Alternative Therapies: The Art Form Of Cranial Sacral Therapy

Dr.William Garner Sutherland was a deeply spiritual man and described the foundation of this work as the Breath of Life. He took this concept from the Book of Genesis 2:7. This acknowledgement of the vital force, became the fundamental aspect of osteopathic philosophy. His epic journey began with the concept of bony expansion based on his observation of the shape of the temporal bones, which are beveled like a fish. It was as controversial then as it is now, but his mentor, Dr. Andrew Still, the founder of the first Osteopathic school in Kirksville , Missouri, shared his vision and supported his journey.

My studies of craniosacral therapy began in the mechanical model. Then I moved into the biodynamic model. The three systems are called mechanical, functional, and biodynamic. The biodynamic system is comprised of the spine, its cranial sutures, the fascia of the body, and its diaphragms. The cerebral spinal fluid moves through the spinal cord in a semi closed hydraulic system; the amount of intervention changes the name of the system. The mechanical model has the most intervention, the functional has less, and a biodynamic the least amount of intervention.

Dr. Sutherland’s work at first, was largely rejected by the mainstream osteopathic profession. He began to teach this work to other osteopaths from about the 1930s until his death in 1954. Craniosacral therapy comes under attack even today because it lacks supposed authenticity and offers no scientific support. I find this laughable, Dr. Rollin Becker, DO, was Dr. Sutherland’s most accomplished protege, who quit his normal practice of osteopathy after 20 years, to spend the last 35 years of his practice performing nothing but craniosacral osteopathy. His work was founded on its efficacy to deal with a myriad of painful issues. He would have been out of business if it didn’t work!

Remember when people said the earth was flat. Shamans have used methods that were unsubstantiated for thousands of years. Just think about Copernicus and Galileo, look what happened to them. Disbelievers are always looking for some reason to disbelieve. I have made a wonderful living without the benefit of third party insurance I can assure you that it’s happened only because of the efficacy of the work. I am not one of these alternative therapists who believe it’s important to throw out the baby with the bathwater. I do believe that all strong spokes make up the most efficient wheel and there are too many wonderful benefits of modern medicine to throw it out. Only an idiot holds that doctrine. Conversely, the modern medical system needs to pay more attention to alternative medicine that works beautifully for so many chronic pain issues and complaints.

“To be still and know” is the mindset of the biodynamic approach of craniosacral therapy. Toward the end of Dr. Sutherland’s journey, he began to feel a power which was generated deeply within the body’s own tissues. This power had the intelligence to make decisions much more profoundly than any external force that was applied by a practitioner. This discovery changed the entire treatment focus. It went from subtle touch to spiritual reverence. His lifetime work influenced Dr. Rollin Becker, Dr. James jealous and Franklyn Sills in the UK with whom I studied with for two years. Now, hundreds of thousands of people practice the legacy of Dr. William Garner Sutherland.

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