Aroha Nui Massage

02/10/2026

Yesterday we talked about the pelvic and sphenoid bones, those twin ink-blot shapes at opposite ends of the central axis. Today, I want to touch on how we actually begin to balance them in bodywork, not by forcing symmetry, but by clearing the line of conversation between the bowl and the butterfly.

I think of the pelvis and sphenoid as two tuning forks on the same string. The string is the dural tube, the deep fascial midline, the pressure system that runs from the pelvic floor to the cranial base. Our work is not to hammer either fork, but to reduce the noise around the string. Practically, that means starting with breath and the diaphragm. Free the respiratory diaphragm with rib, sternum, and upper abdominal work. Invite motion in the pelvic diaphragm with sacral holds, gentle pelvic floor softening, and SI joint decompression. When the diaphragms begin to move like coordinated tides, the cranial base often starts to reorganize on its own.

From there, I like to pair contact. One hand on the sacrum, the other on the occiput or sphenoid line, feeling for rhythm and drag rather than trying to create change. Craniosacral style holds, sacral traction, and still point inductions can reduce dural tension across the whole axis. Intraoral and jaw work add another powerful lever. Releasing the pterygoids, maxilla, and palate reduces strain at the sphenoid, and that shift frequently echoes down through the spine into sacral position and tone.

Add fluid movement to the mix. Abdominal and visceral fascial work improves glide around the mesenteries and reduces internal drag on the dural and fascial core. Gentle spinal unwinding, suboccipital release, and thoracolumbar fascial work help the message travel without distortion.

The technique is real and specific, but the spirit stays the same. We are not making the pelvis obey the sphenoid or the sphenoid obey the pelvis. We are restoring their signal line. When the static drops, these two distant shapes begin to resonate again, and the body recognizes its own symmetry without being told.

12/31/2025

Happy New Year Aotearoa and Australia!!

🎆 Auckland Welcomes the New Year from the Sky 🎆

As the clock strikes midnight, Auckland City lights up the night with its iconic New Year’s Eve fireworks exploding from the Sky Tower — a tradition watched by millions across New Zealand and around the world. Towering above the CBD, the Sky Tower becomes the heart of the celebration, launching a spectacular 360-degree fireworks display that signals the first major city in the world to welcome the New Year.

The show is paired with dazzling lighting effects on the tower itself, transforming the skyline into a moment of shared excitement and optimism. From the waterfront to surrounding hills, families, friends and visitors gather to count down together, soaking in the electric atmosphere as Auckland steps into a fresh year.

Whether you’re watching from the city streets, the harbour, or from home, it’s a powerful reminder of why Auckland’s New Year celebrations are truly world-class. Here’s to new beginnings, big dreams, and a bright year ahead. ✨

12/31/2025

🤌🏻 Get ready for a stunning start to the new year!

🌌 On the night of January 3, the first full moon of the year—the Super Wolf Moon—will dominate the sky.

🌕 This isn’t just any full moon. It’s a Supermoon, meaning our lunar neighbor is near its closest point to Earth (perigee). It will appear about 14% larger and 30% brighter than a micromoon.

🐺 Why the “Wolf Moon”? This name comes from ancient traditions, when the howling of wolves was most piercing during the long, frozen nights of January. While we used to think they howled from hunger, we now know it was often to define territory or coordinate hunts under the bright winter moonlight.

✨ Bonus Sight: Look for a brilliant, jewel-like “star” shining right next to the Moon. That is Jupiter! The King of Planets is nearing its own peak brightness (opposition), making for a dazzling celestial duo you can see with the naked eye.

💛 Happy skygazing

12/29/2025

Wishing you a gentle last few days of the year. 🐈‍⬛🤍

11/10/2025

❤️

College of Cranio-Sacral Therapy (CCST)

When we talk about health, most people focus on the physical: posture, digestion, or even stress management. But Cranio-sacral Therapy(CST) invites us to listen more deeply—to the emotional imprints held in the body’s tissues and organs.
Eastern medicine teaches that every organ resonates with specific emotions. CST helps us connect with these subtle patterns and release what’s been held beneath the surface.
Take the lungs, for example: grief and sadness can lodge here, restricting movement and vitality. In a CST session, you might feel a softening in this area—not just physically, but emotionally. The body begins to let go.
Did you know your emotions can deeply impact your organs? 👀
▪️In Chinese medicine, each organ is linked to a core emotion:
🫁 Lungs — Grief and sadness. Unprocessed grief can weaken lung Qi and interrupt the natural rhythm of release.
🫀 Heart — Joy and love. Imbalance here—too much or too little emotion—can cause inner dissonance.
⚡️ Liver — Anger and frustration. Held anger can stagnate liver Qi, affecting both emotional and physical flow.
🤒 Spleen — Worry and overthinking. Chronic worry depletes energy and can show up as fatigue or digestive issues.
⚠️ Kidneys — Fear and anxiety. Fear drains kidney Qi, reducing resilience and grounding.
In Cranio-sacral Therapy, we gently contact the body’s intelligence, offering it the chance to release what it no longer needs—physically, emotionally, and energetically.
So if you’re feeling tightness, fatigue, or imbalance, it may not just be structural. Ask yourself:
What emotion might this area be holding onto?
Find out more about our upcoming courses and unique integrated biodynamic approach with Cranio-sacral therapy at ccst.co.uk ♥️
Post with appreciation to 🙏🏼

07/25/2025

So cool!

Via Anthony Goldsmith
The human heart is a miraculous organ. It supplies itself before it serves others, a lesson we all could live by. (Dr. Helen Taussig)

06/28/2025

I am a craniosacral therapist (10 years experience) working in Fredericksburg. Call me at 826 202 5323 if youd like to book a session. 😊

Study Highlights the Real-World Impact of CranioSacral Therapy (CST)

A large prospective cohort study examined how CST is used in real-world primary care—and the results are inspiring.

✅ CST is being used safely and effectively across all age groups—from infants to adults
✅ Patients reported reduced pain, better function, improved sleep, and emotional wellbeing
✅ No serious adverse events were reported

If you’re a manual therapist passionate about integrative care, this study validates the power of what you do every day. 💪💛

📖 Read the full article here: http://ow.ly/7nqI50Hv0ji
🔍 Or search the Upledger.com article database