Dr. Ida P. Rolf
“Structural Integration is more than a manipulative technique, it is a way of thinking and living.” -Dr. Rolf
Dr. Rolf (1896-1979) is the founder of the Rolf Method (aka Structural Integration SI, the 10 series). She was one of the first women to receive a PhD in Biochemistry from Columbia in the 1920s. Ida then became an Associate Professor at the Rockefeller Institute for medical research, specializing in Organic chemistry and Chemotherapy. In 1927 she studied Mathematics and Atomic Physics at the Swiss Technical University in Zurich as well as homeopathy in Geneva.
Her interests in Osteopathy, Hatha yoga, Alexander Method, Feldenkrais, chiropractic, and general semantics is what transpired into the 10 Series of Structural Integration. The Rolf Method was developed as a means for Ida to heal herself as well as find alternative therapy for her family.
"This is the gospel of Rolfing:
When the body gets working appropriately,
the force of gravity can flow through.
Then, spontaneously, the body heals itself."
~ Ida P. Rolf
The 10 Series
What is it? This is the holy grail of Structural Integration. 10 sessions, all with different goals and objectives. Each session builds on one another into a succession of ease and harmony within the body.
Why should I do the 10 series? It is a general overhaul of the entire body. It gives our body a new homeostasis to operate from. If you are coming from a place of pain or injury, or maybe you feel like you want a “reset” this is a great opportunity to enhance the relationship you have with your body.
How often do we do the sessions? Its completely flexible. It is a time and financial obligation. We can do sessions twice a week, once a week or even every other week.
Do I have to do the 10? Structural Integration works best in a series type fashion. For example, lets say your knee has been bothering you for years. Chances are, there is work to be done on the rest of the body that has been aiding in the compensation pattern, allowing you to walk with this knee that hurts. That said, one session may provide some relief, but to really address the underlying cause of the knee pain, we need some more time! Now at the same time, lets say the 10 series is not feasible for you right now, lets still do a session! I wouldn’t want someone to not try this type of bodywork just because they do not want the 10 series.
"An effective human being is a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts." Dr. Ida P. Rolf
What happens after the 10? One thing I love about this work is that our goal is to eventually not see each other as much, in the best way possible. Your body is feeling better, therefore you do not need as many sessions. This story is so different for everyone though, so its always depends on how you feel. There is no right answer.
Does the work stay? Structural Integration is a reeducation of the nervous system. It changes how we move and feel in our body! That is what gives this work the opportunity to last. Its how people look and feel one way before a session, and can get up off the table after, feel a difference. Since the nervous system in located in fasica, the medium that Rolf Practitioners work with, we have the capability to make lasting changes. Ida Rolf considered practitioners teachers, not healers, because of this reeducation.
Fascia
This is what holds our body together. Picture the muscular person you typically see in a textbook. What is not shown is fascia. It encases the entire body. Then, wraps around every every muscle, every individual muscle fiber and then around the bone. It also encases our organs! This is also where the nervous, vascular and lymph system reside. Fascia is the conduit to which our nervous system communicates with the rest of our body.
Click the Try This tab to feel your fascia at work. After sessions people often explain how their body feels more supported, that its easier to obtain “good posture.” Ida called gravity the therapist. “When gravity isn’t tearing us down, it is holding us up.”
"Rolfing is the removal of preferences... Your preferences are barriers to growth." Dr. Rolf
Here is an educational video in which you can actually see fascia! Its a bit dense with information, but if you watch for a few minutes you can see the fascial matrix!
Robert Schleip is a leading researcher in the field of fascia. Here is an article on the nervous system and fascia role in manual therapy.
http://axissyllabus.org/assets/pdf/Schleip_Fascia_as_a_sensory_organ.pdf