The Small Asymmetry
© Dr. Irina K, 2004
I hope this short article not only explains the phenomenon of Small Asymmetry (SA) but also conveys
the uniqueness of SKENAR as the most dynamic and adaptive method of non-invasive therapy;
the one that allows a real-time dialogue with the body, in which the SA is a medium.
The skill of a SKENAR therapist and the very essence of any SKENAR therapy are in finding the smallest possible small asymmetry. The smaller the better. The more intensive the better. It doesn’t matter if you are working in Subjective or Objective mode; you are still looking for the Small Asymmetry.
‘Small Asymmetry’ is the cornerstone of SKENAR therapy.
The term is well known in the SKENAR world, yet many SKENAR users have difficulties in understanding and even pronouncing it. The nature of the phenomenon is also somewhat mystical.
The Small Asymmetry is defined as ‘the small area of the skin different from the rest of the skin by certain characteristics’. In Subjective mode, the small asymmetry will reveal itself as a ‘stickiness’ on the skin, or a color change, or the difference in sensation or sound of the device, or concentration of pain in a small area. In Objective mode it will be the highest Initial Reaction, the highest ongoing reaction value (Dose*), or the highest final reaction value (‘0’). The highest ‘0’ will represent the smallest small asymmetry. This asymmetry would correspond to the ‘stickiest’, the most painful or numb, the reddest or the palest, the loudest or the quietest spot on the skin if working in Subjective mode. In other words, the same Small Asymmetry can be found using different methods.
When you found the Small Asymmetry, your job is almost done. All you have to do to complete the treatment is to change the asymmetry. It can be done in Subjective mode, ‘brushing’ through the Small Asymmetry (in the direction that intensifies the Small Asymmetry the most) until it disappears or changes to the opposite. It can be done by applying the widest range of dynamic functions of the SKENAR (variable Frequency + variable Depth or Damping) to the selected Small Asymmetry, which is often utilized in the Objective mode techniques (usually for 2 min). It can also be done by rotating the SKENAR clockwise or counterclockwise on the small asymmetry, or by other means. Whatever you do, your objective is to bring dynamic change into the relative stability of the small asymmetry.
Small Asymmetry is a representation of the dis-ease on the skin surface, an informational ‘gateway’ into the pathological system. The dis-ease, as a slow adaptive reaction, is always the past with regards to the current body condition. Disturbing its stability, breaking its rigidity will help this bodily part catch up with the rest of the body bringing about healing. The change in the Small Asymmetry signifies the desired progressive change in the healing process.
The Small Asymmetry reflects the pathology which at this particular moment is the body’s priority. That’s where the body’s attention is, that’s what it is trying to fix right now. Supplementing the body’s efforts versus redirecting them is, apparently, the key to the SKENAR efficiency. And the Small Asymmetry is our guide in this process.
No other medical technology known to-date can reflect the dynamic nature of the well-orchestrated symphony of the human system universe so precisely as the SKENAR. Many effective medical practices and technologies are designed to influence areas of the human body, where the dysfunctional organ is typically represented. Yet only the SKENAR can show and address the uniqueness of the particular health situation, as it is ‘here and now’. Blending its music with the body’s orchestra in synergy, the SKENAR harmonizes function of the entire system. The Small Asymmetry ensures synchronization between the SKENAR and the human system.
The mystery of the Small Asymmetry is yet to be understood. A tiny flower on an asphalt field, a little piece of a stinky cheese finalizing a rich dessert, that Mona Lisa smile, that little mole on the Marilyn Monroe’s cheek… Life is asymmetric, and maybe that what makes it so beautiful.
Dr. Irina K, MD, Ph.D., DNM
P.S. The term “Small Asymmetry” came from the classical Russian SKENAR theory. To the “western” ear, it sounds strange and incomprehensible. Maybe that’s why many in the West tried to rename the phenomenon to something easier to relate and grasp – like, say, an “Active Site” or “Active Point”. And yet, the original term persistently shows up in the contemporary SKENAR lingo – and for a good reason.
The term is as unique as the method of treatment it belongs to. It is highly descriptive and makes you think, almost philosophically, about little things in life that fall out of the ordinary and, as such, prompt us to pay attention to them. Small imperfections that make beauty live and real…
Small Asymmetry reflects the life of dis-ease, its type, its location, its dynamic changes – and as such, is of utmost importance to us as therapists. Let’s show the SA the respect it deserves by honoring its birth name, no matter how odd it sounds. It is always a challenge to be different – and yet, it’s the difference that carries evolution forward, on any scale.
