The Breath of Life: Being with the Book

Online Course with Cherionna Menzam-Sills

Six two-hour classes over six months starting January, 2024

“This book began as a seed planted by my husband, Franklyn Sills, pioneer in the field of Craniosacral Biodynamics. He felt there was a need for an introductory text on this beautiful practice. The seed was further watered by conversations with cranial students lamenting the lack of female authors in this field and excited by their experience of Continuum Movement, which I had introduced to them within the context of Biodynamic classes.”

-from the preface for The Breath of Life

The Breath of Life: An Introduction to Craniosacral Biodynamics takes the reader on an experiential journey into subtle fields of perception that can support Health and deeply settled, meditative presence. Although written as an introduction, numerous experienced practitioners have expressed appreciation for how the book helped them to clarify and understand Biodynamic concepts and to practice more effectively, and anyone can benefit.

This course guides you through the book with the live support of the author and a group of curious participants. Each class presents information from a chapter in the book, including guided meditative explorations, and time for questions and discussion.

The course, like the book, is designed to be of interest and benefit to new and experienced Craniosacral practitioners, students, clients, and those who are just intrigued. No prior experience with Craniosacral therapy is required. We will not be practicing hands on techniques but will focus on guided meditations to enhance perceptual states involved in facilitating Biodynamic session work.

Craniosacral Biodynamics is an increasingly popular form of Craniosacral therapy, where we practice orienting to subtle “biodynamic” (universal) forces and their tidal rhythmic expression and energetic fields. Rather than trying to analyse and fix problematic patterns in the physical body, we aim to perceive deeper forces generating the aches, pains, and dysfunction, while supporting the ever-present Intelligence and Health that may be obscured by the problems. Our work occurs largely through perception, resonance, and settled, safe, relational presence.

“Again, I am reminded of the sacredness of our journey. I rest in gratitude for the opportunity to be able to practice and share this Biodynamic presence with another…

And so, you and I begin our Biodynamic journey together in this book. My intention is, as in session work, to guide you in your ability to rest into the support of universal forces, to orient to the profound and seemingly limitless intelligence of what we call the Breath of Life and its tidal expression as primary respiration.” p. 1

The format for the course is six 2-hour sessions. We will meet once a month to review, explore and discuss together a section of the book. Usually, we will cover one chapter each month.

Each class will involve a guided group settling meditation, a short presentation or talk relevant to the reading for that month, a guided experiential exploration related to the reading, and time for questions and discussion

• Chapter 1 and 2 – Beginnings: Overview and Brief History of Craniosacral Biodynamics
• Chapter 2 – Practicing Presence

• Chapter 3 – The Space Between: Nurturing the Relational Field

• Chapter 4 – Primary Respiration: An Introduction to Rhythms, Tides, and the Three Bodies

• Chapter 5 – Honouring Intelligence – The Inherent Treatment Plan

• Chapter 6 – Formative Forces: Accessing Original Embryological Potential

• Chapter 7 – Past into Present: Introduction to Working with Trauma Arising in Biodynamic Sessions
• Chapter 8 – Next Steps

Please try to log in to the class at least a few minutes before it starts to ensure you have access and we can begin on time together.