Searching for the Smallest Asymmetry: Wheels Within Wheels

One of the most important skills that a SCENAR practitioner can develop is the ability to seek out and treat “the smallest asymmetry.” We are trained that the smallest asymmetry is the essence of the issue, the place of imbalance that once found and treated can resolve large surrounding areas of tissue imbalances. It is the “heart” of the matter.

The skin communicates its status relative to treatment with the Scenar through the appearance of what the Russian doctors call asymmetries. In these areas of imbalance the skin can turn red, become “sticky” where the device seems to “drag” over the area, or have greater sensitivity to the sensation of the device’s output.

The device itself also shows asymmetries through changes in the sound of its vibration and in some models, most notably the RITM, a numeric display can indicate the smallest asymmetry.

And something not mentioned often enough is intuition. With experience the practitioner becomes adept at sensing the heart of the imbalance after a few strokes. In my experience, the search for the smallest asymmetry creates in me such a focus on what I am doing and observing that I feel a “joining up” take place, that enhances my ability to perceive what is going on with the area. Perhaps it is me slipping in to Parasympathetic Mind that I have written about previously, or perhaps, some would say it is the effect of the blending of energy fields between me, the device, and the client. Regardless of how you describe it, the result is a clarity of perception about the issue that is presenting itself, and an understanding of how that issue can best be treated.

I have pondered this experience. The smallest asymmetry is a wheel within the wheel of the area involved, that is a wheel within the systems of the body, that are wheels within the wheel of the total body, that is a wheel within its particular relationships, that is a wheel within the human species, that is a wheel within the mammalian expression of life, that is a wheel within the wheel of life in general, that is a wheel within the wheel of the planet, that is a wheel within the wheel of the Universe… and so it goes. Everything is connected to everything else. Just as in ecology, each species is important to the balance of the environment. When the species is lost, imbalance occurs.

The body has its own ecology, and imbalances affect the functioning of the overall whole. It alerts us (usually with pain) that we need to pay attention. SCENAR assists the body in bringing back into balance those areas with specificity and efficiency, shortening the duration of suffering. Treating the smallest asymmetry brings the smallest wheel into balance which positively affects all the wheels that contain it.

SCENAR and Complementarity

One of the most wonderful things about SCENAR is how it complements any other modalities that are available in the treatment of pain. There is one exception to this, which is important for those who are considering using SCENAR to know. If  narcotic pain killing pharmaceuticals are being used on a schedule of more than once a day, the receptor sites for the body’s own opiate substances (endorphins) are taken up by the synthetic narcotic drug and prevent the body from using its own internal pharmacy to address pain.

The SCENAR’s main action is to help the body regulate and heal itself. Pain relief is the most obvious of the effects, however, much more is being activated within the body to reestablish homeostasis. In my experience over the last 6 years, I have noticed that clients who are using other modalities as well as SCENAR find that they make better progress toward healing. I have worked closely with chiropractors who find that SCENAR treatments can make adjustments easier and that they hold better. SCENAR also can find subluxations in the spine easily, which can be addressed quickly by the Chiropractor.

There is an acupuncturist, Dr. Donald Snow, in Louisiana who uses SCENAR and acupuncture together and finds that his results are better with the combination than with using either modality alone.

There have been times, because of Post Polio Syndrome, when I have used Physical Therapy.  Along with the PT, I have used SCENAR to ameliorate the pain that can result from those treatments. I have also found that I recover a lot faster, since using the SCENAR in this way, than I did before I had the SCENAR to complement what I was doing in PT.

My experiences with the complementary way in which SCENAR works with massage therapy have been impressive.  If someone has a SCENAR treatment before a massage, the relaxation and pain relieving effect is enhanced. It also makes it easier for the massage therapist because it is easier to go more deeply into the muscles to effect a release.

In SCENAR literature it is often suggested that when working with someone who is taking a pharmaceutical for a chronic condition such as diabetes, that the levels of the drug be monitored. This is because as the body begins to balance itself and recover, not as much of the drug will be necessary.

Unlike the idea in conventional medicine that one cure fixes all, natural medicine recognizes the uniqueness of each individual, and that very often a mix of modalities appropriate to the individual will speed healing faster than using only one. For this reason it is good to find a natural practitioner, such as a naturopath, who understands this and can monitor your progress if you are using more than one modality.

This capacity of the SCENAR to complement other treatments is also a good reason to own one. If you are interested in discussing owning a SCENAR and which one might best suit your needs you can contact me at 828-337-6854.

A Way to Hang on to Parasympathetic Mind in the Current Political Fracas

Morgana Morgaine, a life coach and humorist, has posted on her blog a very practical and interesting idea about “maintaining your sanity when all about you are losing theirs.” She relates how to respond to the current political fracas by “leaving the coliseum” that will help you maintain your Parasympathetic Mind through a perspective that is both self-preserving and humorous. It is a great read, and wanted to pass it along. Check it out!

Nine Supplements to Boost Your Mood

Part of the action of SCENAR is to boost mood through the stimulation of the parasympathetic system causing the release of endorphins and the neurotransmitters that regulate the emotional state. Our experience of happiness is a unique biochemistry in the brain, and nutrition also plays a vital role regulating it. I have found that clients who pay attention to their diet and lifestyle around eating respond much faster to SCENAR treatments. If the body has at its disposal the nutrient building blocks needed for the production of regulatory peptides, the availability of the internal pharmacy for healing is greatly enhanced, facilitating a rapid recovery.

The major cause of mood regulation difficulty is stress. When the sympathetic system is turned on for long periods of time, the parasympathetic system is turned off and the body can’t recover well. Stress depletes the body of the chemicals it uses to heal itself, including the “feel-good” neuropeptides (endorphins) and neurotransmitters(serotonin, dopamine, nor epinephrine, and gamma aminobutyric acid – GABA). The most used pharmaceutical drugs these days are for reducing anxiety and depression. Before turning to these drugs, which can have significant side-effects, it is worthwhile to try a natural route.

Other than regular exercise, a good multivitamin, and fish oil which improve overall health and help with mood regulation, there are some supplements  that can help lift depression, reduce anxiety, improve your resilience to stress, and improve sleep.

Be Aware: If you are already taking drugs for depression, anxiety, or insomnia, talk with you doctor about adding natural supplements. There can be negative interactions which you want to be mindful of. It is always a good idea to thoroughly research any substance you are considering taking into your body, whether pharmaceutical or natural.

There are nine nutritional supplements that can help you reduce the effects of stress and improve mood: Read more »

Healing Innovations Introduces a Monthly Series of Talks

Beginning on April 29, Healing Innovations will hold a series of monthly talks and demonstrations on the SCENAR and Parasympathetic Mind. You will have an opportunity to experience pain treatment using the revolutionary technology developed in the Russian Space program, as well as learn ways to improve your autonomic system balance, reduce stress, and improve your quality of life.

The first talk will be held at the Natural Health and Homeopathy office, 54 Merrimon Avenue from 6:30 to 8pm. Featured will be the natural healing process of the body, called the Parasympathetic System, and ways you can access this healing system in your everyday life.

Space is limited, so please call 337-6854 to register. These talks are free to anyone who is interested in self-healing and ways to promote health naturally. It is a lot easier than you may think!

New Study Shows Efficacy of Slow Breathing in Reducing Pain

A new study reported in the April issue of the Journal of Pain reports on the effects of slow breathing on reducing pain. It is the first study to directly examine the benefits of breathing rate on physical and emotional reaction to pain.

It is a small study using 27 women with Fibromyalgia and 25 healthy women. The results show that slow breathing reduced rating of pain intensity as well as negative emotion in the healthy women. Those with Fibromyalgia who had the capacity to feel positive, felt less pain with slow breathing.

The study’s lead author, Alex Zautra, Foundation Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University, says: “Slow breathing provides a natural means for damping activity in the stress system of the brain, leading to a reduction in pain. The first change that occurs with slower breathing is greater parasympathetic response which provides a counterbalance to sympathetic activation that is often aroused by pain, and that engenders feelings of anxiety and nervous tension. A greater state of calm induced with slower breathing also opens the mind to a greater capacity to feel emotions other than pain, providing perspective, flexibility, and choice in the regulation of inner states. In doing so, slow breathing reduces the dominance of the fight/flight response within us, extending the calm influence of parasympathetic activation to allow for better emotional regulation and cognitive shifts from helplessness to action.”

Zautra is now conducting clinical trials to test the benefit of their body/mind intervention in a five year project funded in part by the National Institute of Health.

It is wonderful to see the scientific community validating the effects of Parasympathetic Mind.

Wonderful Wisdom

This is a bit off topic, but not really. My son posted it on our family blog and I wanted to share it.

Balance

Webster’s dictionary defines balance as the state of equilibrium between contrasting, opposing, or interacting elements. From planetary ecological balance to being able to stand up on our feet, balance is a delicate, intricate, and wonderfully orchestrated cornerstone of our outer and inner reality. We ignore this cornerstone at our own peril.

In our work with SCENAR great attention is paid to assisting the body in returning to its inner state of balance or homeostasis. This involves working with the autonomic nervous system which, for the most part, operates without our conscious control. It maintains the internal balance of the organs and systems in response to external stimuli.

There are two aspects to the autonomic nervous system: the sympathetic system (often called the “fight or flight” response) and the parasympathetic system (called the “rest and digest” response). These two aspects operate in opposition to one another. When one is operating, the other one isn’t. When you are running from a saber tooth tiger, the last thing you want to do is “rest and digest.” Ideally, there is a balance between the systems based on the fluctuations of conditions. The sympathetic system keeps us alert and responding to the environment in ways that promote our survival, and the parasympathetic system rests, heals, and restores the body from all the activity required by the sympathetic system. The sympathetic system uses up the resources of the body and the parasympathetic system recovers and restores those resources to be available if needed again.

Our modern world challenges our bodies in maintaining the balance between these two systems. In general we are inundated with demands, information, time urgency, conflicts, and confusion that our bodies interpret as being threats to our survival. We worry and feel anxious, angry, resentful, or frustrated. We don’t have time to attend to eating well, resting, relaxing, and even when we try to rest or relax we are still ruminating about the issues. The parasympathetic system is shut down. Our bodies are in a near constant slow sympathetic system boil. We have a word for this: STRESS. We have lost our inner balance. Living too long in this state leads to disease as the body is unable to heal itself.

When the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are working as they should, the tendency is to rest often and easily. One can, however, perform at “peak ability” with equal ease. When challenged by stress, the balanced person is able to respond with vigor and fortitude. The parasympathetic system reduces the activity of the brain, the muscles, and the adrenal and thyroid glands. When no situation is pressing, the balanced person can comfortably choose to rest and can sleep deeply. They engage in lifestyles that allow the body to be nourished and restored.

When we are stressed and the sympathetic system is dominating, the sensations of pain are amplified. The SCENAR addresses pain by activating the parasympathetic system which releases neuropeptides to address the pain and restore the inner balance. In only a few minutes of treatment people will visibly relax. After a few sessions, very frequently people will become interested in taking better care of themselves and talk about ways they can do that. They also usually have an overall improvement in their mood. It is amazing to watch. (Read about some of our clients’ experiences on the “What Our Clients Say” page.)

If you are stressed and in pain, you might want to look into experiencing a SCENAR treatment series. It could make a big difference not just in your pain but in your overall health and sense of well being.