A Gift Certificate Program
In the Summer of 1989, the three of us in Rolfing Associates, Inc. of South Burlington, Vermont (Thom Walker, Iginia Boccalandra and I), experimented with a one-time “Gift Certificate Program” as a practice-building strategy. The program worked wed and led to an interesting next step. A description follows: The gift certificate was given to clients […]
Letter to Rolf Lines
MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 April 2, 1982 Dear Friends, A little over a year ago, at a meeting in Boulder of the Natural Sciences Subcommittee, Dean and Laurie Rolfings announced the formation of the Aspen Research Institute (ARI). I want to report to you some of the work that has been initiated […]
Explorations
As a starter, I want to try to answer one of our favorite questions: “What is Rolfing?” There are many points of view from which one might attempt to answer this question, and this time around I want to give a philosophical answer. Let me begin by offering a definition of freedom that I worked […]
Structural Awareness, Part II
The goals of Structural Aware-ness are the same as Dr. Rolf’s goals for Structural Integration. The difference lies in the methods employed. Technique aside, there can be tremendous similarities in the philosophical approach, conceptualizations, personal interaction, and values held. It is possible that Dorothy Nolte created Structural Awareness as a system to contain, preserve, and […]
Flo-Motion Movement Awareness System
Flo-Motion Movement Awareness System is an exciting new approach to exercise, fitness, body/mind awareness, and the applied principles of balanced, integrated movement. Fluid-dynamic movement is introduced by the Flo, an innovative exercise/biofeedback device: a tube of state of the art aero space material with handles attached at each end. The product is activated by an […]
Tubular, dude!
At the International Conference, Professor Maitland spoke of cylinders and their significance in human form: any twisting or bending along the circumference results in a shortening along the axial line. Enter the Rolfer. We are all familiar with the structural image of cylinders within cylinders from Emmett’s models we have used for years. But it […]
Grandma’s Curtain Stretcher
Dr. Rolf occasionally hinted that Rolfing has similarities to stretching curtains on “grandma’s curtain stretcher”, or tuning a stringed instrument. This statement, far from being quaintly enigmatic, is a reference to the principles of equalizing, or balancing stress in structures combining both rigid and elastic elements. Even though this homely principle has, to some degree, […]
How to Use Generous Movement in Your Rolfing Practice – Part I
Every Rolfer is familiar with a story like Edna’s. Ever since a car accident she had suffered chronic back pain. She had “tried everything.” She was finding her piano teaching increasingly difficult. Before launching into work on the table, I asked her to describe what she did in an ordinary day, and suggested that we […]
Research Report
There has been substantial progress with the Institute’s Research Agenda and indeed in the research prospects of all Alternative Health Care modalities due to the federal government’s research initiative. Progress on the Institute’s Plan As you may recall, we have been following a plan for research on Rolfing that was put together for us in […]
The Surreptitious Aortic Aneurysm
Atherosclerosis, also called Arteriosclerosis, the hypertrophy and fibrosis of the large muscular arteries (the aorta and its major branches) eventually weakens and disrupts the elasticity of these arteries. This loss of elasticity contributes to high blood pressure. The hardened and scarred arteries do not freely expand and contract with the varying needs of blood during […]