Samantha Lotti of Chicago, IL talks about some basic skills of biodynamic work.

0:00 -  5:10 Ryan’s intro – giving thanks, podcast launch report, going global

5:15 – 9:15 Introduces Samantha

9:20 – 15:00 Sam tells her story (in red pajamas.) Cesar Puello's site is here.

16:30 – 30:00  Being comfortable, favorite contacts, fluid body

30:00 -  45:00   Mental management, self-regulation, empowering the client

45:00 – 57:00 When to change contacts, instinct and intellect

58:00 – 1:16:00 Stillness vs. motion, sensory qualities of Primary Respiration, embodiment

1:17:00 - 1:24:00 Communication with client, establishing safety

1:24:00 - 1:28:00  Value of short meditations for clients

5 Minute meditations available here on CD Baby.

itunes (link to come)

Sam's practice site:

www.biodynamichealth.com

Blog: www.biodynamicthought.com

Craniosacral research site: www.craniosacralresearch.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/biodynamichealthsystems

Ryan's video of the class where he met Samantha is here.

www.craniosacralpodcast.com

Samantha Lotti of Chicago, IL talks about some basic skills of biodynamic work.

0:00 -  5:10
Ryan’s intro – giving thanks, podcast launch report, going global

5:15 – 9:15
Introduces Samantha

9:20 – 15:00
Sam tells her story (in red pajamas.) Cesar Puello's site is here.

16:30 – 30:00 
Being comfortable, favorite contacts, fluid body

30:00 -  45:00  
Mental management, self-regulation, empowering the client

45:00 – 57:00
When to change contacts, instinct and intellect

58:00 – 1:16:00
Stillness vs. motion, sensory qualities of Primary Respiration, embodiment

1:17:00 - 1:24:00
Communication with client, establishing safety

1:24:00 - 1:28:00 
Value of short meditations for clients

5 Minute meditations available here on CD Baby.

itunes (link to come)

Sam's practice site:

www.biodynamichealth.com

Blog:
www.biodynamicthought.com

Craniosacral research site:
www.craniosacralresearch.com

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/biodynamichealthsystems

Ryan's video of the class where he met Samantha is here.

www.craniosacralpodcast.com

This episode consists of two excerpts from Judah Lyon's DVD series on Craniosacral Biodynamics, Vol I.

www.lyonsinstitute.com

The first segment is a commentary on the Crystalline Body: 2:35 - 11:05

The second segment is an elaboration on the mindset and experience of the biodynamic practitioner: 11:40 - 27:00

Ryan's synopsis:

The Crystalline Body

When Dr. Sutherland was practicing, as the Breath of Life came into the treatment situation to deliver an event of healing, he described it as liquid light. We now know that connective tissue forms a fluid medium. The collagen fibers that make up the matrix are hollow and filled with fluid that is similar to csf. This is a structured network which forms a fluid-liquid–crystalline matrix that is ordered throughout the body. It responds to frequency and vectors of energy. The vectors may be physical, environmental, emotional, etc. History from any of these vectors is still being organized today. So at times, the client will remember a historical event when a held vector in the crystalline field resolves.

So the collagen fiber field is an assemblage of sheets that form a liquid crystal, very much like a geodesic dome. When force enters the dome, it gets deposited and held somewhere else in the framework. Communication in this network can happen at the speed of light. Communication is immediate and pervasive. Mae Wan Ho, in her book The Rainbow and the Worm: The Physics of Organisms explains the liquid crystalline nature of the body.

So Dr. Sutherland’s experience is being justified in scientific circles today. External vectors are held in density and potential and the whole field is rebalanced as the ordering principle coalesces it in the field forming a protective mechanism. Potency gathers and condenses to center the biokinetic force. The fluids and tissues have to now organize around this force. The resulting response of density in the fluid creates increased density in tissues, and until the original biokinetic forces of crystal memory that created the lesions are released back into the biosphere, suffering remains.

Our job is to assist the body in dealing with inertial forces and help resolve them so the tissues can become more resilient and orient back to the midline and original intention. The energy charged with holding inertia can then be released and used for everyday activities or evolutionary processes.

The Practitioner's Mindset:

There is a mindset that accompanies biodynamic work that separates it from the biomechanical approach. We observe three tides in this model, the most powerful being the Long Tide, which is the Divine Ordering Principle. It can be observed as a 50 second movement into flexion and then 50 seconds in extension. It is observable in many forms of life, as illustrated in the slime mold video from Dr. Seifritz.

It is deep, transformational, and meditative. We often experience love and healing as a byproduct of this awareness.  The long tide helps us to understand the wisdom inherent in creation through a new felt sense and instinctual understanding. When you become aware of the pauses in the Long Tide, you enter very deep meditative states. In these moments we can synchronize deeply with the client and we move from perceiving long tide movement to being moved by it, with it. It is like learning an ancient language that enables us to communicate with the divine ordering principle. It is very special to experience life this way.

We must “get out of the way” in this model of work. We do not grab onto any strata of experience when we move through different tidal states. We need to be careful of any goals we hold while working with the client. Pointed grasping locks us up and is counterproductive in this work. In the beginning we are busy putting labels on things, but we eventually lose that. We become increasingly interest in space, gaps, and stillness. Encountering these sensory realities changes us. It brings us home, but leaves us in mystery. It is powerful.

We search for the health in the system. We aren’t looking for the problem, we are looking for health. Spend some time exploring what life would be like if you just stopped having to have an answer. We work in a different world, it is related to shamanism, not the cultural quicksand of having to have all the answers and comparing ourselves to others. This path leads us to an understanding that love is really the most powerful therapeutic force. The system communicates this to us.

The pauses in the cycles get longer and longer as we practice. It is a lifetime journey. When the Long tide moves our mind, then we become centered in a different rate. It is where our attention is being moved to. Trust the tide and the tide frees the mind. It can then be a humble servant of creation. It changes us down to a cellular vibration. Spending time in the field each day heals us as practitioners. It takes us through our issues and teaches us about ourselves. We become less interested in our flaws, and more interested in holding the space of deep awareness. We need to let go of egotistical grasping, and allow ourselves to be moved by the phenomenon without being caught up in it.

Enjoy this process. Don’t be hard on yourself. Take your time. This isn’t something that you gain in minutes. This is about practice that lasts a lifetime.

This should give you a sense of Judah's teaching style, which I personally find very comfortable.

www.lyonsinstitute.com

This episode consists of two excerpts from Judah Lyon's DVD series on Craniosacral Biodynamics, Vol I.

www.lyonsinstitute.com

The first segment is a commentary on the Crystalline Body: 2:35 - 11:05

The second segment is an elaboration on the mindset and experience of the biodynamic practitioner: 11:40 - 27:00

Ryan's synopsis:

The Crystalline Body

When Dr. Sutherland was practicing, as the Breath of Life came into the treatment situation to deliver an event of healing, he described it as liquid light. We now know that connective tissue forms a fluid medium. The collagen fibers that make up the matrix are hollow and filled with fluid that is similar to csf. This is a structured network which forms a fluid-liquid–crystalline matrix that is ordered throughout the body. It responds to frequency and vectors of energy. The vectors may be physical, environmental, emotional, etc. History from any of these vectors is still being organized today. So at times, the client will remember a historical event when a held vector in the crystalline field resolves.

So the collagen fiber field is an assemblage of sheets that form a liquid crystal, very much like a geodesic dome. When force enters the dome, it gets deposited and held somewhere else in the framework. Communication in this network can happen at the speed of light. Communication is immediate and pervasive. Mae Wan Ho, in her book The Rainbow and the Worm: The Physics of Organisms explains the liquid crystalline nature of the body.

So Dr. Sutherland’s experience is being justified in scientific circles today. External vectors are held in density and potential and the whole field is rebalanced as the ordering principle coalesces it in the field forming a protective mechanism. Potency gathers and condenses to center the biokinetic force. The fluids and tissues have to now organize around this force. The resulting response of density in the fluid creates increased density in tissues, and until the original biokinetic forces of crystal memory that created the lesions are released back into the biosphere, suffering remains.

Our job is to assist the body in dealing with inertial forces and help resolve them so the tissues can become more resilient and orient back to the midline and original intention. The energy charged with holding inertia can then be released and used for everyday activities or evolutionary processes.

The Practitioner's Mindset:

There is a mindset that accompanies biodynamic work that separates it from the biomechanical approach. We observe three tides in this model, the most powerful being the Long Tide, which is the Divine Ordering Principle. It can be observed as a 50 second movement into flexion and then 50 seconds in extension. It is observable in many forms of life, as illustrated in the slime mold video from Dr. Seifritz.

It is deep, transformational, and meditative. We often experience love and healing as a byproduct of this awareness.  The long tide helps us to understand the wisdom inherent in creation through a new felt sense and instinctual understanding. When you become aware of the pauses in the Long Tide, you enter very deep meditative states. In these moments we can synchronize deeply with the client and we move from perceiving long tide movement to being moved by it, with it. It is like learning an ancient language that enables us to communicate with the divine ordering principle. It is very special to experience life this way.

We must “get out of the way” in this model of work. We do not grab onto any strata of experience when we move through different tidal states. We need to be careful of any goals we hold while working with the client. Pointed grasping locks us up and is counterproductive in this work. In the beginning we are busy putting labels on things, but we eventually lose that. We become increasingly interest in space, gaps, and stillness. Encountering these sensory realities changes us. It brings us home, but leaves us in mystery. It is powerful.

We search for the health in the system. We aren’t looking for the problem, we are looking for health. Spend some time exploring what life would be like if you just stopped having to have an answer. We work in a different world, it is related to shamanism, not the cultural quicksand of having to have all the answers and comparing ourselves to others. This path leads us to an understanding that love is really the most powerful therapeutic force. The system communicates this to us.

The pauses in the cycles get longer and longer as we practice. It is a lifetime journey. When the Long tide moves our mind, then we become centered in a different rate. It is where our attention is being moved to. Trust the tide and the tide frees the mind. It can then be a humble servant of creation. It changes us down to a cellular vibration. Spending time in the field each day heals us as practitioners. It takes us through our issues and teaches us about ourselves. We become less interested in our flaws, and more interested in holding the space of deep awareness. We need to let go of egotistical grasping, and allow ourselves to be moved by the phenomenon without being caught up in it.

Enjoy this process. Don’t be hard on yourself. Take your time. This isn’t something that you gain in minutes. This is about practice that lasts a lifetime.

This should give you a sense of Judah's teaching style, which I personally find very comfortable.

www.lyonsinstitute.com

Judah and Ryan talk about biodynamic work and the creation of his DVD series.

Judah Lyons - Charlottesville, Virginiawww.lyonsinstitute.com

Introductory comments :00 to 6:00

6:20 – 11:45 Judah talks about his history in bodywork and craniosacral therapy

11:45 - 17:40 Some discussion about mechanical vs. biodynamic work

19:00 – 25:30 Judah talks about his educational DVDs

25:30 - 33:00  Working with emotional content

34:00 – 44:30 The experience of Primary Respiration

45:00 – 49:00 Fundamental skills of neutrality

49:30 - 52:00 Verbal interaction with the client

52:30 – 56:00 Introducing cst to your practice

Judah and Ryan talk about biodynamic work and the creation of his DVD series.

Judah Lyons - Charlottesville, Virginia
www.lyonsinstitute.com

Introductory comments :00 to 6:00

6:20 – 11:45 Judah talks about his history in bodywork and craniosacral therapy

11:45 - 17:40 Some discussion about mechanical vs. biodynamic work

19:00 – 25:30 Judah talks about his educational DVDs

25:30 - 33:00  Working with emotional content

34:00 – 44:30 The experience of Primary Respiration

45:00 – 49:00 Fundamental skills of neutrality

49:30 - 52:00 Verbal interaction with the client

52:30 – 56:00 Introducing cst to your practice

A 16 minute recording of a simple practice in self-regulation.

www.energyschool.com

This is a practice to develop self-regulation skills.

Bring awareness into the body via sensation. Sensation is often simpler than mental activity or emotions.

Check in with things like position of body, breathing, sensation of gravity. Scan from the head down to the feet. Check in again with breathing.  Explore Surfaces you are in contact with. Feel textures and temperatures. We are observing the body, with the mind in the background.

Where in your body catches your attention? Maybe one area of your body emits a stronger signal. Focus on that area. Trace the boundary of wherever your attention is drawn to. Within that boundary, is it more on the left or the right? Is it moving or still? Is it shallow or deep? Where is the upper part, the lower part? We are just experiencing cleanly, without judgement or interpretation.

This first location will be the “target” of our attention.

Now, allow your attention to move to the feet or the hands. For example, choose the left foot and feel the details – contact with surface, temperature, texture, density. Wiggle toes in slow motion, count the toes. Press the ball of the foot into the floor, same with the heel. Pretend you have a magic marker and you are tracing around your foot.

Now go back to the “target” and hold some curiosity about any changes in the area. There may be small or large changes, but we hold no judgement about it. Check in with left/right and upper/lower boundaries. Is it moving or still? What color might it be? What sound might it make? Not looking for meaning, just qualities.

Now go to the finger tips and choose a hand to focus on. Make micro movements and feel into every detail that arises. Count the finger tips. Trace the outline of the fingers and hand as if with a marker, paying attention to the contours of the hand.

Now go back to the target area and notice any changes.

John recommends doing this practice at least once a day to remold the ANS, introducing motion where fixation may have appeared.

www.craniosacralpodcast.com

A 16 minute recording of a simple practice in self-regulation.

www.energyschool.com

This is a practice to develop self-regulation skills.

Bring awareness into the body via sensation. Sensation is often simpler than mental activity or emotions.

Check in with things like position of body, breathing, sensation of gravity. Scan from the head down to the feet. Check in again with breathing.  Explore Surfaces you are in contact with. Feel textures and temperatures. We are observing the body, with the mind in the background.

Where in your body catches your attention? Maybe one area of your body emits a stronger signal. Focus on that area. Trace the boundary of wherever your attention is drawn to. Within that boundary, is it more on the left or the right? Is it moving or still? Is it shallow or deep? Where is the upper part, the lower part? We are just experiencing cleanly, without judgement or interpretation.

This first location will be the “target” of our attention.

Now, allow your attention to move to the feet or the hands. For example, choose the left foot and feel the details – contact with surface, temperature, texture, density. Wiggle toes in slow motion, count the toes. Press the ball of the foot into the floor, same with the heel. Pretend you have a magic marker and you are tracing around your foot.

Now go back to the “target” and hold some curiosity about any changes in the area. There may be small or large changes, but we hold no judgement about it. Check in with left/right and upper/lower boundaries. Is it moving or still? What color might it be? What sound might it make? Not looking for meaning, just qualities.

Now go to the finger tips and choose a hand to focus on. Make micro movements and feel into every detail that arises. Count the finger tips. Trace the outline of the fingers and hand as if with a marker, paying attention to the contours of the hand.

Now go back to the target area and notice any changes.

John recommends doing this practice at least once a day to remold the ANS, introducing motion where fixation may have appeared.

www.craniosacralpodcast.com

John Chitty lays out a 5-step sequence for working with babies.

John's website: www.energyschool.com

Episode highlights:

There is a strong tradition and justification for therapy sessions with newborn babies.

A main inspiration is Robert Fulford, D.O.

Books:

Dr. Fulford’s Touch of Life: The Healing Power of the Natural Life Force – Robert Fulford, D.O. - Gallery Books

Are We on the Path? The Collected Works of Robert Fulford, D.O. – Robert Fulford – Cranial Press

Mentioned by Andrew Weil in Spontaneous Healing – Random House

Fulford had good results with many common problems faced by babies. Baby’s problems affect the whole family. Fulford championed cranial base work and ANS health as useful areas for helping babies resolve echoes of the birthing experience. Babies have significant ability to resolve issues when given some support. Fulford helped us see what effective support looks like.

John has been teaching a class about working with babies annually for the last 8 years. The ideas he will lay out today are a summary of what he has incorporated into this class.

He likes Franklyn Sills’ Foundations in Craniosacral Biodynamics, Vol. II. It has several chapters devoted to babies. It is not exactly what John Does, but he likes it overall.

Other Books:

Craniosacral Therapy for Babies and Small Children - Ettiene Piersman  North Atlantic Books

Pediatric Manual Medicine: An Osteopathic Approach - Jane Carreiro  Churchill Livingstone

Craniosacral Therapy for Children -  Daniel Agustoni  North Atlantic Books

Ray Castellino – Santa Barbara - clinic pioneered recognition and conversation skills. www.castellinotraining.com

Carrie Conti PhD

www.carriecontey.com

APPPAH – Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health

www.birthpsychology.com

Dave Paxson

www.facebook.com/davepaxson

John is working on a book right now about working with babies. Release date TBA.

Many people feel daunted by working with babies, but a little goes a long way and it is better to go ahead and start. There are babies right now who could use your help! Changes made now have a lot of leverage in the life of the child and happiness of the family system.

Armed with only a few steps and some basic knowledge, you can be of significant help. Try it out.

John’s 5 step sequence for working with babies:

Can be useful for many different issues and employed at varying depths.

1) Recognition – we suffer as a culture from over-scientification of ourselves. This misses the reality of the baby’s identity as a newly arriving soul into our realm. This can be approached in a secular manner, with only an acknowledgement that there is an invisible world out there that is not understood by science. Religion or mysticism is not required to work with John’s ideas, just an acknowledgement that the therapist be comfortable with the idea that we cannot measure all of reality, as much of it is invisible.

We need to recognize the Baby. A formula for recognition:

Look baby in the eye with appropriate proximity he/she would have with mom’s eyes (12 inches or so) . and recognize:

I know who you are - a unit of consciousness from another sphere

I know where you came from - the invisible world

I know why you are here - to encounter the resistance of matter for the fulfillment of consciousness.

Recognition alone may bring about positive changes.

 2) Tidal Movement

From Craniosacral Biodynamics - simply palpating the Tide seems to stabilize the system, and recognize baby on another level of embodiment. It can be done anywhere on the body. May have one hand on baby, one hand on mom. Babies may have inhibition of the downward phase (exhalation). Our culture contributes to this. We need to be more conscious of caring for the autonomic nervous systems of babies. They are mostly oriented to the social nervous system, and have limited defaulting to sympathetic arousal modes. If that fails, they go into parasympathetic shock and enter a shut down, numbed out, spaced out. We call these babies “good babies” (!) Helping mom is a high order priority for working with babies. Helping her relationship with her husband can be beneficial to the family system, and baby can slide into a healthier ANS state embodied by the parents.

3) Cranial Base disengagement.

Address the strain in the system introduced by natural processes or unnatural interventions. All of the different factors seem to settle in the cranial base (occiput/sphenoid/temporal).  Vagus nerve passes through the Jugular foramen in the cranial base. This is a good place to start. A basic way to work with this is light contact on the occiput behind the ears. It does not need to be precise. Hold an intention of space for the system as an inherent emerging principle. Try to establish better range of motion in the cranial base. This often helps with nursing.

4) Birth Story

This does not need to be told “over” the baby. Work with the baby to review the way birth was supposed to be in order to help the body resolve urges for fulfillment. John will give more examples in the book. Too often in therapy the emphasis is on fixing what was bad. We should emphasize resources first. Revisiting stages of birth is done with intention and physical contact. Some resistance followed by release, at feet, shoulders, head, finding way to optimum. It is always good to conclude with baby moving to mom.

5) Polarity Two-Chair Method

Developed by Robert Hall M.D., student of Fritz Perls, Randolph Stone, and Ida Rolf. John holds the baby and lets mom have a conversation with the baby. John does Body Low Slow Loop with mom (a practice from Chapter 9 of John’s book Dancing with Yin and Yang and presented in the next Craniosacral Podcast Episode) to settle mom and then imagine the baby is in the empty chair. Mom is asked to speak to the baby, and even ask questions. Revelation often emerges. Mom is asked to be the baby and even more insight arises. Mom accesses her intuitive information. Issues of the estranged father, if important, can also be addressed. Dad is often left hanging when baby arrives. It is good for the baby if mom and dad can work some of that out (chapter 11 of Dancing with Yin and Yang.)

This is a low-pressure form of therapy, much of the above approach can be done non-verbally.

Follow baby’s gestures. They have meaning!

Our whole healthcare system would benefit greatly from spending more time understanding the state of consciousness of babies and really bringing that understanding into clinical work. The medicalization and scientification of birth overlooks some very important factors. At least we could administer some of our interventions with a higher degree of sensitivity to the baby’s needs. Our insensitivity can contribute to many problems later in life for individuals.

John likes William Emerson’s work, but is not a fan of cathartic methods when working with babies. The baby is not excessively activated during the interaction in his sequence. Looping and pendulation (Peter Levine) is a more skillful way of working. We are always looking for signs of the social nervous system coming back on line.

Stephen Porges - triune nervous system

www.stephenporges.com

www.craniosacralpodcast.com

John Chitty lays out a 5-step sequence for working with babies.

John's website: www.energyschool.com

Episode highlights:

There is a strong tradition and justification for therapy sessions with newborn babies.

A main inspiration is Robert Fulford, D.O.

Books:

Dr. Fulford’s Touch of Life: The Healing Power of the Natural Life Force – Robert Fulford, D.O. - Gallery Books

Are We on the Path? The Collected Works of Robert Fulford, D.O. – Robert Fulford – Cranial Press

Mentioned by Andrew Weil in Spontaneous Healing – Random House

Fulford had good results with many common problems faced by babies. Baby’s problems affect the whole family. Fulford championed cranial base work and ANS health as useful areas for helping babies resolve echoes of the birthing experience. Babies have significant ability to resolve issues when given some support. Fulford helped us see what effective support looks like.

John has been teaching a class about working with babies annually for the last 8 years. The ideas he will lay out today are a summary of what he has incorporated into this class.

He likes Franklyn Sills’ Foundations in Craniosacral Biodynamics, Vol. II. It has several chapters devoted to babies. It is not exactly what John Does, but he likes it overall.

Other Books:

Craniosacral Therapy for Babies and Small Children - Ettiene Piersman  North Atlantic Books

Pediatric Manual Medicine: An Osteopathic Approach - Jane Carreiro  Churchill Livingstone

Craniosacral Therapy for Children -  Daniel Agustoni  North Atlantic Books

Ray Castellino – Santa Barbara - clinic pioneered recognition and conversation skills. www.castellinotraining.com

Carrie Conti PhD

www.carriecontey.com

APPPAH – Association for Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health

www.birthpsychology.com

Dave Paxson

www.facebook.com/davepaxson

John is working on a book right now about working with babies. Release date TBA.

Many people feel daunted by working with babies, but a little goes a long way and it is better to go ahead and start. There are babies right now who could use your help! Changes made now have a lot of leverage in the life of the child and happiness of the family system.

Armed with only a few steps and some basic knowledge, you can be of significant help. Try it out.

John’s 5 step sequence for working with babies:

Can be useful for many different issues and employed at varying depths.

1) Recognition – we suffer as a culture from over-scientification of ourselves. This misses the reality of the baby’s identity as a newly arriving soul into our realm. This can be approached in a secular manner, with only an acknowledgement that there is an invisible world out there that is not understood by science. Religion or mysticism is not required to work with John’s ideas, just an acknowledgement that the therapist be comfortable with the idea that we cannot measure all of reality, as much of it is invisible.

We need to recognize the Baby. A formula for recognition:

Look baby in the eye with appropriate proximity he/she would have with mom’s eyes (12 inches or so) . and recognize:

I know who you are - a unit of consciousness from another sphere

I know where you came from - the invisible world

I know why you are here - to encounter the resistance of matter for the fulfillment of consciousness.

Recognition alone may bring about positive changes.

 2) Tidal Movement

From Craniosacral Biodynamics - simply palpating the Tide seems to stabilize the system, and recognize baby on another level of embodiment. It can be done anywhere on the body. May have one hand on baby, one hand on mom. Babies may have inhibition of the downward phase (exhalation). Our culture contributes to this. We need to be more conscious of caring for the autonomic nervous systems of babies. They are mostly oriented to the social nervous system, and have limited defaulting to sympathetic arousal modes. If that fails, they go into parasympathetic shock and enter a shut down, numbed out, spaced out. We call these babies “good babies” (!) Helping mom is a high order priority for working with babies. Helping her relationship with her husband can be beneficial to the family system, and baby can slide into a healthier ANS state embodied by the parents.

3) Cranial Base disengagement.

Address the strain in the system introduced by natural processes or unnatural interventions. All of the different factors seem to settle in the cranial base (occiput/sphenoid/temporal).  Vagus nerve passes through the Jugular foramen in the cranial base. This is a good place to start. A basic way to work with this is light contact on the occiput behind the ears. It does not need to be precise. Hold an intention of space for the system as an inherent emerging principle. Try to establish better range of motion in the cranial base. This often helps with nursing.

4) Birth Story

This does not need to be told “over” the baby. Work with the baby to review the way birth was supposed to be in order to help the body resolve urges for fulfillment. John will give more examples in the book. Too often in therapy the emphasis is on fixing what was bad. We should emphasize resources first. Revisiting stages of birth is done with intention and physical contact. Some resistance followed by release, at feet, shoulders, head, finding way to optimum. It is always good to conclude with baby moving to mom.

5) Polarity Two-Chair Method

Developed by Robert Hall M.D., student of Fritz Perls, Randolph Stone, and Ida Rolf. John holds the baby and lets mom have a conversation with the baby. John does Body Low Slow Loop with mom (a practice from Chapter 9 of John’s book Dancing with Yin and Yang and presented in the next Craniosacral Podcast Episode) to settle mom and then imagine the baby is in the empty chair. Mom is asked to speak to the baby, and even ask questions. Revelation often emerges. Mom is asked to be the baby and even more insight arises. Mom accesses her intuitive information. Issues of the estranged father, if important, can also be addressed. Dad is often left hanging when baby arrives. It is good for the baby if mom and dad can work some of that out (chapter 11 of Dancing with Yin and Yang.)

This is a low-pressure form of therapy, much of the above approach can be done non-verbally.

Follow baby’s gestures. They have meaning!

Our whole healthcare system would benefit greatly from spending more time understanding the state of consciousness of babies and really bringing that understanding into clinical work. The medicalization and scientification of birth overlooks some very important factors. At least we could administer some of our interventions with a higher degree of sensitivity to the baby’s needs. Our insensitivity can contribute to many problems later in life for individuals.

John likes William Emerson’s work, but is not a fan of cathartic methods when working with babies. The baby is not excessively activated during the interaction in his sequence. Looping and pendulation (Peter Levine) is a more skillful way of working. We are always looking for signs of the social nervous system coming back on line.

Stephen Porges - triune nervous system

www.stephenporges.com

www.craniosacralpodcast.com