Bcst and primitive reflexes

Most people are aware of the lifelong autonomic reflexes like blinking, sneezing, coughing and withdrawing from nociceptive stimulus etc. We notice them because they part of our day to day physiologic function, and they feel natural (even if some aren’t pleasant). They feel natural as they are integrated into our sensory-motor system as a way of our body maintaining balance in the face of internal and external demands. 

However, many people are unaware that there are often more rudimentary unintegrated reflexes running in the background which can compromise function and limit the expression of an individuals health. These are the primitive reflexes which haven’t integrated into the wholistic development and function of the body. 

In ideal conditions the mid brain and neocortex develop to eventually inhibit these primitive reflexes and are usually fully integrated within the first year. If one or more of these reflexes are not integrated, within this time frame, then they will generally be identified by relevant health professionals and treated in the most appropriate way, biodynamic craniosacral therapy being one of these (high on the list). 

Yet, it is very common for one or more of these primitive reflexes to be retained beyond the infant years into the teenage and adult years, in fact research studies show that up to seventy five percent of the adult population demonstrate unintegrated primitive reflex patterns. That is a huge proportion of the population! But when do you hear of adults receiving treatment/s to address this? The answer is very rarely, because the symptoms are generally packaged into other forms of dysfunction rationale and diagnosis and what could be considered an underlying cause is not realised. 

As biodynamic craniosacral practitioners we are very well positioned to pick up on the various unintegrated primitive reflex patterns, such as the; Fear paralysis reflex - which is a primal in-utero survival strategy (dorsal vagus parasympathetic mediated), Moro reflex (startle - sympathetic nervous system mediated), Galant reflex (thoraco-lumbosacral spine), Asymmetric tonic neck reflex (cervical spine), Tonic labyrinthine (vestibular balance), rooting reflex (facial complex) and recognise how integrated reflexes feel in relation to the fluid and potency midlines, mid tide, long tide and dynamic stillness.

There is a significant trauma resolution component to this seminar which primarily focuses on the fear paralysis (FPR) and Moro reflexes. The reason for this is when these particular reflexes get to integrate sufficiently then the other reflexes tend to integrate as well. 

This is a very valuable post grad to help attune to the body intelligence with a deeper and more nuanced felt-sense understanding.