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C h e c k o u t A B M P 's l a t e s t n e w s a n d b l o g p o s t s . Av a i l a b l e a t w w w. a b m p . c o m . 83 The Healing Modality of the Future B y S c ot t Za m u r u t In recent years, a new understanding of this work has become increasingly popular in our healing arts community. Biodynamic craniosacral therapy (BCST) offers an understanding of the work as an energy medicine modality. THE HISTORY OF THE PRACTICE The origins of BCST are found in the life work of an osteopathic physician named William Garner Sutherland. While still in osteopathic college in 1899, Sutherland was examining a disarticulated skull on display in a school hallway and was struck with the thought that the bones of the skull are "beveled like the gills of a fish, indicating articular mobility for a respiratory mechanism." 1 This was in direct contrast to the belief held at that time (and in some circles to this day) that the bones of the skull were fused and immobile. This thought—that the core physiology of the human body is a respiratory system, and the bones are designed to allow for this rhythmic movement—carried great power. Sutherland began to research this aspect and function of the anatomy and physiology of the human body, while simultaneously exploring its healing implications on himself and his clients. As part of his investigation into "primary respiration," as he called this movement, Sutherland spent years studying the anatomy of the skull in great detail. The foundations of Sutherland's teachings are found in an intimate understanding of the anatomy of the cranium and sacrum, the articulations of the bones, the meninges, the cerebrospinal fluid- filled spaces of the neural tube, and the inherent motion present within this whole integrated core of the human body. During his 50-plus years in practice, Sutherland evolved his understanding of what became known as osteopathy in the cranial field (often shortened to cranial osteopathy). His clinical work shifted from a biomechanical model to an energetic model. This evolution can be seen in his written work, and in material published since his passing. 2 In the latter half of the 1940s, Sutherland began to introduce his direct perceptions of life energy at work within the system into his teachings and writings. At the time, there was very little language available for Sutherland to explain the phenomenon of life energy to his students, so he used metaphoric language, referring to life energy as "potency," "the fluid within the fluid," "the 'juice' in the electric battery," "the sheet lightning in the cloud," and "the liquid light." 3 Despite the clear evolution in Sutherland's understanding and application of cranial osteopathy from biomechanical to bioenergetic, his biomechanical teachings had a greater historical influence, in part because it is easier to learn biomechanical techniques in a straightforward protocol, and in part because his energetic revelations came late in life, and were not fully incorporated into his teaching curriculum. Instead, his student and friend Rollin E. Becker, DO, advanced the recognition of bioenergy as the primary factor in the healing process, and Becker's significant additions to this understanding form the foundation of BCST. His observations and discoveries are key to understanding how BCST differs from other forms of CST. Many practitioners have carried on the work of Sutherland within the field of osteopathic practice. Outside the osteopathic community, John Upledger, DO, began to teach something he called craniosacral therapy in the 1970s. Upledger brought a particular form and framework to this work. His endeavors have been critical in the creation of a defined craniosacral profession and practice outside of the osteopathic framework. His work is taught by the Upledger Institute all around the world. BIOENERGY AS THE SOURCE OF HEALTH AND HEALING At the heart of BCST is the relationship a practitioner establishes with a client's primary respiration. Primary respiration, so called because it precedes "secondary respiration," or the breathing of air, encompasses a range of subtle rhythmic movements, each of which has unique