<< Back to Basics 1 syllabus

The purpose of including meditation in your cranio sacral training is to help you become familiar with your inner state or landscape.

In that way you can begin to differentiate between what you are receiving from the person you are treating and what is just you.

Think of it like this.
You are sitting in front of a big wide screen TV.
The channel keeps changing but that doesn’t matter because you find everything interesting. Behind you there is a small colour TV but you can’t turn around to look at it. You can hear what’s on the small TV but you can’t make it out because the noise from the TV in front of you is obscuring it.

Are you with that image so far? You are facing the big TV with the little TV behind you.

Every now and then, when the screen on the big TV goes dark, you can make out something of the little TV as it reflected in the darkened screen of the big TV.

Let me explain: The big TV is your body – mind etc, your system. The little TV is the patient’s system.

You want to be able to see their system – the show on the little TV – as accurately as you can.

So the obvious thing to do is turn off the big TV, then in the empty screen and without the sound, it is much easier to see what is happening on the little TV as it is reflected on the darkened screen of the big TV.

Learning to meditate is like learning how to turn off your TV. You need to be able to reduce your internal static. What you are left with is a sort of inner silence into which it is easier to hear any ‘noise’ from the person you are working with.

There will be more about meditation later in the course.
For now it is important to develop the habit.

Here is what to do:

• Set aside 10 minutes morning and evening for meditation practice.
• Find a secluded spot in a quiet room.
• Get yourself a timer of some sort and set it to 10 minutes. ( Having a timer gives you one less thing to think about when you are meditating.)
• Sit in a not too comfortable chair. (if it is too comfortable you may fall asleep. Don’t meditate lying down for the same reason.)
• Make sure your back is straight and you are not slouching.
• Close your eyes and take a couple of deep breaths.
• Starting at your toes check through your body for any tension you may be holding. If you find any let it go.
• Remember to breath.
• Turn off any internal conversations, monitoring or narration you might be engaged in.
• Allow your mental screen to go blank.
• Remember to breath.
• Whenever you find yourself thinking turn off any internal conversations, monitoring or narration you might be engaged in.
• Allow your mental screen to go blank.
• Remember to breath.
• Continue like this until you timer goes off.

<< Back to Basics 1 syllabus

February 13 -2009

Questions and comments for this issue:

+ Questions about meditation and why we need it.
+ Letter from Finland.

Hello,

I’m happy to report that the folks at the University
of Michigan are continuing their pioneering tradition.
You might remember that they were involved in a lot of
the early work John Upledger did on cranio sacral therapy.

This time a group of researchers, led by chemistry
professor Raoul Kopelman have done some very interesting
work quantifying the inherent energy fields of cells.
This is no news to us but I always like to see science
finding ways of measuring and proving what we do.

I particularly like the bi-line for the article -
“Individual cells have INTERNAL electric fields – as
powerful as LIGHTNING bolts”

Very 1950′s sci-fi movie don’t you think. You can
read the full article here:

Speaking of shockers, let me also direct you to the
cranio sacral poetry of Imur Ton.  Imur is a veteran
cranio sacral and massage therapist. He has written
poems about his experience and put them on his website.

Now before you get all dewy eyed and run off to
indulge in a bit of cranial iambic pentameter let me
warn you Imur’s peoms are not for the fainted hearted.
As he says himself, ‘Please put on your seat belt
and find something solid to hold onto.’ This is
honesty at point blank range with both barrels.

Enjoy the ride.  Here’s my favorite.

Zoë Grivas from Australia has been in touch with me
about her treatment table. She is selling it.  It is
an Athlegen powerlift table.  It is the same type as
the one I use but with a lot more folding table panels.
I like mine so much I shipped it to Ireland when I moved.
I have posted the details about Zoë’s table on the forum
you can have a look at it here.

Before we get into the rest of the newsletter
let me make a quick appeal. If you have been watching the news
about the bush fires in Australian and you would like to help
in some way, I encourage you to go here and donate.

That said let’s get on with the mailbag.

***QUESTIONS ABOUT MEDITATION***

I’ve had a number of letters about meditation and
why it was needed as part of the process of learning
cranial work so I’ll answer them all here.

The purpose of including meditation in your cranio
sacral training is to help you become familiar with
your inner state or landscape.

In that way you can begin to differentiate between
what you are receiving from the patient and what is
just you.

Think of it like this.
You’re sitting in front of a big wide screen TV.
The channel keeps changing but that doesn’t matter
because you find everything interesting.  Behind you
there is a small colour TV but you can’t turn around
to look at it.  You can hear what’s on the small TV
but you can’t make it out because the noise from the
TV in front of you is obscuring it.

Are you with that image so far. You’re facing the
big TV with the little TV behind you.

Every now and then, when the screen on the big
TV goes dark, you can make out something of the little
TV as it reflected in the darkened screen of the big TV.

Now let me explain this brilliant metaphor.
Okay, this metaphor.  The big TV is your body – mind etc,
your system.  The little TV is the patient’s system.

You want to be able to see their system – the show
on the little TV -  as accurately as you can.

So the obvious thing to do is turn off the big TV,
then in the empty screen and without the sound, it is
much easier to see what is happening on the little TV
as it is reflected on the darkened screen of the
big TV.

Learning to meditate is like learning how to turn off
your TV. You need to be able to reduce your internal
static.  What you are left with is a sort of inner
silence into which it is easier to hear any ‘noise’
from the person you are working with.

Cultivating that inner silence is important because it
is the secret weapon of cranio sacral therapy.

Sure, it’s important to be able to talk with patients
about why they might be sick and so on.

But for some people talking can only make things worse.
They can have so many concepts floating around in their
head that talking can be like throwing petrol on the fire.

You can get a sense of this when you are taking
their case history.  They will usually have been sick
for some time and have seen quite a few other therapists
and they will have a number of theories floating around
in their heads as to why they are ill.  You can tell
that with each new ‘helpful’ perspective you offer
they go deeper into confusion.

That’s when silence really works. They get on
the table and you begin to work.  You might chat
with them but you don’t initiate it or keep it
going.  Eventually silence descends and in that
silence, and the depths of your work, changes
percolate to the surface from the depths of them.

Over time, deep changes occur and no one talks
about it. Sometimes they will tell you an insight
they may have had and it will usually have a deep
ring of truth to it.

What do you think about the role of silence
and meditation in cranial work?

***FROM ANU IN FINLAND***

Hello John,

Great to see how much work you have done to make
CST better known.
How did you end up into “CST-world”?

I moved back to Finland from the UK in Februari 2008
(I lived in London and Windsor for almost three years)
and I’m so anxious to let every single person in this
country to know about the power of this gentle, amazing
approach!! I started to learn CST in London 2006 and
have carried on since, been to Florida and North
Carolina to learn more.

My inspiration initially was my cousin who currently
lives in the US and has been practicing CST for…
at least 15years more or less. But the main force
that made me sign myself in to take a workshop was
after a personal injury (proper car accident/whiplash)
in 2005. I was treated by an amazing therapist in
London and one day I told her I think I just have
to start learning CST and she encouraged me. I know
now that I found something I was meant to find, the
important piece for me personally and certainly
professionally had been missing.

I hope you have an amazing year 2009 – it will be
an exciting year!

Lots of greetings from Helsinki, Finland!

-Anu

>>>MY COMMENTS:

I think this is a great letter and highlights the many
different ways we come to become cranio sacral therapists.

What is your story ? How did you come
to cranio sacral work?  Let me know and I will include
the best stories in the next newsletter.

Till the next time.

Your Mate,

John D.

+ Chronic Fatigue – looking for the meaning of symptoms. – Nov 06

***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
Australia

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 is 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 is a large 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 they will put their whole lives on hold, if  it is in disharmony, until that disharmony 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.  I know it’s a little
paradoxical.  Someone with chronic fatigue having huge endurance.  But don’t be distracted by the lack of energy issues.  There is plenty of energy in their systems it’s just directed into keeping their lives on hold and there is very little left for the person for having any kind of a life.

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’s 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.

+ Meditation and cranio sacral therapy. – October 05

Hi John
You might not remember me. I did the first
level of the cranio training with you back in
1999. I was wondering if you could help me out.
I belong to a cranio study group down here in
melbourne and we were discussing ways of
centering yourself before a session.

I told them about this amazing meditation
technique that you took us through before we
started every morning. I was wondering if you
could run me through it again so I can share it
with them. It involved putting everything in a
bag.

Cheers V.S. Melbourne.

>>>MY COMMENTS:

Putting everything in the bag is a great
exercise for becoming aware of your presence.
It works best if you use it sparingly otherwise
it looses its impact. So, yeah, I’m very happy
to run through it again for you.

It goes like this.

Have the group sit comfortably with their
eyes closed. Someone will need to lead the
group through the exercise.

They say the following, pausing after each
instruction.

Take a few deep breaths.
Let any mental images you have fade away.
Let any internal dialogues or monitoring
that is going on, fade away.

Now, bring to mind a strong bag.
One with a draw-string.
This is no ordinary bag.
You can fit anything into it.

Now bring to mind your favourite spot in
your home.

Look around at the objects that make up
this spot.

Now, one by one, taking the smallest
objects first, put them in the bag.

If there are any other objects or pieces
of furniture in this area of your home,
put them in the bag too.

Now, bring to mind the room adjacent to
the area you just cleared. Put all the
objects from this room in the bag too.

Bring to mind all the clothing you own.
Put them in the bag.

Bring to mind all the furniture in the
rest of your home. Put it in the bag.

Bring to mind your car. Put it in the
bag.

Bring to mind any other large items you
own like boats or motor bikes etc. Put
them in the bag.

Bring to mind any pets you own. Put them
in the bag.

Bring to mind your extended family,
aunts, uncles, cousins etc. Put them in
the bag.

Bring to mind all your immediate family,
your brothers and sisters, if you have
any. Put them in the bag.

Bring your parents to mind. Put them in
the bag.

Bring to mind your children, if you have
any. Put them in the bag.

Bring to mind your partner. Put them in
the bag.

Bring to mind your home. Put it in the
bag.

Bring to mind the street you live on.
Put it in the bag.

Bring to mind the district you live in.
Put it in the bag.

Bring to mind the city you live in.
Put it in the bag.

Bring to mind the country you live in.
Put it in the bag.

Bring to mind the continent you live on.
Put it in the bag.

Now bring to mind the world. Put it in
the bag.

Bring to mind the solar system.
Put it in the bag.

Bring to mind the galaxy. Put it in the
bag.

Bring to mind the universe. Put it in
the bag.

Now, bring to mind your body and put it
in the bag.

Bring to mind your past. Put it in the
bag.

Bring all your feelings to mind and put
them in the bag.

Bring to mind your personality. Put it
in the bag.

Now.

Tie the string up on the bag, good and
tight. As you look at it, the bag starts
to move away from you, getting smaller as
it does so. Slowly at first but then
quicker as it gets further away.
Eventually it gets so small, it
disappears.

Now, take a moment to reflect.

You have put everything in that bag,
everything you own and love. The universe
you live in. Your body, your feelings and
your most treasured possession, your
personality.

It has all faded away and disappeared.

Gone.

Yet, something remains.

You.

This is your presence.

Take some time luxuriating in the
freedom and simplicity of your presence.

In a moment I am going to ask you to
open your eyes. When you open them stay
in this state.
Don’t start to move around or stretch.
Just include your sense of sight in what
you are registering with your presence.

So, when you are ready, gently open your
eyes.

Allow yourself to stare blankly out into
the world.

Be as simply present as you can.

When you are ready, make eye contact
with the others in the group.

And that’s about it.
Right about now people are usually smiling
at each other.

It’s important NOT to make a definite
transition from, ‘Now I am Meditating.’ to ‘Now
I am not Meditating.’ It’s not a good message
to put in your mind.

Meditation has many effects, one of which is
increased awareness.

Without that definite, meditation ON/OFF
switch, you will find that you become more
aware – generally. It sort of overflows from
your meditation times into your whole life.