The Pre- and Perinatal Paradigm

An understanding of early experience is an essential part of the biodynamic paradigm.

Basic premises include:

  • Sentience (awareness, the ability to know) is present from the first moments of life at conception.
  • The embryo, the fetus, and the birthing infant have the ability to respond to the relational and environmental conditions preset.
  • The conditions met from the first moments of life may generate form and protective responses.
  • The potency of the Breath of Life centers these patterns.
  • This process generates tensile patterns in both the fluid and tissue fields and becomes coupled with the organization of the ego system and its defensive processes.
  • In session work, these early patterns and their organizing fulcrums may emerge.

Appropriate cranial and verbal trauma skills, which help the practitioner appropriately respond to arising processes, are taught as an integral part of session work.

Read more on the Pre- and Perinatal Paradigm in Biodynamics.