On Living Fascia

As promised, I want to discuss another article from the current issue of Massage and Bodywork Magazine. The timing is so fortunate with our workshop season about to begin (MFR I is next weekend!). This article is written by the French surgeon, Jean-Claude Guimberteau. Many of you will be familiar with him from his film, Strolling Under the Skin. Here's a link to a half hour excerpt - totally worth watching! 

The article (which you can find on page 50 at Massage & Bodywork Magazine) is from Guimberteau's new book, which I'm going to order as soon as I finish writing ya'll. The book is called, Architecture of the Living Fascia (order information at end of email). Guimberteau's journey into the world of living fascia is strikingly similar to how Dr. Upledger became interested in the cranial sacral system. In Upledger's case he was assisting a surgery and his job was told hold the meninges in place while the surgeon did his work. Well, the meninges refused to stay in place, they pulsated and moved inferior-superior at a certain rhythm. The surgeon became incensed with Dr. Upledger while Dr. Upledger insisted he was holding the tissue perfectly still it continued to move. Dr. Upledger became curious and remembered his class in cranial sacral therapy, which he summarily dismissed at the time. He realized he was witnessing and in direct contact with the cranial sacral rhythm. It altered not only the course of his life but the lives of so many therapists and patients alike (myself very much humbly included in this group).  

Guimberteau was performing hand surgeries with the aid of videoendoscopy. What he witnessed he found astounding. The tissue was moving and forming and reforming itself in a way that defied any known model of physiology. Like Dr. Upledger, Guimberteau became curious, so he began using the videoendoscopy to explore the extracellular matrix in the living body. The imagery is astounding and the first of its kind. Since the reales of Strolling Under the Skin, Guimberteau has pursued his curiosity to the benefit of us all. He has developed some ideas, theories possibly, about the properties, structure and function of what he terms microvacuoles. The implications for hands-on therapies are profound. His imagery and subsequent explorations lend validity to the felt sense, and make yet more amazing A.T. Still's famous quote about fascia: I know of no part of the body that equals the fascia as a hunting-ground. I believe that more rich golden thoughts will appear to the mind's eye as the study of fascia is pursued than of any other division of the body." Dr. Still wrote these words in the late 1800's!

I encourage you all to watch the video, read the article and let loose your imagination. We are so fortunate to be living and working in this time. Even when events around the world can seem disheartening, it is important to remember that we are also able to spend our time and energy pursuing truths such as these. And, we have the opportunity to bring them, through our hands, to the benefit of those we work with. 

If you would like to order Architecture of Human Living Fascia : you can click here. 

Hope to see you all soon, have a great week!

michael