The grand view of the Rolf series is to examine it as a progressive and synergistic system that looks to unfold the body and person.

What is to be unfolded? It is our life history, which includes stress and strains; physically, emotionally and spiritually. An excellent book for one to examine how stress and strain affects one in their life and or to some light emotional somatic theory is “Emotional Anatomy” by Stanley Keleman

In this book, Keleman offers a viewing of the body being changed by our emotional reactions to life's stressors. As a Rolf practitioner I have seen many of Keleman's descriptions to be true in others and in myself. However, I am less interested in “beating out a neurosis” or being a “mechanic” of the physical body, as some body-workers may try to do. Instead, my first interest is in the reduction of our past guards and physical compensations. Secondly, I look to stimulate the true self, the “resource” which lies beneath our past protective adaptations. When this happens our “Great Alignment” last beyond our postural alignment. Posture will always bend some, especially by our final years of life, but our “Great Alignment,” that which you see in the Dali Lama or other great teachers, will only increase in magnitude once we awaken to it. Below I will explain this series of ten Rolfing sessions as well as offer insight into my personal experiences both as a practitioner and client. Additionally, a second description of ten session series of Rolfing can be found on Audrey Mei's web site and is a delight to read. http://littlebluerobot.com/10series.html

Session One: Breath and Vitality

Our primary reaction to stress and strain is in our breath. An infant can control its breath the easiest out of all other bodily functions. As adults we continue to use this primal function. We use the breath to help us relate to others: inhale to be seen, exhaling to hide. We also hold our breath in one area of our body and lose it in another. At some point we create a cycle of adaptation and this may affect our whole body.

So from this point of view, I look to explore the client's breath and adaptations to the breath. I will seek to create a “vital adaptability” while reducing “survival and segmental” adaptations. This can take you in to any area of the body. I will look directly at the ribcage, abdominals, spine, pelvis, hamstrings, neck and shoulders to attempt to locate the adaptations.

In this first session, I may have the client simply focus on the Breath: Breath in… breath out….. Hopefully, the client will begin to recognize how far the breath can create a displacement in the body. Perhaps, the client will recognize that through the breath, fluid pressure not only increases in the chest, but also in the head and feet. If one cannot feel that displacement then this person is holding restriction that does not allow for that displacement of pressure and thus has lost vitality and freedom in movement. Thus, this session is the beginning of regaining “it”!

Session Two: Feet and Support

Many of my clients have babies and it is amazing how big and well developed human heads are compared to our feet and legs in infancy. Other animal species do not have this imbalance but they are also not as big brain dependent. It is as if we were sitting in economy class for nine months but really needed first class seats. So we what can we expect when get off the flight? Our legs are all cramped up and we feel like falling over. Other animals get right up in a few hours and walk, now that's first class seating!

Many people never get to unwind those cramped up legs and hence do not experience the support that strong legs and feet offer. With no supportive structure the body above will compensate. “Support” is the key in this session which unlocks the physical and emotional sense of stability, confidence and freedom to take on life.

When I received this session my thighs and shoulders relaxed because my feet were actually supporting me. Within a week my neck was less sore. Many clients try to stop me from working on their feet, saying “Well the pain is in my neck, why work on the feet?” First, neck work is always done every session, but twice as much neck work will not do anything if problem has spread to the whole body. Once the feet and lower legs are done in this session I look to integrate this work into the upper body. At this point the pelvis, spine, shoulder girdle, neck and head always get some attention.

Session Three: Side Body, Side Line and Armor

Have you ever been tickled? I sure have and it is wonderful and scary! I am most ticklish in my side line or side body. Under the arm pit, rib cage, side neck, side hip, and band of muscle down my leg. When I foresee tickling, I crank everything down to brace and stop any penetration, guarding my vulnerable areas from invasion.

In our childhood development every individual goes through awkward times and wants to be safe from assault. To guard from assault is something we build an excess of only to tear it down later. In speaking face to face with another we tighten our side body the most, rather then our front or back body which would be more noticeable. We secure ourselves by placing strips of tension down our legs, like military stripes on a uniform. Have you ever seen an angry person pull their legs together to yell? No, of course not! Instead, their legs will turn out using side body muscles to create a stable base for their verbal assault. Often times, they will pull even harder on the arms against the side body to assert themselves more. This tightened side body is some of the greatest ticklish stuff!

This is an emotional focus of the third session of Rolfing. But let us look at our walking motion. With restricted breath and poor support in the feet we need to pull ourselves along by using big muscles that wrap around and outward on our body. These are the same side body muscles we used for guarding our physical safety when being tickled.

So basically the third hour is un-wrapping these big side muscles which resemble packing rope around a lovely gift. We never thought that our childhood experiences, or our imbalanced breathing and slowly developing legs, could cause so much tension in our upper legs, lateral ribs, spine, arms, neck and head. With rope wrapped around our lovely gift, no one will be able to identify that anything beneath that rope may be lovely or even a gift at all! This is how some individuals describe the over bound bodybuilder. All rope and no lovely gift! Hence the third session works all these muscle that run along the flank of your body, thus producing freedom of movement and release from old and outdate defensive strategies.

For some this will be a scary session. When I dropped all these defensive armoring tactics, I felt vulnerable and had some anxiety sensations after the session. But no attack came, and so my alarms cooled down and I did not re armor but instead let out more of my lovely gift. Some may say that I could use a few more of those sessions, and to them I say patience, everything in its due time.

Session Four: Inside Line Legs, Awaking the Kundalini, and Self Acceptance

The territory of the fourth session is from the inside line of your foot to your groin. Of course there are certain things I recheck and the spinal work is more detailed but this tender stuff of the forth session offers a near fully balanced leg and additionally a viewing of primal self at the level of the first and second chakra.

To fully explain this, let's take a step back. Have you ever noticed that in our society that there are many messages around what is right or wrong about our sexual energy, how to be sexual, how to be our self, how we express the gender that we are and even how we should be approaching fellow human beings in the first few minutes of meeting?

I assume it is a yes! Well, image a child growing, he or she would be overwhelmed, at the best, dealing with all of these messages. To be overwhelmed is to shut down. Shutting down in the legs is common and to open and release the tension offer a deep sense of ease, patience, piece, acceptance, and security of self. Simply put, after I had this session I felt a sense of easy “machismo.” I felt more capable with all people. I felt less urgency in all life's activities. I had more confidence with less cockiness.

Unfortunately, I have had clients that did not only get messages from society. Some got messages from their family and some messages were also physical in nature. For these individuals this session has been amazing. They have let out their demons, reclaimed their body, accepted their sexuality, reduced there fixations, reduced negative gender related feelings and have awakened their Kundalini in some cases. But even if nothing of the emotional nature happens at least you will gain deep leg balance and alignment, which releases spinal tension and lastly your flexibility may increase in yoga.

Session Five: Inside Line Front Body, Kundalini to Heart and Throat Chakra, Love of Self.

The territory of the fifth session is from the shins to the front of the throat. Additionally, I examine the second through the fifth chakra, the visceral thoracic and the visceral component of the abdominals. Numerous physical and emotional changes can occur. This session is by far one of the longest because it can have numerous foci and possible outcomes. I often return to this session in post ten series work for its effectiveness. Here are some examples of the outcomes in session five:

From corrections in the front legs, groin and general release of tension of the front body, a new level of alignment in the legs and pelvis will occur. Clients when feeling this correction often say, “Wow! I do feel as if my chest is floating of my legs. I really feel lifted, I'm standing more on my heels and I feel that I am leaning back.”

As the work continues deeper into the body, visceral work tends to offer emotion clearing, an improvement in organ function, digestion and elimination. Traveling even deeper into the abdominal cavity, we come upon a muscle called the psoas which runs from many segments of the lower spine, through the pelvis to a bony attachment on your upper inside leg. Although work on the psoas is touched upon in earlier sessions, this session rebalances and integrates this “key stone” of the body, with the pelvis, spine and diaphragm. After rebalancing the psoas a reduction in low back pain, pelvis pain, knee pain, & even neck pain is common.

Also near the psoas muscle is energetic pathways for the movements of Kundalini and with a selection of techniques a release of blocks can occur bring a tremendous energy and heat to the chest and heart. This is where I have seen changes in emotional states; forgiveness arises and unconditional love and compassion is felt. The fifth session places you open to the world. Some feel larger, some exposed, some anxious from the vertical lift of their body.

Session Six: Back Line, Kundalini to Chi, Grounding Consciousness

I love session six because I enjoy my back being worked on. The work is not just getting your back rubbed; it involves intricate work on the alignment of the spine. Many times I will have people rotate, twist, and side bend to really work these back muscles. Often I use seated work and Pilates equipment to deepen the spinal alignment.

Wondering why I wait until the sixth session for spinal work? Spinal work is done in each session but this is fastidious because in session five the ribs have all been balanced and opened in the front body. Now is the time that the back can finally achieve equal freedom.

Also in this session is the posterior work of the hips and sacrum. This session “fluffs” the butt for some and for others, releases bulky tension. Basically, your butt will look better and your back will feel great! Emotionally, there are changes that can occur, however it is more common in other sessions.

Energetically / spiritually, clients feel a great difference in this session. This session moves all the Kundalini energy along the spine out into the limbs. Often moving of energy into the hands and feet are felt as heat or circulation and is considered that “Chi,” life force energy, is being released to those areas. Many clients notice this “Chi” sensation. Additionally, I believe this “Chi” sensation offers the client the ability to feel more reserved, peaceful and smaller which results in a grounded sense of consciousness. For myself, the connection to the earth and relationship to the room became more enjoyable and I felt a reduction in anxiety and a restored sense of peaceful energy which I had not had since I was a toddler.

What was done in the front line is repeated in the back line with more work at the lower legs and feet. Of course this offers a greater sensation of equal balance in the feet, and thus a greater sensation of effortlessness in being vertically aligned. Effortlessness, also results after the release and balancing of the shoulder and pelvic girdle. Aligning the girdles, finishes balances the body from left to right, while aligning the spine and legs finishes the front-back balance. From all directions your body will have balance and alignment. Now the only thing that is left is your head and neck balance and alignment.

Session Seven: Balancing the Head, Higher consciousness, Just Present

I have received numerous seventh sessions to balance my head upon my spine. My work tends to be using a focused eye gaze which draws the head forward, this also occurs in most modern jobs and especial when using a computer. The head forward posture really distorts the body bellow because the body needs to become a supportive structure for the head position. In most causes the pelvis and other structures will leave their neutral or ideal position to come underneath the head to support it. Hence, this session not only looks to reduce pain and discomfort in the neck and head area but also in the back and hips by aligning the head over the spine, reducing earlier compensatory patterns.

I commonly feel after this session, a greater sense of awareness and personal relationship to others. This effect is associated to the movement from a head forward position to a neutral head position. As the head moves to neutrality, peripheral vision increases and allows for a meditative mind, a contemplative mind and a “pray like awareness,” which is about gathering information rather then proceeding after an agenda as does the predator or those with a head forward posture. The neutral head position allows for the scanning of information and a broader level of sensory awareness, while reducing the immediacy to react. This will lead to personal development, the possibility of a high consciousness, and a greater understanding of the interrelatedness of all things.

The seventh session does work within the mouth, nose and on the cranial bones reducing chronic head pain and associated problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome, in some cases. However, outside of this physical changes this session also offers you the ability to learn how to let sensation pass and to let go of your “facial mask.” The facial mask is the unconscious muscular patterns that are set in childhood and adolescents which offered personal security. When you let go of your “mask” your true self radiates to the surface and this is the begin process of being present with in your life. If you contain the self, out of fear, then you are held in the past and not being present. Freeing yourself of your mask and then slowing down all sensations to fully “taste” what is coming to you in your life is being “just present.”

Sessions eight, nine, and ten do not look to offer any new and gross structure advances. Instead these sessions bring the series into integration and closure for physical body. Additionally, movements are used to explore and release any left over difficult spots. Exercises may also be given to retain and or improve ones structural alignment.

In session eight, the lower spinals, pelvis and legs are the primary focus. The goal switches from creating a lift from an improvement in structural alignment, to a bi-directional continuity between forces. Simply, the downward connection to the earth is increased, resulting in the increase of verticality and freedom of the upper body from the legs.

Energetically, it is common to feel that the connection to the earth is peaceful and perfect. Additionally, being connected to the earth is to be present to experience the nature of all things. This I term as “manifesting presents”, to be connected to the world, the life you are in and being full aware of it with neutrality. This is difficult in modern times because most modern religions have a goal of transcendence upon death. Hence it is common to be future oriented, while having a disconnection from our earthly roots and also from the moment to moment aspect of life. If an individual's goal is transcendence then one must manifest fully so as to transcend away from some point of connection. Session eight makes this connection fully. It has offered me a “real” yet simple relationship to my spirit.

In session nine the upper body is the focus. The questions that are looked at are: Physically how does upper body work as a system in movement and in relationship to the legs? What needs to be integrated to create a smooth relationship in movement? Energetically how does the upper body relate to the world? Does the body relate in a way that will not hold past representations or future oriented limitations? Do the arms offer relationship, a tool for sensory awareness and the ability to give communication? When all these questions are answered and the adjustments are made so that you are in greater harmony, then session nine has been completed.

Session ten starts at your feet and ends at your head. To stand and move well a horizontal stacking must be felt and in this session the horizontal relationship of each joint is looked at. Many times I will also test this horizontal stacking relationship not only in standing but in simply movements as with switching leg weight in walking, some asanas in yoga and or a simple exercise position. This session is calming and creates contentment because horizontal alignment throughout your body offers no segmental expression or exertion as previous sessions do. I find this session to be the most difficult to not resist the end product. For the end product leaves you with the simple truth of who you are (no frills in that), what a simple being you can be, and the person that is the best for you to be. Accepting the simplicity of the self and fully relaxing is difficult. Thus, it is willingness to relate to the unknown self, with no guarding that is the struggle of this session.

Post Tenth Session Rolfing

Many individual ask, what is post the tenth session of Rolfing? It is simple; each individual has some primary areas of difficulty for a Rolf practitioner to bring into alignment. Post tenth sessions or “tone-up” session will look at these difficult spots. Atypically, these sessions occur some where around six month to up to a year, post the Rolf series and are usual configured into a mini three series. Some individuals come back in three months. However, it is seldom that I will do a mini three series individuals that return so quickly; instead I offer them an individual session.

Mini Three Series

The ten series of Rolfing can be grouped into three basic foci. The first group, sessions one through three, looks to open the body superficially and discover the core issue. The second group, sessions four through seven, looks to work with the core issue itself and create a viable change. The third and last group, sessions eight through ten, looks to bring integration and closure to the work. Hence, the process of the mini three series will give a good reference to the process of the whole series and is likely to create good changes in chronic pain and is an excellent way to “tone-up” the body post a full series of Rolfing.

Other Post Rolfing Body Work