“Above-Down, Inside-Out” is a statement of chiropractic philosophy. It is the guiding principle of Sherman College. It is also the original phrase and philosophy of the Palmers, who founded chiropractic.
What it means is that the brain is the control center of the body, it is the “Above.” The control of the body comes from the “Above” then travels “Down” into the entire body on the “Inside” and finally flows to the “Outside.” The “Outside” I think of as a flowing of energy to affect the world around us.
It is a very simple phrase born at the turn of the previous century to express a very complex process. It refers to the functioning of the nervous system and all its manifestations. The more you know about the nervous system, the more you can appreciate the phrase.
As the guiding principle of Sherman College, it reminds us that the human body is an infinitely complex entity that self-adjusts, self-manages and ultimately heals self. It is a principle of life and all vertebrates.
Some people also like to include another meaning to the “Above-Down, Inside-Out” principle. That is that there is a Higher Power that comes from Above, giving and sustaining life Down and Inside-Out. This is the religious – philosophical principle that many chiropractors and students believe in. The Palmers also believed in the spiritual connotations of the phrase.
So as you see, the principle of “Above-Down, Inside-Out” is fertile ground for discussion and debate. At Sherman, we discuss it as a living principle and use it as our guide in the way in which we approach the human body. Understanding that the human body has within it immense capacity for healing allows us as future chiropractors to appreciate our place in the process.
Our place, we learn, is to be a part of the process of healing but not the “Boss” of healing (so to speak). The “Boss” is Life itself or the brain/human body. After much study and practice, we are here to assist in the process of removing subluxations of the spine. And that, dear friend, is yet another chiropractic story!
