Craniosacral therapy ‘tides’

I was on the Isle of Wight, leading a workshop for a group of McTimoney chiropractors. It introduced practically the basic skills of ‘listening’ to the body, and discussed the use of CST with McTimoney chiropractic. Walking along this beach in the morning, I was pondering how to put across the idea of the various tides. How they all happen at once; how it is possible to tune in to any of them; how they all reflect the organizing principal of the Breath of Life.

I then saw that the pebbles on the beach were organised by the sea into large, middle, and small sizes. The large ones were fairly unmoving, and stepping on them didn’t have any effect. Over time their positions would change a bit, but certainly not fast. Then the middle sized strata, having its own pattern, and also interacting with the large and smaller pebbles either side. Then the small pebbles, their overall pattern changing shape faster than the others, and definitely influenced by walking on them.

So this was my way of explaining later that day that the three tides could be present simultaneously, all organised by the one Breath of Life. It perhaps also explains why it may be less disruptive to the system working on the slower tides.

I love the sea metaphors applicable to craniosacral therapy. There are the obvious ones about tides, but there are many others. When patients ask what it all feels like I will often say: imagine you could put you hand on the top of the sea and there was a swell underneath. Your hand would not move but you would be aware of the deep movement going on below.

I am never quite sure if some of the models we use are the ‘actual process’, or just a good way of explaining what we feel.

Jo Hanstead, July 2009