Abhi Ktori-Carter, Craniosacral Therapist, from Essencewave Body Therapies shares with us what Craniosacral Therapy is all about, how he proceeds with his clients, and what drove him to do this line of work.
What can you tell us about your professional background and your journey to being a Craniosacral Therapist?
I first became interested in Craniosacral back in the 1980s when I was living in Osho’s Ashram in India. I had gone there in 1977 from England and loved it so much that I stayed.
I had no plans to learn body therapy but one day when I received a session I knew I had to do this work .
At that time there was an amazing teacher running a two month course and so I signed up. I then started giving sessions in the Ashram healing center for a few months which was great, but after a while I decided to return to the west and try to start a practice in America which I did.
I then decided to deepen my understanding of the work with further training so I embarked on a wonderful journey with Biodynamic Craniosacral – a whole new approach to the work.
I trained with such great teachers as Franklin Sills, John and Anna Chitty and I am now an advanced practitioner with over thirty years experience in adult and pediatric Craniosacral.
What exactly is the science behind Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy?
The way I work has changed over the years. Now I focus not so much on the imprints, but on all the things that has happened to the clients – the traumas, the injuries etc,
I hold these in the space but when I am working in the session I am more focused on
the Blueprint, the essential – listening without trying to “fix’ the client.
I listen to the essential rhythms and the deeper tides. The body begins to tell me where I need to work, the places where the life force is impeded and where the current of our physical ‘electricity ‘ is blocked. By just staying without judgement or attempts to change, a transformation happens.
We hold so much in these bodies. Every experience, be it negative, traumatic or beautiful
impacts the way we live and how we respond to each new experience. Daily I see clients react with surprise at the power of this gentle work beginning to make major changes in their life.
Can craniosacral therapy be performed remotely?
I do not work remotely but I know some who do, and with good results.
Do you believe that we can all reach a stage where we can heal ourselves from within?
I believe we can heal ourselves. It is very individual. Finding the inner world of Beingness. I can only speak for myself and what has healed old wounds.
What role does meditation play in healing and in your life?
I have had great healing experiences that directly affect the way I work. Mostly being
involved with powerful active meditations – for example Dynamic Meditation – an amazing release meditation we do at 6am. Kundalini and breath meditations are also powerful.
However,what has sustained me and brought great joy to me is music. I am a singer songwriter and have worked closely with some great folks in the world of spiritual music.
Music was always a big part of our life in the ashrams. Now I go to a yearly retreat in Costa Rica led by Deva Premal and Miten. I have been doing this for seven amazing years .
Just to start each day singing the Gayatri Mantra 108 times with our beautiful Sangha
has blessed my life and graced my work profoundly.
What can one expect from a session with Abhi?
Everyone is different as to what they experience from a session. Some people have
great realizations. I’ve had clients say things like ” I never looked at that experience that way before ” or some see colors, mostly deep blues and report the deepest relaxation they have felt for years .
I once had a client many years ago who spoke no English. Her new husband brought her to me saying she is “going through a lot of sadness, can you help? ” He left her with me and I had begun the session. Within a few moments she started laughing at first very softly then it grew in intensity till it was a Tsunami of laughter.
So I just sat back on my chair and held space. Then she settled into a beautiful silent space that was so gentle yet had great power. A few days later the husband rang me to thank me and tell me that a great change had happened and how well his wife now was. I did not tell him that I had had divine help from the Gods of Laughter.
Some years ago I had one of the most amazing experiences of my Cranio sacral life . A lady brought her newborn to me. He had had a difficult birth having been “stuck” in the birth process for a very long time and now was not very responsive. He hardly cried and had a very dull affect about him – in short a very unhappy little chap. No sooner had I started working with him he let go into one of the most amazing catharsis releases I have seen in children or adults ever. The little fellow just let go of all the frustration, the stuckness and the fear he was holding on to. It was not articulate, just very real and powerful.
Then he settled into a very beautiful space. After the session a grateful mother handed him to me and he and I looked out of my office window. My parting words to him were “That’s the world out there, have a great time!”
