relax and treat yourself...

Do you often find yourself feeling stressed, but not sure how to calm down? A new book might help.

Natural relaxation techniques can allow our body, mind and spirit to chill out, take a rest and deal with the increasing pressure and stress of daily living, a nd renowned Craniosacral Therapist Daniel Agustoni has developed a series of special exercises to help us treat ourselves and take responsibility for our own health.

What is craniosacral therapy?

He explains: ‘The autonomic nervous system of many people in the Western culture is set to a high degree on stress and therefore on activating the sympathetic nervous system. If the natural pendulum swing of tension and relaxation – or ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ – is disregarded for a period of time, sooner or later health and life quality will suffer.

‘Permanent stress and possible consequences like back problems, chronic sleeping disorders or heart attack are quite common. Since the demands we face will probably not diminish and possibly will even grow, we surely have to prioritize finding a new, more conscious way of being with ourselves and our stress.’

Danielthinks that many holistic therapists are particularly at risk of burning themselves out, by ‘almost crucifying themselves in that tension between inner calling and the constant excessive overload that makes them sick in the long run’.

Originating in cranial osteopathy, craniosacral therapy has established itself within the last few decades and developed further as an independent therapy form.

More and more physiotherapists, massage therapists, alternative practitioners, midwives and other professionals are now skilled in craniosacral therapy.

In his new book, ‘Harmonizing Your Craniosacral System’ Daniel outlines a number of loosening-up exercises, self-massages, awareness and palpation exercises which can help us all to relax.

‘The regenerating, reviving force with which we reconnect in relaxation is a regulating natural principle striving for wholeness and perfection. In combination, relaxation and self-regulation act as a fountain of youth: they boost the flow of energy, the life force, our immune system and our inner balance,’ Daniel adds.

‘Often one perceives, for example, how the breathing changes, how shoulders and lower jaw drop, or that peristalsis (stomach-bowel sounds) starts up. This shows that the person is releasing tension: the body starts to relax, the autonomic nervous system regulates itself and gets the chance to balance itself from the inside.’

The exercises he has developed are suitable for:

• Lay people who have already received craniosacral treatment and are free of pain
• Lay people with knowledge of massage and body therapies
• People training to become craniosacral practitioners
• Craniosacral practitioners who want to offer and introduce their clients to exercises
• Physiotherapists, practitioners of other body therapies, alternative practitioners, midwife and other professionals

Craniosacral treatment predominately refers to the system, rather than to the symptoms. This means that by balancing the craniosacral system the body’s self-healing powers are boosted and subsequently physical blockages are lessened or dissolved. Ideally you will, in addition to doing self-treatments, experience craniosacral treatments with a professional craniosacral practitioner.