Impulse Formation in Underresponsive Tissue
How do we as Rolfers work with our clients where tension, holding and awareness seem to be lacking, where their tissue is flaccid, less responsive, and slower to respond to touch and verbal suggestion? How do we vary our touch; do we press harder or softer? Do we ask f or movement? Do we look […]
Interdisciplinary Relationships in the Treatment of Chronic Back Pain
At the August 1994 Meeting of the International Society for the Study of The Lumbar Spine, a presentation was given by Drs. Tom and Ane Bendix of Denmark’s Copenhagen Back Center. They reported that “higher low back pain impact is achieved by an intensive multi-disciplinary program that included physical training, psychological pain management, work hardening, […]
Basic Concepts in the Theory of Hubert Godard
I. INTRODUCTION As Rolfers we have gotten used to describing our experience in our work using a unique vocabulary (core, intrinsic movement, span, line, X and 0 legs, internals and externals). Though it is natural for a group of people who interact to develop a jargon that meets the needs of the group, it can […]
What’s in a Name?
Who are we and why does it matter what we call ourselves? Naming and Labeling Ancient and aboriginal peoples all over the planet believed that Naming was a creative act of ethical and humanitarian power whereby a thing, process, or experience could be understood, controlled, and appropriated for the benefit of humanity. Naming is not […]
Center for the Healing Arts Lecture (reprint)
In the past few years, one word has taken on an inordinate emphasis in our culture-the word “energy.” We have heard it so much that its meaning has been confused and perhaps it is worth some consideration to segregate and differentiate the implications of that word is the energy that we are talking about related […]
Reading the Body in Dance
We will take the spine as the starting point, but “spine” in the largest sense, as an image that includes mechanics, relationship and symbolism. The function of the spine will be understood as the capacity to perceive and respond to two fields, two polarities-in a way, the spine will be understood as a movement. First […]
Gravity is the Therapist?
Try this experiment. First, smile. Not one of those cautious or sly Mona Lisa type smiles, but a real eye squinting chipmunk-cheeked toothy grin. Next, breathe in and out very rapidly, shallow breaths, a couple of times a second, so you can actually hear the wind shuffling back and forth through your mouth. Continue until […]
Visceral ManipuIation: The In to The Out of Rolfing
How often have we accused, if only in our minds, other therapies from employing a fix-it mentality? Of taking away a compensatory mechanism adopted by the body to protect an injury or weakness in some other part of the body? Have you ever considered that what we do as Rolfers may be subject to the […]
The Role of Acu-Points in Rolfing
Dear Fellow Rolfers, A few years ago, I wrote an article to Rolf Lines about my discovery that the superficial fascia was organized in “acustripes”, i.e. the area defined on the edges by the acupuncture meridians. I received some letters from Rolfers who were interested in applying this concept to their Rolfing. In my own […]
Absolute Contra-Indications to Rolfing
Obvious Acute Trauma We must not Rolf anybody who has recently been severely injured. If any part of the client’s body is severely bruised or swollen, bandaged or has recently been put in a cast, the body is healing. The client does not need the strong input of a Rolfing session. It is reasonable to […]