What is Rolf S.I.?
What is Rolf S.I.?
Introducing Rolf Structural Integration
Therapeutic bodywork can do amazing things for how we feel and relate to our bodies. Touch brings awareness into the body, providing a tool for communication with our own tissue. Using this awareness we can recognize patterns of tension, stress and strain in our body and consciously release them. In Structural Integration we seek to recognize tissue that is not yielding to change. With attention, full breath, deep touch and core movement we can make space for change to take place, melting through held and unchanging connective tissue and allowing it to release from its contracted state. For many clients this work has provided relief from years of chronic tension, acute injuries, as well as emotional stress. Relieving the body from this pain can have profound effects on day-to-day stress, allowing for more energy and emotional clarity.
The body’s adaptability can cause many movements to become easier if repeated over time. We do this by creating tension throughout our fascial matrix. Beneath the skin our body is contained within a matrix of thin, saran wrap-like connective tissue called fascia. This matrix forms sheaths that envelope all our body’s individual muscles, organs and bones. These sheaths are interconnected throughout our structure and support the skeleton as well as all skeletal movement through their tensile strength, balance and adaptability. Tension, often reflected in the body as excessive muscular tone, is a product of the enveloping fascia holding a muscle in a chronic state of contraction. This affects other muscles by binding the neighboring fascial sheaths together originating from the original held contraction. The process can repeat itself, a “domino effect”, as it is transferred through the body. Using this tensile formation of contracted tissue our fascia can create a false support for any repeated movement, relying on shortened muscle for stability instead of bone. Over time these tensions can become severe enough to cause pain and even major dysfunction, resulting in repetitive stress injuries and related problems. Compensation for the held and misaligned tissue can occur as well, causing the body to adjust its movement patterns to “work around” the contracted tissue. This fascial contraction and inability to change old patterns within the body affects our overall stress level and emotional well-being, it can tear us down physically and emotionally. Awareness is an important tool in changing these patterns. Before change can occur and have a lasting effect we must first have the awareness of living in and from our own tissue. Touch acts as a facilitator along with the client’s own participation utilizing breath, communication and movement.
Structural Integration seeks to awaken changes in the body using deep touch, core movement and awareness. Many of us have tension or pain that we learn to live with. As discussed earlier, these tensions can contribute to structural and postural misalignment. This can be holistically addressed through a process of ten 1 ½ hour therapeutic bodywork sessions. This is Ida Rolf’s method of Structural Integration; it’s truly a whole-body approach. The Ten Series reorganizes the body from the ground up and from the superficial to deep layers of connective tissue, providing the client with positive new ways of relating to their body and environment.
The Ten Series starts with opening the “sleeve” (superficial fascial layers) of the body. This frees the breath, allowing more space for it to flow into. Breath is vital to this work; it offers a helpful tool that allows for a meditative and focused presence in the body. The first three sessions prepare tissue as well as the client for a deeper level of work. The following four sessions address the “core” (deeper fascial layers) of the body. This work allows for the client to shift deep patterns that may be unwilling to change. We use aligned movement to engage the client during the sessions, this is a way to experientially learn balanced and aligned movement. When movement is balanced we interact more efficiently with our fascia by shortening only the tissue truly necessary and letting the opposing tissue extend. This allows for ease of movement and an improved level of dynamic stability in the body.
The last three sessions in the series are the “integration” sessions. These sessions have an increased focus on client induced movement, clarifying how we move from our body’s core. Core movement refers to the ability to involve the deep musculature of the body. This deep musculature is called the “intrinsic” layer; it is naturally optimized for smaller movements and core stability. When overlooked in day-to-day movement and awareness this can cause the body to overuse the more superficial larger musculature resulting in more effort in all movement. This, the “extrinsic” layer, is naturally optimized for larger movements that require larger muscles. Overusing either layer can cause imbalance and distortion to occur in the body as well as pain that is associated with excessive contraction. When the extrinsic and intrinsic layers work together they can create a unique balance, creating an efficient way for movement to be expressed. This balance can uncover a sense of ease, efficiency and grace that flow through the body.
Opening awareness to the fascial matrix that molds our body can support a more centered state of being. Typically it takes about a year for clients to truly embody the changes that take place within this series. Continued participation with your body is definitely encouraged; exercises done with a structurally balanced intention can help to maintain this awareness. Structural Integration provides tools that can last for a lifetime. Walking, yoga, sports, swimming, virtually any exercise or activity can be done with awareness of structural alignment. Following the ten series maintenance sessions are encouraged, but not always necessary. A one to three month gap between these sessions might be appropriate, depending on your body’s needs.
Bodywork as Meditation
Bodywork as Meditation
Using Structural Integration as a Pathway
By Raymond J. Bishop, Jr
| Openness to a different type of listening and following are essential for the meditative to emerge. |
Bodywork as a meditative discipline may at first seem rather peculiar. Certainly, many seasoned bodyworkers meditate, rightly believing that regular practice of any of a wealth of meditative modalities will promote an increased sense of mental clarity and calmness and may potentially enhance the experience of everyday life, as well as the quality and depth of their work. However, accepting the idea that the act of doing integrative bodywork can be both the source of meditative insight and an ideal milieu through which we move toward higher levels of consciousness will, for most, require a shift in paradigm of a fairly high order. This perceptual difficulty will be further magnified when applied to those therapists engaged in disciplines that are thought of as intense and whose work is generally described as deep-tissue manipulation — work such as the style of structural integration called Rolfing®. That such a modality offers a gateway to “the meditative” will at first seem contradictory in the extreme, owing to a number of fundamental misapprehensions about the nature and intent of this and related integrative modalities. Furthermore, the idea that those who do bodywork may choose to do so in part as a selfish desire to attain an altered mental state may seem curiously at odds with the altruism that we associate with those drawn to healing touch modalities. Yet, we will argue for the virtues of this type of selfishness (Ayn Rand, notwithstanding).
Read more at Massage & Bodywork Magazine’s website…
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Used with permission. Originally published in the
August/September 2005 issue of Massage & Bodywork Magazine
Four Principles of Structural Bodywork
Four Principles of Structural Bodywork
Structural bodywork has its own specific set of distinguishing images which sets it apart from other kinds of physical therapy. These images were Ida Rolf’s initial discovery. They deal with: a. the human skeleton, b. concepts of geometry, beginning with the most basic fact of gravity, pressing us against the earth, and the nature of three dimensional space resulting from that orientation of gravity; c. concepts of movement – how the skeleton is designed to move in space; and d. ideas of how the body is shaped to support habitual movement. These images can be introduced in terms of four principles which seem to form the basis of Ida Rolf’s method.
1. The Primacy of Gravity
It is part of the elegance of Ida Rolf’s vision that gravity is placed at the center of the system. Other methods focus on energy or the release of emotions, et cetera, but these are difficult to see, and there is considerable room for subjectivity in making inferences about them. But Ida treated the body first of all as a physical object in a gravitational field, and let the emotional releases take place as a secondary result.
Every physical creature is subject to the effects of gravity throughout life. It is the one unrelenting stimulus to which we must relate. The skeleton has evolved primarily in response to the various demands placed upon it by different systems of dealing with gravity (that is, a quadrupedal skeleton differs from a biped’s in ways which are predictable on the basis of their different relations to the ground). Gravity determines what is physically efficient or inefficient. When the human body is inefficiently organized, effort is required to resist the effects of gravity. Eventually gravity wins, and the tragically bent bodies of some elderly people are the results. When the structure is efficiently organized, the flow of gravity can be a source of energy.
2. Geometry: The Relation of the Skeleton to Space
The skeleton is a structural framework enabling the body to move in space. In each creature, the skeleton is precisely designed to permit geometrically accurate movement. There are differences, especially deriving from whether the creature is a quadruped walking on land, a monkey swinging in the branches of trees, or a human walking upright. But in each case, the skeleton is quite precisely arranged to support movement which is adapted to geometric space.
This means that, if we can understand the geometric concepts underlying the structure of the skeleton, we can analyze distortions in the people we work with and thus understand what must be reorganized. For example, in looking at someone’s legs, we refer to the bisecting planes of the legs. If the hinges of hip, knee and ankle are lined up on a single plane, then it has tremendous internal security and balance.
When the leg is not balanced across this bisecting plane, when the hinges are not working on a single plane, then the feeling of security and balance is lost. It becomes appropriate to speak of “random” or “chaotic” or “disorganized” physical structure. As will be seen in the chapter on psychology, disorganization on the physical plane shows up as insecurity and confusion on the psychological level. It is no abstract matter.
Throughout this book we will be referring to a small number of geometric concepts:
l. The Vertical Polarity
2. The Horizontal Polarity
3. The Bisecting Planes of the Legs (and other sagittal planes)
4. The Side Planes (and other coronal planes)
5. Transverse Planes at:
a. The Pelvis
b. The Diaphragm
c. The Shoulder Girdle
d. Various other places as needed
3. The Role of Fascia in Shaping the Body
Most anatomy books do not emphasize fascia. Muscles and bones seem much easier to recognize. They are the evident figure, while the fascia are in the background. However, the connective tissue system, including the fascia is the all-pervasive prima materia of the body. Each muscle and each muscle fiber is enveloped in fascia. In response to habitual movement, fascia alter in length and flexibility to support that movement. If the movement deviates from the optimal geometry of the skeleton in space, then the fascial system slowly binds the skeleton to a shape which supports that movement. Thus function alters structure. The energy of movement becomes reflected in form, which parallels Einstein’s formulation: e=mc2.
4. The Use of Movement to Reorganize the Body.
Since disorganized movement creates deviated structure, then the reverse should also be true. If the body is induced to move in a way which is geometrically correct, then the fascial tissues will alter to support this better movement. Thus the skeletal structure can be altered to approach the optimal organization for which it was created. Ida Rolf said (approximately) “Hold structures where they are supposed to be and induce movement.” This is the basic principle of change.
These are the four principles which define structural body work. In subsequent chapters we will be studying geometric concepts of movement, fascia, and an approach to touch.
Excerpt from “The Structural Metaphor”, by Edward W. Maupin, Ph.D. www.edmaupin.com
Physical, Emotional & Mental Healing…
Physical, Emotional & Mental Healing… Experiencing Structural Integration
Structural Integration (SI) is a form of deep tissue bodywork that incorporates movement and posture education. Joy K. came to me for SI sessions about a year ago. Having already received a series of ten sessions, she was ready for advanced work on a physical and emotional level. She takes a very active role in her healing process and is open to the journey of self-discovery that SI provides. This makes her an ideal client; she is self-motivated, aware, and communicative of her process.
Vision Magazine: What prompted you to seek out Structural Integration?
Joy K: I sought out SI because I was in a lot of pain and nothing else, including physical therapy, personal training, or massage, seemed to be working.
VM: What benefits have you received from Structural Integration?
JK: The benefits I’ve received from SI are really physical, emotional and mental. Primarily, it helped me process emotions that had been trapped in my body. It eased my pain tremendously and I was able to resume the active life that I enjoy.
VM: What kind of pain where you having and what kind of relief have you experienced?
JK: I had a lot of injuries from doing Kenpo karate. I also fell very hard on my sacrum. My quadratus lumborum was screwed up and I had tendonitis/bursitis in my shoulder. My pain on a scale from one to ten was probably an eight on a daily basis and it was really hard to function. The work helped my muscles be where they’re supposed to be, the sheath on top of those muscles relaxed, and my body was able to heal itself.
VM: Has SI affected your range of motion or flexibility in any way?
JK: My range of motion is a lot better and my movements seem more fluid. The stiffness in my joints has lessened, as well. I can now move around a lot easier, probably better than I did in my 20s.
VM: How would you describe your response to your first SI session?
JK: After my first visit, I felt like I had taken a muscle relaxer and I couldn’t move. I had to park somewhere for about 30 minutes, and it freaked me out a little bit. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night and feel my muscles moving back into place or something. It was really weird. The first thing I noticed was that my diaphragm was freeing up and I was able to take a deep breath again. I don’t think I’d been able to take a deep breath since I was a child.
VM: Here is the question people wonder about SI: is it painful?
JK: It’s relative. I can handle a lot of pain, but SI is what I would classify as “good pain,” especially if you breathe through it—the breath is very important. The way I know the difference between good pain and bad pain is this: good pain is releasing something and it feels like the kind of pain that the body craves. If I just breathe through it, it subsides very quickly. Bad pain is sharper and radiates a little more. During the fourth session, I had to ask the practitioner to pull back because the pain was too close to the edge. The mark of a good practitioner is that he or she will work with you to determine where your boundaries are. It’s up to the client to let the practitioner know where the pain threshold is.
VM: In SI, the focus is on building more awareness in the body. How has this expanded consciousness changed your relationship with your physical self?
JK: It’s forced me to really be in my body. I have a lot of body image and eating disorder issues, along with a history of body dysmorphia and dissociation from my body. This is why I’ve experienced physical problems: because I’ve ignored my body’s cries for help. I listen to my body a lot more now and I let it tell me what it needs and what it wants—not just through activity but through all of the other sensations I have. It’s been extremely beneficial for me to feel safe in my body and take good care of myself, because this is the only body I will ever have.
VM: Do you feel your posture and movement has improved as a result of SI?
JK: It’s 100 percent better. People give me compliments all the time on my posture. Six years ago, I had horrible posture and I was in a ton of pain. I couldn’t force myself to have good posture when I tried. It made me feel really good to have people compliment me again and again on how good my posture is. But more importantly, it’s just easier to move in the world. It’s easier to sit up and I don’t have back problems like I used to. There’s no other way I could have gotten there without investing in myself and getting this work done.
VM: What advice would you give to people seeking wellness in their lives?
JK: I always encourage people to give to themselves. Health is not just about physical wellness. Some people may not be open to exploring mental and emotional parts of their being, but it’s beneficial on many levels. It’s a huge investment you make in yourself and your health. You maintain your car and you maintain your house, but you’ve got to maintain your body—you can’t neglect it or ignore it.
Archie Underwood, BA, HHP, practices Structural Integration in San Diego, CA. You can reach him at 619.861.3232 or visit www.rolfsi.com.
Structural Integration of the Human Body
Structural Integration of the Human Body
A Historical Perspective on the Legacy of Ida Rolf, Ph.D.
[Originally published in Vision Magazine December 2007]
Ida P. Rolf was born in New York in 1896. Ida graduated from Barnard College in 1916 and received her Ph.D. at Columbia University in 1920. Her acceptance into the university was a rare accomplishment for a woman at that time. She worked for her Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry and wrote her thesis on the human body’s connective tissue. She went on to research organic chemistry at the prestigious Rockefeller Institute for the next 12 years.
Dr. Rolf developed her method of working with the body after many years of practicing Tantric Yoga and studying multiple holistic disciplines including Osteopathy, Homeopathy, Chiropractic and the Alexander Technique. She had experience with, and training in, the scientific side of connective tissue and how it responds to chemical and physiological changes. This, in combination with her knowledge of holistic approaches to the body, provided a very unique view of the human structure and it’s healing process. This melding of disciplines was the synthesis for her work although initially she presented it in a very scientific, westernized way. Dr. Rolf felt like a more scientific perspective on Structural Integration would be met with a warmer reception and lent more credibility by the healthcare community as a whole.
Using Yoga’s theory of evolving the human structure for higher states of consciousness through physical change, combined with deep hands on work, she began to develop Structural Integration. Her experience studying the biochemistry of connective tissue told her that putting energy, pressure and/or heat into fascia it will begin to shift and change shape as well as chemical structure. Hands on bodywork provides all three of these stimuli. When shortened fascia creates chronic tension in the body by immobilizing what it envelops; this includes all muscles, bones and organs forming an interconnected matrix throughout the body. Finding length where needed by releasing immobilized fascia and seeking balanced tone in the body is the primary goal of Structural Integration. Dr. Rolf practiced on people who came to her looking for relief from dysfunction and her theory of increased vitality through the proper alignment of the body’s fascia took shape.
What began with a trial and error approach based on established techniques developed into a cohesive theory of how the body’s structure functions in gravity. The concept of “the line”, which is present in all well organized bodies, began to take shape. “The line” in the body can be related to a plumb line hanging from the crown of the head. When a body is organized this line extends from the crown down, in front of the spine and through the center of the pelvic floor. This relationship of “the line” to the rest of one’s structure is paramount in Structural Integration work. When we are in proper relationship with gravity this embodiment of the line is apparent; for without it we find ourselves unbalanced, unstable, and working against the pull of gravity instead of in harmony with it.
In appropriate relationship to gravity this force that we are always pushing against actually encourages us to stand upright, a counterbalance if you will. This concept is known as expansional balance and was brought into the Structural Integration paradigm by one of Dr. Rolfs early students, Ed Maupin, Ph.D. Expansional balance refers to the body’s unique ability to respond dynamically to all forces put upon it. This is the ability to expand the body rather than collapse it in response to external forces (1). When something pushes, I push back. Gravity becomes a tool providing lift to the body, as I sink my weight into the floor I secure a stable foundation to stand upright.
Clients have found that along with physical benefits the awareness that this work provides is a unique vehicle to explore the relationship to their body. At times we can store emotions in the body. When these emotions become stuck in the body’s connective tissue chronic tension develops in that area, this phenomenon is known as body armoring. This armoring is a way to disconnect from a part of the body that may be scary or hold an emotion we are not yet ready to deal with. Sometimes emotions can arise in session and it is for this reason that creating a safe and nurturing rapport with a client is vital. The process of identifying the areas of emotional holding can be a powerful way to move past trauma as well as develop more confidence and integrity within your body.
With these revolutionary ideas of structure and powerful techniques to compliment them Dr. Rolf knew it was time to teach. She began in the 1950’s and wanted to reach out to a group that would embrace her work and, more importantly, the theory that drives it. Osteopaths and Chiropractors were logical professionals to start training, but Dr. Rolf feared her work would be looked upon as just another technique to shoehorn into their well established theories of the body. Hoping her vision of fascia as “the organ of posture” would be wholly embraced, she kept searching.
The Human Potential Movement was alive and well in the 60’s and Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA was a powerful player in the advancement of alternative therapies. It proved to be an ideal location to spread Structural Integration to a receptive audience that was actively searching for new and innovative approaches to the body. Fritz Perls, who is well known for Gestalt Therapy, received a series of sessions from Ida Rolf, Ph.D while they were both working at Esalen. She relieved him of pain he was having related to a heart condition and awakened memories of an anesthetist injuring him during surgery. He was every so grateful for the relief, sharing and sending clients her way as well as spreading her praises throughout the Esalen community (2). The more she worked on people and became better known, she was met with an increasing demand to teach. Structural Integration is powerful work and people returned as more and more wanted the learn this revolutionary new style of bodywork. It was around this period that her worked gained the nickname “Rolfing®”, as it is known by some to this day.
Eventually schools began to crop up teaching Structural Integration and the work started to proliferate. The Rolf Institute started in 1971 and The Guild for Structural Integration soon followed; they were the first two schools teaching this work and continue to this day. Later, other schools and styles began to emerge such as Hellerwork, KMI, Soma, and IPSB here in San Diego. All have a perspective on the unique vision of Ida Rolf, Ph.D. and although there are differences in style the goal is always the same, to organize the body for a better relationship with gravity.
Archie Underwood, BA, HHP practices Rolf Structural Integration and teaches at IPSB in San Diego, CA. He has been doing bodywork for 9 years and has 2500 hours of training. To book a session or for more information please call 619.861.3232 or visit www.rolfsi.com
1. A Dynamic Relation to Gravity, by: Ed Maupin, Ph.D.
2. Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion, by: Jeffery Kripal ; University of Chicago Press, 2007
“The gospel of Structural Integration: When the body gets working appropriately, the force of gravity can flow through. Then, spontaneously, the body heals itself.” - Ida Rolf, Ph.D.
