On 10/10/2004 3:23:16 AM, (dsl.pipex.com) wrote:
> Dear David,
>
> I came across your website whilst visiting www.otherhealth.com, the
> homeopathy forum.
>
> I was extremely interested to see that you are a classical homeopathic
> practitioner and a craniosacral therapist. I am in my third and final

> year of a BSc (Hons) Health Sciences: Homoeopathy degree at the
> University of Westminster in London. I am also studying craniosacral
> therapy at the College of Craniosacral Therapy (CCST) in London with
> Thomas Attlee.
>
> I wonder if I might ask you a few questions with regard to your
> practice? It is just that as part of our third year, we have to
> undertake a research project and being interested in both therapies, I

> have decided to undertake mine on whether homeopathy and craniosacral
> therapy can be helpful when combined as therapies. Could one enhance
> the effect of the other and so forth?
>
> There seems to be no European literature on this subject and articles
> that I have found so far have been found in The New England Journal of

> Homeopathy. They are good articles, but relate to the Cycles and
> Segments of homeopathy as devised by Paul Herscu ND.
>
> I wonder if you would be willing to answer the following questions for
> me?
>
> 1. Where did you train in homeopathy?

In Maui. A two year apprenticeship under David Little & his Maui
Healer's Guild.


> 2. Where did you train in craniosacral therapy? You say on your
> website that you practice craniosacral therapy from a shamanic
> perspective. Did you train with Hugh Milne at some stage.

Same as above. I have not (yet) studied with Hugh, though I GREATLY
enjoyed his book, and would like the opportunity to study under him one
day.


> 3. Which therapy did you train in first, or did you study them both
> together?

As above.


> 4. What made you decide to train in the other therapy afterwards if
> you did train in one first?

not applicable.


> 5. Can you describe shamanic craniosacral therapy?

Shamanic APPROACH to craniosacral work (I dislike the word therapy) Some
teaching of craniosacral work is entirely mechanical. While it is
essential to understand the mechanics, a 'shamanic' approach to
craniosacral work incorporates intrinsically-related knowledge about and
practice of 'energy work'
-into the practice of craniosacral work.
Here is an allegory:
One person might practice 'massage' -and do some work on a client's
abdomen. Another person might be trained in Chi Nei Tsang, and work on
the same anatomical area, but bring 'medical Chi Kung' type of awareness
and energy-work ability into the equation.


> 6. How do you find that your practice of homeopathy and craniosacral
> therapy support each other?

The two are CONTRA-indicated in the same case at the same time. ONE or
the OTHER are selected as the first approach to a new case. BOTH are
"enegy work" and either can easily and unpredictably interfere with (or
'antidote') the other. The exception that proves the rule: I often give
Arnica after deep-tissue massage, myofascial release work; and where I
feel that considerable trauma has been 'released' ..after craniosacral
work. I consider this "ok" because the arnica is given on a "first aid"
basis, that is to say it is addressed at the trauma which has just been
surfaced; it is not part of a "chronic" homeopathic case.


> 7. At the time of an initial consultation, unless a patient has
> specified which therapy they want, would you make a choice to treat
> using either homeopathy or craniosacral therapy?

Yes, I make an assessment and recommendation. If the client has
approached me for homeopathy, and I believe that craniosacral work would
be the best way to begin treatment, I explain WHY, and suggest that we
begin thusly and expect to proceed on to homeopathy if the need remains.


> 8. Do you combine the two treatments in one patient?

as above.. NEVER 'combined' ... often one may follow the other.
Both are extremely potent healing modalities; each on its own requires
the utmost undivided skill & attention from the practitioner; each on
its own has the potential power to CURE. Since it must be accepted that
we mere humans cannot TOTALLY MASTER in one lifetime, such powerful
healing modalitiies, we MUST be respectful in our use of such power: by
NOT mixing-things-up so that we lose our ability to see exactly what is
taking place as we attempt to bring about cure.
Illustration: homeopathic remedy is given, and craniosacral work
simultaneous; client's migrain dissappears. Why? GOD ONLY KNOWS,
because we have messed the case up! In order to responsibly practice
such powerful healing modalities we MUST be able to manage the case; we
MUST KNOW .. "WHY" a symptom has dissappeared .. is it 'cured' ..is it
'suppressed' ..is it 'palliated' .. and so on! We CANNOT know this if
we are mixing modalities!


> 9. If so, how do you find this benefits the patient? Does it
> potentiate the healing effect?

The only possible outcome of the misguided idea of mixing modalities is
confusion.
Contra-indicated, as stated above -it is 'fairy dust' mentality to
think that one treatment modality will mysteriously benefit another.
Mathematically speaking: Multiply the inevitable uncertanties in any
homeopathic case by similar uncertainties in treating with craniosacral
work; what is the result?
Answer: a far GREATER DEGREE of uncertainty !

> 10. I have heard it said by some practitioners that one can only go
> so
> far down the road with homeopathic remedies, until something else is
> needed to help push someone forward in their healing journey. Have
you
> found this to be the case?

No, I have not. Homeopathy has the power to CURE practically what-ever
ails a person. However, as a system of healing, it is only as good as
the practitioner.
As I am certain of homeopathy's near-miraculous power (I've seen it
working miracles before my own eyes) -then I become ever-more aware that
in cases where this power is less in-evidence, it is I, the practitioner
who is lacking -I cannot shift the responsibility !

MANY practitioners of homeopathy are, in my not so humble opinion, hacks
and dabblers. MANY cannot properly follow a case in terms of
ascertaining the difference between an aggravation and an accesory
symptom (for instance.) Many still seem to believe that it is
appropriate to prescribe based on repertorization, when it is patently
obvious that the repertory is ONLY a tool to help guide us to POTENTIAL
simillimum; we must consider MATERIA MEDICA to be the definitive source
of information we need to know or consult prior to prescribing ! Many if
not MOST seem VERY HAZY on Hahnemann's 6th edition of Organon (& even
5th edition) both of which advocate the use of "liquid posology" which
as Hahnemann states may "speed the cure in 1/2 or even 1/4 of the time"
which might've been required by unit "dry dose" of 1st thru 4th Organon.

> 11. Do you think that homeopathy and craniosacral therapy should be
> integrated more in practice and that this kind of practice can be
> beneficial to the patients?

NO !!
I think that the two should stand ALONE as very powerful healing
modalities which FEW living humans could ever possibly practice
'integrated.' I think that we must be RESPONSIBLE and work within our
own limits, and always keep #1 priority in mind: DO NO HARM If we are
mixing modalities which we are not absolute masters of, we are
definitively NEGLIGENT in terms of Hippocratical canon #1.

Especially notable in massage & naturopathic circles, there is a
despicable trend toward PRETENDING to know 10 modalities (each of which
is, in fact, nearly a LIFE'S WORK to actually master.)

This is MARKETING tactics vs. dedication to becoming a healing arts
practitioner. A statement on what is wrong with the world- not what is
to be emulated.

(nothing personal should be extrapolated from this, these are my
opinions; you are welcome accept or reject, and encouraged to form your
own !)



David Hartley www.holistiq.com
San Francisco EastBay Berkeley (510)776-5914
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