, learning and memory. NO is produced in the lining of our blood vessels and paranasal sinuses.

The paranasal sinuses are found in the following bones: maxilla, frontal, ethmoid and sphenoid. CranioSacral Therapy can help maintain the most favorable sinus function by maximizing craniosacral rhythmic motion of the bones and sinuses. “Motion is Health and Stasis is Disease” 1. certainly seems to apply to our sinuses as well as our body as a whole.

1. John E. Upledger, D.O., O.M.M. CranioSacral Therapy and the Reversal of Pathogenic Processes Study Guide. Upledger Institute, Inc. 2005

Note: Illustration by Tad Wanveer, LMBT, CST-D. Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved.

Since I was asked to provide a brief description of CST for their online newsletter I have included it below. I hope you find it helpful while explaining CST to your clients.

Here it is:
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) can help children with disabilities attain optimal function by reducing abnormal strain upon their cells. Each cell receives vital elements, discharges waste, communicates with other cells, and organizes musculoskeletal motion within its surrounding medium. Helping a child decrease restrictive or imbalanced body patterns may improve cell environment, and this can boost cell function. In response a child can maximize her ability to correct dysfunction.

A primary focus of CST is to gently reduce adverse strain upon: 1) the craniosacral system (CSS) which surrounds, protects, nourishes and cleanses the central nervous system tissue; and 2) the body fascial system which surrounds all cells of the body. Cell structure and function can improve as abnormal strain of the CSS and fascial system decrease.

CST was created by John Upledger, D.O., O.M.M., in the early 1980’s and is based upon a model of the CSS he developed called the Pressurestat Model. The Pressurestat Model shows how the motion of the CSS, called the craniosacral rhythm (CSR), delicately moves the central nervous system and body as a whole.

Practitioners of CST can locate restrictive structural patterns by feeling the way the body moves in response to the CSR. The CSR is also used as a tool to aid correction of adverse tissue patterns. As abnormal patterns correct, cell environment and cell health can improve, which in turn can help promote improved function.

At the moment I trust in:
•    life itself, which for me is a marvelous and mystical natural force creating and residing within everything;
•    a natural order which exists in all that is taking place, whether I understand it or not;
•    a client’s body as an organism of nature, which has within it an innate knowing of what is needed to create optimal health, moment by moment;
•    what I’m feeling rather than thinking (the thought process can be used later, after the session, as a wonderful learning tool); and
•    having my heart, my entire self, wide open and present each second to receive signals from the client, which can better guide the work at hand.

When I feel lost in a maze of “not knowing” I realize I am wandering inside my process.  I then use it as an opportunity, a reminder, and a pathway back into the moment while gently joining with the knowing graciously residing within each client.

A beautiful tool which we can use with a client is the craniosacral rhythm.  The rhythm ebbs and flows, softly swaying us into a harmonious blending, helping us feel nature expressing itself, each moment, as though nature is whispering “second by second there is something perfect here, sweetly listen and you will be guided in ways to help.”

Have you felt there is so much to know and you don’t know it all, or don’t know enough, or can’t figure out exactly what is causing a client’s symptoms, or how to help improve a client’s condition?  What helps you when you feel this way?

“Sensory Listening” Is a Valuable Tool.
“Sensory Listening” is an activity in which our hands are informing our brain of what they are feeling.  We can have greater understanding of sensory information as conscious descriptions inform us about our “felt” experience.  Our mind listens to perceptions while transforming sensations into words, which softly “pop” into our awareness.  The brain does not “grasp” for words, but rather rests comfortably as descriptions arise.

Descriptive Words Increase Understanding.
Actively listening to descriptive words elevates our awareness of adverse patterns (APs), such as:
•    What APs feel like,
•    Where APs are located,
•    When and How APs change, and
•    What the tissue feels like after correction.

Client Benefits Can Improve As Practitioner’s Awareness Increases.
Using a descriptive process while applying manual techniques can increase the effectiveness of a client’s corrective process by:
•    elevating our ability to feel body patterns which increases our therapeutic presence,
•    imparting clarity about tissue/nerve/fluid restriction and correction,
•    improving the way in which we listen to our perceptions,
•    helping describe the session to our clients, which aids their experience and understanding of their individual compromises and self-healing processes,
•    giving us invaluable information to use as a learning experience and note taking guide, and
•    compelling us to investigate the anatomy/physiology of what our sensed experience was during the session.

A Multitude Of Words Can Be Used During Sensory Listening.
A small example of descriptive words are: thick, rigid, heavy, bound, free, hot, cold, slick, smooth, dry, broken, like glass, like water, brittle, like steam, like ice, smashed, stitched, held, pulled, balanced, easy to move, full of life, lacking life, devitalized, energized, in harmony, isolated, lopsided, pliable, towards the middle, spike like, jumpy, toxic, metallic, gaseous, still, twisted, bent, compressed, overly stretched, flowing, easy, full, soft, harmonious, vital, and in synchrony.

What words do you hear when listening to your client’s tissue?