What is Intuitive Craniosacral Therapy?
Janika completed her certification and training under Andrea Carver for Intuitive Craniosacral Therapy (ICST)
ICST is a natural extension of Craniosacral practice and the specialized therapy offered by Janika, Alongside focusing on cranial sutures and enhancing cerebrospinal fluid flow, ICST places particular emphasis on what practitioners term the cranial wave—a rhythmic pulse within the body, likened to the breath or life force. The cranial wave, also known as cranial rhythmic impulses, is a primary focus for ICST practitioners. It's seen as an intelligent form of communication. This concept of life force is foundational in cultures worldwide, representing vital energy that unifies body, mind, and spirit.
In addition to traditional craniosacral techniques, Janika integrates multiple modalities and intuitive practices to tune into and balance the body's cranial wave. Her approach includes analytical discussion and relaxed meditation, creating a flexible and holistic client experience. Understanding ICST involves exploring its impact within the body: Life experiences, including stress and trauma, can disrupt the cranial wave's energy field, altering the body's natural equilibrium detrimentally. This rhythmic movement flows through the cranial bones, particularly affecting the larger bones at the cranium's base. Stress-induced actions, such as teeth clenching, subtly shift cranial sutures, leading to cranial imbalances. Misalignment of cranial sutures may result in blockages at the occiput (base of the skull), causing discomfort in the head, neck, and shoulders. Negative emotions stored in the occiput and sacrum (tailbone) can exacerbate this pressure, impeding cerebrospinal fluid flow crucial for brain nourishment.
Restricted nutrient and oxygen flow to the brain can trigger feelings of frustration, anger, anxiety, depression, or scattered thoughts, hindering focus and rational thinking. Releasing stress from the occiput enables circulation of cerebrospinal fluid, promoting a calm, relaxed state of mind.
Janika's approach combines precise physical techniques targeting the head, spine, and sacrum with intuitive insight and empathetic dialogue tailored to each client's healing journey. As a therapist, she engages her inner senses, feeling with her spiritual heart—to address individual needs comprehensively.
Through ICST, clients experience transformative healing, witnessing firsthand how emotional barriers can be dissolved. By integrating different modalities, Janika facilitates the release of stored emotional blocks across the body, mind, and spirit, fostering new insights and heightened awareness.
WHY DOES ICST WORK?
Cranial techniques can have profound effects on how well our body functions and how we feel because they target specific parts of the brain and our emotions by:
- Helping to clear and control energy flow
- Using gentle pressure to adjust the bones in the head
- Improving the way fluid moves around the brain and spine, which can relax muscles
- Releasing stress to help us feel more in touch with our spiritual side
The skull is a very important part of our body. Bones have more than a physical role; they're also connected to our sense of freedom and expression. Our skull can even reflect our mood - it might get stiff when we're tense. But if we're relaxed and open-minded, the joints in our skull can be more flexible. By gently adjusting these bones, we can make big changes in how we think and feel.
Craniosacral Therapy mainly focuses on the head, spine, and tailbone. By combining practical knowledge with intuitive understanding, therapists like Janika can address both the body's mechanics and our inner emotions. This approach helps clear blocked energy and allows us to feel better faster during therapy.
Janika has experienced and seen how our emotions affect our physical health. Emotions start in our mind and, if they're not managed well, they can weaken our overall health over time.
Chakras and icst
The English equivalent of the word chakra in Sanskrit is “circles of light."
There are seven main chakras running along the spinal column from the base of the spine to the top of the head, mirroring the path of our cerebrospinal fluid. The aim of intuitive craniosacral therapy is to restore balance in the body by clearing and aligning these chakras, which in turn promotes a smoother flow of cerebrospinal fluid.
When chakras are blocked, the cerebrospinal fluid can become stagnant and trapped in these energy centers, rather than flowing freely. Each chakra emits a unique color and light, reflecting the colors of the rainbow. As negative emotions are released, the chakra's spinning motion increases, enhancing its energy output and balance. Properly functioning chakras spin clockwise, while blocked ones spin counterclockwise.
Chakras influence our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual states, acting as a network that connects and integrates the body, mind, and spirit. Each chakra corresponds to specific aspects of our consciousness and is linked to particular endocrine glands. Working with chakras aims to create overall balance and well-being, impacting our health and life experiences.
Understanding how our chakras affect different parts of our bodies can offer insight into how we can enhance our physical, mental, and spiritual health, ultimately influencing our life circumstances for the better.