Happy New Year

I've asked for forgiveness, and look ahead to ten days of introspection.

Mabon

I enter the season of autumn with love and joy in my heart, knowing my life is blessed with abun­dance and glory. Our family tragedy has receded; embers glow where fires ravaged. Our love is renewed and strengthened; mutual appreciation grows.

At home, the change of season brings slightly cooler breezes in the evenings plus rising ocean levels, so that we sleep to the rhythm of crashing waves each night.

Peter and I will enjoy this autumn in Hawaii, San Francisco, Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe, and Boulder over the next few weeks, and in late October I will return to the mainland with Caroline to work for Barack Obama's election in Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvania. After the election, I'll visit Ayna in NYC, Greg and Susan in D.C., then John and Lindy in Philadelphia.

On this autumn equinox, I dedicate myself with renewed attention to the healing and strengthening of my family, and to elect Barack Obama -- thus advancing the healing of our country and the world.

My Newest Tool: a Percussor from Erchonia

Last month, I tore a ligament in my left ankle while Peter and I were in Monaco and Cap-Martin. Although I followed the RICE protocol each evening, I continued to walk each day for the next three weeks as we worked, played and explored in France and London, then in Philadelphia and El Granada, California. While there, Leslie arranged for me to see her incredible chiropractor, Dr. Derry Sontag -- and during treatment he used a tool called a percussor, along with several other effective tools, including a variable adjuster/activator.

The percussor had an immediate, beneficial effect -- not only helping my ankle and foot, but breaking up adhesions around my right shoulder that have plagued me for the past nine years. My body was entirely alert during treatment, and fully aware of the "unwinding" effect of systemic myofascial release. I made an appointment to see Dr. Sontag again the next day, and received more treatments, plus the information that I was eager to learn about the device. He told me that it is important to buy a percussor from Erchonia; that most other percussors on the market are poor imitators. A percussor acts like a well modulated jackhammer as it eases chronic pain that is caused by fascial restrictions and scar tissue. Fascia is the thin layer of connective tissue that covers and supports the muscles and inner organs of the body. When fascia fixates or knots up, motion is restricted and pain often results. The percussor works with the body's fascia, freeing fixations -- much as a jackhammer breaks up concrete. The percussor is not a vibrator; it is far more effective. Dr. Sontag told me that 30 seconds to 3 minutes of therapy with a percussor produces results that require 3 or 4 hours of myofascial release or other therapeutic massage. Unlike a jackhammer, the percussor is quiet despite its power. Its smooth force allows the freeing of both the connective tissue and the deep fascia.

I've had my percussor for a week now, and have carefully used it, after watching the "training dvd" and reading its manual. I also consulted with my chiropractor brother, who advised me to use it everywhere except C0, C1, and the skull until I've taken a class on those specific uses -- and obviously to avoid contraindicated uses.

Dr. Alan Creed, an advocate of a similar product, says that the percussor "is used for soft tissue and organ stimulation, as well as for setting proprioceptive beds that allow for greater motion."

Peter hasn't noticed his usual back pain since a few minutes each day with the percussor. I've eased Diana's hip pain, and Caroline's shoulder pain / lower back pain. Emily's plantar fasciitis, and rotator cuff pain have diminished. I'm eager to learn more, but haven't been able to find much information. Tonight, I downloaded every article I can find, and also found a blogger who uses a percussor -- plus she is interested in labyrinths, as am I. And she almost looks like me!

p.s. Indirectly related to the percussor, I found a well done interactive page that illustrates the spine. Click on a vertebra, and you'll see which organs receive their nerve supply from it and the nerves dispersed through it.