Dr. Jocelyn Proby is an Osteopath who also uses techniques derived form Ida Rolf?s work. The various European and American osteopathic traditions use manipulation to assist and increase the body?s own vital processes, perhaps by helping it to release stored muscular energy or by jogging one of its various systems into greater or Less activity a Homeopathic approach. The distinction Homeopathic Allopathic, which Dr. Proby mentions, was first coined by the great 19th century German clinician Hahnemann. Homeopathic treatment restores the body’s balance by administering treatments, chemical and otherwise, which increase the undesirable symptom. The idea of this a approach is to “wake up” the body’s own natural stabilizing mercy, which will then deal with the problem. An example might be taking a hot bath when you have a fever. Allopathic treatment, on the other hand, deals with an unpleasant symptom by treatment which produces the opposite effect. An example night he the use of digitalis (an extract of the foxglove which causes lowering of blood pressure) to treat individuals with excessive blood pressure. Naturopathy, which Dr. Proby also mentions is similar in many ways to homeopathy except that it restricts its techniques, particularly chemical, to those which occur in Nature.(Ed.)

The last two issues contained an article by Dr. Joce Proby, an English osteopath, on the subject of immunit. In this issue Dr. Proby returns with a piece you’ll probably find less difficult but (if you’re a rolfer) even more thought provoking. He’s friendly to rolling, and he says why, but he continues with some searching criticisms that are clearly based on a good deal of both experience and thought. Some of what he says is. Out right heresy, but important, it seems to me, for us to consider carefully anyhow. (K.H.)

Jocelyn Proby was a man of letters who was, by his own description, bitten by the Osteopathic bug while in Canada early in his life. He dedicated his life to its practice, to exploring its edges and ramifications, and to explaining its principles both within and beyond the profession. Dr Proby studied with Dr:’ Rolf during the 50’s when she gave classes in England, in conjunction with her yearly visits to J. G. Bennett and his Coombe Springs institute dedicated to study of the Gurdjieff work. Dr Proby contacted me shortly after I took up residence as England’s first resident rolfer – aside course from these osteopaths such as Dr Proby, Bette Herbert, and Margot Gore, who had studied with Ida and had added her work, in a variety of ways, to their osteopathic practice. Osteopathy was and is a very lively manipulative science in UK, having been held out of the mainstream far longer than in the U With the zeal of a new convert, I spread my name all over town, netting a fascinating practice and a call from Dr Proby, saying how glad he was that a proponent of Ida Rolf’s methods had shown up in EnglandHe suggested we meet at his club, the Traveler’s Club in Pall Mall, and in its smoky hardwood interior my eyes traveled up an old man in gentle tweeds, very erect until you reached his tall man’s stop, soft but firm of voice and hand, with a Conan Doyle combination of seriousness and twinkle. We sat side-by-side in voluminous leather chairs while he reminded himself of the stories of Ida Rolf’s tempestuous classes. In those days the class was one 5-week stint, which mostly consisted of watching Dr Rolf work while you worked on models at home. At the end of the class, you brought your model in, and Dr R, criticised your work, often without quarter.When I began to give short courses in soft-tissue release for the osteopathic profession, Dr Proby a great supporter, kindly informing his colleagues of my efforts, and taking the train himself into Lon, from his home near Oxford, participating fully in practice even though he was in his 80’s, and always with an extra sparkle for the ladies.His attitude of exploration, openness, light-hearted seriousness, and enthusiastic calm have inspired me through the years of my own practice, and I am sure many others as well. We lost touch as I left UK he became more confined to his home, but I wish his soul well on its upward journey.Tom Myers