Open Source Cranio

Tag: Cerebro Spinal Fluid

  • Cranio Sacral Therapist and Student Newsletter 18

    November  14 – 2006

    Questions and comments for this issue:

    + Where I bang on about Jet Lag and treating yourself.
    + Chronic Fatigue – looking for the meaning of symptoms.
    + Palpation broken down into Symmetry, Amplitude and Quality.
    + Is bone ‘set’?

    Hello ,
    I have some very important findings to share
    with you about jet lag.  As you know I’ve just
    moved back to Ireland.  The night we arrived here,
    my wife Mege said she had a backache and asked me
    to have a look at it.

    Now here’s the interesting bit.  When I tuned
    into her system, I found that her cerebro spinal
    fluid was all over the place.

    No, I don’t mean in an ‘Aliens’ sort of way.  I
    mean her system felt like one of those snow domes
    that had been shaken.

    What’s a snow dome?

    You know, one of those little glass domes
    filled with water that you shake and it looks like
    snow falling on the inside.

    Why was her CSF so disturbed?

    Well, as I stayed with her system, it revealed
    that the source of the disturbance was, and this
    is from her CSF’s perspective, the sudden movement
    across a huge distance.

    Wha?

    I know,
    but there was a really strong sense that the
    connection between her CSF and it’s external
    environment had been disturbed greatly by the
    change in location. It was in turmoil because it
    had nothing to orient itself with.

    Orient itself?

    Yes, there was definitely a sense of her CSF
    sloshing around trying to find reference points to
    attune with.

    And in that effort to orient itself, it was
    very clear to me how linked our CSF is to it’s
    environment on a local and global level.

    It reminded me of the way bats use sonar for
    navigation in the dark.  They emit a high pitched
    sound which bounces off the surrounding terrain.
    The bat can tell where it is by how long it takes
    the sound to bounce back to it.

    It doesn’t feel like our CSF emits something,
    it feels more like the sort of connection that we
    as therapists make when we entrain with a patients
    system.

    It’s the same with our CSF, it entrains with
    the energetic rhythms of it’s environment.

    This is probably obvious but I’ll mention it at
    this point, the moon stood out as the main point
    of triangulation for our systems.

    The moon?

    Yeah, it felt like the moon was crucial to
    orientation.  It worked something like this.

    The first point of orientation was the system
    itself.  The second point was the systems position
    on earth.  These two reference points, while
    crucial didn’t seem to provide enough dimension.
    It felt like the moon provided a third point of
    dimensional reference and so triangulated the
    system in space.

    The disturbance in Mege’s system felt like it
    was caused by the sudden change in two of the
    reference points.

    So what did I do about it?

    Well, like most things, seeing what the problem
    is is 90% of the solution.
    I acted as a sort of conduit for her system.  I
    consciously attuned to the locality.
    As soon as I started to do this her system
    paused.  It felt like it was listening to a rhythm
    my system was drawing its attention to.

    Then I consciously attuned to the location of
    the moon.  Within minutes her system had settled
    into deep harmony with itself, and its current
    location.  Mege popped off into a deep sleep.

    I was able to partially orient my own system
    but not completely.  As to why that is I can only
    include it with all my other experiences of trying
    to treat myself.  Never with much success.

    It could be just me but I suspect it’s the same
    for everyone.  A classic example is in the release
    process, which as you know, involves the
    practitioner holding as the patient’s system
    encounters its restrictions.

    The patient needs to let go, the therapist
    needs to hold.  It doesn’t make sense to me that
    you can do both at the same time.  None the less,
    never being one to allow good sense to get in the
    way of having a go, I tried it anyway, a few
    times.  Always the same result.

    Just when I was about to release, one of two
    things would happen.  The part of me that was
    releasing would take over and my whole system
    would go into letting go, including the part that
    was supposed to be holding.
    End result = No release.

    Or the part of me that was holding would stay
    in charge so my system would never let go.
    End result = No release.

    So as I said I didn’t have as much success
    attuning myself to the new time zone.

    Mege, on the other hand, woke up the next
    morning feeling FANTASTIC!  Over the next few days
    she commented, more than once, on how everyone had
    greatly exaggerated the effects of jet lag.  She
    couldn’t see what the big deal was.

    If you get a chance to treat someone who has
    moved time zones recently, can you include what I
    have described in your treatment and let me know
    if you find something similar.  I suspect you
    will.

    There is a great opportunity there for someone
    who is interested in pursuing the commercial
    applications of treating jet lag.  Think of all
    the business people who travel through time zones
    regularly.  You could set up in an airport, nay
    airports around the world and help all these
    people deal with their jet lag in a more painless
    way.

    No, don’t thank me, it’s the least I could do,
    what are chums for.  Royalty cheques accepted
    graciously.

    Also, I finally got the therapist listing up.
    Have a look at it here.
    http://www.open-source-cranio.com/therapists/listing.html

    If you have sent me your details, have a look at
    your listing to make sure I spelled your name
    correctly etc.  Have a look at some of the other
    listings also to see what you could add to yours
    to make it more representative of you.

    If you haven’t already sent me your details
    have a look at the others and see what you are
    missing out on.

    If I had any doubts about whether it was worth
    my while to go to the trouble of creating this
    resource, I got an email last week that clinched
    it for me.

    24/10/06

    Hello John,

    On Sunday, I spoke to the cranio therapist who is
    listed for Ipswich, Queensland. From one
    conversation I have regained some hope that my
    daughter can be healed. I am a healer, although an
    untrained one, but all the symptoms have baffled
    me for a long time. I have decided on how to
    manage her pains but have had no idea how to
    remove them altogether.

    When my daughter colours in those body pictures
    doctors have that let them know where pain is
    located, she colours in every little bit then
    darkens the areas that hurt most. It often brings
    a smile or chuckle to the doctor but it always
    brings such sadness to me. None of them believe
    she could possibly be in that much pain.

    Since speaking to this practitioner I am daring to
    hope that we may be on to something that will
    work. My daughter is afraid to hope; there’s just
    been one too many times of trying. But we will
    start treatments next week. I am reassured after
    reading your website. I like how you think and I
    like that it matches my philosophies about health
    and wellness. Thankyou J

    Warmest regards,

    Denice.

    Get your listing up now and get it as good as
    you can.  It WILL make a difference.

    Alright, on with the mailbag.

    ***QUESTION***

    Hi John,
    I have a question for your newsletter: Chronic
    Fatigue. Do you have any pointers for what to
    check or work on with patients with this syndrome?

    Best regards,

    Eva Kuhl Bornefelt
    Central Coast

    MY COMMENTS:

    That’s a great question as always Eva and
    thanks for asking it.

    Talking about chronic fatigue gives me an
    opportunity to go into the sort of process I go
    through when I look at any set of symptoms.

    I ask myself what is this condition trying to
    communicate to the person.  What is it saying?

    Why this condition and not another?  Why
    chronic fatigue and not fibromyalgia or arthritis
    or irritable bowel?

    Of all the conditions this person could have,
    why do they have this one?

    Each set of symptoms add up to a very specific
    communication.

    So don’t worry about the physical
    manifestations?

    Not at all.  It’s very important to deal with
    them but dealing with them alone won’t necessarily
    solve the problem.  Looking at the condition in
    this way points you towards the deepest reason for
    the condition.

    You may not know what the deepest reason is but
    at least you will be looking in the right
    direction.

    Then getting a sense of what the deepest cause
    of the condition is will inform you how to deal
    with the physical manifestations.

    So let’s put it into practice. What is chronic
    fatigue communicating?

    It’s a syndrome so it contains lots of
    different symptoms and few people exhibit all the
    symptoms all the time.

    The main symptom is in the name – fatigue.  The
    person has no energy to do anything.  Sometimes
    they will need to sleep a lot, other people are
    tried but can’t sleep.

    Generally they will have to stop working, stop
    their hobbies, significantly reduce their social
    life.

    So what does this all add up to?
    In short the person’s life grinds to a halt.

    What is this aspect of the condition
    communicating?

    Stop.

    Stop what?

    Stop everything.

    Why do we communicate, ‘stop’ to someone?

    Generally it’s because there is something about
    what the person is doing that we don’t like and we
    want them to stop doing it.

    No kidding Sherlock.  Is this what chronic
    fatigue is communicating?

    Generally speaking I’ve found that it’s a main
    part of the communication.

    For example, if a person has a condition that
    is annoying but doesn’t give them too much
    discomfort, the communication is generally about
    getting their own attention.

    ‘This is bothering us and we
    need our attention about it.’

    But it has a, ‘When you can get to it.’ sort of
    vibe.

    Whereas Chronic fatigue has a, ‘Stop everything
    and deal with this NOW!’ sort of vibe.

    So look for what is so important to the person,
    that when it is in disharmony, they will put their
    whole lives on hold until it is resolved.

    Another thing to consider when treating someone
    with chronic fatigue is their capacity to stay
    sick.

    Let me explain.  The amount of energy required
    to create chronic fatigue is huge.  The people I
    have treated for chronic fatigue have usually worn
    out about 5 or 6 therapists by the time they get
    to me.

    If you are very attached to quick results then
    maybe you shouldn’t take them on because these
    people have huge endurance.  It’s a little
    paradoxical. Someone with chronic fatigue having
    huge endurance.  But don’t be fooled by the lack
    of energy issues.  I have found they have lots of
    energy for keeping their lives on hold.

    I have found it most helpful to see my role as
    facilitating them to discover what the disharmony
    that is causing them to press the ‘Pause’ button
    on their life is.  And no I don’t necessarily mean
    having long, probing, regressive, conversations
    with them about it.

    The other useful thing when actually working
    with their systems is to sit very comfortably in
    the timeless aspect of our work.
    By that I mean, the depth at which we work.
    All going well when you work with someone you will
    be in a very meditative state and in that state,
    time pauses.  We descend into the moment and in
    that, it is eternal.

    This is a very handy space to be in with a
    condition that has therapists for breakfast.  As
    you sit with the person and your system entrains
    with theirs.  Your system conveys a quality of
    timelessness.  The subtle communication from your
    system is,  ‘I could stay here forever.’

    You can’t fake this.  It has to be real for
    you.  If it’s not you need to meditate more until
    it is.

    I have found that when someone with chronic
    fatigue comes to see me and our systems entrain and
    their system gets this, ‘I can wait forever.’
    Quality from mine it gives up on the endurance
    test and starts to avail of the support to deal
    with the underlying disharmony.

    ***QUESTION***

    Dear John,
    Thanks for your great newsletters.  I really
    appreciate the different areas you talk about.

    I’m still struggling with the nuts and bolts of
    palpation.

    Can you give me some pointers on how to filter out
    all the different things I feel when I try to tune
    into someone.

    Thanks
    Pete
    Brisbane.

    MY COMMENTS:

    No worries Pete and thanks for the feedback.

    Placing your hands on another person’s body for
    the purpose of assisting in their healing process
    is a privilege.  Approach each person as if they
    were a baby.  In many ways our bodies relate to
    touch as babies.

    The majority of people you treat will have had
    at least one traumatic medical experience.  The
    memory of that trauma is locked in their body.

    The person may be your best friend or lover but
    once they lie down their body will become
    cautious, running a dialogue something along the
    lines of,

    “Hang on a minute. The last time I lay down on
    a bench like this and there was another person in
    the room who was standing up, IT HURT! WARNING!
    WARNING! ALERT! ALERT!”

    It’s not like the person is going to jump off
    the table and run away, but they will be
    defensive.  Don’t take it personally.

    From the time you opened the door of your
    treatment room, the patient’s body has been
    checking you out to see if you are safe.  That
    scanning process continues throughout treatment.

    The patient’s body will test you to see if you
    are there to ‘DO’ something or to be available to
    assist it in what it is trying to do.

    When you contact a patient’s body it is good to
    hold the following intention in your communication
    to their body.

    ‘What are you trying to do?
    How can I help you?’

    As you know, the contact of the hands on the
    body in cranio sacral therapy is exceptionally
    light, often described as a Butterfly Touch.  Like
    the touch of a butterfly alighting upon the body.

    A butterfly is not a moth.  A moth has an
    agitated almost frantic quality.  In trying to get
    the Butterfly touch happening it is easy to
    develop the touch of the moth which is as bad as a
    heavy touch.

    Now lets break up what you are feeling when you
    tune in.  Think of it like this.  As you listen to
    a piece of music, many different dimensions of the
    music are conveyed to you.  Volume, stereo
    balance, tempo, mood etc. Describing the music in
    words won’t duplicate the music; it will merely be
    words following an experience.

    Tuning in to a person’s cranio sacral system is
    like listening to music, something is conveyed in
    the contact with their body.  In refining your
    cranio sacral palpation it’s necessary to identify
    each aspect of what you’re feeling with your
    hands.  This serves the purpose of highlighting
    aspects of the communication that you may not have
    noticed.

    Sounds hard. Why bother? Why not just go with
    the feeling?

    Well, the more you can interpret the rhythm the
    more you will get a sense of the whole Cranio
    Sacral System and where the restrictions are.

    It also helps you note subtle changes in the
    patient’s body.

    It also helps you communicate your palpation to
    other Cranio Sacral therapists.

    One way to help refine cranio sacral palpation
    is to divide it into three aspects; Symmetry,
    Amplitude and Quality.

    SYMMETRY

    Symmetry relates to whether the rhythm is
    stronger on one side than the other.  Like the
    stereo balance of the music.  With your hands on
    the person’s feet you may feel the rhythm stronger
    in one foot than the other.  That is called an
    asymmetry.  Taking note of symmetry can help you
    build a total picture of the whole Cranio Sacral
    system.

    AMPLITUDE

    Amplitude refers to the power and frequency of
    the Cranial rhythm. It is described with words
    like
    * Strong or weak
    * Powerful or faint
    * Steady or erratic
    * Fast or slow

    Amplitude can indicate the location of a
    restriction in localised areas.  If the general
    amplitude in the body is strong yet very weak in
    one leg, palpation of that leg will reveal a point
    at which the amplitude will change from weak to
    strong.  This can indicate the site of
    restriction.

    Amplitude also includes how the power and speed
    of the rhythm relate to each other.  A very slow
    rhythm in the whole body can indicate a weak
    system.  A very fast local rhythm can indicate a
    restriction in the system in this area.  A fast
    rhythm manifests in areas that are cut off from
    the rest of the Cranio Sacral rhythm through
    direct injury or restriction.  A very fast and
    powerful amplitude will be more ready to release
    than a faint slow rhythm.

    QUALITY

    Quality refers to the mood, atmosphere or
    feeling of the rhythm.  Like music, this aspect of
    palpation is quite subjective.  One person’s
    passionate song of freedom is another’s anarchic
    scream from hell.  When you first palpate for
    quality it may present itself to you as having a
    predominant attribute like :

    * tight or loose
    * active or passive
    * tense or relaxed
    * hard or soft
    * solid or fluid
    * warm or cool
    * agitated or calm
    * dynamic or lethargic
    * powerful or weak

    Usually a cranio sacral system will have a
    combination of attributes.  For example it may be
    like a dense, liquid softness.

    How poetic.

    Start waxing lyrical because your job is then
    to refine these attributes making them as specific
    as possible.  A way of doing this is to relate the
    attributes to something that is in your
    experience.  You do this by asking yourself the
    question, ‘Like what?’  In the above example you
    would be asking yourself
    ‘A dense, liquid softness like what?’

    The answer to the question ‘Like what?’ can
    take many forms.

    * Objects – chair, engine, cage, sponge,
    * Elements – fire, earth, air, water
    * Substances – wood, metal, wool, lava
    * Sound – bells, boom, lullaby, scream
    * Fragrance – mildewed, putrid, flowery, fresh
    * Light – bright, dark, mottled, pulsating
    * Taste –  bitter, sweet, sour, tangy

    Keep refining the quality until it is as
    specific as possible.  Using the same example your
    conversation with yourself should go something
    like,

    ‘A dense, liquid softness like what?’
    ‘Honey.’
    ‘What kind of honey?’
    ‘Honey that has been mixed with milk, but not
    watery milk.’
    ‘What kind of milk?’
    ‘Condensed milk.’
    ‘How has it mixed with the honey?’
    ‘With a barmix.’

    This may seem pedantic but it’s important to be
    this specific so that you will be able to sense
    the beginning of a release.  This may be signaled
    by something as subtle as a feeling that the
    condensed milk is becoming more viscous as it then
    transforms into fresh milk.

    GENERAL QUALITY AND LOCAL QUALITY

    Each Cranio Sacral System will have an overall
    or general quality but within that bigger picture
    there will be local areas of different quality.

    In a strong solid system, one leg may feel weak
    and fragile.  This inconsistency highlights a
    possible restriction.  The difference between
    general and local quality can take the form of a
    general quality of, for example wood and a local
    quality in the neck of metal.  This communicates a
    disharmony to you.

    APROPRIATNESS

    It is rare that a patient will be aware of
    their own quality. Regardless of how dramatically
    it presents itself to you, do not describe it to
    them in the terms above.  We use this form of
    description to help us focus our attention and in
    that it has purpose.  But it won’t mean the same
    to a patient and is likely to disturb them.

    Telling your patient that their brain feels
    like a fungus covered soft cheese is not going to
    go down well.  Trust me.

    Symmetry, amplitude and quality inter-relate to
    give you a comprehensive sense of the cranio
    sacral system under your hands.

    ***QUESTION***

    Hello John,
    I got your book last week and found it incredible!
    What a velvet hammer.  Those innocent little
    questions at the end of each chapter really got
    me.
    Very well done.
    I am recommending it to all my patients.

    Now here is my question. If a pattern of
    restriction has ossified in the cranium, is that
    it?  Is it set for good or is it worth treating?

    Best wishes.
    SP
    Arizona.

    MY COMMENTS:

    Most of our experience of bone is of dead bone.
    The sort of stuff that looks like bone china –
    dry, brittle, fragile.  As cranio sacral
    therapists we are involved in communication with
    the body.  It’s therefore most effective to
    communicate with bone as it is, which is alive.
    Live bone has some qualities which are not
    immediately apparent.

    For example, live bone is WET.  It’s full of
    blood.

    Also, it behaves like PLASTIC.  Meaning it
    responds to the pressure put upon it.  Wolf’s law
    and all that.  Consider the mastoid processes of
    your temporal bones.  You didn’t have them when
    you were born.  They were pulled out by the
    sternocleidomastoid muscle as you were learning to
    hold your head erect.

    Bone is not stone; it is renewing itself all
    the time.  You can use this knowledge to help it
    renew itself in a new direction.

    There’s a good example of this in one of the
    case histories here.

    Here’s another thing, bone doesn’t become
    restricted in isolation.  This is particularly
    relevant in the cranium.  If a bone is restricted,
    99 times out of 100, it’s because there is
    something pulling it into a restricted state,
    often membrane.  The bone doesn’t become
    restricted in isolation.  Always look for the
    pattern of restriction.

    That’s all for now Kate,

    If you still haven’t got your copy of my book,
    ‘Why Do We Get Sick?  Why Do We Get  Better? –  A
    Wellness Detective Manual.’ then do yourself a big
    favour and get it.  It’s taken me years to learn
    and refine the material in that book.
    It will help you become a better therapist and
    it will make your job easier when your patients
    read it.
    Read about it here.

    You can be reading it in just a few minutes and
    discovering the sorts of conversations I have with
    patients everyday.

    Till the next time.

    Your Mate,

    John D.

  • Cranio Sacral Therapist and Student Newsletter 20

    January  18 – 2007

    Questions and comments for this issue:

    + Talking during treatment.
    + How the face reflects the cranial rhythm.
    + Why is the ventricular system so important?

    Hello,

    Let me just put my Hula Hoop down for a second
    so I can talk to you.  You don’t Hula?
    Why, it’s the latest re-fad.  You know, a fad
    that makes a comeback.

    In America, “hip hooping” classes, videos and
    Hoopster clothing lines are springing up across
    the country. Beyonce and Charlize Theron are huge
    fans.  They are always pestering me to join them
    at hip hooping class.

    I can see I’m wasting my time talking to you
    about this.  You just want to hear about cranio.

    Fair enough, let’s get on with the mailbag.

    ***QUESTION***

    Dear John,

    Thank you for your newsletters they are wonderful.

    Here is my question.
    I would like to get some of my patients more
    involved in their process when we are working
    together but I don’t want to do a full somato-
    emotional release type thing with them.
    Do you have any suggestions for an intermediary
    type approach I could do?

    Thanks again.
    PR.
    California.

    MY COMMENTS:

    Okey dokey.  Here’s something you can do.

    Once the person is on the table and you are
    settling in and chit chatting and generally
    entraining with them.

    No, not entertaining them, I said ENTRAINING
    with them. Now take that clown suit off and lets
    get back to the session.

    Tell the person that you are going to do
    something a bit different this week.  Keep your
    tone light.

    Take up a contact that allows you a good sense
    of the whole cranio sacral system.  Ask the person
    to close their eyes and begin to see themselves
    shrinking on the inside until they are small
    enough to walk around, inside the structures of
    their body.

    Whenever you are talking with a patient choose
    your words carefully.  I used the word ‘see’ on
    purpose.   ‘I want you to see yourself shrinking
    on the inside until you are small enough to be
    able to walk around inside the structure of your
    body.’

    Don’t say visualise or imagine as I have found
    these words can short circuit the process before
    it even gets started.

    Why?

    Well, because some people are convinced they
    have no imagination and others have tried
    visualisation before and are, ‘just no good at
    it.’

    Start off with a relatively restriction free
    area.  Ask the person to describe what it looks
    like.  Get them to describe the area in as much
    detail as possible.  Encourage them to tell you
    what they see, even though they may be inhibited
    by their lack of anatomical knowledge.

    They can shrink themselves to whatever size
    they need to be to pass between structures or see
    something in detail.  Ask them if everything looks
    okay in the area.  If it is, move on to another
    area, one where you sense a restriction, though
    you don’t need to tell them you think it is
    restricted.

    If they tell you that everything is NOT okay in
    an area, ask them to describe what it is that
    looks unnatural.  Encourage them to be as specific
    as possible.  You may need to move your hands
    closer to the area they are describing.

    Ask them what needs to happen for the area to
    return to a more natural state.

    Wait for their answer.

    If they are having difficulty seeing a way to
    correct the situation you can suggest solutions to
    them using the symbols they have communicated to
    you. Make full use of their size in the area.

    They can climb in between bones and push them
    apart.  They can pull and push things with their
    hands in very specific ways. You can suggest
    little tools that may help them, but avoid
    frightening tools like hammers and saws etc.

    You can suggest light beam machines to warm
    cold areas.  Ice guns for cold.  Muscle oil
    aerosol cans for tight or stiff muscles and so on.

    All the time you will be monitoring and
    following the changes they are making on the
    inside with your hands.

    This is generally an enjoyable technique for
    you and the person.  It seldom has a huge
    emotional aspect and is particularly good with
    patients who are very out of touch with their
    feelings.

    Most people don’t find it threatening and are
    amused by what they find in their bodies. They can
    be surprised at the clarity of the images they
    see. This is because the following of your hands
    enables the person to see more clearly the
    restriction in their bodies.

    This technique is a very useful way to involve
    the person and use their attention as an extension
    of yours, to check things out and correct them
    from the inside.

    As you get more experience with it you will get
    a sense of who this technique is appropriate for.
    It is a good introduction for other forms of
    therapeutic conversation which you may intend to
    use in future treatment sessions with the person.

    ***QUESTION***

    Dear John,
    I am currently studying the face and the way it
    moves with the cranial rhythm.  Frankly I find it
    confusing and hard to remember.

    I’m hopping you have some little analogy or trick
    for making it a bit clearer.

    Yours Sincerely.

    KS.
    Canada.

    MY COMMENTS:

    Before I get into the face I need to quickly
    run through flexion and extension in the cranium.

    Think of the cranium as a balloon.

    During extension the balloon narrows and
    elongates and during flexion it expands and
    becomes squat.  Long and thin in extension, short
    and squat in flexion.

    To understand the way the face moves with the
    cranial rhythm, take the balloon and add a small
    box.  Attach it to the balloon roughly where the
    face hangs off the cranium.

    Now, lets look at how the box moves with the
    balloon.

    In extension the balloon will become long and
    thin.  The box will arc inferiorly and narrow as
    the whole balloon elongates

    During flexion the balloon will become short
    and squat.  The box will arc superiorly and
    broaden as the balloon shortens and broadens.

    So what does this feel like in practice?

    Sit at the head of the person.  With their
    permission, place your hands on their face, thumbs
    on their forehead and fingers on their mandible.

    During flexion you will feel your thumbs and
    fingers move closer together while in extension
    they will move further apart.

    Once you get this overall movement you can work
    out the specifics of each bone relatively easily.

    Here are some other things to consider.  The
    mandible and the frontal bone moving towards each
    other in flexion could put stress on the bones of
    the face but this compressive movement is
    naturally absorbed by the orbits.

    This makes the orbits particularly vulnerable
    to any restriction patterns present in the face or
    cranium, especially the posterior aspect of the
    orbit.

    Certain bones of the face are designed to
    reduce the amplitude of the movement of some of
    the larger bones they articulate with. These bones
    are the palatines, the zygomae, the vomer and the
    ethmoid.

    You can think of them like ‘washers’ between
    two larger bones.  William Sutherland called these
    bones the ‘speed reducers’ but they do not
    actually reduce the frequency of the rhythm, they
    reduce the amount of movement or amplitude.  So a
    40 micron movement of the frontal can be reduced
    to a 10 micron movement in the Zygomae. [Remember
    a sheet of writing paper is 100 microns thick.]

    ***QUESTION***

    Hi John,
    I am being repeatedly told that the ventricles are
    very important but I am not sure why.  I have
    asked this question of my tutors repeatedly but
    never got a satisfactory answer.

    I would be grateful to hear your explanation.
    Thanking you in anticipation.
    PB
    South Africa

    MY COMMENTS:

    It may be easier for you to think of the whole
    system in terms of plumbing, which it is in a way.
    It’s a very important and significant plumbing
    system.

    The ventricular system, is a collection of
    cavities and canals deep within the brain and
    spinal cord. It consists of 4 ventricles connected
    by various channels.  It always looks to me like a
    model of a space ship.  Think Star Trek.

    The four ventricles are made up of the 2
    lateral Ventricles located within the two cerebral
    hemispheres, each of which connect via an inter-
    ventricular foramen to the 3rd ventricle which is
    located between the two thalami of the brain.

    The 3rd ventricle connects inferiorly through
    the cerebral aqueduct (or aqueduct of Sylvius as
    you will see it in some books) to the 4th
    ventricle which is located between the cerebellum,
    posteriorly and the pons and medulla, anteriorly.

    The 4th ventricle continues inferiorly as the
    central canal passing down the centre of the
    spinal cord.

    The whole ventricular System is filled with
    Cerebrospinal Fluid.

    So that’s the plumbing.  Now let’s look at
    inlet and outlet valves.

    The INLET valves are located in the roof of
    each of the four ventricles and are called Choroid
    Plexi.  These are filter like structures through
    which cerebrospinal fluid is formed as a filtrate
    from arterial blood.  Arterial blood enters the
    choroid plexi from the cerebral arteries; then
    blood cells, proteins and other large particles
    are filtered out.  The pure colourless fluid that
    filters through this choroid plexi into the
    ventricular system is cerebrospinal fluid.

    I will get to the outlet valves in a minute.
    First I want to focus on something that is very
    easy to get confused about.
    We know that the membrane system contains
    cerebrospinal fluid, right?

    Just nod.

    And now we have a good idea of how
    cerebrospinal fluid enters the ventricular system.
    And we also know the ventricular system is
    contained within the membrane system.  The thing
    is the ventricular system is, for the most part,
    closed.
    So how does cerebrospinal fluid get out of the
    ventricular system into the membrane system?

    Very good question.  It all happens in the 4th
    ventricle.  In the posterior and lateral walls of
    the 4th ventricle there are three foramina,  – the
    foramen of Magendie which is in the middle
    posteriorly and the 2 foramina of Luschka,
    bilaterally.

    It is through these 3 foramina that
    cerebrospinal fluid passes out into the sub-
    arachnoid space where it circulates around the
    brain and spinal Cord.

    Now back to the OUTLET valves.
    Cerebrospinal fluid is eventually returned to
    the blood via the Arachnoid Villi which protrude
    from the sub-arachnoid space through to the
    superior sagittal sinus of the Brain.  It re-joins
    the venous blood which then drains from the venous
    sinuses via the internal jugular Vein to be
    returned to the heart.

    So that’s the plumbing, the general flow and
    the inlet and outlet valves.   The significance is
    that this system is in continuous use which means
    it has to be in working order all the time.  If
    any one of the valves or canals of foramina are
    not working properly the effects are serious.

    Just think of the person having a spinal tap.
    Only a tiny amount of cerebrospinal fluid is
    removed yet the person will have to lie horizontal
    for 24 hours to avoid severe headaches.

    Also if there is a problem in this system it’s
    not like you can just shut it down while repairs
    are made.

    So that’s it for this issue.

    Cheerio for now.

    Till the next time.

    Your Mate,

    John D.

  • Cranio Sacral Therapist and Student Newsletter 28

    October 21 -2007

    Questions and comments for this issue:

    + Arachnoid Mater, what the?
    + Case story from Jean McDonald.
    + 3D visualisation tips.

    Hello,

    I watched a very good movie the other day
    called ‘Reign Over Me’.  It stars Adam Sandler and
    Don Cheadle.  Surprisingly Adam Sandler does a
    spot of acting in this movie which makes a change
    from the, blowing beer out through his nostrils,
    sort of roles he usually plays.

    It is a good portrayal of how someone deals
    with post traumatic stress and the therapeutic
    process.  Have your tissues ready, the climatic
    scene had me tearing up like a little puppy.
    It is listed among the other DVDs I recommend here.

    There is a new cranio sacral book by James Nemec.
    I particularly like the dramatic byline on the
    article, ‘L.A. Playwright Creates an Enormous Wave
    with His New Book – Touch the Ocean.’
    http://californianewswire.com/2007/09/25/CNW482_184432.php

    Frédéric Cherri is doing great things in New
    Zealand.  Between himself and Ged Sumner they are
    cooking up all sorts of wonderful post graduate
    seminars.

    Visceral Intelligence with Jed. Equine
    Craniosacral with Judah Lyons. Craniosacral
    Anatomy with Paul Doney.  They have had such a
    strong response for their main 2 year course they
    have had to start another class.  It begins on the
    27th of November.  It’s all on their site at
    http://www.csti.co.nz

    Anyhu, let’s get on with the mailbag.

    ***QUESTION***

    Dear John,

    My question is about the meninges and in
    particular the arachnoid mater.  From the
    descriptions I have read I am not clear where
    exactly the arachnoid layer is in relation to the
    other layers of membrane and where CSF is in
    relation to it.  Is there CSF between the
    arachnoid mater and the dura mater?

    Any clarification would be gratefully received.

    Kind regards
    JP
    Scotland.

    MY COMMENTS:

    The confusing thing about the arachnoid mater
    is its web like tendrils or arachnoid trabeculae
    as they call them in my local, that extend across
    the sub-arachnoid space.

    ?

    Well I found them confusing anyway . . .

    Let me explain it to you in the way it was
    explained to me by a diesel mechanic many years
    ago. . .

    You’ve got your 3 layers of membrane that go to
    make up the meninges or membrane system.  Your
    outer most layer is the Dura Mater.  Dura meaning
    tough and Mater meaning mother.

    Tough Mother. Get it?

    Cracks me up every time.

    ??

    Suit yourself.

    Your inner most layer is the pia mater.
    Pia meaning soft or tender and Mater meaning
    Mother.
    Tender Mother.
    Sweet, but not funny at all really.

    Your pia is soft, thin and follows the contours
    of everything it covers.  So it goes down into all
    the sulci and over all the gyri of your brain.

    Your dura on the other hand is tough and forms
    this outer layer of the membrane system.  Think of
    it like a balloon.  Granted it would be an odd
    shaped balloon and certainly not one to bring to a
    kiddies party but balloon-like none the less. A
    balloon with vertical and horizontal-ish dividing
    walls.

    So you’ve got your outer layer and your inner
    layer and the bit in the middle is the arachnoid
    mater.

    Arachnoid meaning spider like and Mater meaning
    Mother.  It’s really the web aspect of spiders
    that it gets its name from.
    Spider-web-like- mother.
    That’s just creepy.

    The different descriptions of the arachnoid
    mater are confusing.  In one book it will be
    called a layer and the diagram will show it
    looking pretty much like the other two layers.

    Then in another book it will be described as
    being weblike and in the picture it won’t look
    like a layer at all.

    The thing is both are true, it is a layer and
    it is web-like too.  The closest thing I can think
    of to help you get a visual of it is Velcro.  Take
    an open strip of Velcro.  It doesn’t really matter
    which side, the stiff side or the fuzzy side.

    You will see that there is a layer and from
    that layer the furry stuff extends.

    It’s kind of the same with your Arachnoid
    layer.  It’s a layer from which the web-like
    tendrils extend.  The layer part adheres to the
    dura so the tendrils extend across the sub-
    arachnoid space to the . . . anyone?

    That’s right, the pia.

    And now it should be clearer where your CSF or
    cerebro spinal fluid, as I like to call it, is.

    No?

    Okay it is between the Arachnoid and Pia.
    Because of the way the Arachnoid layer is made,
    cerebro spinal fluid flows around and through the
    spider web of tendrils that extend from the layer
    part of the arachnoid layer.

    These tendrils actually help the whole shock
    absorber aspect of the cerebro spinal fluid.

    ***From JEAN MCDONALD***

    CASE STUDY OF JODIE July 2006

    Jodie is a lively six year old girl who likes to
    play with her little sister and friends and
    occasionally to spar with her big brother. She has
    a quiet confidence and definite sense of herself
    She is attending the local school and has just
    completed her last term and year at special school.

    Mum caught the Millennium bug while expecting
    Jodie, this occurred during the second trimester,
    so the much awaited lively baby was welcomed into
    the world to join brother – and the family was now
    four.

    The first year of life was busy but uneventful
    except for a throat infection at one year.  Being
    an experienced Mum some tendency towards being
    emotional was noted, these seemed to be around
    changes in Jodie’s life. When now shoes were
    bought Jodie would want to wear the old ones.
    Jodie didn’t like being touched on her head,
    having her hair or teeth brushed. Her hearing was
    also very sensitive.

    Mum and Dad investigated these symptoms and in the
    second year of life Jodie was diagnosed as having
    mild to moderate Autism.  During this year while
    at the playground Jodie had a fall which impacted
    on her head.

    Toileting problems had caused some upsets at
    school and that was one of the reasons I was asked
    to call and treat Jodie. On the first consultation
    in May 2005 Jodie’s posture was tending towards a
    forward bend at times with some busy movements of
    the legs, which suggested the possibility of some
    dural tube restriction. The CranioSacral rhythm
    was higher on the right side of the body, the
    respiratory diaphragm restricted and the left knee
    held more restriction then the right.  She liked
    being upside down, this was beneficial for her
    respiratory diaphragm and it helped me in gaining
    a supporting handle to her sacrum so that
    lengthening the dural tube in the spine was
    facilitated. Palpation of the respiratory
    diaphragm was followed by an exothermic release.

    Two Robot Toys were played with both of which
    continually “lost their heads”. Jody was
    inquisitive and I spoke about her manubrium at the
    top of her sternum which I treated. Her picture as
    a baby was on the wall and I talked briefly about
    when she was little.

    On the Consultation of 19th May the Temporal bones
    and Parietals were palpated and also down through
    the cranium to Maxillae. Jodie is keenly aware of
    teeth, and she had some questions about mine as
    one is slightly different in colour to the others,
    we talked about this referring to the
    discolouration being a result of medication. The
    conversation included when she was a baby and had
    a throat infection when medicine was needed to
    make her better. During this Jodie allowed some
    palpation work to be done on the temporal and
    parietal bones. Following that visit there was a
    period of screaming, with a retreat to her bedroom
    and under the duvet.

    The next visit mainly related to Jodie’s left ear,
    Lumber 5-Sacrum 1, Jodie’s squamous suture and her
    left foot.

    In the early visits Jodie was not inclined to
    chat, at the end when I was leaving Jodie would
    pick a flower for me. Gradually Jodie became more
    talkative and her speech more clear.  The strong
    sense of herself which Jodie has is clearly
    expressed in what she likes, her favourite
    colours, toys – characters and animals about which
    she has many stories. Increasingly Jodie was
    indicating the parts of the body on her toy
    characters which were “sore”. Playing with
    Question: Where?..Oh ..here?
    Answer:NO silly not there ,Here!
    Question: Like this? … Answer  Yes.

    Jodie would laugh and let off steam. Gradually
    verbal communication increased. At times teeth
    grinding was prevalent, some indirect approaches
    at mouth work were tolerated. Going inside the
    mouth resulted in a closing of the teeth on my
    fingers.

    Some treatments took place while Jodie was in
    Mum’s arms some involved the slide in the garden
    and some others while Jodie looked through her
    books. Following sessions where the dural tube was
    lengthened very often Jodie would have a tendency
    to want cuddles from Mum.

    More CranioSacral work has made Jodie receptive in
    the main part to having her head palpated.
    Her diagnosis has been lifted.

    Growth implies that stretching the membranes to
    allow more normal accommodation of the nervous
    system is required. This is monitored by Jodie’s
    Mum and myself.

    Jean Mc Donald
    www.jeanmcdonald.ie

    MY COMMENTS:

    Thanks for that great case story Jean.  I’m
    sure it will be an inspiration to all who read
    this newsletter.
    It will also be a beacon of hope for all the
    parents around the world who find their way to my
    websites looking for possibilities for their
    child.

    ***QUESTION***

    Dear Mr Dalton,
    I am writing to you in the hope that you may be
    able to help me.  I am having trouble visualising
    the anatomical structures associated with my
    craniosacral studies.  When I close my eyes all I
    can see are the pictures from the anatomy books I
    have studied.

    You have said in previous newsletters that we need
    to develop the facility to look at these
    structures from any angle with our minds eye.  I
    have never been very good at this kind of thing.
    I have difficulty reading maps, for example.

    Do you have any technique to help marry these flat
    images to what I am feeling with my hands and make
    my mental images more real.

    Kind regards,
    P.B.
    United Kingdom.

    MY COMMENTS:

    The first thing to do is let go of the notion
    that you are not very good at this.  If you are
    intent at getting better at cranio sacral work
    that thought is not going to help.

    Do your best to replace it with, ‘I may not
    have been good at this kind of thing in the past
    but that doesn’t mean I am not going to be good at
    it now.’

    Here are some exercises that may help.  Before
    you start it is a good idea to get both sides of
    your brain involved.  Any kind of cross body
    activity will help this.

    For example, while standing begin to ‘march’ in
    time.  Raise your knees and alternately touch each
    knee with your opposite hand. Progressively, move
    your elbows to each knee in sequence.

    Alternatives are to touch each heel behind your
    back with opposite hands.

    or tug each earlobe with opposite hands.

    You can also do what are called ‘lazy eights’.
    Draw a large figure eight [about 18cms long] on a
    piece of paper.  Turn the picture sideways. Hold
    your head steady, then place your finger at the
    centre of the eight.

    Keeping your eyes fixed on the tip of your
    finger start to trace the figure eight with your
    finger tip.

    It is the movement of your eyes that activates
    the hemispheres of your brain so make sure you
    move only them and not your head.

    Once you get the hang of this exercise you can
    do away with the paper.

    Feeling all integrated?

    Lovely.  Lets get on with the exercises.

    Start off with something simple and familiar
    like a teacup or milk jug.  Take a seat at your
    kitchen table and place the teacup in front of you
    with the handle facing away.

    Close your eyes and try and visualise what the
    teacup looks like from the other side.  The side
    you can’t see.  The side with the handle.

    If you draw a blank pick it up and look at what
    it looks like from the other side.  Then start
    again.

    Once this starts to get easier then include the
    environment the teacup is in.  When you visualise
    what the teacup looks like from the other side
    include the whole picture.

    As well as seeing the other side of the teacup
    you will see the other side of the room.  The side
    of the room that is behind you.

    You will know you are making progress when you
    can see the other side of the cup, including the
    other side of the room and including yourself
    sitting there visualising it.

    Wha?

    From the other side of the teacup you are in
    the picture, right?

    Next, think of your minds eye like a camera.
    This time, instead of seeing the other side of the
    teacup, circle around the teacup with your minds
    eye to the other side.

    Make sure you see the different facets as you
    go.  If you have trouble with this do it for real.
    Open your eyes and slowly circle the teacup to the
    other side taking careful note of how it changes
    as you move.  Then go back to the other side close
    your eyes and start again.

    Next, try and visualise what the teacup looks
    like from above.  If you find this hard, stand up
    and look down on the cup.  Take it all in, fix it
    in your minds eye, then sit down, close your eyes
    and try again.

    Next, try and visualise what the teacup looks
    like from below.  If you find this hard, pick up
    the cup and look at it from below.  Put the cup
    back down, close your eyes and try again.

    To include what the environment the teacup is
    in, and looks like from below, imagine that the
    kitchen table is made of glass.

    If you can’t imagine what that would look like
    take the cup out of the way and put your head on
    the table looking up.

    If any friends or family are around it might be
    worth explaining to them what your are doing.
    Other wise it might look to them like you have
    been staring intently at the china for no apparent
    reason and now you are having a little kip on the
    kitchen table.

    That done, sit down again and try and visualise
    what the teacup looks like from below including
    the view of the room from that perspective.

    Once you get the hang of this, introduce
    movement.   Imagine what it would look like if you
    were looking at the cup from above and then circle
    downwards until you were looking up at the cup
    from below.

    As before, if you have trouble visualising this
    then do it for real.  Stand up and look down on
    the cup then circle downwards all the time looking
    at the cup, taking in the changing perspective and
    being careful not to bump your head on the table.

    Next, get under the table and see what it looks
    like from below.  Fix it in your mind.  Take your
    seat again and imagine what the underside of the
    table looks like.

    Next imagine your minds eye being able to see
    through the table.  So you should be able to see
    the underside of the teacup again. Practice going
    back and froth with this. See the underside of the
    cup then pull back to seeing only the underside of
    the table then go through the table again to the
    underside of the cup and so on.

    Do the exercise with objects of progressively
    more complex shape.  Work up to an organic object
    like a house plant.

    When you feel like you are doing well with
    this, introduce a second object. It will be easier
    if you use objects of contrasting shape in the
    beginning.  So instead of using two teacups use a
    teacup and a box.  That way the curves of the
    teacup will contrast nicely with the angles of the
    box.

    Go through the above exercise again.

    When you start to introduce movement, make sure
    that you can visualise both objects
    simultaneously.  In the beginning you may find
    that you can only visualise one object or the
    other.

    Also, make sure that you can visualise how they
    move in relation to each other.

    Repeat the exercise until you can see the two
    objects from all perspectives in your minds eye.
    Then add a third object and start again.
    Repeat the process until you can hold five objects
    in your minds eye.

    Next put a tablecloth on the table and put the
    five objets on it.  Allow space between each
    object.  Take a corner of the tablecloth and pull
    it gently.  Take note of how the objects move as
    you pull the tablecloth.

    Close your eyes and try and replay what you
    have seen in your mind. Then try and see it from
    different angles.  If you get stuck open your eyes
    go to the angle you can’t visualise and watch it
    for real.  You may need to get someone else to do
    the tablecloth tugging.

    This tablecloth exercise will give you a good
    idea of what effect restrictions have on
    structures in our bodies.

    Once you get into the swing of this kind of
    visualisation you can do it anywhere.

    Take whatever you are looking at and see if you
    can visualise what it looks like from all angles.
    Cars, buses, trains, trees, buildings.

    When you feel like you are mastering this you
    can progress to remodelling in your head.

    Start with your living room.  Move the
    furniture around in your head. Try and imagine
    what the furniture will look like in different
    places.  What will fit where?

    If it’s not too difficult physically move the
    furniture to the places you imagined and see if
    you were right.  Did that table fit in that corner
    and so on.

    Another very useful exercise you can do is to
    make models of the structures you are trying to
    visualise.  You don’t have to get all fancy with
    it and it doesn’t have to be pretty.  You can use
    pipe cleaners and card bord boxes or anything you
    find it easy to work with.

    I once had a student that was convinced she was
    ‘no good at art’ and so couldn’t make models.  We
    talked about it and focused on what she thought
    she WAS good at.  Eventually she admitted she was
    good at cooking.  So after a little persuasion she
    went on to make some fantastic models made out of
    food.

    And finally get yourself a copy of Edward
    Muntinga’s DVD.  He has packed it with some
    excellent animated 3D models of the structures we
    work with.
    http://www.3dcranio.com/
    it will help a lot.

    So that’s it for this issue.

    Till the next time.

    Your Mate,

    John D.

  • Cranio Sacral Therapist and Student Newsletter 29

    November 22 – 2007

    Questions and comments for this issue:

    + Cranio sacral therapy on FaceBook.
    + Working with energy.
    + Reframing.
    + Cerebral palsy and the blueprint
    + More on the arachnoid mater from Al Pelowski in South Africa.

    Hello John,
    If you were one of the many therapists that
    sent me your profiles to have them listed, then
    have a look here to see I got everything right.
    Right picture, right spelling, right on man! (or
    Woman!)
    http://www.open-source-cranio.com/therapists/listing.html

    Speaking of right on women, Rene from New
    Zealand let me know about a cranio sacral therapy
    group on Face book.  I’ve had a look and think it
    is a spiffing idea.  It’s great to be able to put
    faces to names and connect with fellow therapists
    across the world.

    Yes, it is a bit of a pain signing up and
    creating a profile but worth it, no?
    http://www.facebook.com/

    Now. . .
    . . . this newsletter is slightly different to
    others in that half the content is on my website.
    The reason for this is the inclusion of video and
    images.

    The first article is about how I use energy
    when I am working and includes a detailed diagram
    of energy flow.  There is also an amazing video
    illustrating how you can work with high levels of
    energy and not have it affect you.  Be a good egg
    and let me know what you think.
    You can read it here.

    The second article is about how to use
    reframing to help you when you hit a wall in
    practice or study.  In fact you can use reframing
    in all aspects of your life.  The article starts
    off with a great little video which illustrates
    the power of a reframe.
    You can read it here.

    I’ll wait while you go and have a look at them.

    Finished?

    Okay then, let’s get on with the mailbag.

    ***QUESTION***

    Hi John

    I would like to know a bit more about working with
    Cerebral Palsy. What is the best approach?  Is
    there any chance for the person to recover some of
    their functions or is it too much to ask to the
    body? I suppose it requires to go back to the blue
    print. Your comments about the blue print in the
    last newsletter were very interesting. My only
    problem is that I am a kinaesthetic kind of person
    and images don’t talk to me very much. Could you
    tell me how the blue print feels so I know that
    what I feel under my hands is the blueprint or
    something else. This would be very useful for me.
    Thank you.
    Odile, Brisbane.

    Odile Grisel

    Home

    MY COMMENTS:

    Hello Odile,
    Thank you for your email.

    I have had some good success with cerebral
    palsy and I’ve had some no-change-at-all’s.  When
    I think about what was common among the successes
    the main thing was that the people were young.
    Under 3yrs old.

    When treating cerebral palsy I generally find
    myself working with the nervous system.  From the
    hemisphere of the brain involved out to the
    periphery.  Following the nerves, working to
    enhance the integrity where it is diminished.

    I have heard some therapists say they find lots
    of limb unwinding very useful to unlock the
    central restrictions.  I haven’t found that myself
    but pass it on in case you find it useful.

    I never think of treatment in terms of, ‘Is
    this too much to ask of the body?’  At this stage
    I have seen so many apparent ‘miracles’ that I
    know the body is capable of anything.  So it is
    never a case of CAN this happen but more a case of
    IS it going to happen?

    It can often be a blueprint problem, which
    leads me to your second question about describing
    what the blueprint feels like without using
    images.

    I had to put my thinking cap on for that one.
    Here’s what I got.  To me, the blueprint feels
    very whispy and mist-like, but not moist. It feels
    like touching a smoke ring that pulses with
    flexion and extension and releases like solid
    tissue.

    Phew!  Okay I’m going to take my thinking cap
    off now because my head is hurting.

    ***FOLLOW ON COMMENT FROM AL PELOWSKI***

    Hallo John and thanks for the latest issue!
    Gets me going on my deck in early morning Joburg
    visualising teacups…

    I especially wanted to comment, to give a
    different slant on what you said about the spider
    web mother.

    So here goes.  Let me know what you think of this
    version.

    Starting with the nervous system’s generative
    membrane, the ependyma, all else follows.

    Leaving out the details..just remember that most
    membranes grow in a doubling process.  They grow
    with a potential space between.  The space is
    where canals and tissues form.

    The primitive ependyma lining the neural tube is
    doubled.  The inner layer keeps its name but the
    other layer becomes the pia between the two layers.
    Ependymal cells differentiate to form the brain &
    spinal cord.  The pia also doubles to form a
    potential space for blood–pia intima and  pia
    externa, it provides a capillary network for the
    brain.

    Some bits of pia are left in the ventricles bound
    up with the ependyma  and together form the
    choroid plexi the outer layer of pia, the ‘pia
    externa’ is doubled as well its outer layer
    becomes the arachnoid between are pulled out fine
    reticulin fibres–the spider web the arachnoid
    sprouts little cauliflower-like buds as it grows-
    granulations.

    The ependyma, pia and arachnoid grow out of each
    other and are referred  to as the ‘leptomeninges’
    in many texts.  They are epethelia–derived from
    the zygote wall they are closely related to the
    inner linings of organs and to the epidermis all
    epithelia share a wide variety of peptides and
    receptors.

    “As the inside, so the outside.”  Gut / brain /
    skin growing more slowly along with the rest of
    the body, the dura is not  epithelial, but
    connective tissue related to bone and blood.  it
    comes to form the fascial sac around the arachnoid
    mater.

    A whole different animal.   It doesn’t need to bath
    itself in CSF.  But it too is a doubled membrane
    and its potential space becomes canalised for
    venous blood.  The arachnoid graulations become
    surrounded by and incorporated into the inner
    layer of dura as it grows.

    The granulations (like the choroid) contain highly
    specialised cells which are involved in transport.
    some cells can move waste out of the CSF into the
    venous return.  Others will to abstracting
    material from the blood into the CSF.

    All this gets more interesting when you see how
    the 4th ventricle foramina form as the ependymal-
    pial separation occurs.  the whole thing is
    designed to link qualities of blood and CSF
    without haphazard mixing.

    The leptomeninges can only survive and function in
    the amniotic-CSF environment, inside and out.  The
    dura doesn’t mind blood at all and never comes
    into touch with CSF.

    Keep it up

    Al

    >>>MY COMMENTS:

    Thanks for that Al, you describe things real sweet.

    So that’s it for this issue.

    Cheerio for now.

    Till the next time.

    Your Mate,

    John D.

  • Cranio Sacral Therapist and Student Newsletter 30

    December 24 – 2007

    Questions and comments for this issue:

    + Terry Collinson on Stillness Trainings
    + Is fibromyalgia similar to chronic fatigue?
    + How do I get a mentor?
    + Question about shingles.

    Hello John,

    Apparently it’s the season to be jolly – I
    didn’t realise I was out of step the rest of the
    year.  If you know what I’m supposed to be doing
    in the other seasons, can you let me know.

    So in the spirit of the season, here’s a little
    gift for you. john@wellnessda.com

    No, don’t thank me, it’s all part of the
    service and as I said ’tis the season.  Why is
    everything to do with Christmas in Olde English?
    ‘Hark, tis the postman.  I see him on yonder
    hill.’

    Anyway pop that little beauty, john@wellnessda.com
    in your email address books and when I send you
    updates from my Wellness Detective Agency they
    won’t bounce off your spam filter and you will
    actually get them.

    Updates from my what I hear you ask.  Well the
    notion of being your own Wellness Detective is
    gathering momentum and to keep up with it my
    website has become a resource for people who are
    taking responsibility for their health and
    happiness.

    It starts with adopting the perspective that
    nothing in your life happens by accident. If
    nothing is random then everything is a clue.  As
    well as the Wellness Detective Agency email
    updates, in the New Year I will be releasing audio
    and video segments too.
    http://www.WellnessDA.com/

    Speaking of gift giving, if you are looking for
    a present for the person who has everything, then
    you could always about get them a personal genome
    map.  All you need is a swab from the inside of
    the mouth and $1000 USD. https://www.23andme.com/

    Aw, you shouldn’t have.  No really, you
    shouldn’t have.

    Anyhu, let’s get on with the
    mailbag.  The first letter is from Terry Collinson
    of stillness trainings.  I really like the way she
    talks about the training she teaches with Brendan
    Pitwood from New Zealand.

    ***TERRY’S LETTER***

    Hi John,

    Lovely to hear from you. Hope all is well with you
    and your new life in Ireland.

    Our training (Stillness Trainings) began early
    this year with 12 wonderful students.  They are
    loving the teaching and the work and Brendan and I
    are heartened with our efforts and with the way it
    is all going.

    We put in place so many aspects to nurture and
    support the students learning and process, as well
    as that of the teaching team.  As you know the
    teaching is of the ‘biodynamic’ approach, but we
    also keep it very pure and true to Paul’s teaching
    of Resonance, plus our development or deepening of
    being in relationship from Brendan’s training with
    Ray Castellino (pre and perinatal psychology).

    We are lucky to have four assistants who graduated
    in Australia with Resonance Trainings – Sarah,
    Tanya, Michelle and Glenn.  We spend two days
    before each seminar to grow ourselves as a team
    and our own process so that we are ‘healthy’ and
    bonded and are able to deeply support each other
    and so then the group.

    Because of our course/school accreditation with
    PACT we have added nutrition to the teaching, and
    we decided to add applied pathology throughout the
    course, which as added a great dimension to the
    work we had not foreseen.

    Thank you for your encouragement and support to go
    ahead and teach what I/we have to offer.

    with love
    Terry

    ***QUESTION***

    Hello John

    Your website is simply brilliant! I don’t know why
    I hadn’t seen it before.

    I am a newly qualified craniosacral therapist
    (biodynamic model) and the info on the student
    newsletter is very helpful. I have a new client
    with Fiobromyalgia and wondered what tips you had
    for working with this?

    I feel this condition is similar in some respects
    to chronic fatigue ME with the reduced thresholds.
    I have a sense that facilitated segments also have
    a role here.

    Working with stillness is so wonderful but this
    isn’t always possible initially as the person and
    their system needs to be met where they are.

    I qualified in July and want to develop my skills
    and experience by doing an apprenticeship of sorts
    by working alongside a very skilled and
    experienced CST practitioner. I have been trying
    to find a host practitioner to do this in the UK
    but my enquiries have drawn a blank as people
    appear not to want anyone else within their client
    space. I am a CSTA UK member.

    Any suggestions please?

    Do you do any student mentoring yourself?

    I look forward to your reply.

    Many thanks for a very useful website.

    DP
    U.K.

    MY COMMENTS:

    Thank you for your kind words about my
    websites.  I’m glad you found them helpful.

    I have found often the root of Fibromyalgia can
    be located in the cerebro spinal fluid itself.  It
    has a particular quality to it.  A bit like static
    electricity or fizz in the cerebro spinal fluid.
    When the person has an ‘attack’ this static-fizz
    quality can be felt radiating out along the nerve
    pathways, particularly the intercostal nerves.

    I have found the underlying root cause can be
    similar to chronic fatigue in so much as they both
    put the persons life on hold.

    The similarity stops there as the mechanics feel
    different to me.  Fibromyalgia has a much more
    aggressive quality.  There is usually a lot of
    pain involved and this sets up a very different
    dynamic within the person than chronic fatigue.

    As I think about the people I have treated with
    Fibromyalgia, what they all have in common is that
    the root cause has nearly always been very core.
    So while it important to work with the physical
    and emotional expressions of the disharmony,
    without addressing the core issue, the results
    will be temporary at best.

    I know – core stuff – heavy jelly – who needs
    it?  Such is our work.  Best not to resist it and
    know that if you couldn’t help they wouldn’t have
    come to you.
    How’s that for a double negative.

    In relation to your mentoring question, I think
    most practitioners will be reluctant to allow you
    to be in their room when they are working.  This
    is because they have heard about all you and let’s
    face it, you’re trouble!

    Just kidding, couldn’t resist.  They will be
    reluctant because of the intimate nature of the
    work and the trust that builds up between the
    therapist and patient.

    One way around this is for you to bring the
    experienced practitioner into YOUR session.  Bring
    a patient to their rooms and work with them as
    they tune into what you are doing.

    You can do this in two ways.  You can bring
    someone you have been practicing on.  Someone who
    is NOT ill.  You can get feedback about specific
    techniques from your mentor as you are doing the
    technique.  You can use this way to get feedback
    about any aspect of your practice that you are
    unsure about.   Obviously the person you bring
    will need to be very comfortable with hearing
    where you need improvement.

    Don’t bring a fellow student or therapist.  I
    have found that their intention makes it very hard
    to assess what is going on.  For example, if you
    are getting feedback about your frontal lift, then
    person’s intention will be involved immediately in
    lifting their frontal bone.  For that reason it is
    better to bring someone who knows nothing about
    cranio.

    The second way is to use your mentor as a
    ‘second opinion.’  For this you would be bringing
    one of your own patients.  You can get your
    mentors help in a couple of different ways.  They
    can tune into the person and help you deepen and
    enhance your sense of what the root cause of the
    problem is.

    You can have your mentor tune in as you treat
    the person.

    You can treat the person and have your mentor
    work with you as your assistant.

    You can have your mentor be the lead therapist
    and you act as their assistant.

    In all the different permutations of this
    second way the common thing is that you don’t
    discuss the person in front of them.

    The only thing your mentor should say to the
    person is to confirm whichever aspect of your
    treatment are going in the right direction and add
    the different expanded bits they may want to add.

    Anything else won’t be appropriate.  Talking
    about technique and how you can improve will
    undermine you in the eyes of your patient.

    The thing to remember is that they are your
    patient.  They have come to you because they
    recognise that you can help them.  I don’t mean
    this in a territorial way but more on a larger
    scale about how patients find who they need.

    And yes, I do mentoring.

    Speaking of which, I intend to include a list
    of mentors in addition to the therapist lists  I
    have on my websites.  Being a mentor basically
    means making yourself available for a student on a
    one to one basis.

    You should get paid for it at the very least
    what you charge for treating people.  Time wise
    that is.  Let me know if you are interested in
    being included in the mentor list.

    ***QUESTION***

    I am Training in craniosacral therapy, a friend
    has shingles around the sacrum, in the past she
    had shingles on the brain and almost died. Do you
    suggest any holds or ideas on treatment.
    Thank you M – Australia.

    MY COMMENTS:

    Shingles is one of those conditions that evoke
    the hands thrown up in horror kind of response.
    Like the poor person has got something strange,
    foreign or alien that the rest of us don’t have.

    So just in case you didn’t know – if you’ve had
    chickenpox as a child you will have latent
    varicella zoster virus lying dormant in your
    dorsal root and cranial nerve ganglion.

    Should it become activated it will travel down
    your axon causing a lot of pain along the way and
    finally erupt on the surface of your skin in very
    painful blisters – and at that point it will be
    called shingles.

    SHINGLES!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!

    Once you understand this then you can see that
    the question you need to be asking yourself is why
    has this person’s immune system become so low as
    to allow the reactivation of this virus.

    One thing that can do it is stress.  Physical
    stress like working too much and not playing and
    working some more and still not playing and
    generally being a dull boy.

    What I have seen more often is emotional
    stress.  The kind of impossible emotional dilemma
    sort of stress like being sick of taking care of
    the kids but having no way out.  Hating the job
    but needing the money.  Not wanting to take care
    of the aging parent but not wanting to put them in
    a home either.

    Another useful question to ask yourself is, ‘Of
    all the symptoms this person could have got, why
    did they get such a painful one?’  I’ve never had
    shingles myself but from what I am told and have
    felt, it is very painful.

    The good news is you are in with a winning
    chance from the get go.  As you know cranial work
    has this wonderfully soothing effect on the
    nervous system.  All that focus on the cerebro
    spinal fluid and still points and what not.

    Because shingles is closely involved with the
    nervous system it can respond very quickly.  The
    person should get enough of a relief to think that
    this cranio thing is top notch and will keep
    coming to see you as you both work through the
    deeper, less fun, if I can use that expression,
    reasons why they had these particular symptoms in
    the first place.

    Lastly, a high proportion of people who get
    shingles are over 50.  I bring this to your
    attention because their immune system may simply
    be clapped out from years of abuse.

    That’s it for this issue.  I wish you a very merry
    Christmas and a fantastic new year.

    Cheerio for now.

    Till the next time.

    Your Mate,

    John D.

  • B1.26.0 – The Ventricular System

    << Back to Basics 1 syllabus

    *As with all anatomy I suggest you search for each new term on google then click on the ‘Images’ tab at the top of the page.  Look at as many different pictures of each structure, from as many different angles as you can. Then look at it on the Visible Body. This will help you get a 3 dimensional image of the structure in your head.

    The Ventricular System is a system of cavities and canals deep within the brain and spinal cord. They have a thin membranous lining called the Ependyma.  The whole Ventricular System is filled with Cerebrospinal Fluid. The Ventricular System consists of four ventricles connected by various communicating channels.

    These are:

    ❍ Two lateral Ventricles (1st and 2nd Ventricles) located within the two cerebral hemispheres, each of which communicates via an inter-ventricular foramen to

    ❍ The third Ventricle located between the two Thalami of the brain.
    The Third ventricle communicates inferiorly through the cerebral aqueduct (aqueduct of sylvius) to

    ❍ The fourth Ventricle located between the Cerebellum (posteriorly) and the Pons and Medulla (anteriorly).  The fourth Ventricle is continuous inferiorly with the central canal passing down the centre of the Spinal Cord.

    In the roof of each of the four ventricles are located Choroid Plexi.
    These are filter like structures through which Cerebrospinal Fluid is formed as a filtrate from arterial blood.  Arterial blood enters the Choroid Plexi from the cerebral arteries; then blood cells, proteins and other large particles are filtered out (remaining in the blood).  The pure colourless fluid that filters through this Choroid Plexi into the Ventricular System is Cerebrospinal Fluid.

    HOW DOES CEREBROSPINAL FLUID GET OUT OF THE VENTRICULAR SYSTEM?

    In the posterior and lateral walls of the fourth ventricle are three foramina –

    The Foramen of Magendie (medial aperture), posteriorly, and
    Two Foramina of Luschka (lateral apertures), bilaterally.

    Cerebrospinal Fluid flows throughout the Ventricular System. It passes out through the Foramina of Magendie and Luschka into the sub-arachnoid space where it circulates throughout the Sub-arachnoid space around the Brain and Spinal Cord.

    Cerebrospinal Fluid also seeps through the walls of the ventricles into the nerve tissue of the Brain and Spinal Cord.  From the sub-arachnoid space it seeps through the Pia Mater into the tissues of the Brain and Spinal Cord. Cerebrospinal Fluid also seeps out with the peripheral nerves of the spinal cord as they leave the Central Nervous System and travel out to the periphery.

    REABSORBTION
    Cerebrospinal Fluid is eventually returned to the blood via the Arachnoid Villi which protrude from the sub-arachnoid space through to the Superior Sagittal Sinus of the Brain. It re-joins the Venous blood which then drains from the Venous Sinuses via the Internal Jugular Vein to be returned to the heart.

    So the direction of flow is,

    • Arterial blood is pumped into the Choroid Plexi in the roofs of the Ventricles where it is filtered into cerebrospinal fluid.
    • The lateral ventricles drain into the Third Ventricle via Inter-ventricular foramina.
    • The third ventricle drains into the Aqueduct of Sylvius to the Forth Ventricle.
    • It is in the Fourth Ventricle that the cerebrospinal fluid leaves the ventricles and enters the sub arachnoid space via the foramina of Luschka and Magendie. (It also travels down the central canal of the spinal cord.)
    • It travels throughout the sub arachnoid space.
    • Some of it seeps out with the peripheral nerves and is reabsorbed as an extracellular fluid.
    • The bulk of it is reabsorbed by the arachnoid granulations of the arachnoid villi. These transform it into Venous blood as they deposit it into the Venous sinuses, particularly the superior sagittal sinus.

    << Back to Basics 1 syllabus

  • Sciatica

    + Which technique should I use? – September 05

    + Comment from Al Pelowski, principal tutor with The South
    African Institute of Cranial Studies. on sciatica- October 05


    Hi John,
    Found your web site very useful and your URL easy to remember.
    I use it as my virtual business card. I have been treating a man in
    his late fifties with sciatica. I have had some success but feel I
    could achieve more.

    Can you recommend any techniques that you have found
    particularly useful for sciatica?
    Thanks
    J.P.
    Brisbane.

    >>>MY COMMENTS:

    Glad you like the site.
    I’m going to answer your question in two parts. Let me start by
    saying no one technique is ‘the’ technique for ANYTHING.

    Techniques are ways we get a handle on the bigger picture.
    And the biggest picture is what you need to be available for.
    I am putting it like that because describing it as ‘looking’ for
    the biggest picture is way too active, eager, inefficient and INTURSIVE.
    You need to ask yourself, what is really going on here?
    Why has this person got these particular symptoms?
    Why are the symptoms in this configuration?
    What’s the root cause of this situation?

    Symptoms generally manifest physically, meaning they show up
    in the person’s body.  But that doesn’t mean the CAUSE of those
    symptoms is exclusively physical.

    Often EMOTIONAL issues will express themselves as physical symptoms.
    It doesn’t just stop there, often the root cause of what is going
    on has a physical component, caused by an emotional component
    but the root cause is not emotional it is something DEEPER.

    That may sound spooky or kooky to you depending on your slant
    but I have seen it time and again, where the root cause was deeper
    than physical and emotional issues.

    How can that be?

    Let’s go through it one layer at a time.
    Physical problems.
    These problems are characterised by very physical causes and
    descriptions,  ‘The tentorium cerebelli is pulled inferiorly here,
    causing pressure there . . .etc’.
    Regardless of the source of a pattern of a restriction, it will show
    up physically.  Becoming accurate in identifying the extent and
    complexity of physical restrictions takes a lot of practice and is
    a prerequisite for working with the deeper causes.

    Emotional issues/causes.
    Restrictions in the emotional aspect of the person can have causes
    like, a person may need to leave a partner or job or it may be an old
    emotional abuse.
    Emotional restrictions are more difficult to identify accurately
    because it’s very easy to start theorising about the person’s problems
    instead of simply receiving the information from the person’s body in
    the same way you do with physical patterns.

    Core problems
    These relate to how the person sees themselves in their lives, their
    relationship with themselves, with God, with their idea of God.
    A feeling that they’re off track.
    And no, you don’t need to know what their track is.
    Core problems can feel like fundamental disharmonies within the
    person.  They are the hardest to perceive because they are so deep
    in the person.
    Your ability to see and work with these core issues comes with lots
    of practice and humility.
    Their revelation occurs in the dynamic between you and the person
    and what you have to offer each other.

    Are you with me?

    It generally works its way through the layers something like this.
    A disharmony in a person’s core will affect them emotionally and
    in turn affect them physically.
    For example someone might think they are fundamentally bad.
    This could manifest emotionally as anxiety and paranoia, which
    could manifest physically as headaches and chronic fatigue.
    The skill comes in being able to assess where the root cause of
    the problem is.

    Before you go charging off into the great mystery, let me add this.
    It can be as easy to go the other way and start looking for deep
    emotional and core issues as the root cause of a purely physical
    problem.

    ‘I just twisted my knee Mate!’

    Now the second part of my answer is purely physical.
    There are lots of different ways of creating sciatica.
    It’s a pain, which means there have to be nerves involved.
    The pain generally is in the lower back and travels down one
    leg or the other, sometimes both.

    Have a look at, [in books and with your hands] the lumbar plexus,
    the sacral plexus.  How are the nerves on both sides of the spinal
    column as they leave the vertebral foramina?

    Scan the nerves up as far as the thoraco-lumbar junction.
    Remember tight membranes can pull vertebrae together and pinch nerves.
    Consider how long the person has been getting the pain?
    Getting a sense of when and how the pattern of restriction was formed.
    So, look particularly at the dural tube.
    How are the membranes running?
    Most particularly how is the cerebro spinal fluid moving?
    Find ways to help it come into a harmonious flow.
    It’s all about flow.

    Top

    ***COMMENT FROM AL PELOWSKI***
    – On additional physical causes of sciatica.

    John,
    Some of the rootlets of the sciatic nerve pass through the psoas
    muscle – a noted emotional contractor- – slightly bent over posture,
    unable to fully extend hips without pain, affected leg externally rotated.
    Another sciatica tip: usually on right side, I-C Valve, Caecum.

    Yet other possibilities: Leg length differences, real bony differences,
    or more likely due to rotations in the leg from protecting an old sprained
    ankle or twisted knee — most commonly external rotation in the foot
    where there has been damage to the ankle lateral colateral ligaments
    — resulting in compression of the S-I joint and thus irritation of the epineuria.
    “from the ankle joint to the knee joint…etc” Remember the tune?

    Yo. Ta for newsletter. Much food for reflection
    A

    >>>MY COMMENTS:

    Thanks Al. All very useful places to look for the mechanics of
    the physical manifestation of sciatica.

  • B1.11.0 – The Cranio Sacral Sysytem overview.

    << Back to Basics 1 syllabus

    *As with all anatomy I suggest you search for each new term on google then click on the ‘Images’ tab at the top of the page. Look at as many different pictures of each structure, from as many different angles as you can. Then look at it on the Visible Body. This will help you get a 3 dimensional image of the structure in your head.

    The cranio sacral system is a physiological system within the body. Along with the Respiratory and Cardio-Vascular systems, it forms one of the three primary life systems.

    The Cranio Sacral System consists of –
    ❍ Fluids
    ❍ Membranes
    ❍ Fascia
    ❍ Bones

    Each is a recognised anatomical structure but outside Cranio Sacral Therapy they are not treated as one integrated system.

    CEREBRO SPINAL FLUID

    A clear colourless fluid which surrounds and bathes the central nervous system, creating the environment within which the brain and spinal cord grow, develop and function. It provides nutrition and drainage for the brain and spinal Cord also. It is in continuous motion, as any stagnation would undermine the brain and nervous
    system.

    Cerebro spinal Fluid is produced in hollow spaces at the centre of the brain called ventricles and circulates throughout the membrane system.

    THE MEMBRANE SYSTEM

    Containing the cerebrospinal fluid is a tough waterproof sack made up of three membranous layers called the meninges which surround the brain and spinal cord. The meninges have horizontal infoldings in the cranium which separate the cerebrum from the cerebellum called the Tentorium Cerebelli and a vertical infolding called the Falx Cerebri and Falx Cerebelli which divide the right and left hemispheres of the Cerebrum and cerebellum respectively.

    THE FASCIA

    Fascia is a connective tissue which forms a continuous sheath throughout the body from the top of the head to the soles of the feet. It envelops every organ, nerve, blood vessel, muscle and indeed every structure throughout the body.

    This continuous fascial sheath forms a close connection to the meninges at the point where each peripheral nerve emanates from the spinal cord. As the spinal nerves penetrate the Dura they pull some of the Dura with them and this blends into the fascial sheath which covers the spinal nerve on its journey. This transition point from membrane to fascia is called the epineurium. It is one of the ways the Cranio Sacral Rhythm is translated to the rest of the body

    BONES

    The meninges are closely attached to the bones of the Cranium and also to the 2nd and 3rd Cervical Vertebrae (C2 and C3) and to the Sacrum and Coccyx. The outer layer of the Dura is so closely attached to the bones of the Cranium that it forms a periosteum or inner lining to these bones.

    Consequently, all the bones to which the membranes attach must inevitably follow any motion exhibited by the membrane, expanding and contracting in accordance with the membrane and reflecting every pull or tension within the membrane system.

    << Back to Basics 1 syllabus