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CHAPTER 3:
THE PHYSICAL BODY
THE FIGHT / FLIGHT OR
DEFENCE RESPONSE
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This response involves the
control of structural balance and
tension of musculature, ligaments and
bone - the physical elements that
protect the body from potential threats.
The central nervous system comprises
the brain and spinal cord. Nature has
brain
encased this "master computer" in a tough protective three
layered membrane collectively referred to as the meninges.
Like a sealed balloon, it is filled with cerebrospinal fluid, a
liquid that acts not only as a shock absorber to cushion the
brain and spinal cord when we move, but also to provide
nutrients to the nervous system, resulting in electrolytic
energy. To protect the central nervous system, nature has
encased the soft nerves with a hard bony skull, spine and
tailbone. |
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The cranium or skull is composed of 29 bones that move
or articulate with one another during breathing. The spine is
composed of 24 bones stacked one on top of the other to protect
the delicate spinal cord which is like a big cable carrying all
the
information from the brain to the body, and back again. At the
base of the spine is the sacrum, composed of five bones fused
together.
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The meninges are attached to
the inside of the cranium and the
inside of the top three vertebrae in
the neck. From there the meninges
are basically free floating all the way
down the spine until it attaches to
the sacrum and coccyx (commonly
referred to as the tailbone) at the
bottom of the spine.
When an animal is in its
normal resting state, the action of
breathing causes movement of the
cranial bones, the top three
vertebrae, the sacrum and the
coccyx. The meninges, which are
attached to the previously
mentioned structures, is subsequently pulled or tugged along as the bones move. This squeezing action causes the
cerebrospinal fluid to circulate or pump around inside the meninges. This pump is called the cranio-sacral respiratory
pump and is nature's way of keeping the fluids moving
around and nourishing the central nervous system.
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When an animal prepares for battle it goes into a defence or armed mode. It
cannot let the brain and spinal cord rock around inside the skull and spine
during a fight, since this could damage or bruise the soft delicate nerves. As a
means of locking down the system the animal automatically clenches its jaw and
throws its tail in the air.
When the jaw is clenched, all the cranial bones are
clamped together, which stops them from moving. At the
same time, inside the skull, the meninges tighten and anchor
the brain so that it cannot jostle around and sustain an injury.
At the other end of the spine, the tension on the tailbone
causes
the meninges to pull the spinal cord taut inside of the spine,
thereby limiting movement and damage to those structures.
This is nature's way of defending the most important
structures in the body and securing the fortress against attack.
When the battle is over or a predator has been evaded,
an animal in the wild settles down very quickly. Its spinal
reflexes, tension, breathing and metabolism return to normal.
Panting, gasping, yelling, roaring, crying and running are,
incidentally, some of the primary ways that animals, including humans, reset their nervous systems and remove themselves
from defence. This is why parents should allow their children
to cry for a few minutes after they fall or injure themselves,
or
run around and yell to burn off excess adrenaline.
Interestingly, I believe that this is why breathing exercises in
health regimes such as yoga's pranayama are so helpful: deep
breathing helps pump the cerebrospinal fluid and reset the
structures of the spine and cranium, subsequently restoring
optimum energy flow.
For humans, these fight/flight defence situations occur
when coming out of the birth canal, falling and playing as
children, taking part in sports as adults, or when we are
involved in car accidents, etc. But people today also move into
defence mode at other times: by drinking too much coffee or
alcohol, working long hours at stressful jobs or just not
exercising and breathing properly. The crucial point is, more
and more frequently these natural reset switches are not being
activated and people are getting stuck in defensive postures
and states.
In my practice I am seeing more and more patients with
disorganized defence systems that involve all forms of head,
jaw, neck, back, hip, leg, and arm pains. They have difficulty
holding their head up, they have severe muscle tensions,
spasms and cramps - all due to their bodies being locked in
semi-permanent or permanent defence mode.
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