Report of the Archivist
The Rolf Institute has in its possession audio tapes (cassettes) of Dr. Rolf lecturing and teaching in the 1970’s. These tapes are old but still in relatively good condition. Some of the tape sets have various tapes missing. Beginning in October, 2001, I undertook to transfer these recordings tc digital media both for preservation and […]
Roots, Flowers and Pollen
PREFACE In attempting to write a brief history of manual therapy I have encountered the twin challenges of quantity and diversity of information. While the history of manual therapies could rightfully fill an encyclopedia, certain crucial topics are very underrepresented in the literature. The available information also comes from a wide range of cultures, and […]
Overcoming Repetitive Motion Injuries the Rossiter Way
Overcoming Repetitive Motion Injuries the Rossiter Way by Richard Rossiter is an easy-to-read, informational, “how-to” book on relieving pain from cumulative trauma through a series of stretching exercises. Those who read the Rolf Forum regularly are familiar with Richard, a.k.a. RHR and Mr. Fix It. He willing to share on various topics and is never […]
Internal/External:
This year is the 59th anniversary year of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in England. I happened to hear some of her Golden jubilee address on television, and I was struck by one thing she said: that the English are a practical race, not given to theory. W.H. Auden called Britain the Empiric Isles, and there certainly […]
Visceral Manipulation Enhances Structural Integration
Osteopathic principles are the foundation of structural integration. On the way to developing structural integration, Ida Rolf read osteopathic literature and studied with osteopaths. In her unique evolution of Andrew Taylor Still’s work, Ida Rolf emphasized the interaction of the human body with gravity. Other derivatives of Osteopathy emphasized and developed other facets; for example, […]
Depth
We all value Rolfing® as depth bodywork, on many levels. But depth has been a problem for Rolfing since its inception. Part of the reason that Rolfing got such a reputation for pain is that Ida Rolf kept exhorting her students to “go deeper!” Those of us who were just starting out in this business, […]
Making Fascia User-Friendly
Sound complicated? Hundreds of American manufacturing employees would beg to differ. This article is the first of a two-part look at Certified Advanced Roller Richard Rossiter’s connective tissue techniques and their use in organizational and therapeutic settings. This segment introduces you to the basics of Rossiter’s work and shares highlights from ten phone interviews of […]
The Core Program:
If you’re looking for ways to help female clients strengthen and rebalance core structures, The Core Program (ISBN 0-553-80139-2) is a solid resource. The author argues that many of the nagging pains and discomfort clients experience are actually the result of core muscle imbalance. The book combines a very doable series of exercises with solid […]
Rolfing Is About Core Experience
Stated most simply, the goal of Rolfing is to enable one to move and balance from the core of the body, from the center line of gravity. This has both physical and experiential (psychological, spiritual) aspects which we can discuss separately. It deserves attention that Ida Rolf, the originator of Rolfing, was a scientist, a […]
The Cylinder Model – Part I
PERSPECTIVE In the study of anatomy and physiology, the significance of segmental relationships can easily be overlooked. This is an attempt to visualize some of the underlying functional patterns of biological systems. The drawings in this work are not meant to be immediately representational or literal records of specific anatomical structures, although they should suggest […]