Why the light touch and how can that change my structure and take my pain away?
This is THE question for most people. Either they ask us directly or at the very least, they’re thinking it. The secret to how a light touch can do anything at all lies in our physiology. When we have Neuro-Structural Shift in our bodies, we are in a state of defence. The nervous system is on alert and in protective mode. This is why we may seem to ourselves or others as being more defensive when we’re more stressed.
In order to stimulate change in the body and to help the body correct and heal Neuro-Structural Shift, a change must occur in our physiology. The AOS must be corrected and balanced in order to create a sustainable correction. Think about the last time you were feeling defensive with someone else, how receptive were you to their questions or their requests? Not very receptive at all probably. When we’re feeling defensive and closed off it’s impossible to even consider changing something let alone actually changing.
We use a light touch in order to help quiet the stress response in the AOS. A light touch acts like when we try to sooth a crying baby with gentle soft tones. A light touch doesn’t directly change your structure. It makes your body more receptive and open for change. Change then becomes less of a struggle especially because the patient is able to better assess their own body’s needs. The need to breathe more, to move more and how to move in order to release and move tension. And as the tension disperses, pain also lessens.
And more importantly, a light touch helps a patient to observe themselves and get feedback that they weren’t getting before when they were being more defensive. This feedback can be in terms of how to minimize physical stress on our bodies or it can be that we realize the negative effects of our habits like a poor diet or unrealistic expectations or allowing fear to run our lives.