what is chiropractic?

‘Within every block of wood and stone, there dwells a spirit, waiting to be released. Direct carving is a way of freeing the spirit – my own and that of the stone or wood.’ Hap Hagood. ‘I originally went to Light Chiropractic and Wellness because I had a sore neck. But working with Shalom and Helene has been an exercise in transforming my life in its entirety and regaining health. I have never felt pressure from either of them to change, just relentless love and acceptance and support every time I step through the door of their clinic. Last Christmas, while away on holidays, I had a very severe relapse of MS. Over the course of 2 weeks I lost the feeling in my left hand, then my left arm, then the left side of my body, then my neck and half of my face. I had great difficulty walking and relied heavily on a stick. When my right hand started to lose feeling I called Shalom – I was in tears as I was rapidly degenerating with no sign of it stopping. We organised an appointment for the following Monday and I started seeing Shalom several times a week. It is now 3 weeks later – my relapse progression actually stopped in the first week. And now it is reversing. The first thing to change was my energy – I could stay awake nearly all day. Now I walk unaided, I have joined a yoga class, the feeling is returning in my face and hands and most importantly, I feel well. I have never actively halted a relapse before and I have never recovered so quickly. I have gained significant physical benefit from my chiropractic adjustments but most importantly I feel that Shalom is working with me to allow my own strength and healing to flow freely. That’s why I started with the quote from Hap Hagood the sculptor, I came to Shalom as a block of stone and now we are working together to free my spirit. My deepest thanks to you Shalom and Helene.‘ MC, Psychology Masters Student; Auslan Interpreter

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is a healing practice that incorporates science, a unique healing philosophy and individual artistic expression. The philosophy of chiropractic is simple. It states that the body has amazing self-healing abilities. Modern science and ancient healing systems agree that our body has an organising intelligence that coordinates every cell of the body. Chiropractors refer to this as innate intelligence. This intelligence controls the function of trillions of cells in our bodies and processes such as our heartbeat, breathing, digestion and chemical balance. These processes occur every second without the need for conscious thought. Innate intelligence allows us to walk, talk, think and listen without being consciously aware of the complex interactions that must take place for these processes to occur. Wellbeing is experienced due to the uninhibited expression of our innate intelligence.

Chiropractors believe that the reason we experience dis-ease in our lives (whether it expresses as a physical symptom or as emotional patterns) is the presence of interference to the expression of our innate intelligence. During our lives we are exposed to a huge amount of input into our mind/body. Modern science has shown that each experience (be it physical, emotional and/or chemical) carries energy with a unique signature. If the body can use this energy or integrate the experience, it uses it as a catalyst for growth and evolution. For example eating a nutritious meal, doing yoga or watching an inspiring movie all help us to develop and grow. However, if the body cannot integrate experiences (because they are more then the mind/body can deal with at the time), the body will compensate by storing tension. This is usually stored in the muscles of the body, around the spinal cord and in connective and soft tissues. This tension creates an interference pattern in the body, which chiropractors call subluxation.

Subluxation literally means ‘a condition of being less then light’. The chiropractic adjustment is intended to release the subluxation, thus releasing the interference to the expression of the innate intelligence and thereby any interference to wellbeing. Recent evidence has shown that subluxations affect the electromagnetic field of the body, as well as neuro-chemistry and neurological function. Integration of the energy stored in a subluxation can result in improved wellbeing in all areas of a person’s life (including their thinking patterns and the way that they feel physically, emotionally and spiritually). People who enjoy regular chiropractic care experience an improved ability to adapt, self heal and recover from stress. Their perceptions become clearer and their natural healing ability increases. They find that decision-making processes are easier and that they are able to be more loving. They are able to live in and enjoy the present moment, rather than reacting due to stored experiences from the past.

Just as the subluxations in your system accumulate slowly in your body, getting adjusted regularly gradually releases these subluxations at a pace that is manageable for each individual. With each adjustment your system becomes better able to adapt, heal and self-correct. Getting adjusted helps you to move toward the flexibility, ease, flow and lightness that you experienced as a child.

It is important to remember that the aim of chiropractic is not the treatment of specific conditions. The gift of chiropractic is that it allows us to integrate the energy stored in subluxations, thereby allowing the individual to express their innate intelligence and to experience greater wellbeing and improved quality of life.

The art of chiropractic is in the mastery of the individual chiropractor in their application of various chiropractic techniques and approaches. The framework that we use is Bio-Geometric Integration (BGI).

Chiropractic is also based on leading edge science. Chiropractors in Australia complete a three year science degree and a two year masters degree. The curriculum has a medical focus, with special emphasis on anatomy, neurology, biomechanics, radiology, physiology, diagnosis and spinal adjusting. Scientific research has confirmed the safety and efficacy of chiropractic for people of all ages.