By: Heather Principe, BCPP, RPE
After twenty-five years of practicing the Healing Art, it comes to me once again to describe Polarity. Many years ago, when I applied for my Registered Practitioner status, I was required to write an essay on “What Polarity meant to me”. It was so difficult at the time ( I remember procrastinating for months) that I vowed to repeat the process once I had been practicing full time. I have repeated the process many, many times since then, and in the latter years I have forced myself to discuss what Polarity is IN ITS OWN TERMS, trying not to use other methodologies to describe what Polarity “is” or “isn’t”. It’s a difficult task when the breadth of the practice is so wide, and when the reflection of the practice incorporates the use of so many currently-used techniques. To actually describe Polarity, one must “step outside the old box” as it were.
When I was asked to write an article for the Newsletter, I wanted to make it something that all could relate to, something germane in our time. It occurs to me that Doctor Stone himself used words that I will call on, first, to begin us:
From Polarity Therapy, Volume 1, pg. 5 (Preface):
“Many doctors wonder why I insist on explaining this therapy from the standpoint of finer energy, which is a little difficult for the average mind to follow. They say” “why not accept the theory of intervertebral lesions, as taught up to this time?” The difference between the “NEW ENERGY CONCEPT OF THE HEALING ART” and the others is similar to that between the application of Atomic Energy and mechanical leverage. The beauty of it is that this new concept is a boon to any practitioner, regardless what method he may be using, once the principles have been comprehended.”
To be clear, these words of Doctor Stone’s were spoken to OSTEOPATHS (hence the reference to Intervertebral lesions) and, also, for clarity – the now-accepted worldwide concepts of Quantum Physics were in their infancy and hardly commonplace in thoughts of medicine. We are now living in a time when the human energy field, although accepted and much- touted, IS NOT RECOGNIZED AS A STEP-DOWN MODEL OR IMPACTFUL IN THE HEALTH OF THE HUMAN CORPOREAL SYSTEM- YET.
As hard as it is to believe, it takes years and years for a globally accepted construct to become a foundational principle. The good news? Our great-grandchildren will most likely be learning Polarity in 2nd grade. The bad news? It’s going to take that long.
While we wait, (the operative WE) there is quite a bit to do. And how we communicate Polarity to our world – not only as an advertisement but as a Potential for Healing – is probably the most important thing our generation of Practitioners can do. It has occurred to me in the past five or six years that the very challenges that our community has faced – both in general acceptance of the idea of Board Certification and the complete collapse of our organization because of the lack of support for same has been largely because the world is not ready for what we are………..and WE have to create a definition that both correctly speaks to what we do without making it competitive with the current Standardized healing sciences that rely on definitions of “Intervertebral lesions” so to speak. We have to make sure that what we are teaching and learning, is, in fact, Polarity.
We are defining the future for the Healing of Humankind.
Now in this place in time we have more salient references – more ways to connect with the thoughts aligned with the Energy Body. History has given us a continuous path to this understanding, giving us a direct and unerring path toward the acceptance of the “Dynamic US” through the self-awareness of static charges within.
And so, I visit it once again- What is Polarity? And how did Dr. Stone EVER come up with that name? (To give it a little historical underpinning – remembering Dr. Stone was a student of Yoga Philosophy).
The term Polarity basically comes from the contextual reference of the Fourth Hermetic Principle. It could be considered the Heart Chakra of the Seven Principles, as it the fourth of seven and the “connecting” principle between mind and matter.
What does that mean? There are seven Hermetic Principles. All of the Principles refer to the Step down of Energy into Matter, and all refer to each of seven referent points of that step down of spirit into matter as the duality relates to the quality of that level of matter. The old Rishis would refer to them as Koshas and Vayus. For further understanding, read the Kybalion by the Three Initiates and if you are able, grab yourself a copy of Bruce Berger’s Esoteric anatomy ( for good measure). Read Manly P. Hall – These references will give you a clearer understanding.
Doctor Stone was a student of Yoga and found it a way to define the subtle-body energy system. It shows up over and over again in his work, and his biblical references connect it to the mythological metaphors of the Western Thought, and in this he is eloquent .
As I have said, Doctor Stone was an osteopath in a time where Darwinism was rejected by many, including Doctors. (there is no clearer spyglass through which to look at the Human Energy System than through the Cranial Rhythms).
The genius of Stone’s work also shows up in his Post-industrial metaphors. Phrases such as:
“Wireless Anatomy”, Positive and Negative Currents, Internal Gravity Lines:
All speak to the movement of energy in its quantum form- through the Industrial lingo of his time.
What is Polarity Therapy? (take from the Introduction of Collected Works)
Polarity therapy is a wholistic health care program designed by Dr. Randolph Stone, DO., DC, DN, over his sixty- year career. It incorporates a set of principles of energy flow, and the Polarity Therapist evaluates the ways in which the individual’s energy is imbalanced, using a variety of procedures (whatever is indicated) to aid the individual in establishing balance and harmony physically, emotionally, and mentally.
So what’s the rub? Why can’t that simply suffice as a descriptive?
Well it can, but it falls short. In 1976 it was fine. It was probably fine right up until the reference to “energy work” became commonplace. So, what is it, exactly, that sets Polarity Therapy apart from other Energy work? Simple. The energy work we speak of here, polarity therapy, speaks to the acknowledgement leading to dispersal of the CHARGES TRI -POLE SYSTEM. The world may be savvy enough to see this now Recognizing the process of the Step-down model of energy as taught by the ancients and re-set in modern principle by Randolph Stone, and recognizing the Dynamic Body (3 Gunas) rather than the Static dysfunction (Dualism only), the Polarity Therapist relies on the innate intelligent body that is of the Three Gunas and A triality of energy. The Polarity Therapist seeks the Satvic Pole in the dynamic realm, and relies on that innate intelligence to allow the clients system to do the work while the practitioner skillfully “connects the dots” of the Multiple Reflex System of the Energy Body.
So, to wrap it up, how would one talk about Polarity In 2020? Let’s just revise Dr. Stones words to include the actual mechanism of the work, and imagine that the new age that receives it has evolved enough to understand it.
Polarity therapy is a wholistic health care program designed by Dr. Randolph Stone, DO., DC, DN, over his sixty- year career. It incorporates a set of principles of energy flow, and the Polarity Therapist evaluates the ways in which the individual’s energy is imbalanced, using a variety of procedures (whatever is indicated) to aid the individual in establishing balance and harmony physically, emotionally, and mentally. What separates Polarity Therapy from other bodywork systems is that it addresses the Tri-pole charge, the acknowledgement of charged electromagnetic dysfunction in the Mental Body, the Emotional Body and Physical Bodies and seeks to coordinate a cognitive AND physical approach to healing. The Client who seeks Polarity seeks a Whole Organism approach to healing.
Nothing new under the sun. However – we have a more informed, intelligent consumer and the last sentence addresses that fact.
We are so fortunate to have come through the transformation of our community. The dualism of Professionalism vs. Non-professionalism nearly broke us. But instead, we recognized the duality, had a protracted moment of chaos, and rose above it to become an inclusive entity. We have actually “addressed the Tripolar system, and have reached a new Saatvas. May we always be able to shift…………
Polarity in 2020?
Perspective. Just Perspective.
Heather Principe, BCPP, RPE, ATM
Yoga and Polarity Center
I love your article Heather. Thank you for the journey.
In Love and Gratitude, Meredith
Thank you for sharing Heather.