Let’s  explore the influence of touch in the healing process.

Definition:  Healing Touch – Any physical contact whose specific purpose is to help a living creature heal, and specifically help humans to heal emotionally, physically and spiritually. Healing Touch can include bodywork, Reiki, massage, Huna, reflexology, acupressure, Polarity therapy, shiatsu or many other techniques

STUDENT: How does touch heal?

LEWIS: There are a number of ways:

1. By reducing structural misalignment through manipulation of bone, joints, and the spinal vertebrae
2. Though manipulation of muscles
3. Through manipulation of connective tissue, particularly the myofascial sheath
4. Through pressure on certain neurological reflexes and acupressure points (Tsubos in Japanese)

STUDENT: How can one reduce structural misalignment through healing touch?

LEWIS: It can be done with bodywork; special types of massage combined with movement reeducation (see A Conversation on Movement Reeducation).

STUDENT: Please discuss this in greater depth.

LEWIS: By manipulating the myofascial sheath, a skilled practitioner can lengthen, integrate, and reorganize the musculoskeletal system and influence the emotions tied to these body patterns.  Without the intention to create balance through structurally integrated bodywork and movement re-education, the general stress of living day to day, combined with the pull of gravity, will continually push our bodies out of alignment.

STUDENT: You mention cranial-sacral therapy in your list of approaches to promoting body consciousness.  Can you explore this further?

LEWIS: The use of structurally-based healing touch and energetic balancing techniques on the bones in the head and the bones at the base of the spine has been shown to have a major impact on body consciousness.  There are many theories about why this is so.  Some are more scientific than others, but the fact remains that that there is some powerful and positive effect with cranial-sacral therapy.

STUDENT: Talk more about the cranial-sacral system.

LEWIS: It is a fluid and structural environment in which the brain and spinal cord function.

The cranial bones that make up the skull are covered with a thick layer of connective tissue.  This connective tissue goes down the temple and inside the jaw, splitting off into the layers of deep and superficial fascia of the neck and down into the trunk.  When this fascia and the associated muscles are in a state of imbalance, there is a chain reaction through the muscles in the mouth and face ending with a pulling effect on the vertebrae of the neck.

STUDENT: What is the effect of this pulling on the vertebrae of the neck?

LEWIS: This creates abnormal strain on the sphenoid bone in the skull and through the entire cranium.  This reflects down to the hips and the sacrum.  Many complementary healing practitioners have discovered simple systems for holding or balancing the rhythm of the cranial bones.  It is subtle and highly effective work.

STUDENT: Is cranial-sacral therapy painful?

LEWIS: Generally speaking, cranial-sacral bodywork and energy healing is gentle and has been shown to be an effective method for evaluating and correcting imbalances and restriction throughout the body.  It is generally believed that correcting structural and energetic imbalances here improve the functioning of the nervous system, thus reducing stress, and enhancing the function and health of the whole body.

STUDENT: How would you connect Reich’s theories to the theories articulated by William G. Sutherland, DO, concerning cranial-sacral bodywork?

LEWIS: Within the body there is a system that is concerned with the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) between the cranium and the sacral area at the base of the spine.  This craniosacral cerebrospinal fluid moves in a subtle tide-like fashion.

Many specialists in the field of Body/Mind research believe that the structural restriction of this tide-like flow can result in various emotional and physical problems, including attention deficiency, sleep disorders, motor-coordination impairments, neurological disorders and other problems.

STUDENT: What would cause restriction of this “tidal flow” in the CSF?

LEWIS: Postural problems, restricted breathing, and other elements connected to emotional and physical trauma.

STUDENT: So, anything that could release these emotional “holding patterns” in the connective tissue (body armor) would free up the flow of cerebrospinal fluid?

LEWIS: That is correct.  The goal of any effective body/mind therapy needs to address body armoring, the breath, the storing of cellular memory (see A Conversation on Cellular Memory) and the influence of Qi imbalances on the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (see A Conversation on Qi).

STUDENT: Can hands-on-healing and massage be used with animals as well as humans?

LEWIS: Yes.  There are many techniques specifically for horses as well as for small pets. One of the most revolutionary approaches is known as Tellington Touch.  This approach is a health and behavioral therapy for pets that includes touch, manipulation, and guiding the animals through movement exercises.

STUDENT: How does Tellington Touch work?

LEWIS: It is not massage or acupressure, nor is it invasive.  The techniques are designed to create a calm, attentive, focused state of consciousness for the animal.  Situations helped by Tellington Touch include barking, biting, jumping up, fear

Lewis Harrison is the author of the book Hands-on Healing  and the Director of the Natural healing Academy

he can be reached at 212-724-8782

1. reduce portion size

2. Walk in place while watching television

3. Drink water with lemon instead of soda or juice

4. Only have soup and salad after dinner

5. Start every morning with oatmeal

This will work if you follow it daily.

This is part of what we offer at theHarrisoncenter.com a B & B and Spa.

We also teach this at our school www.LewisHarrisonsNaturalHealingAcademy.com

Foundational Principle for this Conversation on  To explore the concept of Qi and apply it to living the best life possible

Definition: Qi –  Energy, life force; The expression of the divine  in the world; the original, purest, and lightest, energy; the prime motive force of universes and all living beings. It is also known as Chi, Ki, Logos, Nam and by many other names

STUDENT: Even though you have just defined what Qi is it is still not clear to me. Please explain it in greater detail.

LEWIS The entire universe consists of a complex system of interfacing energy fields. These energy fields are kept in constant motion by the magnetic pull of opposing poles – A constant pulsating from positive to negative poles and back again via a neutral position.  Though we can’t always see or measure these fields they are there nonetheless and they manifest in many ways including as “Life”.

STUDENT: Speak of Qi in relation the the structure and function of the human body.

LEWIS  The  opposing energy fields I have described are defined by buy what we might call the relationship of the neutral source of energy (consciousness) and its positive and negative actions in the creation of human anatomy and physiology in life  as well as its eventual return to the neutral source when life ceases.

STUDENT:  How does this energy manifest in general?

LEWIS As a constant pulsation that creates fields and energetic lines of force. This energetic “template” is the foundation for what has come to be known as energy medicine or vibrational healing within the holistic health movement.

STUDENT: Is there any universally accepted template for these energetic lines?

LEWIS: No. There are many different perspective on this often culturally based. In the west three of the most important thinkers were Rudolph Steiner, Randolph Stone, and Wilhelm Reich.