I received my first craniosacral therapy treatment a week ago, and I have to admit that I prefer it to massage in some ways. I also believe that the benefits of this treatment (in terms of healing) will far exceed what you might expect from a typical massage. In this article I describe my experience with cranial sacral therapy.
I went into my treatment knowing a little about cranial sacral therapy, primarily that the therapist works with the head and spine to gently relieve blockages in the body caused by stress and trauma. I went in with the intention of removing those blocks and seeing if anything could be done to reduce the “Viking syndrome” (also known as Viking disease or Dupuytren’s contracture) that I have on my left hand, around the left ring finger. . Not much is known about Viking syndrome by the medical profession, except that connective tissue is affected, that there is often trauma associated with the condition, and that there is no treatment except surgery (which is risky and does not cure the condition).
I cannot praise enough the gentle pressure my therapist applied to my head, neck, and spine. It was incredibly relaxing, and I felt sparks of energy going down to my feet, as if my nerves were strengthening and the channels were opening.
After working on my head, neck, and spine, the therapist began working on my left hand, again using gentle pressure. I could tell that’s when she started taking a few deep breaths, and I knew something was up with it.
When he finished the craniosacral treatment, he asked if it would be okay to share what he “saw” in his mind when he was working on my left hand. She explained that she saw a heavyset black woman who lived on a plantation, whose job it was to cook for the plantation owners. One day this black woman’s son escaped from the plantation, and it was common in those days to punish slaves for any wrongdoing by cutting off part of their feet or hands or toes. This slowed them down and scared the rest. Because her son had run away, the woman had the middle and ring fingers of her left hand cut off as punishment. In her mind, the therapist saw the woman pleading with her owners, “But, dough, if she cuts my fingers, how am I going to bake her cake?” she begged.
The therapist further explained, “The energy in your fingers was not connected to the energy in your hand; something was blocking the flow. But now it is connected… I’m not sure if this has to do with a past life or with your ancestors.” (My therapist isn’t sure about the idea of reincarnation and past lives.) But I fully understand that I have had past lives and that this incident had to do with my soul “ancestry”, not my blood ancestry. Also, my ancestors are Polish, they have lived in Poland for many past generations. (And by the way, I have not had any trauma to either hand in this present life.)
After the treatment, I drove down the street to Gayle’s Bakery in Capitola and found myself looking at the delicious cherry pies, but I didn’t indulge. I’m on a dairy-free, wheat-free regimen right now, so I just got some treats for my kids.
Anyway, it will be interesting to see what happens with my viking sickness. The syndrome took years to develop and it’s only been a week since craniosacral therapy, but I expect a relatively quick cure. Still, I think of this black woman from time to time and feel fond of her. My heart opens even more because of her, and I also know that deep down I have the experience and ingenuity of a black woman who lived on a plantation within me, and that I can call on those inner resources when I need them.