For Children . . .
If you are a parent or a teacher please look into Rolf Structural Integration for those in your care.
Dr. Rolf made the prescient point that children automatically grow bigger and stronger as they mature. But, structure—how the parts of the body come to fit together — is developed. It gets set in over time and through repeated use. It respect to how to use our bodies in the most basic ways we are mostly self-taught. We generally arrive at adulthood with a random mixture of balances/imbalances habituated into the fabric of our bodies.
It is curious to me that parents go to all those great lengths to see that their kids get every advantage in the world and the very best schooling, yet fail to appreciate that their young ones could benefit from some conscious and enlightened education on the correct use of their growing bodies. There are probably a lot of reasons for this.
Foremost, I suspect, is that bodily balance isn't a much discussed topic in the first place. Standing on one's two feet is a balance. Unless you are an athlete or stage performer, no need to consider refinements. But for most, being able to stay upright on two feet is only a rough approximation of the kind of balance and order inherent in the design potential of the human body. The majority of people are out of balance in terms of the simple dictates of gravity (standing more or less upright notwithstanding) and, because this is so it is overlooked.
In terms of Rolf Structural Integration, I suggest bringing children to this training, not so much because there's something wrong with them, but to learn correct patterns of body use and to unfold their full potential. It is a life lesson that will serve them to live a balanced life, stay healthy, prosper, and achieve.
FYI: In my practice I love to teach youngsters. But, a firm rule of mine is that a parent—better both—must have taken the series of Rolf Structural Integration first.
Before the beginning of initial Session 1 / After completion of series at Session 10.
Image and quote source: The Body is a Plastic Medium, a series of records presented by the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration, circa 1979. (Photo images adjusted from the originally published version to correct for camera distance variances.)
Rolfing New Jersey
"This eleven year old girl shows the characteristic randomness of many children. Contrary to popular ideas, the children, although growing bigger and sturdier as time goes on, do not spontaneously establish structural balance."
Dr. Rolf made the prescient point that children automatically grow bigger and stronger as they mature. But, structure—how the parts of the body come to fit together — is developed. It gets set in over time and through repeated use. It respect to how to use our bodies in the most basic ways we are mostly self-taught. We generally arrive at adulthood with a random mixture of balances/imbalances habituated into the fabric of our bodies.
It is curious to me that parents go to all those great lengths to see that their kids get every advantage in the world and the very best schooling, yet fail to appreciate that their young ones could benefit from some conscious and enlightened education on the correct use of their growing bodies. There are probably a lot of reasons for this.
Foremost, I suspect, is that bodily balance isn't a much discussed topic in the first place. Standing on one's two feet is a balance. Unless you are an athlete or stage performer, no need to consider refinements. But for most, being able to stay upright on two feet is only a rough approximation of the kind of balance and order inherent in the design potential of the human body. The majority of people are out of balance in terms of the simple dictates of gravity (standing more or less upright notwithstanding) and, because this is so it is overlooked.
In terms of Rolf Structural Integration, I suggest bringing children to this training, not so much because there's something wrong with them, but to learn correct patterns of body use and to unfold their full potential. It is a life lesson that will serve them to live a balanced life, stay healthy, prosper, and achieve.
FYI: In my practice I love to teach youngsters. But, a firm rule of mine is that a parent—better both—must have taken the series of Rolf Structural Integration first.
Before the beginning of initial Session 1 / After completion of series at Session 10.
Image and quote source: The Body is a Plastic Medium, a series of records presented by the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration, circa 1979. (Photo images adjusted from the originally published version to correct for camera distance variances.)
Rolfer New Jersey
Structural Integration New Jersey
Rolfing Montclair, New Jersey
Rolfer Montclair, New Jersey
Structural Integration Montclair, New Jersey
