On Articular Restrictions and Training
“How important is it to address articular restrictions in the context of a basic Rolfing° series? What special training or care is needed when working this layer? Are the answers different depending on the location of the restrictions? ” Dr. Rolf developed the basic Ten Series of Rolfing to organize the body at the musculo-tendinous […]
An Interview with Pianist Leon Fleisher
Michaela Orizu: How is the tour going? I’ve seen the schedule, it is quite busy. Leon Fleisher: It’s going very well. The orchestra is even busier than I am because they are playing everyday and I have one day off I think. It’s a very good orchestra, it’s a very good conductor. MO: You are […]
Embodiment and the Line:
Structural Integration: Our work as Rolfers is to shape the body, but what is the body? Many spiritual traditions lead us to understand that our bodies are much different from our ordinary reified conception of “body.” From the perspective of where your work has led you, how do you view/ define body and how has […]
What Does “Biodynamic”Mean?
I want to reclaim the term “somatic” with this discussion today. Somatics comes from a rich philosophical tradition meaning the lived experience of the body. It has gradually fallen out of usage in the past decade and I believe the term biodynamic is replacing it as a descriptor for lived experience in the body and […]
Molecular Underpinnings of Verticality
For Rolfing° structural integration practitioners, the vertical alignment of the human body structure is the point of harmony and, indeed, of reference for the establishment of order. This may seem obvious to structural integrators, but where and how did this idea originate – and where is it going? I would like you to join me […]
The Oscillatory Properties of the Structural Body
When looking at the grace of a gazelle in flight, the poise of a hovering eagle, the stupendous leap of a cat, or the accomplished performance of an athlete or dancer, an extraordinary efficiency of movement may be witnessed. It may be seen in the poise of many traditional peoples, perhaps carrying heavy loads upon […]
Creating Boundaries and a Margin of Safety for You and Your Clients
In the movie “I am Sam” starring Sean Penn there is a scene where a potential employer for this cognitively impaired character (Sam) asks him how he would deal with customers in his store. Sam’s response is “I will be friendly, but not too friendly.” And in that scene the cognitively limited protagonist establishes a […]
On Explanation on the Nature of the Column
I am endlessly impressed with the enduring curiosity of many Rolfers about any aspects or phenomena related to bodily existence that might be clinically useful to them in achieving their objectives as Rolfers. For many of us, basic training and the Recipe is just the beginning of an ongoing inquiry into the nature of this […]
The Man Who Lost His Head:
My client Dr. John B., a 40-year-old surgeon, has an interesting story: About three years ago, a child jumped onto his upper back while he was swimming in a public pool. He suffered strong whiplash-like symptoms from that impact, including vegetative and emotional reactions, to such a degree that he had to rest in bed […]
Imago
One large gorilla sitting in the middle of the manual therapy room is reflexes. Not nerve reflexes, like the stretch reflex the neurologist hammers your knees for; these reflex arcs to and from the spinal cord are simple enough to understand. But there are much wider and more diffuse networks of reflex correspondences, such as […]