My research into CranioSacral Therapy began with wanting to know what the heck it was in the first place. I’d had such a profound first experience I couldn’t help wanting to know how so much emotion had been accessed with this very light touch form of massage.
I found a good intro from The Upledger Institute:
CranioSacral Therapy (CST) was pioneered and developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger following extensive scientific studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics.
CST is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system - comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.
Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.
By complementing the body’s natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, including:
- Migraine Headaches
- Chronic Neck and Back Pain
- Motor-Coordination Impairments
- Colic
- Autism
- Central Nervous System Disorders
- Orthopedic Problems
- Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Scoliosis
- Infantile Disorders
- Learning Disabilities
- Chronic Fatigue
- Emotional Difficulties
- Stress and Tension-Related Problems
- Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue Disorders
- Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
- Neurovascular or Immune Disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Post-Surgical Dysfunction
Then I did some more research because I didn’t actually know what cerebrospinal fluid was.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless body fluid found in the brain and spinal cord. It is produced by the specialised ependymal cells in the choroid plexuses of the ventricles of the brain, and absorbed in the arachnoid granulations. There is about 125mL of CSF at any one time, and about 500 mL is generated every day. CSF acts as a cushion or buffer for the brain, providing basic mechanical and immunological protection to the brain inside the skull. CSF also serves a vital function in cerebral autoregulation of cerebral blood flow.
CSF moves in a single outward direction from the ventricles, but multidirectionally in the subarachnoid space. Fluid movement is pulsatile, matching the pressure waves generated in blood vessels by the beating of the heart. Some authors dispute this, posing that there is no unidirectional CSF circulation, but cardiac cycle-dependent bi-directional systolic-diastolic to-and-fro cranio-spinal CSF movements.
CSF is derived from blood plasma and is largely similar to it, except that CSF is nearly protein-free compared with plasma and has some different electrolyte levels. Due to the way it is produced, CSF has a higher chloride level than plasma, and an equivalent sodium level.
At around the third week of development, the embryo is a three-layered disc, covered with ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. A tube-like formation develops in the midline, called the notochord. The notochord releases extracellular molecules that affect the transformation of the overlying ectoderm into nervous tissue. The neural tube, forming from the ectoderm, contains CSF prior to the development of the choroid plexuses. The open neuropores of the neural tube close after the first month of development, and CSF pressure gradually increases.
As the brain develops, by the fourth week of embryological development three swellings have formed within the embryo around the canal, near where the head will develop. These swellings represent different components of the central nervous system: the prosencephalon, mesencephalon and rhombencephalon. Subarachnoid spaces are first evident around the 32nd day of development near the rhombencephalon; circulation is visible from the 41st day. At this time, the first choroid plexus can be seen, found in the fourth ventricle, although the time at which they first secrete CSF is not yet known.
I was surprised to learn that the structures that produce and hold cerebrospinal fluid are present so early in development.
Next I found an article about Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapy that described a system of subtle rhythms in the body.
Introduction to Biodynamic CranioSacral Therapy
Dr Sutherland discovered that the motion of cranial bones is just one element in a system of subtle rhythms that involves the whole body. He identified the particular importance of the rhythmic motion of tissues and fluids at the core of the body in this system - including cerebrospinal fluid (the ‘sap in the tree’), the central nervous system, the membranes that surround and partition the central nervous system, the cranial bones and the sacrum.
Deeper investigation has revealed that the Breath of Life produces not one, but a series of subtle rhythms in the body. At least three rhythms have been identified, each having a different rate and producing rhythms within rhythms. These three ‘tides’ are referred to as:
i) the cranial rhythmic impulse (CRI) - a relatively superficial rhythm expressed as a slight rocking of all parts of the body in response to deeper forces acting upon them. The CRI has an average rate of 8-12 cycles per minute.
ii) the mid-tide - a tidal rhythm that has a slower rate of approximately 2.5 cycles per minute. This subtle inner breathing of cells and tissues is an expression of the deeper ordering forces of the Breath of Life in the body. Dr Sutherland realised the important role played by fluids in the body (particularly cerebrospinal fluid) in helping to disseminate these ordering forces throughout our physiology.
iii) the long tide - a deep and slow rhythmic impulse expressed at the rate of about once every 100 seconds. The long tide is seen to carry an essential ‘ordering matrix’ into the body, as health and balance naturally become restored whenever it is able to manifest. The long tide is the first stirring of life and motion as the rhythms of the Breath of Life emerge from a deeper ground of stillness at the core of our being.
In the biodynamic approach of craniosacral work the subtle rhythms produced by the Breath of Life are regarded as fundamental expressions of our health and vitality. The ordering matrix carried into the body within these rhythms acts as a blueprint for health which is present from the time of our early embryological development. This blueprint contains the knowledge to create a whole human being and it is the fundamental factor that maintains balance in our form and function throughout our lives. Thus, the ability of cells and tissues to express their ‘primary respiratory motion’ is a critical factor in determining our state of health - when these rhythms are expressed in fullness and balance, our blueprint for health is able to manifest and a sense of wholeness and well-being automatically follows.
During the course of our lives our bodies become patterned, shaped and conditioned according to how we can deal with stresses or traumas. If we are unable to dissipate the effect of these experiences, they become locked in the body as sites of inertia - until a time that we become able to process and resolve them. These sites of inertia create distortions in the natural rhythmical movements of the Breath of Life, leading to a sense of fragmentation and hindering the ability of our essential health to manifest at a cellular level.
Due to an accumulation of these stresses, tissues can become imprinted with the memory of unresolved experiences and so act like video tape which may keep replaying whenever stimulated. We may then cycle around in repeated patterns of physiological and psychological behaviour, as our responses to situations become conditioned by experiences already held within us. These patterns are commonly caused by factors such as physical injuries, emotional and psychological stresses, birth trauma and toxicity.
This idea of intertial patterning seems very similar to the idea in many modern spiritual circles that outside circumstances manifest from internal vibration. Could a person’s “vibration” not only refer to their belief system and emotional state but also the natural rhythms of their body?
Does CranioSacral Therapy help to integrate trauma on a physical level just like many religious and spiritual practices aim to integrate trauma on a spiritual level?
It seems that no matter one’s approach to spirituality, the nature of cerebrospinal fluid and the technique of CranioSacral Therapy offer a very tangible approach to integrating trauma, upgrading one’s point of view on past experiences and finding the physical, mental and emotional peace promised by so many therapies and religious practices today.
When I first waded into The River of Life it was a magical experience. It was the physical component of trauma release that allowed my body to catch up with my mind.