Dr. Donald Epstein is the founder and developer of Somato Respiratory Integration™ (SRI). It is a simple to learn and easy to apply exercise that assists the higher brain centres to become more aware and responsive to the body. SRI is an excellent way to advance one's progression through, and deepen their experience of, Network Spinal Analysis’ levels of care.
SRI exercises awaken our body and surrender its control to the internal vibrations, wisdom, and rhythms of our personal and transpersonal biology. In just moments, you can take charge of your symptoms and crises. Through this revolutionary work, you can become more present with yourself and others.
It has been found this experience of "awakening" in a group environment best facilitates SRI exercises and personal healing. Just as striking one tuning fork enhances an "entrainment" of another to its vibration, one person's connection within him or herself stirs a sympathetic self-reflection in another.
Our bodies are made up of vibrational particles dancing to universal rhythms that may be perceived as pulsation and movement. As those around you are more able to experience their natural vibrations and rhythms, it will encourage your body to seek its own inner communication. As one person's spine can more effectively rock gently through its natural motion, Network Practitioners discovered it becomes easier for others to do the same. Similarly, your laughter or other expressions of release of tension or emotion may inspire similar beneficial releases in others. (Have you ever noticed that as you stretch in pubic you discover others simultaneously doing the same?)
There are twelve stages of healing associated with SRI, each having a characteristic pattern of breath, movement, and touch that can help us to reconnect with the natural, internal rhythms of our body and experience a greater sense of joy and well-being.
The Twelve Stages of Healing,by Donald M. Epstein takes us beyond traditional books on healing. It gently guides you through the lessons of each stage of healing on a journey toward greater wholeness, spiritual awareness, and healing in all areas of our life.
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Have you, or someone you love, experienced …
The Twelve Stages of Healing, by Donald M. Epstein, offers fascinating insights into the complex relationship between mind, emotions, and body, and shows how to promote greater health in our bodies, and harmony in our relationships.
After observing thousands of people in both private practice and public seminars, Dr. Epstein discovered twelve basic rhythms, or stages of consciousness, shared by all humanity. Each stage of healing has a distinct “rite of passage” that helps us to reunite with aspects of ourselves that are traumatized, alienated, forgotten, abused, shamed, or unforgiven. Each stage also has a characteristic pattern of breath, movement, and touch that can help us to reconnect with the natural, internal rhythms of our body, and experience a greater sense of joy and well-being.
“Donald Epstein is an extraordinary healer. In my 25 years of traveling the globe, I’ve never seen anyone who is able to produce the impact he does in such a short period of time. He opens our hearts to new possibilities for individuals and humanity.”
- Anthony Robbins, peak performance coach and best-selling author of Unlimited Power.
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1. Suffering - Different from pain, suffering is marked by a profound awareness that "something is wrong.” Parts of our being have been separated from our Innate Self. The awareness of this disconnection is usually made as we draw upon more of our energetic and consciousness resources. This occurs especially when confronted by a traumatic or chaotic event or loss. The lesson of this stage is the acceptance that nothing works at this time, and that you are presently helpless.
2. Polarities & Rhythms - This stage begins with the search for the MAGIC GENIE who can, or has been identified as the saviour from our distress, pain, or crisis. We project from the alienated, isolated, traumatized, hurt, shamed, or ignored aspects of our being. These parts try to gain power over our helplessness though external authorities, procedures, treatments, etc. Eventually, as we heal, we discover that what we blamed or projected as being so wrong (the cause as we see it) is not so bad. Or we see that our GENIE is not so magical. We begin to become aware of our rhythms and polarities and discover we are somehow involved in a process, and are partially responsible for our distress.
3. Stuck in Perspective - This stage of healing involves the recognition that our distress is associated with the fact that we have been stuck in a perspective. Our concepts or our physiology has been fixated. We do not yet know why we've been stuck, or what to do about it. We just need to be with the simple revelation that we've been stuck.
4. Reclaiming Power - This stage of healing is one in which we realize that the "script" determined by the above three stages is no longer desirable or no longer works. Initially, we are angry that we lost our power, and are determined not to let it happen again. As we progress through this stage, we choose to no longer dishonour ourselves, because we deserve more.
5. Merging with Illusion - To gain access behind the illusions and isolated consciousness and rhythms. This stage is associated with having a strong sense of self to turn back onto our own alienated "shadow" or "light" to heal the illusion and create more wholeness. At this major stage of healing we can appear on the other side of our illusionary self.
6. Preparation for Resolution - Building momentum and flexibility. The alienated, traumatized, denied or redirected consciousness or energy is being prepared for discharge and resolution. We feel the tension building within ourselves as this process advances. We find ways to create change and improve flexibility to continue the process.
7. Resolution - The discharge of bio-electric energy is associated with a discharge of mechanical energy. This may be a discharge of the muscular system, such as movement of the trunk or extremities. Processes such as fever, coughing, sneezing, or vomiting are common forms of discharge. Crying, screaming, and laughing are also discharge phenomena. When the discharge occurs after the previous six stages, resolution can occur with the discharge. If a sense of accomplishment, peace, and inner strength does not accompany the process, then the resolution stage has not been achieved.
8. Emptiness & Connectedness - After the discharge we are emptied. This is not a space of nothingness, but instead a place of possibilities. We enter into a state of gratitude, vulnerability, connection with our external rhythms, and alignment with events around us. We expect serendipity to be available for us as a natural way of life.
9. Light Behind the Form - From our place of emptiness and gratitude we can be aware of our fullness of light and energy. We experience that we are more than our physical body, and actually become aware of the flow of life force, energy through us. We may even experience our energetic connection to others. This occurs in combination with awe and joy for the process.
10. Ascent - There is an awareness of being not as an intelligence but as intelligence itself; not as housing a spirit, but as spirit itself. We experience our union with the Creative force of the Universe. We transcend all limits, boundaries, language, judgments, and our existing sense of self. We receive the gift of knowing the oneness of all of creation, and gain immense wisdom during this stage.
11. Descent - We are renewed beyond our limits and sense of self and enter into world again. We know that we are part of all we perceive and responsible for what we know. We live without being attached to our situations. We love and serve life and others. We communicate with ourself and others through our wounds instead of from them.
12. Community - We experience our involvement with humanity and recognize that wholeness comes from bringing our gifts of individuality into community. We receive the gifts of individuality, from within ourselves and from others. We recognize that all of our choices are spiritual ones and affect the entire globe of beings. This occurs in our internal and external communities. Eventually we recognize that the limits of what we can bring to community stems from our own lack of wholeness. Therefore we seek to re-experience the rhythm of stage one.
Each stage has a rhythm of its own. No one stage is better than another. We cannot think out or figure our way through any stage. Each stage represents one of the 12 rhythms of consciousness of humanity. Be with the stage you are in. Don't resist the stage, honour it. The stage will come to completion as you have merged with the rhythm it has to offer you.
Many people remain in a couple of these stages for several years, and other stages for at least months, never fully claiming the twelve stages. Those receiving Network Spinal Analysis care tend to move through the stages much more rapidly, and sometimes all twelve stages in a few minutes. The ability to move back and forth through the stages as needed for your healing is ideal. This is more likely to occur with a nervous system freed from interferences, such as subluxations.
Breath, movement and touch are always true and are your guides through the Twelve Stages of Healing. Honour them, and go with your flow. Regardless of the stage you are in, breathe, move your body, and let your hands move in any way or place your rhythms take them.
© 1995 Donald Epstein, D.C.