Autumn 2003

Craniosacral therapy has come a long way since its inception and yet many people have been frustrated with certain aspects of it, not so much what is present but more what is missing. The most entrenched aspect of the work, that colours every level of it, is that it has mainly been developed, taught and written about by men. A masculine methodology, philosophy and terminology pervades throughout. Despite the fact that the majority of practitioners and clients are women a masculine foundation underpins teaching methods, the structure of colleges, the style of clinical practice and, arguably, the structure of the Association.

A psychotherapist friend of mine recently said "I can''t cope with craniosacral therapy - it always feels so penetrative". This tendency of the masculine principle to subvert the feminine is present at all levels of culture and society in the world. However there are places where it''s starting to change: in Somalia, where women have traditionally expected and been expected to have a background housekeeping role, they have started to organise meetings and develop a series of changes in their society in response to the endless struggles between warlords, which have exacerbated famine, disease, poverty and social breakdown. In India, where women''s roles have been similarly eclipsed, there have been significant changes - all of them instigated by women - in areas related to use of renewable resources and agriculture.