Rolfing and Yoga
The consciousness that passes as normal in the world at large is a consciousness of separation. It is also a very disembodied consciousness. Fittingly, the word yoga means “to yoke” or “to join together” and suggests a path of practices that can put the pieces back together through healing the sense of estranged separation (self […]
Rolfing, Yoga, and Integration
The essence of Rolfing and yoga is integration. To give Archimedes a lever long enough in our body, and put it in the right place, is the essence of integration. The femur, the longest bone in the body – when connected from the feet and legs, up through the pelvic floor, and connected to the […]
Rolfing Like a Yogi
Within the context of “wholism”, the viewpoint that work on the whole body is more effective than work done on just one part, lies the mind-body connection. And I write with the hope that my words will allow fellow practitioners the chance to strengthen this vital link in themselves and also for those within their […]
Physical Thoughts About Structure: The Elasticity of Fascia
Aristotle wrote that a heavy object (e.g., a big stone) falls faster than a light one (e.g., a leaf). This would seem so obvious any child would agree. (It seems almost as obvious as geocentrism-the fact that the sun circles the earth once every day.) The “obvious” was so obvious that it took about 2000 […]
Ligaments: A Source of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
ABSTRACT The mechanical and neurological properties of ligaments are reviewed and updated with recent development from the perspective which evaluates their role as a source of neuromusculoskeletal disorders resulting from exposure to occupational activities. Creep, tension-relaxation, hysteresis, sensitivity to strain rate and strain/load frequency were shown to result not only in mechanical functional degradation but […]
On Presences and Effectiveness
A. Our state of mind or consciousness has a profound effect on the outcome of Rolfing. The more conscious we are, the more we are able to be present with a client without having a preconceived outcome or agenda for his or her process. It gives the client the freedom and support for the work […]
Some Thoughts on the Assisting Process
After we complete our basic training, there are certain watersheds in our development of the art form that is Rolfing. These landmarks have much more to do with an evolution of our ability to articulate and see structure than with an inevitable improvement in our ability to “fix someone’s back,” although raising the level of […]
To Boldly Go…
Although hardly an ardent Trekkie, I have a favorite episode to which I frequently refer in my classes. Said episode, “The Empath,” while not one of the more popular ones, had a profound effect on me, for reasons that were at the time painfully clear. This rather simple morality tale centered on a young mute […]
On The Need of a Coherent Psychological Perspective for Rolfing
For some time I’ve had the nagging sense that something is missing from the framework of Structural Integration. Something important. What’s missing is a coherent psychological perspective. If one were recognized, defined and added to the context of our work, it would extend our understanding of the work; help us work more effectively and easily; […]
The Assisting Experience: Three Perspectives
Having known each other from past trainings, we were excited and pleased when we found ourselves assisting basic Rolfing® training classes during June and July of 2006. One evening, we all ended up sitting in Bethany’s rented condo, comparing notes about our experience. Merlin had assisted several Unit I classes, but Wanda and Bethany were […]