Rolfing, Visceral Manipulation, and Acupuncture
In 1983 I was auditing Rolfing class. Van Dam, our assistant teacher, told us during his demonstration of the seventh session that he often did a lot of work on the scalp. I must admit that for many years I never paid much attention to his advice. About 15 years ago, I started to work […]
Rolfing in the Culture of the USA 2004
CONSIDERING HUMAN EVOLUTION Ida P. Rolf often asked, “What is it to be more human, to be more of a human being?” As structural integrators, we observe and address not only structural and mechanical issues, but also the manifestation of human-ness in the world. As such, we see the effects of the ambient culture on […]
Manipulation in the Red Light District
Concerning the recent article by Dr. Jeff rey Maitland, “The Too-Good-To-Be-True Machine:” WEAK MUSCLES? Initially, Dr. Maitland makes a big deal o the “weak muscles” concept. In Dr. Rolf’ context, symptoms of these sorts, regard less of their diagnosable veracity, are seer as outward manifestations of deeper struc tural imbalances. In my experience, this i; […]
Element Four: MOVEMENT
<img src=’https://novo.pedroprado.com.br/imgs/2005/697-1.jpg’> A dancer, Michael Nebadon, formulated some concepts of movement which, for me, have made structural integration a great deal clearer. His idea of expansional balance was already implicit in Dr. Rolf’s concepts of core and sleeve, I think, but she did not fully communicate the dynamic aspect of her vision. Often her students […]
The Relationship of Contralateral Gait and the Tonic Function Model of Structural Integration:
CONTRALATERAL GAIT AS A BAROMETER OF NATURAL HUMAN FUNCTION Contralateral movement of the spine primarily, and of the limbs secondarily, seems to be “hard-wired” into human coordination. Put another way, the human body is designed to walk and run so that the lower trunk and pelvis rotate and the upper trunk and shoulders counter-rotate. The […]
The Heart of Stillness
Sometime in late 1982, I began studying the cranium as a way to further my understanding of the Seventh Hour. At the time, I purchased Dr. Upledger’s first book and began working privately with one of his students. I was taught the ten-step protocol and although my tutor was highly skilled, I felt uncomfortable following […]
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 […]
Somatic Explorations
I have been doing hands-on structural work for twenty-five years now, first as a Rolfer and currently as an osteopathic physician. This journey would not be complete without acknowledging three people who guided me along the way. The first is my brother Michael Shea, who introduced me to Rolfing®; then, Peter Melchior, who was my […]
The Swingwalkers of Zambia
Over twenty years ago, Heglund observed (Maloiy 1986) that East African women carry loads of up to 20% of their body weights on their heads without tiring or even breathing more deeply. Apparently, they carry these heavy loads with little additional energy expenditure. The explanation for these women’s abilities is still the subject of considerable […]
My Practice in Two Cities
I was a professional dancer, dance professor and choreographer for over twenty-seven years before I started the Rolfing training. I finished Unit III at the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration® (RISI) about a year ago, in October 2007. There are challenges to starting a new career and practice at fifty. Quadruple that when you factor […]