Cranial Sacral Therapy: The 110 Year Old Art Form
Cranial Osteopathy was originated by the Osteopathic physician, William Garner Sutherland D.O. (1873-1954). His 54 year epic journey began when, through Divine Providence, he notice that the cranial sutures of the temporal bones were “beveled like the gills of a fish” indicating the ability for movement with the parietal bones. this articulation allowed for expansion and contraction. His conversations about this discovery with his mentor Dr. Andrew Stills, the founder of the osteopathic school in Missouri, began his epic journey into the world of Cranial sacral therapy. Both men believed that the cranial system was “designed to breath”. He called this breathing movement the primary respiratory mechanism. This idea that the bones of the skull could move was contrary to contemporary anatomical belief, then and today by some scientist and medical practitioners. Dr. Sutherland was a deeply spiritual man and later described the foundation of the system as the Breath of Life from the Book of Genesis 2:7. This acknowledgement of the vital force became a fundamental aspect of osteopathic philosophy.
Dr. William Garner first began investigating this semi-closed hydraulic cranial sacral system in 1901. The three systems of cranial work are called mechanical, the functional and biodynamic model. They are comprised of the spine, the skull, its cranial sutures, diaphragms, and the fascia of the body. The cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) moves through the spinal cord and body.The Mechanical model is the most dramatic. The functional moves on to less intervention. And the biodynamic is the least amount of intervention. My own studies began with motion testing of the Mechanical model and then moved on to the biodynamic model.
Dr. William Garner Sullivan began teaching his work in the 1930s until his death in 1954. His work was rejected by mainstream science and it is still rejected today by many, regardless of the fact that over 100,000 people have been trained by Dr. John Upledger’s Institute alone. There are literally hundreds of thousands of positive testimonials to the benefit of craniosacral therapy. Although there is no hard scientific support for this powerful model of healing, I find it the support issue laughable. In my own practice, thousands of people have found relief from many different ailments, including TMJ, back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel etc. Dr. Rollin Becker was Dr. Sutherland’s top protege. He practiced osteopathy for 20 years. After those two decades, he only practiced cranial osteopathy for 35 years because of its efficacy. People do not pay us unless it works.
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.
Learn more about craniosacral therapy. Stop by Judah Lyons’s site where you can find out all about massage and what it can do for you.
