Getty Images: Artist: Henrik Johnson
Tree of Life Center has a royalty-free license to use this image.
IMAGE OF HEALTHY IMMUNE CELLS
These are a type of White Blood Cells (WBC) called a LYMPHOCYTE T-CELLS -1
By: Janice Marie Durand
Our Polarity Therapy system, steeped in Osteopathy, is always courting the expression of health and the innate intelligence within. This is what Dr. Stone, our Polarity Therapy founder, did so well with each person he encountered. If you haven’t read the account by Richard Strozzi Heckler, a student of Dr. Stone’s, in his book The Anatomy of Change “A Way to Move Through Life’s Transitions,” (2), I highly recommend it. He tells a beautiful story of Dr. Stone in action finding and fanning the spark of life in a very angry client that the other students in the room totally missed. This is the true gift of our neutral, sattva principle in our evolutionary healing system.
As Polarity Therapy wellness educators our job is to help people uncover and remember their inherent wholeness with embodied awareness. During the pandemic we have been bombarded daily with pictures of the COVID-19 virus cell etching into our collective psyche. It felt important in contrast to have a picture of healthy and vibrant immune cells that are the first line of defense in this protective system. These white blood cell (WBC) Lymphocytes are seeded like sentinels throughout the various immune system stations in the body. In sharing this luminous portrait of healthy immune cells with clients and students, we all agreed that it seemed to allow each one of us to take a deeper breath and settle our agitated nervous systems. It is a tangible reminder that a plethora of diverse immune cells are coursing through our body waiting to help. We are wired to store and re-produce lymphocytes when needed. It energetically affirms “I know how to protect myself. I am healthy, vibrant, and strong!”
Our Immune System is a complex regulatory system. Its job is to keep us safe and protect us by identifying, neutralizing, alchemizing, or destroying things that don’t support us like virus, bacteria, fungus. The Immune System team includes various types of White Blood Cells as well as Bone marrow, Spleen, Thymus & Pineal Glands, Lymph nodes and vessels. Through intricate collaboration and communication these team players work to maintain a delicate balance to respond strongly enough but not too strongly to cause harm when it encounters something that is a potential threat to our system.
Below I will share a few tangible tools to support and boost our Immune System to do for yourself or share with your clients during these precarious times. Our Tree of Life Center in North Carolina webinar classes go more into depth if you are interested.
~The FIRE UMBILICUS SPIRAL our Rajas/Yang primary current in Polarity Therapy brings warmth, vitality and healing to every cell in the body. A simple yet profound treatment for the Immune system is to connect one hand to the naval and the other hand to any of the immune team players to support and boost this regulating and protective system. Note: Back in the late 80s when I studied with Alan Siegle I learned a great immune system/lymphatic protocol connecting the umbilicus to the concentrated lymph nodes of the cervical, axillary, and inguinal regions. The complete 7 step protocol is written up in Alan’s book, Polarity Therapy, The Power that Heals (3)
~The LYMPH NODES are filtering stations to strain and purify toxins and invading organisms before they pass into the blood system. Lymph Nodes are packed wall to wall with immune competent Lymphocytes T-Cells and B-cells that discern and neutralize anything harmful in the lymph fluid.
Lymph Shoulder Shrug – Shrug shoulders up to the ears on the inhale and let gravity take the shoulders down on the exhale. This rhythmic pumping action can help move stagnant lymph and activate the immunocompetent cells.
Note: During the 1918-1920 Spanish flu epidemic osteopaths did a rhythmic lymph pumping treatment that put osteopathy on the map. Patients receiving this treatment were surviving at much higher rates. During my June/July Immune System Energetics Webinar we will learn this technique that I learned from D.O. Tom Shaver as well as many other energetic table work tools to boost the Immune system. Click here for more info: https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/immune-system-energetics
~I think of the THYMUS GLAND as the Queen Bee of the immune system. T-Cells like the ones pictured above leave the bone marrow in an immature state and go to the Thymus to be trained and matured to become intelligent immunocompetent cells and act as wise directors of the immune system. Thymus Thump – Find the center notch where the clavicles come together. Go 2-3 inches down where this double fingered endocrine gland referred to as our “Higher Heart” sits perched on the upper heart. Gently thump and stimulate then hold the Thymus and bring a vibrational tone thru sound.
Note: Many studies show that laughter and love proliferate the immune competent T-cell and that stress, loneliness, grieving all suppress T-cell production. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5442367/ (4)
~BONE MARROW is the original source of every immune cell in our body. Primitive stem cells precede and differentiate into all the other protective immune cells of the body. Anti-body producing B-cell Lymphocytes are matured here and act like detectives that go out to tag things that don’t belong in the system. It is the spongy red marrow in flat bones, a vibrant living ecosystem, which produces immune cells. Sattvic polarity hold on a flat bone: (ribs, sternum, iliac ears of the pelvis) When we touch bone we are touching into the living matrix that is the foundation of our immune system.
Note: The ancient Taoists understood the importance of the bone marrow and developed a variety of Bone Marrow Chi Gong exercises to fortify and rejuvenate the chi in the red marrow. Our Energy Exercise for the Immune System class will teach one of these practices. https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/energy-exercises-for-immune-system
As a collective, our immune systems are on a big learning curve right now. We are being schooled by this virus that is stopping us in our tracks to get our attention on every level. Who knows what this virus is preparing us for in our future? We are being asked on every level to shift and change and evolve!! We are fortunate to have the grounding of our Polarity Therapy paradigm to carry within us as we navigate this new territory.
The Tree of Life Center in North Carolina offers many online classes that go more in-depth with this topic and others. Classes are for both the general public and practitioners. For more info about classes with Janice Marie Durand, NC LMBT, BCPP, check out www.TreeofLifeCenterNC.com
RESOURCES & FOOTNOTES:
- Getty Images: Artist-Henrik Johnson (Janice Marie Durand and Tree of Life Center NC has a Royalty-Free license to use this image. Contact Getty Images to do so.)
- The Anatomy of Change “A Way to Move Through Life’s Transitions by Richard Strozzi Heckler (Scroll to Pp. 113-117 for this account) https://www.google.com/books/edition/Anatomy_of_Change/3EvaKN2Sv00C?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=richard+strozzi+heckler+on+Dr.+Randolph+Stone+on+presence&pg=PA113&printsec=frontcover
- Polarity Therapy “The Power That Heals,” Alan Siegel (Prism Press)
- March 2017 Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience -“Affective immunology: where emotions and the immune response converge” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5442367/
To register for Tree of Life Center in North Carolina Webinar classes with Janice Marie Durand go to www.TreeofLifeCenterNC.com or email: jmdchi@mindspring.com.
ALL CLASSES ARE EASTERN STANDARD TIME
Energy Exercises to Boost the Immune System (all EST)
Tues. June 23rd 2-4pm; or Wed. July 22, 3:30-5:30pm or Tue. Aug. 11, 1:30-3:30pm.
https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/energy-exercises-for-immune-system
Energy Exercises for the Breath
Wed., June 10, 3:45-5:45pm EST
https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/breath-exercises-for-balance
~Energy Exercises for Nervous System Balance
Wed. July 8, 2:30-4:30pm EST; Thur. Aug. 20, 3-5pm EST
https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/energy-exercises-nervous-system
Immune System Energetics Tablework (2 part series)
Fri. July 10th & July 17th 1-5pm EST for 8 CE’s total.
https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/immune-system-energetics
~Summer Intro to Energy Healing “Polarity Therapy” https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/intro-to-energy-healing
~Summer Intro to Chakras & Elements “Polarity Therapy” https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/intro-to-elements-and-chakras
~Fall Gentle Energy Yoga Chakra Series -8 wks.
Sept. 17 – Nov. 5th. Thur. 6:30-8:30pm EST 16 CE’s.
https://www.treeoflifecenternc.com/copy-of-gentle-energy-chakra-yoga
Janice Marie Durand NC LMBT #1349 is the founder and director of Tree of Life Center in North Carolina, a Somatic Energy Healing Polarity Therapy School since 1991. We are currently offering a lot of live Webinar classes in light of the pandemic. TLC offers professional development & continuing education for bodyworkers specializing in ‘whole brain, experiential learning’ in a grounded, creative and embodied style that empowers students. Janice Marie is an ABMP Certified Somatic Therapist, a Board Certified Polarity Practitioner (BCPP), and Registered Polarity Therapy Educator (RPE) and APTA approved Training Manager (ATM). She has an active Somatic Polarity Therapy & bodywork private practice specializing in transformational healing, trauma healing and Poly-vagal Attachment nervous system healing in her private practice outside of Hillsborough, North Carolina.
Great article! Integrates experiential processes with anatomy and physiology in ways that are very useful for me.