Within our body lies a living marine aquarium, strikingly similar in composition to the earth’s oceans. Like the ocean, our “tidal” body has a rhythmic to and fro motion, bathing all our tissues in health and vitality. This living matrix of fluid potency carries the blueprint of life!

Conception occurs in a sea of (embryonic) fluid, fluid with the potency and intelligence to orchestrate the developmental forces of life. In utero, this ‘inner ocean’ becomes enclosed by our brain and central nervous system, establishing a fluid midline matrix that functions as an intelligent, vital force for the remainder of our lives. Its tidal ebb and flow connects us to the dynamic frequency and resonance of our most natural and essential (fluid) biorhythm, transferring its intelligence and vitality, on contact, to every tissue in our body….

Dural membranes surround this fluid system allowing these rhythmic life forces to be held within the body’s midline, anchored to bony structures, which protect and work together to amplify and transmit these forces to the entire body. Osteopaths can palpate these bones, membranes and fluid fluctuations to appreciate disturbances in their coordinated function caused by trauma and disease. Imbalances within this dynamic system can be released with manual approaches, restoring proper midline function and vitality.

Because the composition of all body fluids is similar to salt water, there is a constant movement of particles (electrolytes) in and out of every cell in the body to create and maintain the proper environment for health. This ocean-like environment becomes disturbed due to injury, illness, improper diet, build-up of toxins from poor air, food and water, and other modern day stress, resulting in excessive inflammatory and allergic/immune substances building-up in our system and causing congestion. This congestion has local irritating effects on our joints, muscles and organs leading to many common ailments and also has a systemic effect that interferes with the ability of our fluid system to transmit its rhythmic vitality and perform its other midline functions. Congestion creates a back up (or back-pressure) that also reduces venous, lymphatic and arterial flow and engages compensatory physiologic mechanisms in order to maintain homeostasis. These compensations modulate further metabolic, neurological and circulatory stress that disturbs our health and well being.

Dural membranes surround this fluid system allowing these rhythmic life forces to be held within the body’s midline, anchored to bony structures, which protect and work together to amplify and transmit these forces to the entire body. Osteopaths can palpate these bones, membranes and fluid fluctuations to appreciate disturbances in their coordinated function caused by trauma and disease. Imbalances within this dynamic system can be released with manual approaches, restoring proper midline function and vitality.