What is Personal Structural Integration method by Dr. Ida Rolf and our Mission
Dr. Ida Rolf’s method of Personal Structural Integration, also sometimes called by its nickname - rolfing, is a method of education and health care delivery system developed by Dr. Rolf some 50 years ago.
The brilliance of Dr. Rolf's method is that she, like no one before her, addressed specifically the structure of the human form in relation to its function – that is movement - as an organised kinetic system obtained within a force field of gravity and continuously related to gravity. To move, even in support to the beat of our heart, our cardiac system and circulation, our breath or our step, or dance of our lives - is to connect with primal function of our brain - which is in efficiency of survival within our spacial environment. Our enduring environment is within a gravitational force field.
In her method's approach, Dr. Rolf addressed the structural function of connective tissue within our body system as an organ of form - a gravitational wave, a polarised impulse responsive membrane in the like of those we have for recognition of light or sound, seeing or hearing - yet here within the gravity and network of vectoral force relations necessary for - movement. Dr. Rolf developed a system of soft tissue manipulation, somatic awareness and movement education that allows the whole body to organise itself most efficiently in relation to gravity. Relation to gravity is indeed the most prevailing relationship and somehow it is rather neglected, and significantly undereducated. Yet, it is a part of our evolution over time, leading to achieving upright verticality, increasing the size of our brain, delivery of the energy to the brain, and vertical organisation of our general kinetic energy system.
The difference in our client here at AFTER is an achieved horisontalisation in pelvis that supports spine within its vertical organisation, to the top of head. The support, that happens in the line work of the gravity provides efficient reactive support from the floor - and there is no slide either over hips in lower back (that's usually causing lower back pain – see lower back diff.), or in cervical spine (neck pain... often at sitting at office work conditions – see neck diff.), insomuch that AFTER shows verticalisation and support in upper back, and hence head more on the shoulders. I.e. feet on the ground - head on the shoulders - state of body and mind. One can see better energy flow through the body – as a free physical flow of reactive force-energy from the floor against mass in gravity through the body supporting up -verticality. She is taller (from heel, to at nose line). And there is also that smile of recovered vitality.
However, with limited access to relevant education these days, from early to mature years, we more than ever before find that the process is neither finished; nor it does have a great prospect within a culture that is becoming more and more sedentary, where there are many cases that our physical development and growth have not matured actually, and now ever so frequently with many individuals having occupational or lifestyle influences that effect postural alignment and both opportunities and capacity to move.
For example, such daily conditions as sitting behind a desk and working on a computer all day, or bending over non ergonomic technology such as smartphones, laptops, or even steering wheel and peddles, which all increase the shortness in our alignment and tissue, collapsing our physical form over both short and extended period of time. Within such environment, where there is no relevant education to address this increasing problem - evolutional verticality is certainly not given, just borrowed from previous generations. Our youngest are then under greatest concern as they imitate the forms of their parents – continuously slouching over; and then themselves execute self same at school long before it becomes a recognised work related hazard. Both grown ups and children, under the strain of time and pressure of stress in the body changes its form and its organisation, i.e. with time, unaddressed, the body will match the structure to an applicable function. Reflecting how it is being used and often due to compensation and misuse - it creates overuse - followed by pain and aches, which can be either strong and acute or neglected but still affecting resilience and producing additional stress, neuroses and energy depletion.
Dr. Rolf's method of Personal Structural Integration works to educate and organise a body that is random or unorganised, broken, hurt, burdened, in pain, compressed, pressured or deformed, or just not in balance with the demands. The work is directed toward organisation, balance, efficiency, support, structure, education – for the client to own it.
Observing changes in energy flow of the person after the 10 Sessions is not difficult, as per our client here, you can see change in her structure, character and flow of gravity through the model both up and down the line of her form.
Ten Sessions - one mission
As the opus of her elaborations Dr. Rolf produced a gather of 10 sequenced sessions that in integrated terms work together as a process. The sessions individually, however also, are independent lessons in differentiating terms. Each session is a hands-on remedial soft tissue therapy and physical education, a body-work that as a health care delivery system, both: releases points of injury, tension, aches or pains and instructs the body how to free up for uninhibited movements in relation to gravity. Structural Integration intention is to create an uninterrupted flow of movement through the body and allows for the better posture alignment, greater flexibility, greater resilience to stress, preventing the overuse or strain and in the relations – for more energy.
This is an integrated technique in that that the organisational changes in structure will impact the whole person on a physical, emotional and energetic level. Within our embodied form when we use however more or less energy to cover for certain injuries or strains that keep our body out of balance; “holding it” in time, we relate to stress and the stress will affect our personality at energetic, emotional and physical level. And - over all, both the experience and quality of life. The 'ebodyment' project mission is to provide access to the education that Personal Structural Integration is, and to enhance the experience and quality of life with continuous development – for our clients to own it.