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Rolfing Restores Balance To The Mind, Body And Spirit

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In today’s fast-paced and stressful world, we rarely take the time we need to relax and let go of tension. As a result, millions of people live their lives with tensed muscles, low energy levels and spiritual voids. Rolfing is a unique kind of therapy that can help release the tensions that drag us down mentally, physically and spiritually. It is a hands-on manipulation that was developed 50 years ago by Dr. Ida Rolf.

Rolfing works on the connective tissue to release, realign and balance the whole body. The body’s connective tissue network is known as the myofascial system and it is “the organ of structure.” It supports the skeleton and soft tissues, positions the bones and gives the body its shape.

The goal of Rolfing is to reestablish the natural alignment and structural integration of the body. It can greatly enhance your posture and freedom of movement and can resolve pain and discomfort associated with back problems, repetitive motion injury, trauma and aging. It is an excellent foundation and complement to yoga, Pilates and other personal wellness practices.

Dr. Rolf believed that “an effective human being is a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts” and the techniques she developed are designed to bring balance. Dr. Rolf received her doctorate in Biochemistry from Columbia University. She developed the Rolfing method when she was conducting research at the Rockefeller Institute and studying the connection between the body’s structure and the way the body functions.

Rolfing is administered in several sessions, with each session building on the work of the previous. The treatments are progressive with each one concentrating on a specific part of the body through the loosening and balancing of connective tissues. Once a course of treatment is completed, the client usually returns for occasional treatments to maintain the balance.

According to information released by the Rolf Institute, one of the most common misconceptions about Rolfing is that it is nothing more than a type of very deep massage. There are many varieties of massage, which are particularly effective for loosening tight tissue, reducing stress, detoxing the body and creating an increased feeling of relaxation and well being.

Rolfing is different. What Rolfers do can be summed up in three words: palpation, discrimination and integration. Rolfers palpate or touch the tissue, feeling for imbalances in tissue texture, quality and temperature to determine where work is needed. They discriminate, or separate fascial layers that adhere and muscles that have been pulled out of position by stress, strain or injury. Finally Rolfers integrate the body, relating its segments in an improved relationship, bringing physical balance in the gravitational field.

Accidents, injuries, chronic illness, physically demanding work and emotional events can influence holding patterns within the body. As a result, the body’s structure can become misaligned. Gravity is the most powerful of all forces affecting the human body. Postural misalignments and gravity result in chronic strain, lowered vitality and impaired biological and psychological functioning.

Before beginning a session, a Rolfer will evaluate the client’s body structure and help the individual establish goals for improved functioning. The client will then lie on a table and the practitioner will apply just the right amount of pressure where the fascia is restricted. During treatment, clients may be asked to “breathe” into the area being worked on and make synchronized movements. The combination of applied pressure and synchronization frees and repositions the connective tissue and aligns the body’s segments.

Because Rolfing is a holistic technique, the positive changes it brings will impact the whole person. It is a safe, natural way to restore balance to your mind and body.