What is craniosacral therapy?
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a gentle yet deep form of manipulation work on the body that helps it to re-establish its psychosomatic balance.
We describe it as a Physiological System, because it has its own rhythmic activity, which is maintained throughout every human being’s life, and possibly in every vertebrate animal as well.
This system is made up of the encephalon, the meninges (three membranes called dura mater, arachnoid and pia mater), the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which flows along the brain and the spinal cord; the sacrum, whose movements are synchronised with those of the base of the cranium, the internal structures of the brain and any other that helps us filter and re-absorb the cerebrospinal fluid.
Dr. Upledger (1932-2012), author of Your Inner Physician and You and Somato-Emotional Release, based his work on the cranial principle of the beveled sutures (the junctions between the bones of the skull), which allow the Central Nervous System (CNS) to have intrinsic mobility through the fluctuation of the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF). This fluid transmits movement through the Reciprocal Tension Membrane System (RTM) and, via the dura mater inserted in the sacrum, promotes it throughout the rest of the body.
The Craniosacral System, which is closely linked to the Central Nervous System (CNS), lets us work on the Neuromuscular System (NS), and the Endocrine System (SE), liberating the restraints that may have appeared in the body tissues, in a non-invasive, respectful manner.
Generating and maintaining this flexion/extension movement in a person’s cranium, and managing to transmit it in a strong, ample and symmetrical manner to the rest of the body is really important, as is understanding that its absence is the cause of many an alteration in the human body, and that this can be corrected with the help of these extremely gentle manipulations.
This is a relaxing therapy that helps the body find its own self-healing processes, increasing well-being and vitality.
