Using different terminology, D.D. Palmer
(chiropractic), A.T. Still (osteopathy) and Samuel Hahnemann (homeopathy) all recognized life as a triune of matter (physical), energy (emotion) and consciousness (intelligence) and viewed dis-ease as the result of disharmony amongst them.
There is no purely physical or purely mental illness—all physical illness includes emotional symptoms and all emotional illness includes physical symptoms.
Physical balance can relieve emotional disorders; emotional happiness promotes physical health; and spiritual connections can cure physical and mental illness.
Physical, mental, spiritual subluxations?
A subluxation is the physical expression of a mind/body/spirit disharmony; the three are interrelated.
Koren Specific Technique (KST) works with the body’s wisdom to locate subluxations. KST asks the body/mind, “What is the priority?” “What is the first subluxation needing correction?
The occipital drop
The body responds to properly asked questions with physiological biofeedback. Leg length shortening (Van Rumpt’s DNFT™ and Truscott), muscle weakness (Applied Kinesiology™) and autonomic tone (Toftness™) are examples of biofeedback systems.
KST uses the occipital drop (OD), wherein the occipital bone appears to drop on one side when challenged.
Discovered by Lowell Ward, DC (Spinal Column Stressology), the OD has certain advantages:
1. The patient can be checked standing, sitting or in position of subluxation, injury, etc. No table is usually needed.
2. No muscle fatigue.
3. It correlates to AK, to Van Rumpt/Truscott and to Activator™.
4. One can test oneself.
5. It responds to both physical and mental challenges.
Adjusting instrument
Some subluxations are best revealed when standing, sitting or holding a certain posture; an adjusting instrument permits us to adjust in the posture of subluxation. Less force is needed—it is much easier on doctor and patient alike.
Using biofeedback
We are limited only by the questions we ask. When we start asking about subluxations, we should be open to the answers we get.
“Where is the subluxation?” I asked one patient’s body when I first discovered this system.
I was directed to the cranium.
The cranium? Cranial subluxations?
I was also directed to the spine, discs, ribs, femur heads and other places. I noticed something very interesting.
1. The body had a priority or order in which it wanted subluxations corrected.
2. Sometimes a segment was adjusted a second time after other subluxations were released.
3. The body knew what it wanted and I shouldn’t question it because…
4. I was pretty stupid compared to the body’s wisdom.
But most importantly
Most importantly, patients were responding faster and holding their adjustments longer. People who had not responded to other techniques were responding now. Also, it was psychologically easier: Since I was learning from the body, I didn’t have the pressure of having to know all the answers; I only needed to ask and listen.
Where will this lead us?
Sometimes the body says to check for dehydration (usually a cause or contributor to disc problems, depression, etc.), scars interfering with the flow of body energy, footwear, emotional factors (we use a KST-modified version of NET) or something else. Most of the time it’s pretty simple; sometimes it’s not.
Subluxations are ubiquitous
People are healed by many different kinds of healers and systems because the real healer is within. The various healing modalities are merely different ways of activating that inner healer. ~ George Goodheart, from Innate intelligence is the healer, in Healers on Healing, Carlson R and Shield B (Eds.)
There are so many ways we can disconnect from our wholeness. Using KST we do not make assumptions about what a person needs—we ask, and learn to respect their inner wisdom.
In conclusion
Chiropractic links the spiritual with the material. ~ D.D. Palmer
From the earliest days of chiropractic, D.D. Palmer saw the subluxation as a disconnection between body, mind and spirit. The subluxation has an intangible component (intelligence or consciousness) that can and should be addressed.
Physically, mentally and spiritually we are far healthier than we think we are. Each person’s innate wisdom is constantly trying its best to communicate to us. We have to learn to ask the right questions and to respectfully listen to the answers.
Koren Specific Technique, developed by Tedd Koren, D.C., is a quick and easy way to locate and correct subluxations anywhere in the body. It is a gentle, low-force technique. Patients hold their adjustments longer. It’s easy on the doctor, too. With KST, practitioners can specifically analyze and adjust themselves. For seminar information, go to www.teddkorenseminars.com or call 800-537-3001. Write to Dr. Koren at [email protected].