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What do Sci-Fi and CranioSacral Therapy have in common?
Thanks for asking...
The connection between Sci-Fi and CranioSacral Therapy is...
Blue Desert Hale is a health and wellness center in the New Mexican high desert. We host the Peirsman CranioSacral school six months out of the year. Our teacher is Etienne Peirsman and we teach Cranio for Everybody – meaning whether you are a bodyworker of 30 years or a barista, you are welcomed to come learn Cranio with us. We have schools in Belgium, Holland, Hong Kong, Washington State, and New Mexico – New Mexico being our main campus in America.
Peirsman CranioSacral is expanding its borders (both literally and figuratively). In addition to Etienne's traditional cranio classes, we have started a branch of PCS called Inward Bound, cranio hybrid classes for kids, as well as adults.
Our Mission
The creation of a holistic, hybrid program combining CranioSacral Therapy and Equine-assisted therapies for Everybody, including youth of all shapes and sizes (ages 8-18), as well as children with mobility issues and at-risk youth.
The Story
Mason
The seed of Inward Bound was planted by Mason, one of my horseback riding students. Mason was a stellar kid with a great attitude. Mason also had cerebral palsy, a congenital disorder that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It is the most common motor disability in childhood.
While working with Mason and his horse, I came to understand the therapeutic value of horseback riding from a purely physical level. Mobility issues disappear on a horse. Atop his steed, Mason was not limited. As a bodyworker who had seen complimentary medicine benefit a wide range of people, I naturally began to think of how Mason would benefit from an integrative approach, specifically the addition of CranioSacral Therapy.
What is CranioSacral?
CranioSacral Therapy works with the movement of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. Aside from cushioning the brain and serving as a shock absorber for our central nervous system, CSF also circulates nutrients and chemicals filtered from the blood and removes waste products from the brain. CSF continually bathes the brain and spinal cord in a wave-like motion, and from there, the nerves of the body branch off. Just as the roots of a plant need water to reach its fullest potential, so our nerves need cerebrospinal fluid for the body to function properly. When this fluid is impinged or blocked, the CSF can’t do its job, and the body begins to suffer. CranioSacral Therapy works to restore the natural rhythm and function of this vital fluid.
Interestingly enough, animals, specifically horses, also respond well to CranioSacral Therapy. The idea of a hybrid program combining CranioSacral Therapy and Therapeutic Horseback riding took root. A program where both horse and student would receive CranioSacral therapy on a daily basis, further strengthening the bond between horse and rider.
Etienne
The seed of Inward Bound sprouted with Etienne Peirsman, founder and teacher of Peirsman CranioSacral. In class, he used to say, “If I was younger, I’d create a school for children called Inward Bound and teach them cranio.” At some point, I realized our vision was the same, I’d only added a large animal, and he’d included teaching the students CranioSacral as well.
Lynne
The sprout of Inward Bound grew further when I met Lynne Whitbeck, a horsewoman who expanded my awareness on the therapeutic abilities of horses, beyond just riding them. In addition to riding, she worked with horses on the ground, focusing on connection and communication, specializing in Somatic Awareness and Equine Guided Education. Lynne became the other half of Inward Bound, the facilitator between student and horse. True horsemanship is the art of mastering our own movement, thoughts, emotions, and behavior, not the horse’s.
The Target for Inward Bound’s Expansion
A 215-acre tract in the high desert of New Mexico, forty-five minutes from the Albuquerque airport. On the land, we will build an eight-bedroom housing facility for students, an eight-stall barn for horses, and a CranioSacral Therapy treatment/teaching space. Gardens, greenhouses, and other non-horse livestock are also part of the vision.
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