Central Channel and Motor Neuron Disease

I am sharing this extraordinary account of a Central Channel treatment by a practitioner who recently completed the Central Channel course in Nottingham, UK. “The person in question was diagnosed (…. with motor neuron disease) three years ago and can only move her head and neck, her right thumb and forefinger and shrug her shoulders. I followed the protocol and although unconvinced of stage one (following a cross-over) having challenged the occiput, the sacral notch - short leg side, both legs and then back to the beginning for another cross-over, I tried the sacral zones. When I got to the second sacral zone, the client told me she was experiencing an electrical current up and down her spine, which, after a few minutes went off. She asked could I make the contact again because she felt something most unusual was happening. One and a half hours later, on her insistence that I keep reconnecting with the same place, I let go of the point. In that hour and a half, the client (remember she is paralysed apart from neck and shoulders and her left index finger and thumb) had movement through her shoulders into her back pulling her arms back, her buttocks down both thighs and calves and into her feet. Her breathing went through the phases of motion, 1, 2 and 3. My own breathing was deeply affected and the individual who assisted me in moving the client, felt intense pain in his second sacral zone each time I adjusted. When the client was brought to upright, she cried (not a crier) and said she felt deeply calm and peaceful, the kind of release of endorphines that you get after a long run or vigorous exercise. Her body has not moved this much in almost a year. I have not seen any movement in her legs - whatsoever, in at least 6 months.”

I am reminded of the power of this work and the responsibility that practitioners hold in facilitating these changes. I emphasise that this is a very UNUSUAL situation, in terms of response and the length of time the contacts were held. ShinTai work aims for a gradual unfolding of stress patterns so that changes can be integrated into the system. The guidelines are to progress slowly with clients who show signs of deep compression or neurological condition, just a couple of contacts (few seconds to minutes), shorter treatments, watch carefully, take time, and be patient to facilitate new movements into the system in gradual increments. The effects of this unfolding can take several weeks/months to show up. This practitioner had all the best intentions and focus while working, and is continuing to monitor this client. A challenging experience for any practitioner and a good learning for us all.