Stillness Biodynamic Cranial Practice and the Evolution of Consciousness

by Ridley, Charles

• ISBN13: 9781556435928
• ISBN10: 1556435924
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-12-19
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books

Summary

Charles Ridley is known for having refined a version of biodynamic craniosacral work that is nonmedical and nonmechanical. InStillness, he clarifies the three fundamental types of this work biomechanical, functional, and biodynamic. He explains the requirements and pitfalls of each model, and how to discern the differences and similarities between them. He guides the practitioner experientially to explore what he is describing, and offers exercises drawn from his own practice to help therapists access directly the whole felt-body sense that connects each individual with the Breath of Life.

Author Biography

Charles Ridley is a craniosacral practitioner and teacher with more than thirty years of training and experience. He is the director of a biodynamic craniosacral school (Dynamic Stillness, www.dynamicstillness.com) and has a private practice. He lives in Woodacre, California.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
A Note to the Reader	xiv
Acknowledgments	xv
Evolution of a Cranial Practice	xvi
Stillness and the Breath of Life	1	(16)
What Are Cranial Inertial Patterns?	3	(1)
The Boundaries of Biomechanical Cranial Work	4	(2)
Biodynamics: The Breath of Life Heals the Body	6	(3)
Embryogenesis: The Power of Transmutation	9	(3)
The Sinoatrial Node: The Fulcrum for Transmutation	12	(1)
The Breath of Life	13	(4)
Non-duality and the Breath of Life	17	(20)
The Inner War and Its Role in Disease	18	(5)
Stillness: The Fulcrum that Unites	23	(4)
A Non-dual Biodynamic Cranial Session	27	(7)
The Timeless Qualities of Non-duality	34	(3)
Biodynamic Cranial Practice	37	(12)
The Biomechanical Cranial Model	37	(4)
The Functional Cranial Model	41	(2)
The Biodynamic Threshold	43	(6)
A Biodynamic Map	49	(16)
The Neutral	49	(4)
Stillpoint	53	(2)
Primary Respiration	55	(1)
The Inherent Treatment Plan	56	(1)
The Fulcrum	57	(2)
The Midline	59	(1)
Dynamic Stillness	59	(1)
Practice Boundaries	60	(5)
Introduction to the Cranial Levels and Cranial Wave	65	(16)
Cranial Levels: Enfoldments of Consciousness	65	(2)
Cranial Wave and Vision-Logic Consciousness	67	(6)
Developing Your Sensing Skills in Cranial Wave	73	(3)
Depth of Consciousness in Cranial Wave	76	(5)
Fluid Tide and Psychic Consciousness	81	(18)
Primary Respiration: The Biodynamic Portal	81	(3)
What You Sense in a Fluid Tide Session	84	(2)
Effects of Fluid Tide on Your Consciousness	86	(3)
Skills Required to Navigate Fluid Tide	89	(6)
How Osteopathic Biodynamics Differs from What I Teach	95	(1)
From Fluid Tide to Long Tide	96	(3)
Long Tide and Subtle Consciousness	99	(14)
Natural Encounters with Long Tide	102	(1)
Long Tide as Compared with Fluid Tide	103	(5)
The Challenges of Long Tide	108	(1)
A Long Tide Session	109	(4)
Dynamic Stillness and Causal Consciousness	113	(8)
Self-Perception Dissolves into Dynamic Stillness	114	(2)
Dynamic Stillness Is Your Perceptual Center	116	(5)
Pure Breath of Life and Non-dual Consciousness	121	(10)
Boundaries	124	(2)
The SA Node and the Breath of Life	126	(2)
Implicit Trust in the Breath of Life	128	(1)
Be Still and Know I Am	129	(2)
Tonal Match	131	(34)
Cranial Wave Tonal Match	131	(18)
Fluid Tide Tonal Match	149	(9)
Long Tide Tonal Match	158	(3)
Dynamic Stillness Tonal Match	161	(1)
Pure Breath of Life Tonal Match	162	(3)
Appendix 1: Charts	165	(4)
Chart 1: The Three Types of Cranial Work	165	(2)
Cart 2: Cranial Rates	167	(2)
Appendix 2: Glimpses of the Whole	169	(46)
Anterior Dural Girdle	169	(3)
Automatic Shifting Fulcrum	172	(1)
Body as Consciousness	173	(2)
Bodymind	175	(3)
Coherence	178	(3)
Connective Tissue	181	(1)
Descending Currents of the Breath of Life	182	(2)
Development of the Body from Periphery to Center	184	(2)
Efferent Activity	186	(1)
Fluid Body	187	(1)
Form	188	(1)
Forming Functions	188	(1)
Heart Perception	188	(5)
Fractals	193	(1)
Ignition	194	(1)
Inherent Evolutionary Plan (Know Thyself)	195	(4)
Lemniscate	199	(1)
Mesenchyme	200	(2)
Midline	202	(4)
Pacemaker of the Heart	206	(3)
Potency Body	209	(1)
Self-Organizing Life Field	209	(1)
Self-Regulatory System	209	(1)
Treatment Reactions	210	(1)
Unwinding	210	(2)
Water	212	(1)
Wolff's Law	212	(3)
Notes	215	(10)
Bibliography	225	(8)
Index	233