The Basic 10 Session Series of Dr. Rolfs’ Method Of Structural Integration Part 2
by: Manny Aragon
Session 6: Mobilize The Sacrum
In this session, you will be lying on the front of your body and we will focus on the back of the body from the heel to the mid back. Particular emphasis will be paid to the hamstrings, gluteals, deep rotators of the hip, stabilizing muscles of the sacrum, throaco-lumbar fascia, and functional integration of the posterior leg into the trunk.
This session will give clients a more grounded, solid, feeling as they stand and move. A well prepared for and executed 6th session will allow the client to experience the transmittance of leg support through the trunk and into the upper back. The 6th session solidifies the work on the lower body and its integration into the upper body functionally (sessions 4,5, and 6), and prepares the body for session 7, the integration of the head and neck into the newly balanced trunk. Sitting work to actuate the functionality of the lumbo-dorsal hinge will continue.
When the sacrum is mobilized, a gracefullness of movement in the clients body becomes more apparent. This is the result of the more natural movement available to the client as the sacrum becomes a more fully functioning and integrated into the body’s design.
Clients often report a more grounded feeling in their body and a freedom of movement in their pelvis and hips.
Session 7: Integrate The Head And Neck Into The Body
Session seven has several component effects and intentions. First, the superficial structures of the head and neck are freed up and balanced- with the intention of creating space for the cranium to expand. Second, the mouth work is focused on further releasing the forces acting on the cranial fascia via the jaw muscles- again to create the possibility of space for cranial expansion. Third, the work in the roof of the mouth allows us indirect access to intercranial structures via balancing and making space on their tensional relational structure: the hard palate. Fourth, we balance the pteregoid muscles (muscles deep inside the jaw) and then release the tissue of the tongue to relationally release strain along the front of the cervical vertebrae. This helps the neck realign itself more evenly on top of the body rather than being pulled forward.
The nose work helps in two ways: first it releases residual patterns of strain on the sphenoid bone (in the center of the cranium which touches and therefore influences the strain and positioning of every other cranial bone. Second and more simply, it releases fascial strain on the brain and central nervous system itself, resulting in a more grounded, more relaxed, more centered client.
Many people have a fear of this session (for various and completely valid reasons) and some even try to avoid the work by not showing up for their session. Please see the session 7 specific advice in the “Warnings and Resolutions to Problems” section,
Session 8: Half Body Functional Integration
After we have gone through the entire body and rebuilt it, the gross work has been done and now it is time to sharpen our focus on integrating one half of the body at a time. Generally the 8th session is a “lower half” session- meaning that, for the most part focus will be on integrating the functionality of the lower half of the body. Occasionally this will be an “upper half” session if the body is showing its preference for an upper.
Since we are working on half of the body, we will cover a lot of ground in this session. Usually the work in this session and subsequent sessions will address the specific needs of the client in a more detail oriented way with an eye toward total body functionality. As such, often the work in this session is very asymmetrical- different on each side. By this point in the series, you will be pretty familiar with many aspects of your particular rotational patterns and the asymmetrical work will feel “correct” to you as you feel the rotational strain patterns dissapate.
Session 9: Other Half Of The Body Functional Integration
Session 9 is very similar to session 8 in that we will work on functionally integrating half of the body (usually but not always the “other half” or the one not addressed in session 8) Occasionally, this will session will cover more ground in the opposite half of the body than the previous session. Asymmetrical work is to be expected and is generally appreciated.
Session 10: Whole Body Functional Integration. Closing the series.
This is the final session in the series and its focus is on whole body functional integration. This session can often jump quickly from region to region as we cover the territory of the entire body. I have found this session to be both very calming and grounding for the clients as well as a bit of a send off for those who will not be continuing on.
After this session clients usually express a feeling of completion and calm centeredness in their new level of function and alignment.
This is a milestone for all and is the completion of a metamorphosis never to be forgotten.
For some this is a stopping point but for others it is merely the completion of the beginning of their journey.
Post 10 Work:
The Basic 10 Series Of Structural Integration is really that; a basic series. The series is designed to take a random body and integrate the structural patterns and functionality of the body so that the body comes to a new, greater, level of order and function. For most people, the initial reason why they came to Structural Integration (the pain, posture, tightness, etc.) has been resolved or greatly lessoned by the series, however, the body can and will continue to progressively change for the better with ongoing work.
The clients who have been with me the longest have consistently experienced the greatest benefits of the work, often many sessions after completing the Basic Series. Consider that many of the structural imbalances are the result of not only genetics but a lifetime of movement patterns, injuries, trauma, and compensations layered upon each other. Additionally, most folks have some persistent movement patterns that challenge their structure –many required by their very livelihoods or hobbies.
I don’t expect and have not seen a great benefit in trying to get people to change careers or stop them from doing the athletic pursuits that make them happy (happiness is a huge part of health)- instead, I have found that a persistent focus on getting Structural Integration sessions on an ongoing interval helps my clients to do these things more efficiently and with a better feeling in their bodies. This is a progressive work by nature.
For best long term results, I have found that combining ongoing Structural and Movement Work with Dietary Coaching and a Personalized Supplementation Protocols yield fabulous, often miraculous, results as the body continues to heal and come to a higher and higher functional level.