Rolfing

The following is an extract from some of the information from the website of The European Rolfing Association which is well worth a visit.

 

Rolfing is a physically applied practice, administered by a qualified practitioner, typically in a series of ten sessions with the objective of maximising individual well being of body and mind.  It is beneficial for a broad range of people and conditions and contributes to the preventative approach in contemporary healthcare

Dr. Ida Rolf pioneered the highly skilled technique of manipulating the body’s connective tissues in order to release stress patterns within the human form. This leads to improved posture and facilitates the greatest ease of movement each individual can achieve.

It was Dr. Rolf's theory that the cause of human discomfort, both physical and emotional may lie in our internal connective tissue and the relationship it has with the earth’s gravitational field.

There is, she argued, an optimal, more natural alignment for each of us – an easier interaction between self and gravity. When through external factors this alignment is lost, it causes internal stress that can result in real discomfort. Prevent or correct the misalignment and you may eliminate or limit the stress. This is at the heart of Rolfing.

 Linking all internal structures within the human frame is the fascial web. This plastic connective tisse unites the structure of the inner form and divides its individual functioning units.

Fascia is constantly changing and adapting in response to demands placed on an individual's body. It reacts to particular physical damage – to a joint for example – by producing extra material to enhance stability and support. However, it can produce  more than is necessary. In time, rather than stabilizing movement it can actually reduce mobility, leading to a changed postural position and altered patterns of movement.

Dr. Rolf called this fascia the organ of form and suggested that through deliberate, accurate and targeted movement of this tissue, over all relief and well being could be achieved. Through the Rolfing touch, the elasticity and sliding capacity of the tissue can be restored and the body realigned in such a way that it is can function with more ease. By introducing the influence of gravity on well being Dr. Rolf broke new ground. Scientific research supports her wisdom.

After completing ten sessions with a Certified Rolfer™ a client can expect to experience a greater sense of allover freedom. Better posture and improved movement can be expected. An enhanced understanding of how the body operates in harmony with gravity will be developed through the sessions. This new comprehension of the self can then be taken forward by the client and further experienced as a process of lifelong learning

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