I was delighted to turn my calendar Monday morning to find this beautiful piece of art by Elizabeth VanDuine. Despite snow in the forecast later this week, I found this image cheering and hopeful. Happy Spring to all of you! |Craniosacral Therapy|As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I did indeed attend a four day training on craniosacral therapy this winter. You might ask, what is craniosacral therapy? Well... it is:
This work challenged my palpation skills and rocked my own thinking around what bodywork looks like and feels like. In the last several years I have been kindling a curiosity about the power of lighter touch and energy work. This was a fantastic opportunity to dip my fingers into this world in a way that aligns with my personal beliefs. For those of you who know me, you probably can see that I value having one foot in the western world of medicine and another in a holistic realm that honors more of the anecdotal wisdom of the ages. Craniosacral work provides this for me. While there is an undeniable presence of intentionality and energy work within the modality, it’s foundation resides within the science of anatomy and physiology. |Is craniosacral for you?|Already I see craniosacral work seeping into my typical sessions. You may have noticed a slower pace and sometimes even a stillness in my hands that might either leave you wondering what I am doing (anything?) or put you right to sleep. A stand alone craniosacral session is about an hour on the table, face up and fully clothed. The touch is very light and consists of gentle holds at various places on your body, though much of it involves your spine and head. I am exploring and incorporating craniosacral work within a more typical massage session. In order to build it in with an agreeable flow, I would encourage a 90 minute session starting with massage on the back body for about half of the time finishing in a face up position with quiet, more relaxing craniosacral work. Or maybe the other way around - craniosacral first, followed by massage. It is really a fluid decision depending on how we both show up to the session. Craniosacral therapy is deeply relaxing work. For me, when receiving it, I am able to go to that welcome place of rest, nearly sleep, that I rarely can access otherwise. I find it grounding, restorative, and profound. If I am craving oil on skin and deep muscle rubbing, this is not the work I turn towards, but if I have been anxious, overextended, or just unable to find a sense of peace in my life, craniosacral work can be a great reset. For me it feels like internal house cleaning, like all of my cells have come into harmony. I wonder how it would feel for you? Relaxation is the gateway to healing. When we upregulate the relaxation response and downregulate the stress response we set the stage for our bodies to balance and repair. -inspired by Jill Miller, Body by Breath
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January 2024
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