Figure Eights
Cranio Sacral rhythm is a natural movement of the body that was first written about in the late 1800s. This knowledge has been used ever since then as a mode of treatment for just about everything. Anyone can do a simple version of the movement on ourselves or on others without fear of harming anything.
What we’re talking about here is a figure eight.
Do one with your wrist, or your ankle, or your elbow. Stand up and do one with your right hip or your shoulders or your head. Sit on an exercise ball and rotate your pelvis in a figure eight motion. Do this gently, don’t jerk, and keep it slow. Try to get a feel for the natural rhythm your body is already doing and assist it. Don’t ever push yourself into a movement your body doesn’t want to do.
It’s an excellent way to encourage flexibility or healing.
A lot of people who work with handicapped children use this method to encourage natural movement and healing. Massage therapists and other people who do body work use this. The way they do it is to get in touch with the body’s natural rhythm, and then gently move parts of you along with that rhythm to encourage complete the figure eights.
CranioSacral means the movement is primarily between the cranium (the skull) and the sacrum (the tail bone). But it happens throughout the body. Many people, when learning to tune into the rhythm on others, find themselves swaying to the other person’s rhythm as if they’re hearing music.
So a good way to encourage your own craniosacral rhythm is to allow your body to sway however it would like to. Gently, slowly, not forcing anything.
Dancing has a lot of figure eights.
Especially belly dancing and the hula.
If a part of your body can’t be moved on its own naturally, such as your toe, use your hand to move the toe in a figure eight. Gently, slowly.
Some people respond immediately, some people take longer. Give it a try –
You’ll see a lot of figure eights if you watch for them…
Watch a horse roll on the grass. 
Watch a baby play with his hands.
Watch a dog wag her tail.
Watch a cat stretch.
You’ll find it.
LO Problems
LO problems are simply a lack of good oils.
Maybe your entire fat and oil intake come from fried foods. Or maybe you use olive oil a lot but you cook it. Or maybe you’re trying to lose weight by not eating fat.
LO problems reveal: your body needs good oils.
If you don’t know what LO means, please read Left Lemon System first.
Typical LO situation:
- Most of your problems of pain, weakness, or other complaints are in the green section of Stickman
- Your body type is apple-shaped — you have a rounded chest and shoulders with a narrow pelvis
- You don’t digest oils well or you don’t get enough of the good ones
- You crave simple carbs like pasta and baked goods
- Your eating isn’t balanced according to 30/30/40
- You feel the need for an afternoon nap
- You suffer from depression or fatigue
- You’re low in essential minerals and high in toxic metals
- You frequently have swelling and inflammation
- You tend to get gall stones
- You have cholesterol issues
To get out of this trap:
- Add fresh lemon and good oils to your diet
- Don’t cook with olive oil, put it onto your food after it’s cooked
- Eat avocado, olives, and fatty fish for extra good oils
- Avoid fried foods and hydrogenated oils
- Eat marinated greens frequently
- Eat foods high in calcium: nuts and seeds, dark green veggies, sesame seeds
- Avoid calcium supplements
- Don’t depend on dairy products for calcium — they are highly processed, especially “ultra pasteurized”
The solution for LO people is to add good oils to every meal and clean up your diet
I make a small jar of equal amounts of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and olive oil and keep it on my kitchen counter. Just shake it up and pour some over your meal.
Your liver’s ability to make hormones depends on getting oils into your body. If you think you’re aging too quickly, your liver needs help with good oils. If your skin is having problems, you need more oils.
60% of your brain is made of fat. Wonder why a low-fat diet makes you feel bad? That’s why. And most of the fats in your brain are from something called DHA. DHA can be converted in your body from ALA, but if you’re still eating sugar it could have a hard time doing it.
ALA is found in dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, and other veggies. If you’re eating Balanced meals, and using the Left Lemon System to troubleshoot, you’ll be getting plenty.
DHA and ALA aren’t in olive oil, but they are in fish. Fatty fish — salmon, herring, and sardines. Two servings weekly are enough to keep you in good health, but if you’re deficient, you might want to double up for a few weeks.
Think about this: if 60% of your brain is fat and you haven’t been eating right, maybe some of your brain functioning problems could be solved by opening a tin of sardines once a week. Lack of good oils have been linked to depression, memory loss, psychosis, Alzheimer’s, and bi-polar disorder.
Read The Skinny on Oils for more information on which oils to use.
