Unfolding Towards Greater Connection

Donald Epstein, the founder of Network Spinal Analysis states that pain is a disconnect between who you are and the life you are living. More and more evidence is pointing to the fact that true healing from stress, physical injury, trauma, and emotional wounding has so much to do with finding a sense of safety and peace within the body. Last month, we discussed how NSA is used to help the nervous system develop new ways of dealing with stress by discharging stored tension within the spine, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments while at the same time improving the connection between the mind and body. With consistent care, the nervous system can gain the skill of working through traumas and emotional stressors by learning to release these emotional energies automatically, without directly confronting the issues. This alone can lead to more peace and an increased sense of wellbeing, but what are the other factors of this process?

When you first started care, we recommended a specific frequency and series of adjustments. On a physical level, this helps to shift and improve the function of the neurological and physical structures of the spine. The other important aspect of the frequency and repetition of this process it to help the brain neurologically find the body. With long-term stress and fight-or-flight physiology, the brain has lost touch with what is truly happening within the body. Research shows that in essence, the brain overutilizes dysfunctional neurological patterning. NSA helps to dissipate tension on these often-overused patterns and reorganizes what is happening within the nervous system.[1] The repetition of the adjustments and the contacts on specific areas of the spine sensitizes the spine to increase awareness, but also to start the process of building energy for the Somatopsychic wave. You may have experienced a wave-like sensation moving throughout your spine during your adjustments, feeling that energetically, or through movement or breath, that the spine is building and releasing tension. Or, you may have felt the start of this process—some clients describe tingling, heat, cold, or even “ripple-like sensations” in the muscles. This Somatopsychic wave temporarily suspends unconscious automatic behavior patterns while creating a sense of safety within the nervous system and body. This process allows for the body to read its own subtle cues that lead to new strategies that are more productive for overall wellbeing.

What is the power of creating safety in the body and allowing the body to read its own subtle cues? You are much more likely to know and listen to what your body needs. In this way, NSA is a huge promoter of personal growth, as it encourages patients to make healthier lifestyle choices as they develop a greater, deeper understanding of their own needs. This is key: if we are to create greater congruency between who you are and the life you are living, awareness and being able to read your body’s own subtle cues is essential. Studies on NSA showed that participants had 3X the sense of wellbeing compared to non-participants. Because so many participants of NSA also engage in other healthy behaviors (and NSA allows the frontal cortex of the brain to engage in healthy behaviors with more ease), NSA participants that also implemented healthy behaviors like healthy dietary changes, exercise, and mindfulness practices were also studied. The research showed that these study participants had 5X the sense of wellbeing as a non-participant.

A study [2] of over 2,800 NSA care participants found that patients of NSA care experienced significant changes in:

• Physical wellbeing: decreased pain, improved spinal flexibility, increased energy, less fatigue, improved immune system, fewer headaches, decreased need for prescription medication.
• Ability to handle stress: improved wellbeing, ability to cope with daily problems, family relationships, significant relationships, and work.
• Emotional and mental wellbeing: more positive feelings about self, decreased moodiness, improved temper, less depression, more interest in life, improved concentration, less anxiety.
• Life Enjoyment: Increased interest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, increased compassion for others, feeling more open when relating to others, increased relaxation.

The ultimate outcome of NSA care is to experience love for yourself and for others. According to Dr. Epstein, “Love is the process of self-acceptance, and the ability to experience the self and others without armor. When the breath moves through the body unrestricted, when you harmonize your breath and rhythms with others, there is agreement, harmony.” As we go back to Epstein’s original definition of pain, you can imagine, as one moves through consistent care, with the developing harmony, breath, rhythms, agreement, and repatterning, there is much more congruency in the life someone is living and who they really are. I am fortunate as I get to witness this unfolding in clients every single day: the peace, the fluidity, the ease, the agreement. It is a process and it is a beautiful one.

Remember, Create Health by Choice, Not by Chance.

[1] Senzon, S., Lemburger, D., Epstein, D.: The Network Spinal Wave as a Central Pattern Generator. 2016, The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

[2] Blanks, RH, Boone, WR; Schmidy, S:Dobson, M: Network Care: A Retrospective outcomes assessment. 1996 Dobson, M; Boone WR; Blanks, RH; Women and Alternative Health Care; A Retrospective Study of Recipients of Network Care. 1996