1. What is the significance of the “subluxation”, of which you so frequently speak in your office. 2. Why are symptoms so important, when they feel so miserable? 3.. Is it important that you, my chiropractor, know about my symptoms? 4. When you are adjusting, are you looking for blockages or stuck energy ? 5. How long will it take for my symptoms/pains to go away? 6 Why is it that my pain seems to worsen after an adjustment, does this mean that I am getting worse? 7. I am concerned as to why I feel fatigued and need more sleep, now that I have started receiving care. 8. I appear to become emotionally upset during or soon after my adjustment, is this a common phenomenon? 9. Will receiving adjustments help everyone? 10. I used to visit my other chiropractor once every 3-4 months. Why is it that you suggest the frequency of adjustments that you do? 11. What is the difference between "fixing" a symptom and accessing the wisdom of Innate Intelligence toward a healing process? 1. "Subluxation” is a term utilized in chiropractic to describe the state of heightened chaos that a living system expresses when it is unable to fully process input from the environment. This heightened state of chaos has many far reaching affects which alter the body's ability to function optimally. These alterations include, but are not limited to, neurological and bio-mechanical distortions, frequently associated with the spine, and changes to the neurochemistry and electromagnetic field of the body." -Sue Brown, DC, founder and developer of BioGeometric Integration Back to Top 2. Why are symptoms so important when they feel so miserable? Our bodies are the physical representations of our connections with, and responses, to the external world. As is most obvious after a physical injury, such as a fall, being struck, surgery, etc., various levels of body awareness or pain may be present, and, depending upon the intensity of the injury, emergency medical intervention may be required and appropriate. On the other hand, I have learned in my chiropractic studies that our True Healing comes when we are able to recognize the need to seek guidance (subconsciously and consciously ) into directions or paths in acquiring new strengths as individuals. We must "take our power back" and try to leave behind all old trauma, illness, judgments, and fear. Besides receiving a physical injury (including chemical assault), our bodies also interact with our outer surroundings within more subtle means through instinct and five primary senses: touch, sight, smell, taste, and hearing. These processes are supported by automatic and self-regulating systems, which monitor and regulate each function without conscious thought or voluntary control. There are many layers of intelligence within each one of us, and there is not one bodily function that is dependent upon a random cellular/tissue action. Each of us is continually being exposed to an onslaught of stimulation, for most of which we have filters that strain out more superfluous or less important stimuli (otherwise, we might be driven crazy trying to decipher and assimilate every piece of information to which we are exposed-for example, the weight and texture of clothing on our backs, background sounds, etc.). Much of "accessible" information is readily being assessed by our conscious mind, based upon our educational and belief systems. These systems act as "filters", leading to judgments of validity and importance (probably originally designed to support and protect the individual during life-threatening situations). The filtered residue is then filtered and deposited into our subconscious (vegetative) mind, which keeps these records in meticulous order and detail, assessing the response to future events based on the outcome of similar past experiences (maybe like a "knee-jerk" reaction or response). One intelligence that exists over and above the previously described entities monitors all functions; it is our "super-conscious" mind or "Higher Self". This is the part of each of us that has access to Universal Intelligence or God- the all encompassing wisdom and Laws that control all behaviors and functions within the Universe. It has been said to know the answer to every question before it is even asked. This subtle intelligence always works with our best interests in mind, if we let it, and in an ideal world this would ensure perfect health. However, we do not live in an ideal world. We, as living and thriving organisms, have physically evolved too slowly to keep pace with modern living patterns and their challenges. We are confronted by a constant barrage of environmental toxins from our food, water, the air we breathe, and chemicals that we put onto our skin (even cosmetics). Combine this with electromagnetic stress from our telephones, watches, computers, electronics, and freezers, and it may be easy to understand why the delicate communication BioGeometric Integration between our cells is often clouded. We must also consider our emotional balance, which is determined by the reference points available to our subconscious mind from previous events. Past traumas, especially during childhood, can lead to inappropriate reactions to current situations. If we are to find true balance and health, we must seek these issues, their causes, and more. In effect, this emotional and physical "smog" has disconnected us from our Higher Selves, and we are forced to survive, guided with only our programmed reactions and left brained logic centers. Thus, if we are to re-establish this higher connection, we must remove these neurological and cellular energetic blockages. Symptoms are our body's response to excesses of physical, mental/emotional, and chemical stresses. Each is created by the tissues of the body in response to nervous system monitoring systems and conditioned control protocols. While an adjustment is based upon the dictates of an individual's spinal tensions, the presence or lack of symptom is not the focus. A beauty of being human is that each of us is a unique individual (each having different genetics and different life experiences), and the same symptom in two people can have entirely different underlying causes. Why are Symptoms so very important? For they are warning mechanisms to "overloads", indicating that something in one's life needs to change. Without symptoms, the body and mind would continue to erode and death would potentially ensue. Thank you, Innate Intelligence! Back to Top 3. Is it important that you, my chiropractor, know about my symptoms? From the time that I integrated the my previously practiced Network Chiropractic intent, purpose, and protocol into my practice, discussing the presence, absence, and/or significance of symptoms remained an issue that both the patient and I faced. Typically, one or more complaints stimulates an individual's first inquiry into our chiropractic care, as a means of reducing or controlling symptomatic pictures. Entering patients may speak in terms of "my this" or "my that" in reference to diagnoses of conditions that they previously received from physicians--not even mentioning how they feel or what levels of body awareness they are experiencing. Along with an "ownership" of their ailments, many folks appear to take pride in their diagnoses, conditions, and the suffering that they experience. Our first request of a newly entering patient is to fill in an introductory case history form. This form is important for two reasons: 1. I have a basic understanding of the challenges that a person may have had in her lifetime. 2. Our questionnaire is also significant in that it may help provide additional insights to the patient into her own physical, mental/emotional, and chemical levels of tolerances and excesses. The goal of a BioGeometric Integration chiropractor may be clarified from the general perspectives by which symptoms are viewed. It does not look to measure or treat individual symptoms, as these are intentional strategies by our body to manage issues as best it can. To simply ask for their removal would be detrimental to health and, in truth, our bodies would probably ignore such instructions. The BioGeometric Integration protocol aims to delve deeper than symptom management-- we choose to go to the underlying causes. This means looking at the emotional, physical, spiritual, environmental, and quantum issues that forces our bodies to fall out of balance in the first place. I, as a chiropractor, will not monitor one's symptoms as a means of providing BGI care, while it is offered and provided regardless of how many or how few conditions, signs, or symptoms are present in an individual. While under care, many folks experience an intensification of original symptoms, a "return" of old symptoms, mental/emotional upsets, symptoms of toxic release, and other manifestations of healing. If I were to wrongly judge any or all of these expressions of "healing crises", my care would be tainted with my own judgments and fears. Responses such as these are referred to as "retracing", and I personally have experienced the collateral effects of enough of my own clearings to recognize the necessity of allowing old neurological patterns to be healed and reduced. In cases such as this, sharing one's symptoms and signs of retracing are excellent feedback for me and a perfect educational tool for use with an individual's healing and growth. Back to Top 4. When you are adjusting, are you looking for blockages or stuck energy ? Yes, during BGI adjustments, areas of energy blockages, called "disconnects", are monitored, and subtle changes in breath and body placement are used to gently help the spine to reduce these areas of diminished spinal communications. I am not intending to search for or to adjust areas of pain and localized areas of facilitation or charge. These energetic entities may be present and, they may or may not possibly be producing pain, irritability, inflammation, or any other such sign or symptom. However, my focus will be on determining areas of the spine for spinal contacts, which will provide feedback for the nervous system to bring about introspective insights into its own spinal cord tensions. These insights help the nervous system (and the body as a whole) to provide new strategies to release these tensions and creating an environment to bring ease and health to the spine. Back to Top 5. How long will it take for my symptoms/pains to go away? People frequently speak of their symptoms as if they were objects or entities separate from themselves and devoid of any obvious reason for their existence. Since inner neurological and physiological workings of our bodies create symptoms that are secondary to physical injuries and/or mental/emotional/chemical imbalances or dysfunctions, the BodyMind must also be present to take an active part in the clearing of patterns or reasons for the symptoms, what ever they may be. I do not have a clear answer to this question, since it is the responsibility of the individuals' own healing systems to clear the internal processes that are creating signs, symptoms, and conditions. The body and mind must "wake up" and become aware of the need for change, for healing processes to be initiated. Your body will automatically choose a safe and appropriate time- scale to make whatever changes that will be needed. Some benefits, you may find, are immediate, while others may take weeks or even longer. You are not giving your body a "quick", yet temporary, fix, you are requesting of your body to heal itself, and this can take time. Back to Top 6. Why is it that my pain seems to worsen after an adjustment, does this mean that I am getting worse? Pains that seem to worsen or intensify, or old signs and symptoms of the past that seem to return are neurological and physiological releases or clearings that frequently occur while receiving BioGeometric Integration adjustments. May I please refer you to my page on "Retracing"? A clearer perspective may be received here. Regardless of what "comes up", it is all Perfect for the individual's healing process. Many folks may have to spend some time learning to acknowledge these physical, emotional, and chemical states, while also trying to minimize the typical responses of denial and rejection of what is brought forward to the conscious awareness. Back to Top 7. I am concerned as to why I feel fatigued and need more sleep. When one's body is injured or sick, much energy is required and used during the healing process. Frequently, during times of elevated stress, the nervous system and body physiology are in what is called the "Fight or Flight" mode, in other words, the response of the individual is as if he were being attacked by a lion or bear. It is during these times that the adrenal glands, which hormonally or chemically prepare us to defend ourselves during these times, continue to surge, providing extra energy in the event that one is forced to fight off an attack or to run from the attacker. In our culture, there are few lions or bears wandering through city streets, however a different form of stress prevails over all. This stress is created by living in a society that attempts to survive on dysfunctional and high emotional tensions. These tensions prevail not only in most job-places (to support the economic growth and survival of the businesses), but also these effects manifest as collateral damage into individuals' family structures. This form of stress unfortunately expresses itself beyond the time it would take for one to run from or ward off a lion or bear- it exists for some folk for 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Our bodies were not designed to tolerate this continuous degree of stressful onslaught for the times that we make demands upon them. As part of our adaptive survival mechanisms, our nervous systems reflexively grow, change, and develop "new and improved" brain cells and connections to contend with the ever-increasing mental overloads that we willingly accept as part of being members of a hypertensive culture. Unfortunately, this mentality and the cognitive acceptance of a need and drive to support it are extremely unhealthy and will eventually be expressed as some imbalance and upset- often described as symptoms, signs, and conditions. As you receive your BGI adjustments, your body and mind will begin to unwind tensions (developed from previously experienced life processes) held within your brain and spinal cord. The "fire" behind the unconditioned response to stresses is lessened, as your spinal cord is released of its tensions; the body, as a whole starts to relax, including the glandular or endocrine system. The conditioned Fight or Flight response that a nervous system maintains, during alarm, starts to resolve, and the adrenal glands that keep us energized, ready to fight or run away from a life-threatening situations let down. At this point, your overall body can now start to relax, and many people discover that they require more rest and sleep for their more complete recoveries. There is no need for alarm, all is good! Thank you, Innate Intelligence! Back to Top 8. I appear to become emotionally upset during or soon after my adjustment. Why? I have tried to come up with an analogy for this releasing situation. Bryan Kest suggests within his Yoga practices that yogis/practitioners of Yoga initially warm up their muscles, joints, and nervous systems in order to break up "crustaceans" held within their bodies. These crustaceans are old patterns retained within the soft tissues, including muscles and joint capsules. By warming and stretching these tissues, memories are released created by outdated tensions. Receiving BioGeometric Integration care assists in re-educating the nervous system to release mechanical spinal cord tensions created by mental/emotions and chemical overloads. Bringing ease to the spinal cord facilitates special releases from the soft and hard tissues, frequently felt by the individual as chemical clearing or detox. Other releases are expressed as emotions, such as anger, resentment, sadness, grief, and even sometimes happiness; frequently they may be associated with pictures or visual memories. Back to Top 9. Will receiving BioGeometric Integration adjustments help everyone? I am often asked whether BioGeometric Integration care "works" for everyone. I honestly believe that I can give an answer of ‘yes’, that everyone benefits to some extent within her own personal healing. There are lots of possible ways one might be helped (all of these responses are secondary to the improved function of the nervous system and its effects on all tissues in the body): • Relief from physical symptoms •Release of emotional traumas and stress •Help in finding peace • Finding meaning out of life’s traumas •Protection from future illness •Spiritual growth Life, to me, is a wonderful vehicle for growth and the evolution of our soul or inner spirit. It is the way we come to terms with our lives' issues that defines the value of our journey. If improving nervous system flexibility could help us all find true peace, enlightenment and understanding, there could be no greater achievement or healing outcome. Deepak Chopra in his book, “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success”, shared profound wisdom when he says that our intent should be to “relinquish your attachment to the outcome. This means giving up your rigid attachment to a specific result and living in the wisdom of uncertainty”. The notions of receiving spinal clearings come into your mind for a reason. Do not assume to know what that reason is, just trust that it is there and go with the flow. Back to Top 10. Why is it that you suggest the frequency of adjustments that you do? I believe that I would like to share two topics of interest that influence my suggestions of visit schedules. One, my intent and purpose to provide my services to the members of my practice is different now from my first 10 years in chiropractic practice. Originally, my practice was more orthopedically focused; more or less dictated by the expectations of the patients seeking my care to control and resolve symptoms. During these earlier years, most patients unfortunately continued care long enough to start feeling better and then quit, or if their specific symptoms were not feeling improvement within a few days, they frequently also terminated care. In neither case, did many receive sufficient care to bring about broader wellness possibilities. My practice now is based upon and promoted through Wellness principles, which require the individual's Body and Mind to learn newly developed strategies for creating change and health. In learning any new skill (such as speaking a new language or any other left-brain skill) or initiating a physically oriented activity, such as yoga, running, dance, basketball, etc, one requires repetition of the "basics" before there is an ability to perform and advance to the next levels of expertise. To develop increased knowledge, strengths, and abilities to perform, repeated practices (i.e., experience) are required for one's body and mind to learn and assimilate what is required for continued growth. Developing one's health/healing potential is no different. Most individuals in my practice learn that they are changing in ways that supersede their original expectations and reasons for initiating care. These changes occur because their overall nervous system functions are improved, with collateral effects being shared with every tissue and cell in their bodies. During consistent care, they have consciously and subconsciously learned new strategies (by learning a new "language" of the BioGeometric Integration contacts) to provide inner awareness and skills to allow and create changes, from their nervous systems to every tissue and cell in their bodies. Thank you, Innate! Back to Top 11. What is the difference between "fixing" a symptom and accessing the wisdom of Innate Intelligence toward a healing process? During the 2010 Winter Olympics, presented to the world from Vancouver, Canada, Toyota Motor Company purchased advertizing times in an attempt to improve its present public opinion and image relative to auto recalls, resulting from unsafe engineering and manufacturing. A Toyota slogan was offered to the public that indicated that its company had learned its lessons in producing automobiles in the U.S. It stated, "A good company fixes its errors; a great company learns from them." Too frequently, simply fixing a "problem" may be analogous to recent Federal Government bailouts of large lending institutions and American automotive corporations, placing simple "Band-Aid" fixes on the financial upheavals and nothing more. This slogan makes me smile, as I realize that it fits very well into a conceptualization that explains the difference between patients seeking a mechanical fix (primarily symptomatic relief) for an ailment being expressed within the human body experience and choosing (and having faith) in allowing the body to use its own Inner intelligence, body energy, and physiological processes to learn of and heal the condition within its own means. Unfortunately, providing only a control of symptomatic relief provides nothing more, opening up the possibility of future health challenges. In each of these cases, little or nothing is learned, no conscious and/or subconscious insights to the original causes are discovered, and auto-corrective measures are lessened or squelched altogether. On the other hand, if a loss or challenge is recognized, and a corporation such as Toyota learns from its errors in operation, measures may be made to minimize future issues. Healing is very much the same, both in a individual's conscious and subconscious levels of function. Back to Top