michaelkern

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Craniosacral CPD

The Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust (CTET), founded by Michael Kern, Craniosacral Therapy teacher and author, is delighted to offer a range of continuing professional development seminars for all craniosacral practitioners. CTET graduates also have the opportunity to study for an ‘Advanced Biodynamic Diploma (ABD)’, which is awarded to those who complete additional studies beyond the CTET practitioner training. To qualify, graduates are asked to complete a minimum of 30 days of attendance on eligible continuing professional development courses, and to complete one of the following three requirements: a thesis, a supervised research project, or assisting/teaching on a full foundation training organised by CTET. Those who successfully qualify are awarded the designated letters ‘ABD’, approved by the International Affiliation of Biodynamic Trainings.

CTET is very happy to offer a 3-day advanced seminar, Stillness and The Heart, with Ian Wright D.O. on October 28th-30th 2022. This seminar can be attended in London or via Zoom. Online participants will be able to participate in all practice sessions, and receive full support.

Stillness And The Heart

This seminar will provide practitioners with a range of advanced skills to work with the cardio-vascular system. According to the founder of osteopathy Dr. A.T. Still, ‘The rule of the artery is supreme.’ We will look at how the cardiovascular system is formed first from stillness and then motion, which in turn creates form. The function, purpose and components of the cardio-vascular system (CVS) will be looked at through a clinical lens. Blood and CVS physiology will also be explored, as well as the functional fascia of the heart and its close relationships. Other topics explored will include: the embryological dynamics of the heart; development of the umbilicus, foetal circulation, birth changes, first breath, placental/lung based oxygenation, and shock from a cardiovascular viewpoint; the functional anatomy of the vascular endothelium and its role in infection; how to manage Covid-19 and other conditions (e.g. atherosclerosis) where the vascular endothelium is affected; haemodynamics; charge dynamics and flow dynamics models from Steiner to Schwenk and beyond; a look at Dr. Still’s perception that the ‘rule of the artery is supreme’ exploring capillary beds and how they drive the CVS; light and blood and an examination of the role of potency and blood.

For further details and bookings please email [email protected].

#Michael Kern #Michael Kern Osteopath #Michael Kern Craniosacral #Michael Kern Craniosacral Therapy

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Plant-Based Diets Can Help Save the Planet, Say Environmental Organisations

The food that we choose to eat has a direct impact on the planet. While one individual’s diet may not have much of an effect, the more people who make conscious food choices, the better it is for the planet. Michael Kern, Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust co-founder, has been a vegetarian for nearly 50 years, and has long been convinced of the benefits of a plant-based diet for human health, the animals and for the wider environment.  

Environmental organisations are now calling on consumers to reduce their meat and dairy intake, or entirely cutting out these products to help protect the future of the planet. The UN Environment Assembly is among an increasing number of environmental organisations who are now advocating the benefits to the planet of switching to vegetarianism.  

The Impact of the Meat Industry

Studies have shown that, at present, roughly a third of all arable land in the world is used to produce feed for livestock. Animal-based foods are significantly more resource-intensive than plant-based foods, resulting in preventable water shortages, deforestation and pollution.  

The UN has identified that a switch to plant-based diets is one of the biggest opportunities for individuals to contribute significantly to mitigating climate change and has called for governments around the world to promote policies that encourage a reduction in meat consumption.  

Reducing Personal Carbon Footprints

An Oxford University study showed that, on an individual level, changing to a vegan diet can reduce a personal carbon footprint by as much as 73%. This accounts for the greenhouse gases produced in the meat industry at every stage of production, from feed production to deforestation to the sheer amount of waste generated within the industry. Choosing a single plant-based meal over a meat-based one saves a similar amount of carbon emissions to those produced by a cross-country car drive.  

Making Wise Choices

Switching to a plant-based diet has many positive impacts on the environment. However, better environmental choices can be made even within the vegan community. An Italian study from 1997 found that some vegans still had high eco-impacts due to eating large quantities of air-freighted fruit. Therefore, choosing local, seasonal produce wherever possible has the greatest positive impact on the environment.  

#Michael Kern #Michael Kern Craniosacral #Michael Kern Craniosacral Therapy #Plant-Based Diets #vegetarian

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How Craniosacral Therapy Can Help Anxiety in Autistic Children

A recent article by the mother of an autistic child describes how Craniosacral Therapy benefited both her and her son.

According to Craniosacral Therapy teacher Michael Kern, this approach can engage the body’s natural healing capacities, using a light touch to help restore normal function.

The Session

In the article, mother Clare Bailey, describes how at first she didn’t believe that her son would allow the practitioner to touch him. However, after about twenty minutes of simply allowing the boy to be himself, stimming and running about, the boy voluntarily came and sat on the couch. His mum relates how she felt the energy in the room shift, so that the atmosphere became calmer and from this point some gentle hands-on treatment could begin. At every session, the same pattern would occur, when the boy would run about for a while before settling into the treatment.

The Results

The mother speaks of how she noticed positive changes in her son from the first session, observing that he became less anxious and better able to manage his emotions; while meltdowns still occurred, he was more able to bring himself out of them, usually within about five minutes.

Where previously the boy’s diet was very restricted (he would only eat ham sandwiches at school – and he removed the ham), after the Craniosacral Therapy sessions, he began to eat a wider variety of foods. He also found it easier to try different activities; his mum finds his ability to talk about these experiences, and his day-to-day life at school with her, a profound change for the better. Previously he wouldn’t respond to his mother’s questions about his day, simply stating “no more.” The first time, following some treatment, that her son was open to talking about his time at school was, his mum says, one of the happiest days of her life.

The Wider Benefits

In the article, the mother describes how much Craniosacral Therapy has helped her too: she relates how the sessions have assisted her with developing a new mindset, calming her and cultivating an openness to trying new things, where fear would otherwise have prevented this. She explains how these kinds of thought processes can have an impact on our bodies as well as our minds, and that she and her son are still attending monthly sessions and continuing to reap the rewards.

#Michael Kern #Michael Kern Craniosacral #Michael Kern Craniosacral Therapy

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Craniosacral Therapy Practitioner Training at the Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust

The Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust offers a range of courses to provide an in-depth foundation to enter into professional Craniosacral Therapy practice, or to develop and expand on previous learning in fields of special interest for existing Craniosacral Therapy practitioners.

Co-founder of the Trust Michael Kern, Craniosacral Therapy teacher and former Osteopath, is one of the worldwide pioneering teachers of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, an approach that orients practitioners to the underlying forces that govern how we function, not to just the symptoms or effects of these forces.

Course Overview

The practitioner training at the Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust takes place on a part-time basis over two years. It can be started in-person in London, or online. Each training course consists of 11 seminars that are four or five days each, providing a total of 48 days of classroom-based learning. These seminars are further supplemented with home study and practice, and by four to ten days of supported practical work at the Trust’s unique teaching clinic.

Much classroom time is dedicated to practical, hands-on experience. Support is provided throughout the course by a high tutor to student ratio, and the teaching approaches allow for different learning styles. Through direct experience each participant is given opportunities to develop a deep appreciation and understanding of the principles of practice and the application of these principles in therapeutic settings. The primary aims of the training are to graduate Craniosacral Therapy practitioners who are safe, skilled and therapeutically effective.

Successful completion of the training leads to a professional diploma and eligibility to join various professional associations around the world. The ‘BCST’ (Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist) designation is also awarded to graduates as part of the Trust’s membership of the International Affiliation of Biodynamic Trainings.

Teaching Formats

Teaching formats at the Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust include experiential explorations, lectures, guided practice sessions and supervised practice work, supported by visual learning aids and models. The student to tutor ratio is maintained at around 4:1 throughout the course, so each participant receives plenty of supervision and support during table sessions. The learning process is further supplemented with detailed course notes, that include articles, summaries of work covered and diagrams.

The Trust also offers free online introductory talks and Introductory Weekends to provide more information and experience for those who may be interested in becoming a Craniosacral Therapist.

#Michael Kern #craniosacral therapy

[michaelkern]

Fish: Going Veggie for the Animals

The meat industry in the UK is responsible for the slaughter of two million land animals each day, and almost 600,000 tonnes of fish annually. Nearly half of the fish consumed today are reared on fish farms, where they are likely to suffer with increased stress and a higher risk of disease.

For these reasons, vegetarians, including Michael Kern, Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust co-founder, do not consume fish or meat.

Omega 3

Oily fish can be a source of omega 3 fatty acids. However, the exact recommended intake is limited because of the pollutants that oily fish tends to contain, such as dioxins and mercury. Vegetarians can get their recommended intake of omega 3 fatty acids from nuts, green leafy vegetables, plant oils, or flax or pumpkin seeds..

Statistics

Over the last 100 years, the total amount of fish caught globally each year has risen from 18 to more than 90 million tonnes. In 2011, UK fisheries alone caught 600,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish. Around half of fish consumed globally comes from farms in which fish are intensively reared. Estimates show that by 2030, an additional 23 million tonnes of fish will be needed to maintain the current levels of fish consumption with the increased population.

Pain

Like all other animals, fish have pain receptors and nervous systems. Shellfish can also experience pain. This is something that has to be considered as part of seafood welfare reform.

Farmed Fish

Farmed fish are kept in cramped, unhealthy conditions that cause higher stress levels and increase the chances of disease. Welfare issues that arise from fish farming include skin and scale loss, artificial insemination, and fish being starved before slaughter. There are also environmental concerns that are associated with these farms.

Effect on Other Wildlife

By-catch is the term used to describe marine life that is accidentally caught whilst fishing. Every year, an estimated 300,000 porpoises, whales and dolphins die caught in fishing nets. Long-line fishing techniques kill approximately 300,000 sea birds, including albatrosses, each year. As a result, 17 of the 21 species of albatross are now facing extinction.

Environmental Impact

Bottom-trawling is causing irreparable damage to the sea floor and illegal fishing remains a widespread problem that is contributing to over-fishing and unrecorded levels of by-catch.

Industrial fishing is reducing the biodiversity of the oceans, and this could cause commercial fisheries to collapse by 2050.

#Michael Kern #animal rights

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Philosophy of Animal Rights

Animal rights means that ALL animals deserve to have their best interests considered, regardless of whether the animal is considered useful, ‘cute’ or endangered. This means recognising that animals are not intended for human exploitation, such as experiments, entertainment, clothing or food.

Animal Rights

Michael Kern, Craniosacral Therapy teacher and former Osteopath, has long been an active supporter of animal rights; a principle and practice that appreciates animals are sentient beings who can feel emotions, and learn and adapt, much like humans. Just as humans deserve rights, the same reasons apply to animals. Animal rights can include the right to live freely in a natural state and environment, the right to life, the right to reproduce, and the right to live free from harm caused by humans. Animal rights asserts that humans adversely using animals for their own gain is morally wrong.

Animal Welfare

There are some overlaps between the principles of animal rights and animal welfare, but there are also some differences. In animal welfare, it’s argued that humans should not cause unnecessary pain to animals and that stronger laws are needed to protect animals. However, the position in animal welfare proposes that humans can still exploit animals, as long as unnecessary pain is avoided.

A variation on this philosophy is known as ‘new welfarism’, which is a cross between the principles of rights and welfare. It argues that abolition is the long-term goal, but this will take a long time to achieve. Therefore, advancing animal welfare in the shorter term is at least a step in the right direction.

Conservation

Conservationism may generate benefits to the animal kingdoms, and both animal rights and conservationism generally oppose selfishly orientated human-centred thinking. Both philosophies state that animals have an intrinsic value, and both support environmentalism. However, this is where the similarities end. Animal rights activists support the environment to protect the animals who live in it, whereas conservationists strive for the survival of a species or population rather than the individual.

#Michael Kern #animal rights

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Reasons to be Vegetarian in 2021

There are many reasons why trying vegetarianism could be a step that leads to positive, long-term lifestyle changes. As the world struggles to deal with the harmful effects of climate change, becoming vegetarian could have more impact on the planet than many people think.

Being vegetarian not only shows compassion for animals but also helps to protect the future of the planet, as well as having numerous health benefits. Michael Kern, Craniosacral Therapy trainer and former Osteopath, has been a committed vegetarian for more than 45 years.

Reducing Global Warming

Many governments, organisations and individuals around the world are working together to reduce global warming by reducing the impact of human activity on the planet. Greenhouse gas emissions are one of the biggest contributors to global warming. A 2006 report from the UN found that more greenhouse gases are generated by livestock than all the trucks and cars in the world combined. Adopting a vegetarian diet is therefore the single biggest contribution any individual can make in the fight to slow down global warming.

Saving Money

We are living in a period of global economic uncertainty as we wait to see what the long-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic will be. Many people around the world are dealing with unemployment, reduced employment and financial uncertainty. Switching to a vegetarian diet can significantly reduce grocery bills, helping save money over the long-term.

Being Healthier

A vegetarian diet is not only cheaper, but can be healthier too. Studies have shown that people who eat a balanced vegetarian diet have a lowered risk of some of the biggest killers, including heart disease. Some cancers are also associated with reduced risk in those with vegetarian lifestyles. A healthy vegetarian diet is typically high in fibre and low in saturated fats, making it better for long-term health and for maintaining a healthy body mass index. Vegetarians will on average outlive their meat-eating counterparts by six years, according to one study.

Prevent Animal Cruelty

Many modern farming practices focus on the fast and efficient production of meat, with little to no respect for the welfare of the animals.  Global population of vegetarians could prevent practices such as battery farming and reduce exploitation of animals around the world.

#Michael Kern #craniosacral therapy #vegetarian

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Overview of Projects from Live to Love

Live to Love is a movement founded by the His Holiness the Gyalwang Drukpa to encourage and promote healing and wellbeing through the application of kindness and wisdom. As a renowned environmentalist, humanitarian, and champion of gender equality, His Holiness has launched several projects under the banner of Live to Love.

Michael Kern, Craniosacral Therapy trainer and former Osteopath, has been supporting the work of the Gyalwang Drukpa for many years through the Druk Padma Karpo School.

Live to Learn

The Live to Learn project focuses on the provision of high-quality, modern education to children in the Himalayan region. Curriculums are designed to combine contemporary teaching methods and technologies with an understanding and respect for culture and traditions. This equips children to be part of the modern world while still appreciating their roots. Live to Learn works to empower girls through education and has a strong focus on sustainability.

Live to Sustain

Live to Sustain works to educate the population in the Himalayas about the importance of water preservation and protecting water sources. These include the Zanskar and Indus rivers, and the Himalayan Glaciers, which feed rivers providing water for 1.5 billion people. Live to Sustain also teaches  how to manage environmental threats such as climate change and plastic pollution.

Live to Heal

As the name suggests, the Live to Heal project focuses on the provision of medical care facilities. These include temporary camps in areas where medical welfare facilities are inaccessible to the local population, as well as permanent clinics and community outreach programmes. Live to Heal empowers local women by providing the necessary training to employ them as outreach workers.

Live to Aid

Live to Aid is the emergency relief arm of Live to Love, currently working in the areas of Ramechhab, Rasuwa and Sidhupalchok. These are some of the most vulnerable communities in the Himalayan region – hardest hit following natural disasters and with the least outside support, due in part to their large populations of ethnic minorities.

Live to Rescue

Live to Rescue is a project working to control the stray dog population in the most humane ways possible. Live to Rescue promotes fostering and adoption of stray dogs, bringing them into homes rather than euthanising them, and sterilizing those found on the streets to slow down population growth.

#Michael Kern #charity

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Bhutan: A Majestic, Happy, Peaceful Country

The Himalayan country of Bhutan is considered one of the happiest and most peaceful places on earth. Bhutan pioneered the ground-breaking Gross National Happiness measurement and ranks first in the region for peace. Michael Kern’s wide-ranging stays throughout the area have taken him twice to Bhutan, as well as to India, Ladakh, Nepal and Tibet.  

Find out more about the ground-breaking Gross National Happiness philosophy by taking a look at the attached PDF.  

                    The Gross National Happiness Philosophy

Cultural Heritage Is Alive and Well in Bhutan

Bhutan is a country that has never been colonised, and this has undoubtedly contributed to its thriving traditional cultural life. A deep spirituality, traditional dance, music, song, and drama are all very much a living part of Bhutanese culture, though modern Indian pop music and cinema are also having a more recent influence.  

The traditional and colourful costumes are considered standard for many people in their day-to-day lives; indeed, it’s compulsory clothing for those who work in or visit official buildings, as well as in schools.  

In architecture too, Bhutan’s traditional culture comes to the fore, with buildings relying on traditional techniques rather than modern methods of construction.  

Conserving a Rich Environment

The hugely diverse natural environment found in Bhutan – ranging from hot, sub-tropical southern regions to high mountainous regions of the Eastern Himalayas – means that Bhutan must carefully shepherd its environmental heritage. This diverse country is home to a wide range of animals and plants, including many that are either rare, or outright endangered.  

Much land is given to conservation areas in Bhutan. Animals including Bengal Tigers, red pandas, clouded leopards, and the endangered wild water buffalo and golden langur, all benefit from this care.  

Bhutan is seen as a model for this kind of affirmative action on conservation; you can learn more about these issues by reading the embedded infographic. 

                  Conservation & Enviromental Issues in Bhutan

The Powerful Impact of Monasteries

Bhutan is a country with its spiritual roots firmly planted in Drukpa Himalayan Buddhism. Throughout the country, there are numerous architectural expressions of Bhutanese Buddhism symbolising the important role that spirituality plays in day to day life, from the beautiful gardens that surround the Thimphu region’s Memorial Chorten, to the famous and breath-taking Taktsang Monastery, which perches amongst the clouds on a soaring cliffside in the upper Paro valley.  

The short video attachment has more information about Bhutan’s Head of State, colloquially referred to as the ‘Dragon King.’ 

#Michael Kern #Bhutan #Travel

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The Fascia: A New Understanding for Wellness

In recent years there’s been a lot of new research leading to a further understanding about the role of fascia in maintaining our health. Whilst further research is needed, there is increasing evidence and awareness that fascia is a major contributor to the healthy functioning of the body.  

To learn more about fascia, take a look at the attached PDF.  

                    Explaining the Human Body: What Is Fascia?

Michael Kern, founder of the Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust, has written about this topic and how Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy can be used to treat problems within the fascial network.  

Fascia: A Whole-Body Support System

Fascia contributes to our health in many ways. It connects all parts of the body, supporting blood flow when healthy and contributing to recovery after exercise. Fascia contains a wide range and huge amount of sensory nerves, contributing to central nervous system regulation, and so having an important function in regulating overall health. It also thought to act as an important light-based and electro-magnetic communication system for the body, providing a medium to send subtle messages throughout the body physiology. When the fascia is healthy and supple, sporting performance is improved, and healing happens more quickly.  

Fascia is widely found in all areas of the body, and overall body health is affected by the health of fascia. Healthy, fascia acts as a support, connecting and communication system for the whole body, helping the regeneration of tissue growth after injury, helping to regulate the central nervous system, and contributing to better overall physical performance. Even stretch marks, scars, and cellulite may be reduced by healthy fascia.  

Fascia can be broadly categorised into three types; the attached infographic has more information about this.  

                        Introducing the Three Types of Fascia

Unhealthy Fascia Can Cause Problems

Healthy fascia is supple and mobile, providing support to the body’s finely balanced systems, but when inertia is found in fascial motion, problems can arise. It has also been suggested that compromised fascial texture and consistency can lead to the development of cellulite. Common modern lifestyle problems like stress, an inappropriate diet, not drinking enough water, or not moving enough can all compromise the functioning of the fascial system. Furthermore, injuries and unresolved stresses and traumas can become imprinted within the fascia and affect how it’s able to function.

Healing Fascia

If tightness or inertia develops in this tissue, some gentle and regular stretching exercises can work wonders in restoring tense or restricted fascia to its natural, supple condition.  

A Holistic Approach to Maintaining Fascial Health

A healthy body naturally expresses a series of subtle rhythms; a core principle of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapists can work with the rhythms that are expressed within fascia by using gentle hands-on skills that can promote the balanced expression of these rhythms, so supporting a return to health. Working with fascia can provide the therapist with an important way to restore normal communication within the body, regulate the nervous system, as well as normalise the functioning of individual body parts (such as organs and muscles) whose ability to be healthy is closely related to fascial motion.

Here is a short overview of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, a holistic approach to maintaining fascial health, contained in the embedded video. 

#Michael Kern #Fascia #Craniosacral Therapy #Health

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Druk Padma Karpo: An Award-Winning School in the Himalayas

In the beautiful Himalayan mountains, the Druk Padma Karpo School offers a comprehensive, modern education for Ladakhi children, grounded in the spiritual traditions of the region. The school, which educates children from preschool to age 16, has won many awards in a wide range of areas including educational attainment and sustainability.  

The Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust, founded by Michael Kern, donates a percentage of its yearly profits to the Druk Padma Karpo School. The award-winning design for the school building was developed by Arup Associates, and more information about the Arup Group’s work can be found in the attached PDF.  

                              Introducing the Arup Group Sustainable Solutions to Core Needs

From drinking water to sanitation, Druk Padma Karpo School has sustainability at the heart of its design philosophy.  

Solar collection technology uses the bright Himalayan sun to passively heat teaching spaces all year-round. The internal walls are designed so that they can collect excess heat during the day and release it again at night.  

Drinking water and water for irrigation are supplied by two reservoirs that are filled with pumps from melting snow, and sanitation needs are met through the use of ‘VIP’ compost toilets, which provide humus that can be used as fertilizer. An ingenious, solar-powered, double-flue system allows these toilets to operate cleanly without the need for water.  

Carbon Offsetting Through Support of the School

The Druk Padma Karpo School not only operates self-sufficiently through the use of its own solar technology, it also offers opportunities for others to offset their carbon footprint.  

Through an initiative that has been independently accredited by Beyond Carbon – formerly the Tourism Industry Carbon Offsetting Service – travellers can donate to the school’s solar energy system to offset their own carbon footprint.  

The embedded short video details the three key steps to carbon offsetting.  

A School Built to Last

Ladakh is not an easy place to build since natural resources are scarce. Despite this, Arup Associates – the school’s designers – used as many local materials as possible, utilising and adapting traditional building techniques and minimising the need to import structural material.  

The result is a building that is made to last. Following a terrible mudslide in 2010 that caused a great deal of damage and loss of life in the region, the school remained standing when many other buildings did not.  

The attached infographic has more information about some of the awards the school has been honoured with since its inception.  

                       Druk Padma Karpo School Awards

#Michael Kern #Education #Druk Padma Karpo #Sustainability