Anatomy Trains in Tucson

Friday March 1, 2013 – Sunday March 3, 2013

639 6th Ave

Description:

with KMI National trainer Peter Ehlers

Location : ASIS Tucson 639 N. 6th Avenue Tucson, Az 85705

March 1st – 3rd 2013 Friday 5:00 – 9:00 pm Saturday & Sunday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

…a revolutionary new way of looking at the body developed by author and Rolfer, Tom Myers.

In this 3-day Anatomy Trains intensive you will:
- Explore the nature of the fascial web
- Learn how the fascial web is organized into Anatomy Trains
- Learn how the Anatomy Trains distribute strain and cause pain far from the problem
- Build skills in ‘body-reading’ these global patterns posture and movement
- Develop manual and movement strategies for resolving these patterns
- Learn soft-tissue techniques for lengthening myofascial structures

This is Tom Myers revolutionary re-vision of musculoskeletal anatomy in terms of functionally connected lines of myofascia. The workshop gives a new perspective and a
new way to assess clients’ posture and movement. All 12 myofascial are described, built onto the skeleton, palpated, stretched, and used in postural assessment, with many illustrations and examples.
This course is designed for and welcomes all manual and movement therapists, from chiropractors and osteopaths, to PT’s and massage therapists, including yoga, dance and pilates teachers.
Anatomy Trains is required for Tom Myer’s 500-hour Structural Integration professional Certification program .

$ 425 CEU’s 18

early registration if paid by February 1st $400

To register call (928) 639 3455 or (866) 334 3345

NCTMB Exam & ASIS Massage Education

Go into the exam prepared, well rested, and mildly fed. Don’t over eat a big breakfast, review all of your workbooks the week before taking the exam, and practice taking exams on line with websites like massage prep.

It is always funny to listen to new massage therapists as they exit the NCBTMB exam. One says wow, that was all Kines, while another says there was no Kines, but SO MANY SHIATSU questions… Truth is, both are mistaken.

Historically, ASIS Massage Schools have done well above the national average on this massage therapy state license exam. We believe that students are best prepared if they can address their fears and anxieties around “taking tests” and “performance” prior to entering this entry level massage therapy exam.

What are the content areas of the tests?

Each exam is comprised of 160 questions. The content area(s) and their associated weights for each respective examination program are detailed below.

National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB) Major Content Areas and Percentage Weights For NCBTMB approved CEU’s, click here!

	Subject Area	Percentage of Examination

I.	General knowledge of body systems	16%
II.	Knowledge of anatomy, physiology and kinesiology	19%
III.	Pathology	13%
IV.	Therapeutic massage and bodywork assessment	18%
V.	Therapeutic massage and bodywork application	22%
VI.	Professional standards, ethics, business and legal practices	12%

	TOTAL	100%

Chakras

CHAKRAS
In Hinduism’s Ayurvedic medicine, a chakra is thought to be an energy node or region in the human body. The word comes from the Sanskrit “cakra” meaning “wheel, circle”, and sometimes also referring to the “wheel of life”.
The seven main chakras are described as being aligned in an ascending column from the base of the spine to the top of the head. Each chakra is associated with a certain color, multiple specific functions, an aspect of consciousness, and other distinguishing characteristics. Chakras are thought to vitalize the physical body and to be associated with interactions of both a physical and mental nature. They are considered areas of life energy, or prana.
Prana (Sanskrit) is thought to be a life force, similar to chi or qi in Traditional Chinese systems. It is also said to have an extrasensory function, playing a part in empathic and instinctive responses. The chakras are first described in the tantric texts, in which they are described as emanations of consciousness.
In Ayurvedic philosophy, the charkas are the grounding force between the spiritual and physical world. The chakras draw down spiritual energy and cause it to assume a physical existence. It is like the negative pole in an electrical circuit, which provides the potential for the evolution of form.
The charkas are related to the physical processes of life, and also to the various fear and guilt complexes associated with them. All a person’s Samskaras ( potential karma ), are expressed here, in a physical form. These themes appear and reappear in most spiritual texts.
Apart from this primary text from India, different western authors have tried to describe the charkas. The seven chakras are said by some to reflect how the unified consciousness of man is divided to manage different aspects of earthly life.
The earliest known mention of chakras is found in the later Upanishads, in India. These Vedic models were adapted in Tibetan Buddhism as Vajrayana theory, and in the Tantric Shakta theory of chakras. It is the shakta theory of the 7 main chakras that most people in the West adhere to because of early English translations. Many present day Vedic teachers from both the east and the west incorporate chakras within their systems of philosophy.
There are various other models of chakras in other cultures, notably in Chinese medicine, Tibetan Buddhism, and variations in Jewish Kabbalah. In Islamic Sufism , there are psycho-spiritual “organs” or faculties of sensory perception, and when activated, makes a man complete .
The chakras are placed at differing levels of spiritual subtlety, as well as different positions within the body.
The Seven Chakras
1- Base or Root Chakra, usually the color red and located at the base of the spine. It is thought to contain the primary 8 cells that have all of the knowledge of creation and life. It grounds us in the physical world. Blockages manifest as a sense of “not belonging”. The symbols associated with this chakra are Earth, survival, grounding, stillness, & elephants
2- Spleen Chakra or belly, usually the color orange, and located just beneath the navel, and related to our sexual and reproductive capacity. Blockage manifests as emotional imbalance or guilt.
The symbols associated with this chakra are the moon, water, emotions, sexuality, desire, tears, & crocodiles.
3- Solar Plexis Chakra, usually the color yellow and located at the base of the xyfoid process. This is considered the seat of emotions. It gives us a sense of personal power in the world, however, blockage manifests as anger or a sense of victimization. The symbols associated with this chakra are the sun, fire, will, power, anger, joy, laughter, and the ram.
4- Heart Chakra, usually the color green, and located in the center of the chest. In some cultures, this is considered the “seat of the soul”. This is associated with trust and our ability to love and have compassion. Blockage can manifest as a weak immune system or heart problems, loneliness, or a lack of compassion. The symbols associated with this chakra are air, love, balance, compassion, and the antelope.
5- Throat Chakra, usually the color blue and located at the hyoid bone. This is associated with creativity, expression, and communication. Blockage can manifest as an inability to express yourself, or not able to communicate your emotions properly. The symbols associated with this chakra are ether, sound, expansion, communication, creativity, excitement, and the deer.
6- Third Eye Chakra, usually the color indigo, and is located in the middle of the forehead. This is associated with the Pineal Gland, the all knowing gland of the endocrine system, which is responsible for balance and harmony, and the ability to see the big picture. Blockage can manifest as being self-centered and un-imaginative. The symbols associated with this chakra are light, clairvoyance, psychic abilities, imagination, dreaming, and the owl.
7- Crown Chakra, usually the color purple, and is located above the cranium. This chakra connects you with messages from other realms, (non earthy realms). This is associated with “doing the right thing”. Blockages can manifest as poor boundaries, and an inability to determine right from wrong. The symbols associated with this chakra are god, thought, spiritual connection, understanding, knowing, and bliss. There is no earthly animal associated.

“There is a vitality, a life force, and because there is only one of you, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost.
It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly — to keep the channel open”.
Martha Graham

CranioSacral Therapy

Craniosacral Therapy by Heidi Wilson
Describing what a craniosacral therapy session feels like is not easy. A recent client of mine said, “It feels like being in the womb of the world!” Words like “peaceful, relaxed, balanced, centered, free, calm” are often used to describe the experience of a session.
You might think of receiving craniosacral work for numerous types of symptoms or conditions. Headaches, low back pain, symptoms from injuries, recovery from surgeries, nervous system disorders, brain injuries, spinal injuries, muscular-skeletal issues, tension, stress of all kinds, integration of emotional and spiritual issues, hiatal hernias, immune system issues, and more. This modality treats the whole person, so it seems almost limitless as to what might be addressed.
Craniosacral therapy originates in the western medicine practice of osteopathy. It is a profoundly relaxing and gentle modality that promotes healing on a deep level. The focus of the practitioner is mainly on the subtle movement and slower rhythms of the fluid continuum that is present in the body.
This work began with an osteopathic doctor named William Sutherland. As a student of Franklyn Taylor Stills in Kirksville, Ill., around the turn of the 20th century, he began exploring the possibility and significance of a type of motion occurring between the sutures of the cranial bones. He began experimenting on his own cranium, applying devices that restricted movement of some areas of the skull, while freeing up or amplifying movement in other areas. He observed how these restrictions caused imbalances in other systems of the body, including mental and emotional.
These experiments revealed a relationship between the free-flowing subtle movements of the cranium and the health of the whole person. The results led Sutherland to a mechanical view of the relationship of the cranial bones to each other, almost like a system of pulleys and levers, with the spheno-basilar joint in the center of the head being the focal point of this movement. He also observed a relationship between the sacrum and the cranium through the involuntary movement of the spinal dura. He hypothesized that these movements might be caused by the motion of the cerebral spinal fluid around the brain and spinal cord.
Sutherland began working on patients to restore balance to this system or mechanism, and he taught this system to other osteopaths. It took many years of success with his patients and much lecturing and teaching before it became accepted in the osteopathic community that the cranial bones did have motion and that cranial osteopathy was an effective healing modality.
Dr Sutherland became deeply interested in what was the driving force behind this motion. He observed a type of respiration of the whole body, or the fluid body, that is separate from lung breathing. He called this motion Primary Respiration. This is the kind of breathing we were doing inside our mothers’ wombs. As his work deepened and matured in his later life (mid 1940s), he began to discover that the more he got out of the way and observed this process of Primary Respiration, the better the results for his patients. He observed the presence of very slow movements that he called Tides, which seemed to move through the body at various rates. He also observed stillnesses in which it seemed that the system was able to come to a deep rest and get recharged or reorganized. He observed that sessions in which these deep states of rest and stillness occurred resulted in his patients being able to change long-held patterns of imbalances in the body and mind. He began to develop and teach this very gentle method of the work in his later years. The continuation and evolution of this phase of his work is what is now known as the biodynamic approach to craniosacral therapy.
Today, this work is done by some osteopaths and has been embraced by many massage therapists as well, thanks to Dr John Upledger, who was the first person to present and teach this work on a wide scale to non-osteopaths. Today, many different schools offer craniosacral therapy, some with a more bio-mechanical point of view (Upledger), some with a pure biodynamic approach (Charles Ridley, Franklyn Sills, Micheal Shea), and some with a combination of both (the Milne Institute offers both biomechanical and biodynamic perspectives, as well as explorations of shamanic practices).
Craniosacral therapy is gentle and safe for all ages from newborn to the elderly. Heidi Wilson offers classes through ASIS Massage Education in Clarkdale. For more information, visit www.asismassage.com

Deanne Juhan’s Job’s body, a must for massage therapists

More on Job’s Body: If you are interested in ordering this Station Hill production, visit the ASIS book store: http://asismassage.com/store/massage-bookstore/

Bodywork and Autonomic Response:
Now these changes observable in meditation are very like those that can be induced by effective bodywork: a slower and deeper respiratory rhythm, a slower heart rate, a diminishing of muscular tension both in chronically contracted areas and in overall muscle tone, an increase in blood flow through the visceral and skeletal muscles, and a more efficient use of available energy. There seems to be no reason to doubt that the intensified alpha activity of the brain and the beneficial chemical changes associated with the “wakeful, hypometabolic state” also accompany similar physical symptoms induced by bodywork.
The circularity of our internal feedback/response system is such that it does not matter whether we begin with the cultivation of an inner mental calm and allow its influence to project out into the muscles, or whether on the other hand we manipulate the sensory-motor reflexes in such a way as to decrease their normal tone and thus induce a calmer inner state. The bridge goes from Minneapolis to St. Paul as well as from St. Paul to Minneapolis, and the same beneficial shifts in the electrical activity of the brain and the chemistry of the blood can be expected to accompany the same physiological changes, regardless of where specifically in the circular sensory-motor loop these changes are initiated.
For bodywork just as for meditation, the desired end result is an individual who is both relaxed and alert, in control. Each of the two disciplines begins at opposite ends of a continuum to achieve their purpose, but due to the completeness of the integration of the nervous system their net results are very similar. And both are capable of exerting positive effects upon internal functions that have long been regarded as being beyond our control, “autonomic.”
So we can see that the term “autonomic” does not describe a wholly separate type of neuromuscular behavior any more than does the term “voluntary.” The autonomic system is in no sense functionally separate from the central nervous system, but receiving axons from cells within that system, forms one of the routes by which the central nervous system controls the tissues of the body. The significant difference between this route (visceral efferent) and that which supplies the muscles of the body and limbs (somatic efferent) is that the cells of the visceral efferent route which actually innervate the tissues lie outside the central nervous system, while those of the somatic efferent system lie inside the central nervous system.”
In other words, we here encounter once again the dangers of allowing the properties of our abstract visual and verbal models to condition our reasoning about natural processes, rather than keeping our focus firmly fixed upon the actual functions which our words and models seek to describe. Our methods of dissection and observation, and our subsequent labels of “autonomic” or “voluntary,” suggest a separation and a difference of functional modes which we do not in fact find reflected in the fully coordinated activities of the these two systems of trunks and ganglia. In the end we find our terms and descriptions reduced to near-tautologies in order to preserve these presumed distinctions. “Autonomic,” after all, simply means “self-governing.” Which self is the question at hand.

Five Element theory

THE FIVE ELEMENTS
According to an Ayurvedic model the five elements are the more specific forms that life energy takes within our bodies, governing the physical systems and manifesting as qualities of consciousness. There are numerous ways to more fully awaken and balance these elemental forces. Meditation, attention to diet, attunement to the natural world, exercise and bodywork are common methods. Bodywork can act as a direct feedback mechanism for discovering the energetic patterns (beliefs, thoughts, emotions, sensations, and breath) which underlie physical posturing and behavior. With greater awareness of how these patterns condition and recondition through repetition the context (what is felt) and content (what is thought) in our lives, there arises the real possibility of an understanding which functions as a growing freedom amidst these patterns. Simultaneously this understanding can help dissolve the patterns that have a limiting tendency.
Although for purposes of explanation it is necessary to describe each of these elements individually, it’s important to keep in mind that they are not separate from one another, yet they each possess unique distinctive characteristics.
The ether element is the space within which life happens. Therefore it is all-encompassing and supports the movement of life on every level. Life forms require a space to be born into; the earth depends upon the atmosphere; the fetus requires the womb; the emotional and physical heart depend upon the body for their existence. The hollow spaces within the body are the more specific domain of the ether element. The ventricles of the brain, the space within the lungs and the intestinal tract, the joints which form the space between the individual bones of the body are common examples. In fact there is literally more space between the molecules of the body than there are molecules. An attunement to the ether creates a wonderful possibility for an awareness of the flowing, ever-changing, interdependent nature of the life process.
The air element is the wind, which moves within the space element. It is the oxygen we breathe. It governs the respiratory system and the intellectual or thoughtful realm of life. Therefore as this element is attuned to and comes to greater balance, both of these areas of the life experience are benefited. Breathing is both a voluntary and involuntary process, meaning that we can regulate or control our breath and contribute to numerous physiological and psychological effects, and even if we don’t pay any attention to it, the breath will continue to come in and out of the body, nourishing the cells and sustaining our organism throughout life. The breath is a link between the conscious and the unconscious mind, meaning that by attending to the natural, normal, unmanipulated breath, aspects of the unconscious mind will reveal themselves to consciousness (unconscious here refers to that which is not yet known.) Numerous meditative disciplines around the world utilize the breath as an object for training the attention to be in the present moment, and for harmonizing the mind and the body. Air element sessions can help induce calmness and clarity of mind. The polarities of this element are felt physically as sensations of movement (fast-slow) and psychologically through the feeling continuum of calm-fear.
The fire element governs the direction that the movement of life takes. It lies energetically, or in terms of frequency of vibration in the middle of the elemental spectrum (the ether and air being more subtle or faster in terms of frequency of vibration, while the water and earth are denser and slower in vibration.) This element is related to the digestive system, and in terms of behavior, the ability to take action. Working with this element can boost the vital force of the body by augmenting the metabolic processes. There is an intimate relationship between the function and balance of the fire element and the air element. The availability of oxygen is crucial for all the physical systems to function. The digestive system is positioned immediately inferior, anatomically, to the lungs in the body. Therefore digestive function is greatly enhanced by an open and free respiratory cycle. A relatively relaxed and responsive diaphragm contributes significantly to metabolism, as it massages the digestive organs with every breath taken. When metabolic process is refined through careful attention to food intake and activity levels there is the possibility of a more consistent availability and flow of life energy throughout the day. The small intestine is the principal site for digestion. This organ quite literally receives the food and divides what is needed from what can be eliminated. What is needed is assimilated for the maintenance of the body’s tissues, while what is not needed can be moved on into the large intestine for elimination. Assimilation of life experience is happening on many different levels all the time. Certain experiences will register consciously and impress themselves upon us in such a way that they deeply effect how we see ourselves and the world. Many experiences will be hardly noticed and have little impact. Within this polarity much of what we could call, relatively speaking, the self, is contained. Physical environment, food selection, relationships, education are all somehow selected and related to. The small intestine can be viewed as the physical analog for the assimilation of the relative self. In this sense bodywork which more fully connects us with the fire element and its associated organs can help support the growth of wisdom in relation to choices and their effect on behavior. The fire element is experienced physically through the field of temperature (hot-cold) and psychologically through the feeling continuum of anger-joy.
The water element is often viewed as the element of receptivity and sensitivity. It is associated with the urinary- genital system, the lymphatic system and at the deepest level in the physical body, the central nervous system. Water is the element that allows our nervous system to have electrical conductivity. It is the element of cleansing and regeneration both physically and psychologically. Creativity (the ability to manifest outwardly what is felt or sensed within in fresh and unique ways) is a natural outgrowth of all of the elements being awakened and balanced. The procreative energy and its numerous expressions are particularly significant in terms of the water element. A more complete and expanded understanding of sexual energy can be fostered through working with this element. An example of this would be deepening the felt relationship between the pelvic center or cavity and the heart. An opening to appreciation of the uniqueness and beauty of the procreative impulses can be cultivated while also integrating this awareness into the growth of creativity in general.
As one part of a holistic approach to transforming the effects of physical and sexual abuse, water sessions can be very helpful. The wide-ranging effects of miscarriage, abortion, menstrual cycle symptoms, and menopause can also be benefited. Prostate gland complications in men and urinary tract infections for both women and men have shown positive response. As research continues to validate the relationship between the immune system, the nervous system, and the emotions, bodywork, which contributes to a clearer understanding of the somatic aspect of emotional process will undoubtedly grow in popularity. The water element is experienced physically through the sensations of cohesion-dispersion and psychologically through the feeling continuum of sadness-contentment. When more in balance, there is a greater sense of fluidity (specifically at the emotional level) and less of a tendency for attachment and clinging.
The earth element governs the large intestine and the hard tissue of the body. Sessions which address this element help bring more awareness to the function of the large intestine while vitalizing and clearing the organ also. A deeper sense of the skeleton as it interfaces with the myofascial matrix within the field of gravity can be enhanced. Grounding in the psycho-physical process and to the earth itself, while providing for increased practicality and organization in response to life’s changing circumstances, is a further potential effect. Becoming more at home on the earth, happy and appreciative for the physical body are feelings which often arise. The earth element guides or channels the power and fluidity of water. For this reason, as the water element is awakened (and in particular the wider range of emotions begin to flow), it can be useful to utilize earth sessions as a compliment and support for the water, and in turn the other elements as well. The earth element is experienced physically as sensations of weight (light-heavy) and as softness-hardness. Psychologically the element is expressed through the feeling continuum of responsibility- rigidity. Rigidity here refers to the tendency to react to internal and external stimuli, while responsibility refers to the ability to respond to the same.