The Still Point: Rest & Relax

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The Still Point: Rest & Relax

By Shanna Shanti

 What is a still point?  A still point is a technique that gently modifies the rhythmic activity of the craniosacral system. William Sutherland (founder of Cranial Osteopathy) used the term to describe the brief cessation of rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid. A  Still Point typically lasts a few seconds to several minutes and allows the body to deeply relax and unwind.      Why try it? 
The still point helps you: Relax & Digest
Ease Muscle Tension
Align the Spine
Alleviate Headaches
Boost immune
Sleep soundly  

  Where can I do it?  Anywhere where you can comfortably lie down. On the beach. After yoga class. In bed. On a pad in your living room. With a CranioSacral Specialist.     How to get there? Receive sessions from a skilled CranioSacral Specialist
Purchase Still Point inducers such as the Sacral Wedgy and Be Calm Balls.
Learn from a qualified professional how to give yourself a Still Point 

I love sleep. I look forward to bedtime. On a shelf beneath my nightstand is a basket of sleeping tools including my favorite Still Point inducers and a silk eye mask. I love the BeCalm Balls because they are comfortably squishy and adjustable to fit the size of your occiput. The SacroWedgy is another 'not to miss' Still Point inducer that has a male and female design to mimic the anatomy of the sacrum. Often I use the tools simultaneously. For 10-20 minutes I place the BeCalm Balls underneath my head directly below my eyes, prop the SacroWedgy underneath my body to contour my sacrum, and cover my eyes with a lavender scented silk mask. I tune out to deeply tune in.

Thoughts of the day flood in. Regrets of the past and fears of an imagined future taunt me. I remind myself to get an oil change, call the landlord, pray for a friend, and buy toilet paper. I review a heated conversation with my mother and fill my head with 'what-ifs'. With a few sighs and crackle-snap-pop's of my body, I remind myself how absurd it is to worry. I remember the eternal nature of my soul. I allow all thoughts and feelings, visions and sensations to come and go like frames on a screen. I leap out of the driver seat and allow my Creator to steer me into the healing.
TRAVEL TIP
Bring the Still Point inducers and relaxation tools with you on the road. I use BeCalm balls at the end of a yoga class in Savasana or corpse pose. During a flight I use my eye pillow to rest and block out agitating lighting. When my back feels achy from a long travel, I use the SacroWedgy to unwind, stretch the spine and ease tension. 