Evolutionary Embodiment ~ Topsoil ~ Ortho-Bionomy

Ortho-Bionomy™

Excerpts from:
Ortho-Bionomy™ Pathway for wellness in the next millennium

By Robin Wilson, Advanced Instructor of Ortho-Bionomy
Director of the Minnesota Center for Ortho-Bionomy
Originally published in “The Edge” newspaper, St. Paul, MN, March 1996

Ortho-Bionomy is an integrated system of body/mind therapy and neurosomatic education which has a long tradition in the growing field of alternative healing arts. Developed over 20 years ago by British Osteopath Arthur Lincoln Pauls, it is complex and deep in its application, yet is based on natural self-healing principles which are simple in concept, and safe for anyone to practice.

All techniques employed in Ortho-Bionomy are gentle, non-invasive, and painless, yet move deeply within the body and one’s experience, producing an on-going and increasing sense of release and integration which often continues for several days or more following a session. The basic underlying principle of Ortho-Bionomy is expressive of the same concept operative in Homeopathy – the Law of Similars, or “Like heals like.” Release is achieved through subtle exaggeration of the patterns of tension in muscle, bone, connective tissue, nervous system, posture, movement and energy. This is why Ortho-Bionomy has become referred to as “The Homeopathy of Bodywork.”

At every level in the work there is affirmation and application of the understanding that every aspect of our experience, including the physical, is a “holographic fragment” of our being as a whole. The postures, movements and tension patterns we have adopted in response to life are reflected back to the body in ways which enable it to generate a response towards greater comfort and ease. Internally, the amplified experience of these physical and energetic patterns functions as a mirror of the self, reflecting in a language we all instinctively understand the ways in which we have structured our personal reality, and the ways in which we are naturally empowered to change.

At its heart, Ortho-Bionomy is always the art of honoring and following the individual pattern. When Dr. Pauls subtitled the work as “The Evolvement of the Original Concept,” he meant that as we learn to accept and embrace our experience, respecting and following the natural promptings of our inner selves towards comfort and ease, we evolve ourselves into more harmonious expressions of our true being. The marvelous thing is that this simple principle not only applies as a way to live and grow, but is also inherent to the way our bodies have evolved to self-heal and maintain physical well-being.

What is Ortho-Bionomy?

Ortho-Bionomy addresses a remarkable number of painful and debilitating physical and emotional conditions as well as being a safe and effective way to ease stress and promote relaxation.
Ortho-Bionomy facilitates the therapeutic process and promotes natural body alignment, balance and pain relief.
Ortho-Bionomy is a system that allows us to integrate our physical, emotional, and mental experiences. The body’s structure is one of the key focuses of the practice of Ortho-Bionomy.

When your body structure works, your circulation works better…
you think better… you feel better.

Is Ortho-Bionomy right for me?

Whether you are looking for relief from specific discomfort or a safe and effective way to ease stress and promote relaxation, Ortho-Bionomy can be very beneficial. Ortho-Bionomy is compatible with all healing systems. It is not a substitute for appropriate medical care, nutrition, or exercise.

Ortho-Bionomy can help with such conditions as:

headaches
back pain
sprains/strains
sports injuries
acute injuries
restricted movement
knee problems
acute and chronic pain
neuromuscular dysfunction

Physicians, surgeons, neurologists, chiropractors, etc., refer people to practitioners of Ortho-Bionomy. These professionals find that a wide variety of physical and emotional conditions respond to Ortho-Bionomy’s non-invasive techniques

What are the benefits of Ortho-Bionomy?

Ortho-Bionomy works with the “proprioceptive nerves,” a complex system that transverses every inch of our body letting us know where we are in time and space.

Sometimes the body’s natural ability to remain balanced is short-circuited. This may be due to stress, accident, injury, improper posture, emotional experiences and/or overtaxing the body’s limits. So often when this happens, the body adapts as best is can, and in the process may create patterns of even greater stress.

With Ortho-Bionomy, pain eases and function, body structure, balance and overall well-being improve. These benefits generally continue after the session is finished.

Ortho-Bionomy helps people break the cycle of pain, without causing pain. Ortho-Bionomy is very effective in recovery from injuries, surgery, and stress. This is accomplished by reducing muscle tension, soothing the joints, increasing flexibility and range of movement, improving circulation and relaxing the entire body.

Postural work and gentle movement exercises further enhance this neuro-muscular reeducation process and empower the individual to interact with their own internal communication process to gently restore balance.

What is an Ortho-Bionomy session like?

Typically, Ortho-Bionomy sessions last approximately an hour. Comfortable, loose-fitting clothing is suggested to allow a full range of motion. The practitioner works with you to identify areas of discomfort, tension and pain as well as areas of comfort and ease of movement. The use of gentle movements, comfortable positioning and compression are incorporated. No forceful movements are used.

Every Ortho-Bionomy session is specifically designed around your individual needs. Your practitioner will rely on your verbal feedback to find the movements and positions to facilitate your body’s release of stress and tension.

Home exercises are often suggested to further aid in relieving pain, restoring balance and function throughout the body.

Comfort is a key consideration in an Ortho-Bionomy session.

The Society of Ortho-Bionomy International® was founded in 1984 and oversees the professional training of all its practitioners through an extensive professional training program. The program assures each of our practitioners demonstrates the highest level of Ortho-Bionomy skills, professional competence, and standards of practice.

Ortho-Bionomy is taught and recognized worldwide for its simple, gentle, and lasting effectiveness.

Society of Ortho-Bionomy International
5335 N. Tacoma Ave. #21G
Indianapolis, IN 46220

800-809-3747 (Toll free in the US and Canada)
317-536-0064 (Local and International)

office@ortho-bionomy.org
www.ortho-binomy.org

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"The shifts for which [Topsoil] holds space unfold with ease and power… I have greatly benefited from his work with me."

~ Heron Saline, CHT CMT