DRAFT
Fascia “informs” ... Gravity “justifies”
There’s an inextricable relationship between Gravity and Fascia. This is overlooked. [Interesting, remember how Fascia itself had been overlooked?]
Gravity should be included as a prime factor in understanding Human health and well being. Make it an integral consideration in Fascia science, research studies, and clinical practices.
Simply put, Fascia wouldn’t behave as it does without Gravity.
BACKGROUND
The Fascia Research Congress was started by Tom Findley MD, PhD and Robert Schleip PhD — both practitioners of Structural Integration, the method originated by Ida P. Rolf PhD. She is acknowledged as the “Mother of Fascia”.
Knowing the ideas which underpin Dr. Rolf’s approach will clarify the significance and utility of working with an included view of the integral relationship of the form that is Fascia with the force that is Gravity. And, hopefully recontextualize the subject to open for new creative ideas on approaches for the bench and for the office.
DISCUSSION
Key points on the Fascia-Gravity connection ...
Gravity is an essential reference. Balance in the architectural arrangement of the whole body is healthy, normal. The standard for bodily balance is the same as for all structures on Earth: balance in respect to the three cardinal planes. The Fascial system is the “Organ of Structure”. It is the bodywide, three dimensional fabric [“matrix”] of support and organization. Seeing its interconnected tensionality we now model the body as a tensegrity structure; i.e., balance maintained in the equipoise span of the connective tissues. Imbalances in the Fascial web are contributive in symptoms of chronic pain and stress. Imbalances in the fascial web have accompanying compensations. Fascia is plastic, adaptive. Myofascial anatomy is a clinical map. Integration of the body structure with Gravity is wholistic, somatic: that is, we access the whole Human being at the concrete, hands-on body level. Upright verticality in the Human body structure is in the definition of normal. It is the direction of Human physical evolution.
CONCLUSION/SUGGESTIONS
The Human body design calls for balance with the force of Gravity. Imbalances contribute to dis-ease.
That the Human body can transform to such a level of structural integration is still to be seen as a realizable possibility. Much less a value in itself. Including this can open new areas for research study as well as clinical diagnosis and applications.
PROPOSED RESEARCH
Compile an image record of pre/post Dr. Ida P. Rolf Method Structural Integration processing enlisting models in training classes in schools accredited by the International Association of Structural Integrators. Images to include strictly comparable photographic imaging/analysis, and other innovative measurement devices; e.g., on site foot pressure plate mapping, gait analysis; selected digital pattern overlays in system with analysis of spacial variances.
