Many of you in your journey of healing have heard about the discipline of Cranial Sacral Therapy. Some of you may have even had a rudimentary exposure in your massage school training. Let’s talk a bit about about the origins of this splendid work. Cranial Osteopathy was first introduced by William Garner Sutherland D.O. (1873-1954) over a century ago. His journey began when he noticed that the cranial sutures of the temporal bones were “beveled like the gills of a fish” indicating the ability to allow for expanding and contracting movements with the parietal bones. His conversations about this discovery with his mentor, Dr. Andrew Stills, the founder of the first osteopathic school in America, began the odyssey that we now call craniosacral therapy. Both men believed the system was “designed to breath”. He called this breathing movement, the primary respiratory mechanism. The idea that the bones of the skull could move, was contrary to contemporary anatomical belief then, as it is today by some scientists and medical practitioners. Dr. Sutherland was a deeply spiritual man and later described the origin of the wave inherent in the cranial sacral system, the “Breath of Life”, from the Book of Genesis 2:7. This was an acknowledgement of the vital force as a fundamental aspect of osteopathic philosophy.
The cranial system is a semi-closed, hydraulic system comprised of the spine, the skull, its cranial sutures, diaphragms, fascia of the body and the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) which flows through the spinal cord and then exists the foramina of the vertebrae and into the interstitial fluid. By coming into contact and awareness in a reflective manner, the therapist is able to create a homeostatic response within their client’s nervous systems. [Read more…]