Cranial and Sacral

     Websters defines the word, CranioSacral, as, "of or belonging to the Cranium and the Sacrum." As miraculous as it might seem, there is a continuous communication and communion between these two key areas of the body, the Cranium, or the head, and the Sacrum, or the lower back around the tailbone. Sacrum is named after, "sacred bone."

"Loyal to the Patient"

CranioSacral is considered as a new, and very gentle Hands-on Therapy within the field of Complimentary Medicine, and practiced on a worldwide scale by 35,000 practioners and growing.

CranioSacral (Cranial) relieves, unlocks, and improves the holistic performance of the entire Central Nervous System.

Both the Conventional and the Alternative [medical] communities now refer and draw upon the considerable sensitivity and skills of the CranioSacral folks, while yet others are starting to incorporate CranioSacral into their own practices including

• Medical Doctors
• Psychiatrists
• Osteopaths
• Chiropractors
• Occupational Therapists
• Physical Therapists
• Rolfers
• Massage Therapists
• Healers

It was Dr. Upledger who realized that Massage Therapists are particularly skillful at this work due to their sensitivity in training.

"Our loyalty is not to CranioSacral nor to any one modality over another. Our loyalty is above all to the patients we treat," notes Dr. Upledger, in his initial scholarly text: CranioSacral Therapy.

No Need To Compete...

CranioSacral Therapy does not discourage Traditional Medicine or any form of alternative healing. When using CranioSacral Therapy, there is often communication between the Patient, the CranioSacral Therapist, and the Primary Physician.

And folks, anyone browsing this Site is encouraged to consult with their Primary Care Physician before beginning any Massage Therapy, Physical Therapy, Lymphatic or CranioSacral Therapy programme.

But the process of Healing is finally an individual one. We must each make our own choices as we find our way to renewed health and regeneration.

"Whatdya mean, a First Resort?"

It has often been called, the "CranioSacral Blessing," by those who have experienced it and by those who provide it.

The luminous Healer and extraordinary Massage Therapist, Meir Schneider, who actually healed himself of congenital blindness, says what's wonderful about having available such approaches as Massage Therapy in today's world, is that with increasing awareness we have a First Resort along with nutrition and exercise, for example.

This kind of seems like…could it be?…common sense?

A First Resort

For many ailments, when the First Resort has been given its full play and consideration, and when it's found that all else has failed, only then is it time to go to the "Last Resort."

And craniosacral or massage can't be such a bad way to go! (or craniosacral-massage, for that matter!)

Anyway, most of us have had this the other way around.

In our panic and understandable distress, foggy thinking, we've sought out cocktails of medications and surgical procedures as our First Resort, often finding out in hindsight that some of these could have maybe, maybe been…avoided.

Something as simple as exercise, nutrition, or bodywork and massage. Or maybe a relaxing vacation from the day to day routine!

A Very Brief History 

     CranioSacral Therapy originated back in 1901- one hundred years ago - when William Sutherland, DO discovered that the bones of the skull have inherent motion. He was a student of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri under Andrew Still, the father of Osteopathy. Over the next fifty years he learned to perceive the motion of the cranial bones and fluids and their effect on the body as a whole.

     Sutherland later discovered that the movement of the bones and the constant rythum-pulse of the CranioSacral System can relate not only to physical health but to mental and emotional health. In his last years he found that cranial manipulations finally led to the deep sacred. Awed, he called his discovery The Breath of Life.

     The field was held behind closed doors and closely guarded. Even today there is as yet no consensus in terminology within the Osteopathic Community of what it was Sutherland "discovered."

     Here is a poem to consider by the 12th century mystic poet, Mevlana Rumi. It's from, "The Essential Rumi" translated by Coleman Barks with John Moyne.

"This piece of food cannot be eaten,
nor this bit of wisdom found by looking.
There is a secret core in everyone not
even Gabriel can know by trying to know."

-RUMI

     Rumi has been called the best selling poet in America by television host, Bill Moyers.

Evidence of a CranioSacral System

     Both William Sutherland and John Upledger are considered the Grandfathers of this Healing Art. 

      In the 1970's, John Upledger, DO, OMM, a fellow Osteopath, happened upon the evidence of a CranioSacral System surrounding the Central Nervous System in a routine surgery, and from there headed up a special research team at Michigan State University which experimentally proved the CranioSacral System's considerable therapeutic benefit to the general health.

     Upledger further developed and refined the field in clinical work with Infants and Children, and also acknowledged an energetic and emotional component in his pioneering work. He then boldly articulated and presented the Gift.

    In 1995, Upledger observed, "The CranioSacral System is a core system in the human body. In my view it is the place where body, mind, and spirit reside independently and communally at the same time." (CranioSacral Therapy 1995 Upledger, Vreegood)     

     Now, there are several emergent schools of CranioSacral with over 35,000 practitioners worldwide associated with the Upledger Institute alone. These Include Medical Doctors, Dentists, Physical Therapists, Professional Bodywork and Massage Therapists and more.

     The CranioSacral System remains largely ignored....

The CranioSacral System

Please go easy on your Doctor! The CranioSacral System is only a recently discovered physiological system and so for the most part been neccessarily ignored. For example, the Lymphatic System only began to be dissected in the seventeenth century and change can go very slowly in traditional medicine!

But some few in the medical community are becoming aware that the CranioSacral System is no less a human biological system than, for example, the cardiovascular or respiratory system or the skin.

The CranioSacral System comprises the "intercranial membrane system" and associated structures surrounding the Central Nervous System. It is essentially a semi-closed hydraulic system contained within the tough, watertight membrane called the Dura. Cerebrospinal fluid is produced and enclosed within this membrane and this fluid maintains the physiological environment in which the brain and nervous system develop, live and "breath."

The production, absorption and reabsorption of this fluid emits a resonant pulse or rhythm throughout the entire body, and can be felt or palpated anywhere on the body.

The "feel" of the pulse or rhythm is not unlike that of the cardiac pulse or the rise and fall of the breathing. However it takes considerable sensitivity and patience to first encounter the actual rhythm with your own hands. Once you learn it's feel and symmetry, quality, amplitude and rate, your hands never forget it.

These aspects of rhythm will be different for each person. Some will be more restricted in this fluid flow than others, and some less.

"You Go with the CranioSacral Flow"

In other words folks, it all occurs within the "core," or, the area surrounding the Central Nervous System. There is a constant flow of cerebrospinal fluid and this flow can become crimped or restricted in certain places. This crimping can compress the CranioSacral System, and hence the Central Nervous System like an accordian. And it's not because anyone is a 'good' or 'bad' person. This restriction can occur because of simple gravity bearing down on the top of the head over time.

Gravity bears down on the membranes inside the skull, or the cranium, and this in turn restricts the easy and subtle motions of the sutures.

Now for something completely different, could it be possible there is yet another, more subtle fluid flow within the flow of cerebrospinal fluid?

There is at times reported to flow a luminous fluid within this fluid which some call, the "Breath of Life." But no one can seem to agree on terms for this phenonemon. (I simply call it, The Harmony-JN)

Could it be there is a place in our bodies where there is No Problem? Where we can simply feel grateful for being alive? For Being?

"CraniOcean"

If you happen to have the priviledge of a card or brochure from James, note the logos.  It is of the sun coming up over the ocean.  James drew this by hand.  He didn't have a logos, and folks kept saying how they felt the sun come up inside of their bodies. 

James needed a name for his business that could support others at the most surface levels and at the deepest levels. 

CraniOceanŽ describes intuitive bodywork and massage in a blend with CranioSacral Therapy. 

Many have said this approach is a gentle bridge between the Physical and Spiritual, Earth and Heaven, Head and Body, Disconnection and Reconnection, a doorway to the Simple Feeling of Being and can create

                       A New & Renewed Life!

Coming Soon!

When the Patient is the Teacher

     Answer: The Patient is Always the Teacher.

Check back soon for regular updates!