Diri Journal March 2021 Interactive 4.8.21

Structure, Journal of the
Dr. Ida Rolf Institute®
Function,
March 2021
Integration.
Crowning Achievement
This issue explores Rolfing® Structural Integration and Rolf Movement®
Integration for the head – the ‘upper-pole’ – which houses the brain and
sensory organs and ‘crowns’ the integrated and aligned body Dr. Ida Rolf
envisaged. What is our potential when the head lifts skyward, made
possible through integrated support and gravity-lift?
Also in this issue
The Sensory Organs of

the Head
We consider the sensory organs housed and
protected in the head, their vital interface with
both brain and body structure, and Rolfing work
related to eyes, nose, and tongue.
Fascia Insights
Rolfer™ and fascia researcher Dr. Robert Schleip
addresses the fluid dynamics of fascia.
Professional Athletes
Using Rolfing SI to keep NFL and NBA players
in the game – enhancing performance and
supporting injury recovery.
March 2021/ Vol. 49, No. 1
Publisher Articles in Structure, Function,

Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® Integration: Journal of the Dr. Ida Rolf
5055 Chaparral Ct., Ste. 103 Institute® represent the views and
Boulder, CO 80301 USA opinions of the authors and do not
(303) 449-5903 necessarily represent the official
(303) 449-5978 Fax positions or teachings of Dr. Ida
(800) 530-8875 Rolf Institute. Dr. Ida Rolf Institute
reserves the right, in its sole and
absolute discretion, to accept or
Editorial Board reject any article for publication in
Lina Amy Hack, Co-Editor-in-Chief Structure, Function, Integration:
Anne F. Hoff, Co-Editor-in-Chief Journal of the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute.
Szaja Gottlieb, Research/Science Editor
Linda Loggins, Movement Editor Structure, Function, Integration:
Keren’Or Pézard, Arts Editor Journal of the Dr. Rolf Institute
John Schewe, Faculty Liason (ISBN: 978-1-7332838-5-4, ISSN
Naomi Wynter-Vincent, Europe Editor 1538-3784) is published by
Jason Beickert Dr. Ida Rolf Institute
Lynn Cohen 5055 Chaparral Ct., Ste. 103
Dorothy Miller Boulder, CO 80301 USA.
Deanna Melnychuk
Max Leyf Treinen Copyright ©2021 Dr. Ida Rolf Institute.
All rights reserved. Duplication in
Layout and Graphic Design whole or in part in any form is
prohibited without written permission
Orange Identity
from the publisher.
Cover Art “Rolfing®,” “Rolf Movement®,”

Orange Identity “Rolfer™,” and the Little Boy
Logo are service marks of the
Dr. Ida Rolf Institute.
Featured Artist
March Cover Art

Crowning Achievement
This issue of Structure, Function, Integration (SFI): The Journal of Dr. Ida Rolf
Institute® is a reflection of balance between the teams that bring this work
to you: Orange Identity, the Co-Editors-in-Chief of SFI, and the volunteer
editors and authors, found all around the world. The cover of March 2021 is a
Original Art by visual offering of this collaboration about the happenings of the head and its
Orange Identity sensory organs, through the Rolfing® Structural Integration lens. We highlight
in this issue a few of the primary sensations found at the head, of smell,
sight, taste, and sense of space, as well as the dynamic neural perception
taking place in the head and the movement task of lifting the head skyward
to lengthen the whole body upward. To completely describe the anatomy,
physiology, and function of the human head, it would take several volumes;
this issue has articles that would be in those textbooks, and this cover is the
artistic representation of the ideas found within our articles. It was Anne Hoff,
one of the Co-Editors-in-Chief, who drove the vision for the cover toward
this lively depiction of a person’s ‘upper-pole’, the complexity of sensory
information arriving at the head and the transition of sensations into the body.
Not only are Rolfers™ empowering clients to balance their head atop their
form in the gravitational field, they are helping people integrate how their
heads are swirling with sensations, thoughts, emotions, and stressors of the
world. When Rolfers are holding heads in their hands, they are responsive the
dynamic intelligence expressed in that anatomy. The artists and designers of
Orange Identity brought these ideas to life in this cover image, capturing the
flow of light, smells, sounds, and sense of space which comes together inside
the human head.
Structure, Function, Integration / March 2021 www.rolf.org
Contents
From the Co-Editors-in-Chief 2
Columns
Fascia Insights: Fluid Dynamics of Fascia by Robert Schleip 4
Letter from the Embryo: From the Corner of My Eye 9
by Konrad Obermeier
The Head: The Upper Pole

The Many Happenings at the Head by Pierpaola Volpones 12
At the Head of the Table: An Interview with Jan Sultan 14
by Lina Amy Hack and Jan Sultan
The Brain – New Perspectives for Manual Work: An Interview with 21
Peter Schwind by Christoph Sommer and Peter Schwind
In My Head: Learning from My Concussion by Lina Amy Hack 27
A Head That Belongs to the Space: Head and Sense Perception in 35
Somatic Movement Education by Kevin Frank and Caryn McHose
The Sensory Organs of the Head

Vision, Perception, Structure, and Function: An Interview with 43
Dr. Sam Berne by Gael Rosewood and Sam Berne
Innervation of the Eye, Orbit, and Eyelid: Assessment and Treatment 49
by Jeffrey Burch
Exploring the Grunwald Eyebody Method®: An Interview with Ina 54
Bretschneider-Baker
by Naomi Wynter-Vincent and Ina Bretschneider-Baker
Working with the Bates Method of Vision Education Within Rolfing® 58
SI: An Interview with Pierpaola Volpones
by Naomi Wynter-Vincent and Pierpaola Volpones
Awakening the Rhinencephalon: Rolfing SI and the Nose-Brain 61
by Naomi Wynter-Vincent
Perspectives
Keeping Them in the Game: Working with NFL and NBA Athletes 64
for Performance and Recovery from Injury
by Russell Stolzoff, Wayne Henningsgaard, and Sandy Henningsgaard
Review
A Manual Approach to the Brain – Part 1 (DVDs) by Jean-Pierre Barral 72
and Conquering Concussion by Mary Lee Esty and C. M. Shifflett
Institute News 74
Global Contacts 76
1
From the
Co-Editors-in-Chief
Lina Amy Hack
and Anne Hoff
Although we have addressed

Lina Amy Hack
the head comprehensively in
other issues (December 2008,
December 2012, June 2013,
for example), it remains such
complex territory that it is worth
visiting again and again, each
time furthering our understanding.
Anne Hoff
If you could just The head is often what brings clients

to us for Rolfing® Structural Integration
resolve concussion sequelae. Turning
to Rolf Movement work, we see many
put a hook in the or Rolf Movement® work – whether the avenues to feed the senses and brain
very top of their realization that their head is no longer on
top of their body, head aches, or a ‘brain
with new perceptual, proprioceptive, and
coordinative possibilities for integrating the
heads and lift them, wave’ that tells them now is the time to head. We highly recommend the article by
they would be less try Rolfing sessions. Although we have
addressed the head comprehensively in
Kevin Frank and Caryn McHose, and also
point to Pierpaola Volpones’s interweaving
“random.” other issues (December 2008, December of structure and function in her article The
2012, June 2013, for example), it remains Many Happenings at the Head.
Ida P. Rolf, PhD such complex territory that it is worth Moving to our second theme, we
visiting again and again. consider the sensory organs housed
Dr. Rolf called the head “the upper within the head. Our articles about vision
pole.” She wanted an upright ease in and the eyes include Gael Rosewood’s
gravity, where support below let the interview with Dr. Sam Berne – a holistic
head lift effortlessly toward the sky. Her optometrist with a deep understanding of
work with the head was comprehensive: vision that spans not just the eye but also
both external fascial structures and the relationships with the metabolic, energetic,
legendary intraoral and intranasal work. and structural systems; Jeffrey Burch’s
Structural integration was the goal, but article on the innervation of the eye; and
with the implicit understanding that articles on methods to improve vision by
something more – something evolutionary Pierpaola Volpones (writing on the Bates
– was possible for humans as our heads Method) and Ina Bretschneider-Baker
truly began to crown our structures. (on the Grunwald Eyebody Method®).
Our articles on the head visit the past Closing the theme, Naomi Wynter-Vincent
and future. In his interview, Jan Sultan discusses the ‘rhinencephalon’ or nose-
describes Rolf’s legacy work for the brain for our consideration.
head, and also shares his deep dives into These articles share a wonder about the
understanding how the cranial and visceral complexities found within the structures of
systems integrate into our structural work. the human head, and a celebration of the
In terms of the head, he points to the brilliance that has infused our field over the
critical interface of the neurocranium and past decades. Rolf’s instructions to focus
viscerocranium. Another aspect of the on aligning the head at the top were just
past is our individual embryological past. the tip of the iceberg regarding the work
Konrad Obermeier’s latest installment modern Rolfers are doing in 2021.
of his Letter from the Embryo column
discusses how the face develops from
tissue between the heart and the head. Lina Amy Hack
Looking to the future, Christoph Sommer Anne Hoff
dialogues with Peter Schwind about the
emerging possibilities of working with the
brain – either using fascial work to bridge Co-Editors-in-Chief
manually, or communicating through
avenues of the nose and eyes. The brain
is also a topic for Lina Amy Hack in her
detailed assessment of concussion. You’ll
also learn about concussion in the interview
with Wayne and Sandy Henningsgaard
in the Perspectives section: they discuss
many aspects of working with professional
athletes, including how they work to
3
Columns
Fascia Insights
Fluid Dynamics of Fascia
By Robert Schleip, PhD, Certified Advanced Rolfer™
ABSTRACT The human body is by majority made of water, specifically interstitial

water dissolved in our extracellular matrix. Easy flow of water through the lymph
system is associated with healthy tissue and in vivo studies describe this water flow as
moving through channels in the ground substance. Dr. Schleip discusses the molecule
hyaluronan and the discovery of the ‘fasciacyte’. Tissue water distribution is reviewed
in relation to manual pressure, movement, and induced shearing forces.
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from water. Similar to the structure of a bottle
Chapter 9 – Water and Fluid Dynamics brush, or of plant mosses, the proteoglycans
in Fascia – by Robert Schleip from the are arranged in a geometrical manner, thus
forthcoming Second Edition of Fascia in offering the largest possible surface area
Robert Schleip Sport and Movement (Robert Schleip and for water molecules to attach to. Within
Jan Wilke, Eds.), Edinburgh: Handspring the proteoglycan aggregates, hyaluronan
Publishing, 2021, used with permission. often serves as a core protein, to which
We have made modifications for our glycosaminoglycans are connected (see
journal style. Figure 1A). Hyaluronan is one of the most
hydrophilic molecules in nature: it can
trap up to 1,000 times its own weight in
The Miraculous Capacities of water! Therefore, a high concentration of
Hyaluronan hyaluronan tends to increase the water
The ground substance is mainly composed content of a tissue.
of proteoglycans, most of which are One of the most exciting discoveries in
hydrophilic (i.e., water loving), and of bound the field of fascia science in recent years
4
Hyaluronan is one of the most hydrophilic molecules in nature:

it can trap up to 1,000 times its own weight in water! Therefore,
a high concentration of hyaluronan tends to increase the water
content of a tissue.
has been the reported existence of a new motions could induce a higher hyaluronan injuries. While these changes may lead to
connective tissue cell type, which seems to concentration in this region. To date, no a local stiffening and a decrease in range
be primarily focused on a rapid production studies have compared the value of regular of motion in everyday living, an increase
of hyaluronan. A team of researchers at stretches of the muscles and fasciae in in tissue temperature tends to break
Padova University suggested the name the face with the reportedly beneficial down the large molecular structure into
‘fasciacyte’ for these cells, which they effect of external cosmetic hyaluronan small er fragments, which then express a
describe as expressing a rather round injections. However, given these general much lower viscosity than in the previous
cell shape, in contrast to the spindle-like interactions between shearing motion and condition (Pavan et al. 2014).
shape of regular fibroblasts. They also the production of hyaluronan within the Similarly, it has been shown that the glue-
showed that this cell type is frequently tissue itself, it would not be surprising if the like viscosity can be easily reduced with
found in the upper and lower portions of ‘internal treatment’ could at least compare appropriate mechanical loading. While
loose connective tissue layers, i.e., at their with the external one. the application of sudden pressure tends
transition to denser fascial layers adjacent Interestingly, hyaluronan can also function to be ‘ignored’ by the tissue, it has been
to them (Stecco et al. 2018). as a ‘sticky glue’, preventing easy sliding shown that shearing motions, which
Hyaluronan is usually considered to be between adjacent tissue layers. This induce a twisting/bending inside of the
a lubricant, indicating that it decreases apparently happens when hyaluronan fibrous architecture, together with gradual
friction between adjacent tissue layers. takes on the form of super molecules, redistribution of internal pressures, tend to
This function is supported by a recent which are multiple times larger than in induce a significant decrease of viscosity.
histological study, in which it was shown the usual molecular condition of this This might explain why immobility
that the concentration of fascial tissues, substance. There are indications that this reduces fascial gliding and, consequently,
which are exposed to a large degree glue-like condition, also described as an range of motion. It may also explain the
of shearing/sliding motions, express increase in viscosity, tends to happen beneficial effects of many therapeutic
hyaluronan concentrations of up to 10-fold more frequently when there is an acidic myofascial release treatments (Pavan et
higher compared with fascial tissues that condition in the ground substance. It al. 2014). A similar mechanism may also
are exposed to very little deformation (see also happens when the tissue is exposed be at work when experiencing a beneficial
Figure 1B). This suggests that providing to repetitive mechanical overloading, effect in terms of a reduced tissue rigidity
a fascial region with regular shearing such as in exercise or in repetitive strain induced by regular movement practices
A B
Figure 1: A – Hylauronan (also called hyaluronic acid) often serves as a core protein for the attachment of glycosaminoglycans within the ground substance.
Copyright Mfigueiredo, wikicommons, CC-BY-SA 3.0. B – Mean concentrations of hyaluronan (HA) in different fascial tissues in the human body. The
concentration in epimysial fasciae (around trapezius and deltoid muscles) is lower compared with aponeurotic fasciae (fascia lata and rectus abdominis sheet),
while the retinaculum (here in the ankle) expresses by far the highest concentrations. Illustration based on data from Fede et al. 2018.
5
Columns
While the application of sudden pressure tends to be ‘ignored’

by the tissue, it has been shown that shearing motions, which
induce a twisting/bending inside of the fibrous architecture,
together with gradual redistribution of internal pressures, tend to
induce a significant decrease of viscosity.
in daily life. The beneficial response of they can soak up as much water as they happen via an altered fluid-pull (suction)
such ‘warming up’ exercises may then would like to and then expand beyond from within the ground substance, not by
be partly comparable to the well-known their previous restrained condition. This an increasing supply (push) of water from
response of shaking a ketchup bottle, can be easily observed in a fresh ankle the outside into the pre-stretched tissue.
which induces a decreased viscosity (or sprain injury: here, the clearly visible
increased fluidity) in its content. tissue swelling often occurs during the
first few minutes. Squeezing a Sponge:
Based on this consideration, it appears Dynamics of Dehydration
Soaking Up the Water rather unlikely that one could influence and Rehydration
A healthy body will prevent the hyaluronan the water content (and pre-stretch) within
When exposed to mechanical loading, the
(and other hydrophilic elements within the dense fascial tissues just by drinking more
ground substance) soaking up excessive water during the day. In other words, the water content in a fascial tissue tends to
amounts of water, since this would go water content in your ankle retinaculum be decreased: similar to the deformation
along with a dramatic expansion of the will be primarily regulated by the pre- of a wet sponge, once it is either stretched
total volume of the respective tissue. stretch of the local collagen network. or compressed, some of the internal
This healthy restraint is achieved by a Once that network expands, as in a fresh water content will be squeezed out during
constantly pre-stretched condition of injury, the proteoglycans will soak up as the loading condition. Similarly, after
the local collagen fiber network, which much water from the arterioles as they the loading is stopped, the sponge is
prevents the proteoglycan inducing an want to, independently of how much water expected to rehydrate again, with either
exaggerated tissue expansion (see Figure the person had been drinking that day. the same water or with new water from
2). A simplified description is that in a Another consequence of the described within the vicinity. Our laboratory at Ulm
healthy body condition, the proteoglycans pre-stretched situation in healthy tissues University demonstrated this sponge-
are always ‘thirsty’. It is only in the case of is that any additional uptake of water like dehydration and rehydration effect
injury, or other pathological changes, that into the ground substance will probably multiple times in an organ bath condition
A B
Figure 2: A – Simplified model of the restraining action of collagen fibers (in grey) on the water uptake of the proteoglycans (PG) in the ground substance. In
an uncontrolled condition, the proteoglycans would soak up a water volume several times their own size, which would result in tissue swelling. However, in
healthy tissue, the potential swelling (and water uptake) is restrained by the constant pre-stretch of the fibrous network surrounding these ‘constantly thirsty’
proteoglycans. B – Photographic imaging of fresh fascia taken during endoscopic surgery reveals a similar pre-stretched relationship of the visible collagen
fibers. Copyright J.C. Guimberteau, www.endovivo.com.
6
(Schleip et al. 2011). We also showed that

the loading-induced dehydration tends to
go along with a temporary loss of tissue
stiffness (at least in ligamentous tissues),
and that the subsequent rehydration tends
to restore the previous tissue stiffness
again (see Figure 3). A similar effect has
been documented with a foam roller-like
myofascial treatment on the plantar fascia
(Frenzel, Schleip, and Geyer 2015) and
with therapeutic application of a Rolfing®
myofascial release technique on the
lumbar fascia (Dennenmoser, Schleip, and
Klingler 2016).
Interestingly, our organ bath experiments Water layer type II
indicated that a ‘supercompensation’ effect
can be achieved if the magnitude of the
tissue loading is large and the subsequent Water layer type I
rest period is sufficiently long. This ‘strain
hardening’ could be observed in some Elastin
cases, when a subsequent increase of
stiffness beyond the original condition was
induced. If the supercompensation could
also be shown in vivo, it might provide Figure 3: Elastin fibers (right) are hydrophobic, i.e., water repellent. In their native condition, the elastic
future applications for preconditioning fibers are surrounded by a thick layer of crystalized water layer around it (middle), which protects the
routines in athletic performance conditions structural integrity and stretch-ability of the fibers. During the process of physiological aging (left), elastin
(Schleip et al. 2011). Because hydration fragmentation and disintegration are probably induced by metabolic waste products (middle ring), which
changes can impact the failure stress of at inhibit the formation of the crystalized water coating. The process of aging can therefore be understood
least some fascial tissues (Werbner, Spack, as a decrease of the protective water coating. Therapeutic intervention – via a special laser application
and O’Connell 2019), a more detailed – was apparently able to reverse some of that aging process, i.e., to shift the water environment from
investigation of the various interactions the situation shown on the left more towards the ‘younger condition’ shown in the middle. Illustration
between different mechanical loading modified after Sommer and Zhu (2008).
protocols, resultant hydration changes
and subsequent effects of biomechanical
at Urbana-Champaign 2008). Apparently, to the conclusion that all or almost all of
tissue properties provides a very promising
the interaction of water molecules the water in the intact disc is bound water
area in current research.
with hydrophilic and hydrophobic and does not have properties consistent
biomolecules in their vicinity influences with free or bulk water.”
Liquid Crystals Within Us their behavior in very surprising manners. The crystalized water exposes very
Gruebele states: “We previously thought different properties to regular bulk water
Ubiquitous on earth, water is present in proteins would affect only those water in terms of a significantly different density,
all life forms. However, recent research molecules directly stuck to them . . . Now an increased viscosity, different light
has revealed that the water inside of we know proteins will affect a volume of transmission and a different electrical
living bodies exposes very surprising water comparable to their own. That’s conductance (Sommer et al. 2011). Note
properties, which are certainly different to pretty amazing” (University of Illinois at that while most of the proteoglycans are
what has so far been known about regular Urbana- Champaign 2008). hydrophilic, the small elastin fibers are
bulk water. Pollack (2013) examined the behavior of hydrophobic. Their strong water repulsion
The basic idea that ‘interfacial water layers’ what he calls ‘vicinal water’ within the then induces a coating-like accumulation
– i.e., the arrangement of water molecules temporomandibular joint and described of specially arranged water molecules
in the vicinity of biological surfaces – play it as a crystalline architecture. While the around them, in which these molecules’
a fundamental role in biological systems water molecules in this state still vibrate binding sites face away from the fibers,
was proposed in a visionary paper by very rapidly in this condition, they do and thereby take on a crystalized
Szent-Györgyi (1971). As Gruebele, so within very stable conditions, which condition not unlike the vicinal water
one of the leading scientists in this are called ‘liquid crystal’ in physics around hydrophilic surfaces. While it is a
area, explains: “Water in our bodies has (Pollack 2013). Because of the previously common assumption that morphological
different physical properties from ordinary described ‘bottle brush architecture’ of the differences in aging skin are due to a
bulk water, because of the presence of proteoglycans in the ground substance change in the elastin fibers, Sommer et
proteins and other biomolecules. Proteins of fascial tissues, a large proportion of al. (2011) demonstrated that the amount
change the properties of water to perform the water molecules apparently take of water coating around these fibers plays
particular tasks in different parts of our on this special crystalized condition. As a major role. While the elastin in young
cells. Water can be viewed as a ‘designer Pollack (2013) states, “The combined fibers is surrounded (and buffered) with a
fluid’ in living cells” (University of Illinois data from three different methods lead very thick zone of crystalized water, this
7
Columns
‘Interfacial water layers’ – i.e., the arrangement of water

molecules in the vicinity of biological surfaces – play a
fundamental role in biological systems . . .
coating tends to get thinner and thinner Robert Schleip, PhD (human biology) has Sommer, A.P. and D. Zhu. 2008. From
as we age, due to the accumulation of been certified as a Rolfer since 1978. microtornadoes to facial rejuvenation:
free radicals and other metabolic waste He is Research Director of the European Implication of interfacial water layers.
products in the small vacuum-like zone Rolfing® Association and is also Director Cryst Growth 8:3889–3892.
between the fibers and their coatings. In of the Fascia Research Group of Ulm Sommer, A.P., D. Zhu, R. P. Franke, and H. J.
an intriguing experiment, Sommer and Zhu University, Germany. Fecht. 2011. Biomimetics: Learning from
(2008) showed that after an attempt to push diamonds. J Materials Res 23:3148–3152.
the ‘dirty bulk water’ away from this zone
using a special laser, the elastin fibers were References Stecco, C., C. Fede, V. Macchi, A.
Porzionato, L. Petrelli, C. Biz, R. Stern, and
apparently surrounded again with thicker Chaitow, L. 2009. Research in water and R. De Caro. 2018. The fasciacytes: A new
coatings of crystalized water and the skin fascia. Micro-tornadoes, hydrogenated cell devoted to fascial gliding regulation.
in these regions took on an obviously more diamonds & nanocrystals. Massage Today Clin Anat 31:667–676.
juvenile appearance (see Figure 3). 9:1-3.
Szent-Györgyi, A. 1971. Biology and pathology
In a personal discussion with our department, Dennenmoser, S., R. Schleip, and W. of water. Perspect Biol Med 14:239.
Dr. Andrej Sommer and his Rolfer colleague, Klingler. 2016. Clinical mechanistic
Dr. Kai Hodeck, expressed an assumption University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
research: Manual and movement therapy 2008. Water Is ‘Designer Fluid’ That Helps
that a mechanical sponge-like myofascial directed at fascia electrical impedance Proteins Change Shape. ScienceDaily:
treatment, in which the inherent water is and sonoelastography as a tool for the Science Daily Press Release, August
steadily pushed into different directions, examination of changes in lumbar fascia 6, 2008. www.sciencedaily.com/
could potentially exert a similar (or even after tissue manipulation. J Bodyw releases/2008/08/080806113314.htm.
stronger) renewal effect on these water Movem Ther 20:145. [Accessed 19 April 2021].
coatings than the one reported in their
Fede, C., A. Angelini, R. Stern, V. Macchi, Werbner, B., K. Spack, and G. D. O’Connell.
study. If this speculation were supported
A. Porzionato, P. Ruggieri, R. De Caro, 2019. Bovine annulus fibrosus hydration
and validated by future investigations, it
and C. Stecco. 2018. Quantification of affects rate-dependent failure mechanics
would mean that regular stretching, foam
hyaluronan in human fasciae: Variations in tension. J Bio- mech 89:34–39.
rolling or similar treatments could induce a
with function and anatomical site. J Anat
higher proportion of crystalized water in the
233:552–556.
ground substance and, thereby, induce and
exert an anti-aging effect on the tissues. Frenzel, P., R. Schleip, and A. Geyer. 2015.
It will be exciting to follow the ongoing Responsiveness of the plantar fascia to
research of these pioneers and their col- vibration and/or stretch. J Bodyw Movem
leagues in the next few years. Ther. 19:670.
Helmer, K.G., G. Nair, M. Cannella, and P.
Grigg. 2006. Water movement in tendon in
Clinical Summary
response to a repeated static tensile load
Water constitutes the majority of the using one-dimensional magnetic resonance
volume of our fascia. Any change in imaging. J Biomech Eng 128: 733-741.
this element can be expected to exert Pavan, P.G., A. Stecco, R. Stern, and
significant effects on the whole tissue. C. Stecco. 2014. Painful connections:
For movement therapists, it is helpful Densification versus fibrosis of fascia.
to think of the sponge-like changes of Curr Pain Headache Rep 18:441.
their interventions. A skilful interplay of
temporary dehydration and subsequent Pollack, G.H. 2013. The fourth phase of
rehydration promises not only a renewal water: Beyond solid, liquid, and vapor.
of the tissue, but may also change the Seattle, WA: Ebner and Sons.
stiffness of the treated area. Applying Schleip, R., L. Duerselen, A. Vleeming, I. L.
mechanical pressure may also induce a Naylor, F. Lehmann-Horn, A. Zorn, H. Jaeger,
change of the viscosity via a molecular and W. Klingler. 2011. Strain hardening
change of hyaluronan. Lack of motion, on of fascia: Static stretching of dense
the other side, will lead towards a more fibrous connective tissues can induce a
rapid aging effect, which probably is temporary stiffness increase accompanied
associated with a decrease of crystalized by enhanced matrix hydration. J Bodyw
water within the tissue. Movem Ther 16:94–100.
8
Letter from
the Embryo
From the Corner of My Eye
By Konrad Obermeier, Basic Rolfing® Instructor
ABSTRACT This is article is a discussion of embryological development of the

face and in particular the space for the eyes. The face starts out pinched between
the tissue becoming the brain and the tissue becoming the heart, Konrad Obermeier
examines the role of fluid dynamics as part of the forces shaping the face.
The face is a dynamic event between metabolic field of the embryo begins to
the glabella and the hyoid. Squeezed expand and encompass a continuously
short and wide, the early face folds increasing volume of circulating fluids.
up horizontally. The face is situated With the greater volume of fluids comes
in a compressed area in between the a correlative increase in fluidic pressure.
relentlessly expanding hemispheres of the This early circulatory system is organized
Konrad Obermeier brain from above, and a massive, pulsating by metabolic gradients and oriented by the
heart manifestation from below (see Figure potential of growth. This system initiates an
1). The developmental movement of the increase in blood pressure and manifests
embryo is composed of differentiation and the necessary, metabolic premovement
growth. Beginning with the mysterious that inevitably precedes the development
achievement of implantation, the fluidic of the heart (see Figure 2).
9
Columns
The face is situated in a compressed area in between the

relentlessly expanding hemispheres of the brain from above,
and a massive, pulsating heart manifestation from below.
begins to throb with a rhythmic muscular
contraction. This movement only appears
to initiate and maintain circulation by
‘pumping’ blood through the vessels.
Seen in a biodynamic perspective, it is
the other way around: the circulatory
system already functions perfectly before
the heart exists. It is worthwhile here
to recall that the circulatory system of
the embryo includes the placenta. The
latter emerges from embryonic cells and
is engaged in mediating between the
metabolic gradients of the maternal and
embryonic systems. If you intend to insist
that the heart is a ‘pump’, keep in mind
that the heart has to serve the placenta
as well, not just the embryo itself (see
Figure 3). And then do the math while
Figure 1: Original form of the face (Embryo,16 respecting the laws of fluid dynamics. In
mm – week 6). All images are originals from a biodynamic perspective the heart adds
different publications by Dr. Erich Blechschmidt, rhythm to the already active metabolic
used with permission. Specifically see Studies in
movements, an apparently indispensable
Biodynamic Embryology (Kiener Verlag, Munich).
necessity for all organisms approaching Figure 3: Embryo, 3.4mm, (wrapped in the
elaborate complexity and a critical size.
membrane of the amnion) floating in the huge
This means that the heart itself develops In this early stage of embryonic development, chorionic cavity. The enormous placenta (left and on
as an answer to increasing fluid volume one of the primary functions of the heart top) is an integrated part of the circulatory system
and rising blood pressure. Fascinatingly, is to supply the rapidly expanding brain of the embryo. All images are originals from
in apparent response to the rising fluid with nutrition. Actually, the heart forms as different publications by Dr. Erich Blechschmidt,
pressure in the field, the nascent heart a response to the metabolic needs of the used with permission. Specifically see Studies in
Biodynamic Embryology (Kiener Verlag, Munich).
brain. The developing brain demands and

successfully attracts massive amounts of
A B nutrients and displays a correlative increase
in volume. How and where can this volume
manifest? Together with the blood vessels,
the first cranial nerves (V and VII) are
beginning to anchor the face to the brain
anteriorly. This implies that the posterior/
Figure 2: Vessels of superior space offers the least amount of
the circulatory system resistance to cranial expansion (see Figures
(A - lateral view; B - 4 and 5). As a sidenote for anyone who
frontal view), prior to wishes to understand the architecture of
the developmental the cranial sutures: visualize the area of
manifestation of the the face as the dynamic fulcrum for an
heart. All images are expanding cranium. When the still-fibrous
originals from different capsule of the brain morphs into individual
publications by Dr. (desmal) bones, then the expanding brain is
Erich Blechschmidt, lawfully pushing (by force of increasing fluid
used with permission. pressure) the tectonic plates of these cranial
Specifically see bones apart. The predominant direction of
Studies in Biodynamic forces inevitably will be posterior/superior.
Embryology (Kiener The locally forming sutures reflect this
Verlag, Munich). primary direction of growth.
10
One compressional region that results

from the rapidly expanding brain forms a
horizontal furrow between the forehead
and the nose. As a result, fluids are
squeezed out of this horizontal strand
of tissues. This area of compression
differentiates into the interorbital ligament,
which stabilizes the as of yet laterally-
positioned eyes towards the midline and
towards each other. It is important to
emphasize that ligaments are nonelastic.
Because of this, they restrain and limit
movement. The interorbital ligament
firmly binds the eyes together in their
medial aspect. In the larger context of Figure 6: Embryo, 18.2mm, end of week 6;
a posteriorly-expanding cranium, the massively expanding capsule of brain; eyes starting
eyes maintain a relatively stable, actively to ‘migrate’ into the frontal plane. All images are
restrained position, bound as they are to originals from different publications by Dr. Erich
each other in the anterior cranium. As the Blechschmidt, used with permission. Specifically
capsule of the brain keeps expanding, see Studies in Biodynamic Embryology (Kiener
Figure 4: Embryo, lateral view, 11.4mm, week this ligament creates an increasing Verlag, Munich).
6. The face is squeezed between the expanding resistance and the skin covering the
brain and pulsating heart, the eyes are still in a
of the three-dimensional space in which
region of the eyes yields under this pull,
lateral position. Rapidly expanding brain posterior/
the eyes are forming (see Figure 6).
and then finally breaks open, forming the
superior. All images are originals from different lateral folds of the eyelids: “Let there be With a globally expanding cranial capsule,
publications by Dr. Erich Blechschmidt, used light!” The interorbital ligament does not this relatively ‘silent’ anterior area in which
with permission. Specifically see Studies in act on the surface only but also limits the the eye development transpires ends up in
Biodynamic Embryology (Kiener Verlag, Munich). potential of the developmental movement the frontal plane. From their originally lateral
position, the eyes are gradually migrating
forward as a result of the interaction
between the growing brain and the local
resistance of the interorbital ligament. The
eyes are relocated passively from a lateral
position towards the place, where there
is a perspective, a point of view, for the
potentially focal eyes of a predator.
Author’s Note: If you wish to learn more
about the embryo, and in particular, the
developmental movement of the face,
see: Studies in Biodynamic Embryology,
Kiener Verlag, Munich, 2020.
Konrad Obermeier holds a degree in
communications from the University
of Munich and has been a Rolfer since
1991. Currently, he serves as chair of the
anatomy faculty for the European Rolfing®
Association. He is the editor of a series of
books on the biodynamic embryology of
Erich Blechschmidt.
Figure 5: A – Expanding hemispheres; B – Expanding heart; 1 – Eye region; 2 – Naso-zygomatic

region; 3 – Mandibular region; Arrows A & B - Pressure direction; Double arrow - Interorbital ligament.
All images are originals from different publications by Dr. Erich Blechschmidt, used with permission.
Specifically see Studies in Biodynamic Embryology (Kiener Verlag, Munich).
11
The Many
Happenings at
the Head
By Pierpaola Volpones, Basic Rolfing® Instructor, Rolf Movement® Instructor
ABSTRACT People who seek Rolfing® Structural Integration often notice that their
head is located in an unexpected position and Rolfers™ have been ‘putting the head
back on’ since Dr. Rolf showed us how. In this article, Pierpaola Volpones discusses
the complexity of the head as home to so many tissue systems. She shares some
insights from her own clinical work and what it means when Rolfers hold client’s heads
in our hands.
Holding the head: what a mystery, what I remember a client, a woman in her
a privilege! It’s not unusual in my practice thirties at that time, who had a very high
to notice opposite reactions, some people tonus in her whole body, but touching
who become very tense and others who her head made her suddenly become
Pierpaola Volpones totally relax into my hands. Several times stiff, immobile. In the attempt to reduce
I had wondered if there is a sleep switch the tonus of her neck, I tried several
at the suboccipital area, because some strategies: light, firm, direct, and indirect
clients fall asleep immediately! Other people touch, but nothing helped. Then I tried a
become alert, with eyes open and vigilant. trick: I put a towel underneath her head,
These experiences make me resonate and holding either end of the towel I
with the Dr. Rolf quote: “When you work gently lifted her head, then slowly pulling
on the neck, your fingers are closer to the the towel side to side, I rolled her head
controlling structures in the body than side to side. She could rest her head in
at any other time.” The quote addresses the hammock of the towel and allow it to
the neck, which is the entry, or exit, to the be moved, and enjoyed the sensation. But
complex organization of the head. the moment I again tried using my hands
12
The head is a private and privileged place, full of symbolic

significance and meanings.
to hold and move her head, the reaction Circulatory, lymphatic, neural, respiratory, Focusing on a functional approach,
was again stiffness. Maybe 2% less stiff and digestive systems contained within think about how powerful it is to play
than before the towel intervention, but the cranium cross the neck and travel with the gaze. Peripheral information, a
still stiff. For me that was enough: this 2% through the whole body, in both directions: focused field of view, or tunnel vision all
was the greatest amount of letting go she entering and exiting. Differentiating the can change our breath, our posture, our
could allow herself. She was aware that visceral and neural cranium, and relating way to receive and relate to the outside
she could not let go of her head, and felt these to the rest of the body, is one of the world. For example, awareness of our
guilty about it. I reassured her that it was key goals of the core sessions. I studied habit of locating the vanishing point, and
okay. We kept playing with the towel and the craniosacral approach with Rolfer Jim whether we habituate to a near vanishing
the hands so as to enhance her capacity Asher years ago. More recently, studying point or one that allows more depth,
to discriminate holding and letting go. with Renée Zweedijk, a Dutch osteopath, affects the perspective from which we
I have discovered a new layer of the see the world and ourselves. Changing
At that time, I knew nothing about Somatic
work with the head that bypass its ‘bark’ the distance between ‘I’ and the horizon
Experiencing®, and I believe that there
(the outside of the head). It addresses changes the perspective and the depth.
was likely something that could have been
the fluids within the brain; perceives the Imagine standing in front of a wall, the
addressed through that perspective. But,
shape of the brain and contacts it; and vanishing point is very close to you. Now,
I also believe that creating a safe way for
relates the inside of the head with the rest imagine standing on top of a mountain –
her head to be moved, using the towel,
of the body, following inner pathways. here too you might choose to locate the
was enough to start a shift in her usual
Very inspiring! horizon close to you or very far away. In
behavior. Years later, she came back to
When we are engaged in helping to free each case, you might experience different
me for more Rolfing sessions. Something
the cranium cavity and the skull apertures sensations, perceptions, feelings. You
she said then was touching: she said she
for vessels and nerves, I imagine we are at might also discover that there is a
had tried other methodologies, but that I
the foundation of setting a physiological habitual distance where your eyes place
was the only practitioner who had never
state of well-being for the whole organism; the horizon.
made her feeling guilty or wrong because
she could not relax her head and neck. In closing, I would like to share that I
While this was ego-fulfilling, more than feel that work with the head gives us
the possibility to touch many different
To reposition
that, it showed me that being welcomed
the way we are helps to bring peace. And aspects of our ‘persona’ at the same
time – it just depends where we place our
sometimes that means is a lot to a person.
What did this experiencing teach me?
the head is focus. We can organize the architecture of
to reset our
the head to improve ease of physiological
That the head is a private and privileged
functioning, including communication
place, full of symbolic significance and
meanings. It’s easy to identify our mind position in the and expression, to modulate relationship
with other and our capacity to orient in
with our head, our face with our identity.
Letting go involves many different world. the environment.
Pierpaola Volpones discovered Rolfing SI
aspects of our existence, it’s not just
about whether we can release muscles. through bodywork and her research into
This client taught me to tame my impulse well-being and somatic expression. She
we contact the matter. Yet work on the studied in Munich with Stacey Mills and
to help, my drive to free fascia, and my
surface also has also a strong impact. Michael Salveson in her Basic Training
will to succeed in lowering tissue tonus.
The face changes expression with its and with Michael Salveson and Jeffrey
She taught me to accept how people are,
superficial muscles, the mouth and tongue Maitland in her Advanced Training. Her
and to respect them the way they are; to
make the sounds of our voice possible. Rolf Movement Training took place in Italy
recognize limits in myself, in my clients,
We know from Dr. Porges’s polyvagal with Janie French and Annie Duggan. She
and in Rolfing SI. To do the best possible,
theory that the nuclei of the vagus nerve began her Rolfing and Rolf Movement
within the limits (paraphrasing one of my
are beside the nuclei that control facial teacher training almost twenty years ago,
teachers, Nicholas French).
expression and vocalization; the auditory and has been teaching since 2006. She
For me, it is interesting to work at the head, muscles of the middle ear are innervated runs a practice in Rimini, Italy, and teaches
it is such a multifaceted area. I taught a by the vagus nerve too. Knowing this, for the European Rolfing Association®.
couple of three-day Rolfing manipulation we might consider that while working Her website is www.volpones.it.
workshops named “Head and Neck 1” the fascial and skeletal system of the
and “Head and Neck 2,” and I think I face, we may be helping regulation of
could easily make a third workshop! There neuroception (the capacity to perceive
is a lot to learn and to pay attention to at the environment in terms of safety or
the head and neck – we have material for threat), social communication, or social
several Seventh-Hour sessions between engagement. Basically, to reposition the
the structural and functional approaches. head is to reset our position in the world.
13
At the Head
of the Table
An Interview with Jan Sultan
By Lina Amy Hack, Certified Advanced Rolfer™ and

Jan Sultan, Advanced Rolfing® Instructor
ABSTRACT In this interview with Jan Sultan, he talks about Dr. Rolf’s Seventh
Hour philosophy and practical execution of ‘putting the head back on’. Sultan presents
his key concepts of the head, the differentiation of the viscerocranium from the
neurocranium. Nose work, tongue work, and palate work are discussed.
Lina Amy Hack: Thank you Jan for meeting got a terrible neck.” I don’t know if you
with me to talk about the head in the Rolfing know Nixon’s face that well, he had this
Structural Integration (SI) context. very hound dog look to his face. And
Jan Sultan: Glad to be here. So, the plan she used him as an example; she’d say,
for our chat is to talk about the anatomy look at his cervical thoracic junction, big
of the head, about Dr. Rolf’s original hump. Rolf was fond of abstractions to
Lina Amy Hack express complex processes. Yes, get the
seventh session, and the evolution of that
as our understanding of normal anatomy head on, was her general directive for the
has deepened. session. That said, there were discrete
elements to the process that proceeded
LAH: That is the plan. When you think about in a rough order; not always exactly the
Rolf’s ‘Seventh Hour’ instruction ‘to put the same because of individual anatomic
head on’, I wonder if it’s just as nuts and differences but the relationships to be
bolts as that sounds as ‘put it back in the
addressed were quite constant.
middle’, is it that direct of an instruction?
LAH: That makes sense.
JS: Exactly that. What I like to reflect on
is how to get from Rolf’s put the head on JS: So yes. Her objective was really in the
to What is the nature of the head? This geometry, the math of “Is it on the ‘Line’?”
is the deeper inquiry into the anatomy, “Are there horizontals?” And it was to get
the physiology. She said odd things like the head, as we looked at the person in
Jan Sultan “Faces are the resultant of neck patterns. profile, on the gravity line. Parenthetically,
Take a look at Richard Nixon’s face, he’s I’ve got problems with how ‘the Line’ has
14
In her Recipe, the intraoral work was aimed at putting the head
on. Rolf emphasized that faces were resultant of necks, and she
did try to relate the face to the neck. But she didn’t talk about
faces as a compartment that belonged with the gut. The maxilla,
mandible, clavicles, and ribs all coming out of the same layer with
the gut side of the embryo, the vault and the spine are the other
side with the primitive notochord.
come to be understood. She said, “It is is under study as our work continues to head on better. By this time in the Ten Series,
a logo of relationship between the mass unfold and we learn to teach movement the preparation is in place to be able to put
of the body and the mass of the planet.” more coherently. I don’t remember where the head on. Rolf also emphasized that at
It is not a thing. The Line is a logo for the those discussions went; I do remember the Seventh Hour, two things emerge: this
physics of this relationship of the masses being curious because the metaphor is the time when you put the head on, and
of the body and planet [logo as an didn’t hold when we put the body in this is also the time when you run out of
identifying statement]. Rolf was explicit motion. This line idea created a static ‘Recipe’ about halfway through seven.
when she said the word logo! So, people nature to Rolfing order which, and for this
One distinction she did not emphasize
have spiritualized the Line and tied it into we got critiqued. Without the distinction
was the relationship between the neural
some sort of high spiritual function. I’m of ‘Line in motion’ we could be guilty of
and the visceral elements of the head. In
not disputing the value of aligning along producing a kind of rigid, very straight
her Recipe, the intraoral work was aimed
the centers of mass; of reaching down individual, but not somebody who could
at putting the head on. Rolf emphasized
into the earth for support, and reaching run, jump, and dance.
that faces were resultant of necks, and
for the ‘far stars’ as a kind of functional LAH: I like the math quality of the Line; she did try to relate the face to the neck.
yogic (linking or yoking) practice. I’m
I can see that this is a mathematical line But she didn’t talk about faces as a
interested in the spirit of the teaching,
and a line rooted in physics. She was compartment that belonged with the gut.
and the bridge between the abstraction
obviously thinking about physics with the The maxilla, mandible, clavicles, and ribs
and the event.
Line metaphor. all coming out of the same layer with the
I’m not into myth-busting here. I just want gut side of the embryo, the vault and the
JS: It’s a functional quality that is
to say that Rolf didn’t do that. She was spine are the other side with the primitive
expressed in this abstraction of a line; it
looking for metaphors to describe the notochord (see Figure 1). So that’s why I
ain’t a thing, it’s a vector.
spatial order that she wanted to produce. think of faces as the gut side of the head,
The Line and the horizontals were two of LAH: That makes sense to me. And I do because of looking at those embryo
the metaphors that she came up with. I hang in the spiritual meaning of the Line pictures. And I would think, “No, grandma
remember at one point she was trying to too. I feel like I have both. didn’t make that distinction. She didn’t
describe intrinsic function and extrinsic JS: She used to say it like that. This is frame it like that.” Although, she pointed
function, and she said, “It’s something the spiritual piece: she said, “Look. out that she didn’t actually have a way to
like putting a key in a lock. The key lifts Imagine that the Line goes through the say what she was looking at.
the pin tumblers, and then the cylinder center of mass of the planet, through your
turns and lock opens.” She also said, “It’s LAH: So, when Rolf did Seventh Hour
body, out to the far stars.” This is about work, did she camp out at the head?
like an armature in a field of an electric relationship, I’m on the ground, I’m here,
motor.” The armature spins in the field and I have a vector that goes through the JS: She would sit down at the head of the
and a current is generated, and presto, table to start a Seventh Hour. And the only
center of mass of the planet, and out to
you’ve got lights. She was fishing for time she would leave it was at the end of
the far stars. As a working meditation it
these descriptors (in the time that I was the session. She’d rotate around and do a
works. We come to know our size in the
her student) for the metaphoric way to pelvic lift – not sacral balancing, just a good
universe, and our place here on earth.
describe what she was seeing, and trying old pelvic lift, drag the sacrum down. Then
to get it so that we could see it; to evoke LAH: When Rolf would do neck work she’d have the client sit and she would get
our understanding. before the Seventh Hour, would she just up on the table and hold the head [from
focus on lengthening? I know I just have behind and above the client] and translate it
This idea of the Line stuck. I wanted to
a simple idea in mind about her, that she to see if she could see a translatory wave go
ask, “Okay, I understand if I’m standing
would just keep bringing the pole away through the spine. My later understanding
like this and I’m ‘on my Line’, what
happens when I walk? Where does my from the sacrum. of this ‘test’ is to evaluate the capacity of
vertical line go?” It’s no longer vertical JS: Her neck work prior to Seventh Hour the spine to do what I call fish or lizard
because I’m now accelerated and the usually looked like broad strokes on the movement. She demonstrated this and we
Line (as logo) is now leaning into motion, superficial fascia, the platysma. She would learned to do it. It is only now, some fifty
and is dynamic. The question of how we often put her fingers up under the occiput years later, that I was watching a gecko go
carry the concept of the Line into motion and appear to be wrestling with getting the up a wall, and had the thought.
15
session. This particular piece wasn’t in

the Recipe, this differentiation of the girdle
from underlying structures. Yes, you got
some of it in the third session. Yes, maybe
fifth hour you’d get up into the pectoral
fascia, but there wasn’t a specific arm,
scapula, clavicle session. The work needs
to address how the ‘yoke’ relates to the
rib cage and is wrapped around the back
of the neck.
With some people I began to do in the
Seventh Hour [timing in the series] more
what might look like the upper Eighth
Hour. That preparation then should allow
the next session, the classic Seventh
Hour, to have better integration. So, I
switched seven and eight if the girdle
Figure 1: Neurocranium (A) and viscerocranium (B). (From Plastische anatomie: Die konstruktive form called for it. That was the first breach of
des menschlichen körpers by S. Mollier. Munich: J.F. Bergmann, 1919.)
the Recipe. It works better if you do it
this way with some people, meaning you
could get the head on better if you took
LAH: Wow. What evolved in my mind was that by the time to detail the shoulder girdle first.
JS: Literally put her hands, like the ear the time I had finished the third session, Then I would do the ninth session, which
would be right here between the middle I knew what I was going to do in seventh was connecting across the girdles, and
and ring fingers, and she would then session, because I was looking at the then Tenth Hour put in the horizontals.
move the head side to side like that. And whole body. And I began to think, “I’ve LAH: That makes a lot of sense.
if it was good, you see this . . . [bobs his got to find a way to get that head on, and
if I don’t start here, I won’t be able to do it JS: The second deviation from the
own head left and right in a soft manner]. Recipe was based on an observation in
It’s like that gesture of Hindu people, or when I get to seven.”
my Advanced Training, Rolf would line
Manipuri dancers. So, these were the So, knowing the road in a sense, the big everybody up when we were going to
standard bits from Rolf, she’d stay on goal of the series was to optimize spatial trade sessions and she would put us in
the head. Her rule was you exhaust the organization. The journey was tense here. order of the best head and neck order to
possibilities of working outside of the oral Rolf used to say, one of the hallmarks of the worst. “Look at so-and-so. His head
cavity before you go in it. Her work was on maturity is a shift from goal-orientation to is really beautiful. Now look at Jan, he
the cranial fascia, some attention to the process-orientation. Each session then, just doesn’t have his head on.” I got to
sutures, but not a great dwelling on them. you already knew where you were going, be low man on the totem pole over and
Muscles of facial expression outside, and but you had to do the steps in order to get over. I didn’t take that personally or like
then muscles of facial expression inside there. At one point I was struggling with an insult. I had damage; I was hurt. I could
the mouth, then tongue, palate, nose, the Eighth Hour question which is, “Is it count the injuries, blows to the head
balance, and then out. an upper or a lower session?” You know, and heaven knows what. I was a rough
LAH: I’ve heard you speak about how you the famous fork in the road. Mind you, and tumble guy as a kid, so I collected
think of the goal ‘to put the head on’ can the Recipe is gone at this point. She said injuries. So she would line us up like this
be addressed earlier in the Ten Series, that mid-seven it becomes really client- prior to our Fourth Hour, and she would
that you have preparatory work you do specific, not formula-specific; my words, evaluate everybody’s legs, and grade our
before the Seventh Hour. What leads you not hers, but that was the implication. available support.
to do it that way and where in the Ten I began to see people early in the series In those days we didn’t talk about genu
Series do you do this work? and I would think, “I can’t do a Seventh varum (bow legs) or genu valgum (X legs).
JS: What came over time, first I followed Hour until I do a full shoulder-girdle She would sometimes say, look these legs
the Recipe until I thought I knew what I clearing,” because the arms are impinging don’t match. You’ve got to get the hinges
was doing, and I was working rurally so heavily on the neck. That if I don’t (in in. You’ve got to get the inner lines of the
which led people to present [with things a sense) deviate from the Recipe, I won’t legs open into the pelvic floor so the legs
like] “I put my back out cutting wood.” get that head back on in the seventh are connecting from below. We would do
Rolf used to say, one of the hallmarks of maturity is a shift

from goal-orientation to process-orientation. Each session
then, you already knew where you were going, but you had to
do the steps in order to get there.
16
the Fourth Hour on each other, and then seven and eight) – for me forged the being angry with something that had
we would all line up again. Universally, practical sense of doing the work. One of happened in his environment. Roughly I
what would emerge is that the heads and the markers that would let me make this remember the song going like “I had my
necks appeared better organized, right choice was the look of somebody before nose opened, that’s no lie.” Jimmy was
across the board, no matter how crappy session four. You’ve had three hours with talking about being mad. And I thought,
the legs were at the outset, no matter this person, so by then you should already anger in the nose. So, I started paying
how complicated or relatively simple the have a sense about these two questions attention, when I put my fingers into
legs were, the necks got longer. And that and whether it applies to them. You got a people’s noses, about the capacity to
started an inquiry that took twenty years sense of where you’re trying to get and flare those nostrils like you see in those
to understand . . . Could it be that the maybe a sense of what is possible – not Chinese dragons where the nose is big,
visceral compartment is dragging on the the limits, but just the general road that that’s a war gesture. Look at the haka
neck? That forward-head posture might we were going to go on. dance of the Maori, that is part of battle
be a prevertebral and visceral event? preparation – noses open. When your
LAH: Sounds logic driven.
Over time then I began to think about nose is open, it is because you want to
the relationship of internal space to the JS: Logic and experience, it’s empirical smell everything that is going on around
visceral space of the neck and the head. science. I tried it this way and it worked, I you. A flared nose is also part of battle
did it again and it worked. Now I have to fury, this particular demon energy, it’s like,
LAH: Do you mean you began to think of go back, if I’m going to do real science, “I’m up, don’t start with me.”
the embryological space? I have to explain why it worked, but I
Part of what I think about noses is this
JS: Yes, that embryological bit. That’s don’t have to know why it worked. I have
long chain of ideas. In that aha, I started
when I realized the Fourth Hour should to know that it works first and then I can
changing how and what I did with myself
include introductory Seventh-Hour work ask the right science questions. Research
when I put my figure up someone’s nose.
in most people – tongue and palate, and follows empiricism, it doesn’t lead it.
And I made sure that I wasn’t imitating or
some of the digastric, the mylohyoids,
LAH: I have a question about therapeutic mirroring those energies. Rather, I focused
and the floor of the jaw, all the way to the
relationship, how do you introduce face on creating a much calmer center. I didn’t
collar bone and down into the first and
and intraoral work to a new client to put often share this with clients, to come
second rib. It is important to carry the
them at ease? back to your question. I talk with clients
fourth session into this area because it
JS: Okay, first let’s talk historically. In about successive inflammations that tend
makes structural sense, and even without
the old days, what you used to hear is, to plug up the nose, and how it’s better
anatomic understanding, the client will
“Oh, you’re the guy who puts his finger if we got these nostrils open, to have the
report neck relief. The prevertebral length
up people’s noses.” That was the most sinuses open, then the head will function
happens when the gut opens all the way
intrusive thing that we did. People will better. I’ll tell them they’ll have a better
through from the pelvic floor into the jaw.
tolerate intraoral work, but when you sense of smell. Some people have a
After that, you had a very elegant look for
the neck and head. I began to understand put on a glove and say, “I’m going into certain amount of emotional charge that’s
that Rolf’s unique approach through the your nose,” you universally get a sort of locked up in the nose, it may be tied to
inside of the legs was in fact visceral work. vigilant person saying, “Really?” And in very primal stuff, which leads back to
Not organ mind you, but visceral fascia fact, it was pretty intrusive the way we did that flaring the nostrils that you see in the
and suspension of the celomic sacs. it. Rolf would say, you got to put your little Chinese dragon.
finger in there and open the third meatus LAH: I can feel that in my body as you
In my notes, Rolf said, “Never leave
flap, which in some people is the covering describe it, I can feel that open flaring
someone after a Fourth Hour.” It was
preventing the sinus draining into the anger possibility, it does feel primal.
deemed essential to do the Fifth Hour
back of the nose. To get that high in the
fairly soon because they will be vulnerable. JS: So, these are observations along the
nose and to be able to then rotate your
Over time experience reinforced this idea Rolfing road. Rolf didn’t hang out on the
finger, just so, to lift that little flap . . . And
that Fourth Hour had to lead directly to head in any other session the way she
I’m going to say that at least two in ten
Fifth Hour in order to get the integration did in the Seventh Hour. She did seem
people, roughly, that flap over the upper
to carry from the pelvic floor up into jaw to do a certain amount of preparation
meatus is closed, because when it comes
and face as the upper pole of the visceral work, which would be largely the deltoid
loose there’ll be a crepitus sound. It is
layer – which includes the complex of fascia into the jaw, successive journeys
not a pop like an articular cavitation but
the pelvic floor, respiratory diaphragm into the scalenes. She didn’t talk about
rather almost like a tearing sound, but it is
and thoracic outlet. Once you got across the articulations of rib one and two, and
not ripping. It’s just glued with old cruddy
those two sessions, then people’s backs she didn’t make the distinction of the
mucus stuff. But in any case, to get your
got stable again. When I started drawing difference between first and second rib
finger far enough up someone’s nose to
session four all the way up into the with the rest of the rib cage.
reach the upper meatus, in some people
viscerocranium, no more problems after When we got to Sixth Hour, she began to
this is too much.
session four. That was like the pelvic lift talk about Seventh Hour. The Sixth Hour,
of the Fourth Hour, only it was the face. LAH: Have you ever had the nose grip
it was framed largely as a recapitulation
your finger? Just a squeeze and then it
These two changes – (1) taking the Fourth of the leg work organizing the sacrum
lets go?
Hour to the face, and including intraoral and the spine. This was the practical part;
work and (2) the possibility to do a JS: Yes. And I want to make a parenthetical she didn’t have much theory about this.
shoulder-girdle session before you tried comment here. There was an old Jimmy With somebody in a prone position – and
to put the head on (switching sessions Cliff song where he was going on about back then I didn’t have words for it when
17
The Fourth Hour should include introductory Seventh-Hour

work in most people – tongue and palate, and some of the
digastric, the mylohyoids, and the floor of the jaw, all the way
to the collar bone and down into the first and second rib . . . It
makes structural sense . . . The client will report neck relief . . .
The prevertebral length happens when the gut opens all the way
through from the pelvic floor into the jaw.
I saw it – she would just differentiate the other hand simultaneously supporting any rate, she would do this nod and then
lamina groove from the costotransverse the floor of the jaw – making the tonus she would do the pelvic lift.
junctions. I saw her do rib work. I saw her balance side to side was the best I Then she would sit the person up, square
put her elbow in the lamina groove. I saw could describe it.
on their tuberosities on the side of the
her “organize” the erectors, working with 3. Then she turned her hand and Rolfing table, and she would climb up on
erector tonus, but her language wasn’t the addressed the palate. the table, standing behind the client ask
same as what the structure was. Later I
Once that intraoral work was finished, she them to bend forward and do traditional
came to understand and differentiate: that
put on the gloves and did the nose. She back work. And as I already described,
is costotransverse work, that is laminar
had very specific techniques for the nose, she would get a hold of the head with
work. Think: this is the lateral border of the
the way you were to turn your hand and that translatory movement and she would
erectors, the sacrum. The sacrum doesn’t
how you controlled your pressure. You look to see if a translatory wave would go
just sit there, the sacrum articulates,
were supposed to do all the finger work through the spine. This is a very interesting
counter-rotates. She was addressing
from the elbow so that the whole hand functional test because, for one thing, it is
these relationships in the sixth session.
worked as a unit; you’d turn the elbow to not flexion/extension. It’s actually lizard
A lot of times, her Sixth Hour would
turn the finger, you wouldn’t just turn your movement, it’s the way a lizard goes up a
actually start at the groin, at the anterior
wrist. There was this whole orchestration wall, it’s the way fish move in water.
superior iliac spine and work down the
legs, then she’d flip them over and work of how to do nose work including getting LAH: That’s what I was thinking, like a fish
the other way from the calcaneus to the into the upper meatus. Depending on moves through water.
sacrotuberous ligaments. Then she would your client and the size of your hand, this
JS: Our cold-blooded neighbors, lots of
“organize the sacrum,” – there’s that word work is more or less intrusive.
them share this lateral movement: snakes,
‘organize’ again, a high level of abstraction. Once that was done, then there was the lizards, fish. This is what she was testing for.
Nonetheless, she would do this work suboccipital space while they were still She didn’t say these words, Lina, but when
running up the back, this was preparation lying down, but she would begin to work I look at it, I think that’s what she was doing.
to put the head on in the seventh session. to get the head on by getting her fingers I think she had an instinctive sense for this,
Rolf’s Seventh Hour, she would sit at into what had to be the atlas. She’d reach but didn’t have the verbal articulation.
the head of the table and go to work on into that space between the ramus of
the mandible and the mastoid, hook her LAH: I hear you do profound tongue work;
the fascia of the external aponeurosis,
fingers, and then have people nod and your reputation is that your tongue work is
beginning to really render this tissue to have
lift – do the very slow yes nod. The first very thorough. It makes me wonder what
better continuity of tone. She would work you’re doing because I know my tongue
on the forehead and face, the wrinkles, phase of the chin moving inferiorly would
open the posterior space. The second work is simple.
the habitual patterning of people’s facial
expressions. She’d get into the cranial phase, she would lock the atlas and JS: Well, it also rests in the person who is
structures, into the occiput, and scrape have the person nod down again while receiving. I probably had seven full hours
where the trapezius comes up and inserts she pulled the atlas posterior. This would of work from Rolf over probably two to
on that big wad of aponeurosis at the base be repeated a few times. I want to say three years of the time I was in classes
parenthetically that I saw two cases of with her. I’d get selected as the one she
of the skull.
Bell’s palsy induced by this technique. wanted to demonstrate the Seventh Hour
Now we can talk about her oral work. on, and I remember around the fifth time
LAH: Oh wow, was it a temporary state
From my notes at the time and in my I was called to have her Seventh Hour,
of it?
remembering, Rolf’s introduction to oral she said, “Jan, come up here, I want to
work had basically three phases: JS: Yeah. One was a guy whose photograph
demonstrate.” I said to her, “Are you aware
I saw a couple months ago on Instagram
1. Muscles of facial expression inside that I’ve had four sessions on my head
and his face is still slightly asymmetrical.
the cheek but outside the teeth. She already?” And she looked at me, and she
Having seen Bell’s palsy induced twice, I
would say, “Get the lateral pterygoids looked to the class, and, she said, “Look at
thought, “I’m not doing that technique . . .
as part of the work at the mandible.” his head.” Away we went.
I will modify it.” It actually led me down the
2. Open the mouth to work the tongue, road of being able to deal more coherently Okay. She did tongue work a very
with one hand inside the mouth and the with the atlas-occiput relationship. But at particular way. What I got was that there’s
18
a raphe in the middle of the tongue, which outside and they are working together – midline palate ridge. I began to wonder if
is like a hard aponeurosis in the midline, otherwise you got no architecture to do those were variants of normal rather than
a stable, vertical plane. One time I got a the technique. So yes, you sometimes pathology and normal.
tongue from the butcher and I said, “Cut do the sides of the tongue underneath. So while Rolf mostly widened the palate, if
that thing down the middle; I’ll buy it, but I Remember, when you see the tongue at someone already had a broad palate, you
want to see what’s in the middle.” And sure the butcher, that is only the top quarter didn’t do much; with a narrow palate, you
enough, there was this tough membrane, of the structure of the tongue that’s in the worked at them. What got me was finding
which allows the tongue to make its mouth. The rest of it is this huge muscle palates where one side was narrow and
folding gestures. The tongue articulates that sits back in here [indicates hyoid the other side was wide. And this, again,
around this midline, which is a plane. What region]. So at least, let’s not suffer from was on the way toward cranial work but
I felt when Rolf worked on me was that she the illusion that the tongue just sits there: before Upledger came in to teach the
would reach into my mouth and position it is practically the whole front of the neck. faculty at the Rolf Institute®. He came in
on top of the tongue where it started to go LAH: It is so thick. All the other muscles 1982-1983 and taught the Rolfing faculty,
inferior into the larynx, and she would bring of the face are paper thin, the tongue is which broke it open for us. But before
her other hand up underneath in front of meaty. I’ve been meaning to ask you; that, I was curious about these palates
the hyoid bone. She would drive until she how did Rolf approach the palate? How that didn’t match side to side. Typically,
had that raphe between the inside hand do you approach the palate? I would think you wanted to widen the
and the outside hand. Then, the hand on narrow one and leave the wide one where
the inside was the anvil and the hand on JS: Okay, what I’m speaking of then is a
little bit of a meld [blend, mixture] between it was. So, people would get quite a bit of
the outside raked that tissue from back palate work on one side.
to front. When you watch it done, it looks me and Rolf. Her palate work essentially
like the inside hand is scraping away at the was aimed at widening the palate. She had I have to tell this story now, a teachable
a very particular technique, essentially moment. It was when I was teaching
tongue, but, in fact, the inside hand is the
her forefinger would be the working tool an Advanced Training and I had all the
fulcrum and the outside hand is coming up
and she would cross the midline [I do not practitioners, half of them lined up on
underneath and working between them,
cross the midline]. So, if I was sitting at the the table and the other half palpating
gradually moving forward. The hand in the
client’s right hand, I’d be working on the palates and doing a little palate work. I
mouth is slightly anterior to the hand that’s
right side of the palate, literally shaping walked down the row, and did palpate
in the floor of the jaw. So, it’s like pushing
the palatine and the maxillary part of the work on every single practitioner. I’d show
a wave from back to front. She said not
palate. And she would do one side then them things like, “This is how it felt when
to push the tongue back into the cavity
the other [crossing the midline]. Never did grandma did it to me.” I put on a glove
because people can’t breathe when you do
I see her put two fingers to contact both and I put my fingers into this woman’s
that. Tongue work is very specific, it goes mouth and [when] I felt it I looked at her
sides of the palate at the same time.
back to front. This technique is primarily and she said, “Well, I had two rounds of
for the tongue, almost exclusively. If it LAH: She was thinking bone? Now
orthodontics when I was a kid.” I was too
is done right, it will get a change in tone we might think about sutures, nerves,
big for my britches, Lina: I went at the
that is big. It addresses the neurology that vascular tissue, but she got all of this
boundary between the soft palate and
terminates in the tongue. The tongue is so directly talking with bone?
the hard palate, I pushed up, and that soft
busy neurologically that I am certain that JS: Widen the palate, that was it. As palate went up like a quarter inch and her
you have a hold of the brain when you’ve I began to play with it, before I learned eyes flew wide. She sat up and grabbed
got somebody’s tongue. cranial work, I realized that there were her face and went, “Oh my God, what was
LAH: Yes, I believe that, several cranial three kinds of palate: one was a broad, that?” And I said, “Are you in pain?” And
nerves terminate there. wide palate, another was a palate that she said, “I don’t know, but I don’t feel
had almost a bony ridge down the center, right.” This started a whole nightmare of
JS: Glossopharyngeal (CN IX), one of the
and the third type had a high fissure like a trouble for this person. It was unfortunate
big boys.
cathedral. The latter two went with more that we were in Boulder, because she left
LAH: And the hypoglossal nerve (CN narrow craniums and beak-like noses. I that session and went directly to another
XII), vagus nerve (CN X); tasting is facial think these things are in the gene pools. practitioner, who worked on her without
nerve (CN VII) and the lingual branch of Weston Price demonstrated the effect ever contacting me to see what happened.
trigeminal nerve (CN V). Do you ever grab of quality of food on the development So, the water was muddied [more] with
the tongue and pull it out to get at the of these structures in the embryo. In any somebody else’s intervention. I don’t know
lateral aspects? case, everybody in the gene pool that has if I could have done better otherwise, but
JS: Nope. I might occasionally go on the a beaky nose and a narrow skull has that that was just the way it went.
side of the tongue and underneath toward
the digastric side and work there. Again,
always in concert with a hand on the
outside, supporting what my inside hand
The tongue is so busy neurologically
is doing. I would never have a finger in
the mouth that worked without the other
that I am certain that you have a
one, including on the muscles of facial hold of the brain when you’ve got
expression. One hand is inside the cheek,
the other one is anchoring the cheek somebody’s tongue.
19
What is in the tongue? Most often what variables that should be introduced into
the modern Recipe. They don’t have
you find is all the things that were left anything to do with the internal/external
model, or any of the other refinements.
unsaid, all the times in your life when The key distinction is between neural
you had something to say and didn’t. and visceral, that the head is not a head,
it is two bits: the pelvic floor to the face
is the viscerocranium and the sacrum to
But the lesson is, you be damn careful when the devil himself, or you were that person the cranial vault is the neurocranium. I’d
you put your finger in somebody’s mouth. who terrified them or stifled them, or any of love to see this presented in the teaching
And when you get back at this transition of the ways. across the SI field, because everybody
soft and hard palate, you’d better be very who receives SI work will benefit if you
And then, of course, we practitioners
vigilant, respectful, and careful. I had my follow these developments. I hope that
must always keep in mind, you could
finger on her palate and I was speaking people can take it in and realize that
encounter tissue that experienced sexual
to the class who were gathered around, Rolf’s formula didn’t end with Rolf. The
boundary transgressions. Oh my God, the
so I wasn’t paying attention the way she Recipe is a very useful tool, but it’s not a
stories you may hear. I don’t even want to
deserved. So, I tell this story all the time to finished work.
bring this in other than to say we use our
say, my dear friends, don’t take this lightly, trauma-informed therapeutic relationship LAH: This will be very helpful, the SI
this is real stuff. at that point. The Seventh Hour potentially artistry that we all do in our studios, this
LAH: We can all learn a lot from that, has lots and lots of stuff about boundary is great information for all those decisions
thank you. transgressions. More often with women that we make there. Thank you so much
than with men, but not exclusively. for this interview for our Journal.
JS: Rolf’s touching the palate was firm,
even aggressive. After she scoured my LAH: Mouth work is so emotional: things JS: Thank you, Lina, thank you for asking
palate a few times, my teeth wouldn’t said, things unsaid, dentistry, boundary me to do this.
quite occlude correctly. It took a little violations. And attachment, the face is so Jan Sultan’s initial encounter with Dr. Rolf
while to settle in. But I was younger then relational. That’s my experience of being in was in 1967 as her client. In 1969 he trained
and so I had a lot of plasticity; my teeth the client role, absolutely psychobiological. under her. In 1975, after assisting several
would move around and finally would line So, when I’m in the practitioner role, I classes, Rolf invited him to become an
up. I don’t know how it would be now, always have that in mind. Like you were instructor. After further apprenticeship, she
now that I’m less plastic. saying, centering is key. It is tricky to invited him to take on the Advanced Training.
LAH: This is quite a trip around the mouth. not become the object of the client’s Over the next ten years, Jan taught several
This is all going to be on my mind next projection, to not let the projection stick to Advanced Trainings with Peter Melchior,
time I do intraoral work, especially the us while the work is taking place. Emmett Hutchins, Michael Salveson, and
tongue work, I don’t think of the tongue JS: Rolf alluded to this early on. She said, other faculty members, collaborating on
as a go to place but I want to. “When you go into a Rolfing session, refinements to the Advanced Training. Jan
you hang your personal hat on the hook currently teaches Basic Trainings, continuing
JS: Now I want to talk about education, and Advanced Trainings for the
psychobiological content and the tongue, outside that room. This is not about you.
This is about the client’s needs.” My hat Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® and to the extended
I’m going to speak metaphorically. What is SI community. He feels strongly that his
in the tongue? Most often what you find is is off to Ida for so many things that she
intuited. And she started this stuff in responsibility as an instructor goes beyond
all the things that were left unsaid, all the simply passing on what he was taught, to
times in your life when you had something the 1930s, and so much of it predicted
holism. The way she structured her work, include the development of the ideas and
to say and didn’t. Maybe it wasn’t safe. methodology taught by Rolf.
Or if you said it, you were going to pay I’m constantly in awe of that continuity.
for it. Sometimes you said it and paid, And I don’t think she gets full credit for Lina Amy Hack is a Certified Advanced Rolfer
and sometimes you ‘held your tongue’, this – how visionary and prophetic she practicing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
metaphorically, and you ate it. When really was. Canada. She is also the Co-Editor-in-Chief
a Rolfer gets a hold of that tongue and LAH: This is so helpful to a Rolfer like me of Structure, Function, Integration.
begins to work this middle aponeurosis, who is a few teaching generations away
frequently those memories come up. And from Rolf. Is there anything that’s lingering
people will practically spit your hand out. that you feel needs to be mentioned to
In the old days, maybe clients had more our readers?
expectation about psychological discharge. JS: To the people who are reading this
People would howl. They would cry so hard interview, who are in the position to teach
it was like they were crying at a funeral – this work, take my words seriously. This
deep, deep, sobbing. Other times people business of Fourth Hour into the face and
would come up mad. It was a little tricky as often switching the Seventh Hour and
a practitioner to not take it in, not take in the Eighth Hour in order to make more space
responsibility for the anger. But still, often for getting the head on by getting the
the person would look at you like you were arms out of there, these are very important
20
The Brain – New

Perspectives for
Manual Work
An Interview with Peter Schwind
By Christoph Sommer, Rolfing® Instructor, and Peter Schwind, Basic and

Advanced Rolfing Instructor
ABSTRACT Christoph Sommer interviews his faculty colleague Peter Schwind on

how our work can influence the brain. Schwind discusses early insights, the manual
work of Jean-Pierre Barral, DO, the classic intranasal work of Ida Rolf’s Seventh Hour,
the interface of the viscerocranium and neurocranium, the senses as bridges to the
brain, and the important concepts of ‘container’ and ‘contents’.
Christoph Sommer: Peter, a few days or want to accomplish can be made visible
a week before the coronavirus hit us here when researchers use the most modern
in Europe, upending our private and work imaging systems. There is of course a lot
lives, we were together with Jean-Pierre of research about the brain, and some
Barral, DO, video-recording a new manual of the research is very important for our
Christoph Sommer approach to the brain. I remember you practical work and for our concepts.
were quite nervous; can you share what Nevertheless, as Barral has stated many
was going on in you? times, we have to be very, very modest
Peter Schwind: Well, to tell you the full when we, as manual practitioners, speak
truth, it was because of the theme: the about the brain.
brain. I was quite nervous when we had CS: How have you thought about the
Jean-Pierre in front of our cameras, and brain in relationship to our work?
I’m also a little bit nervous now with
this interview. There is an incredible PS: Well, when I was a young Rolfer, I stayed
complexity within the brain itself and very faithful to our traditional theories about
even more in the ways how it interacts the plasticity of the tissues and the plasticity
with all the parts of the human organism. of the shape of the human body. I had very
But a practical approach requires a little insight into the potential meaning of
certain amount of simplicity, otherwise the brain for our work. If I remember well,
Peter Schwind we get lost. It takes courage to talk we did not even dare to speculate about
about the potential of working manually the potential role of receptors within the
on the brain. Only some of that what we connective tissue. Fortunately, I dared to
21
have a few thoughts as soon as I observed Stacey Mills, and other teachers of the handwriting had completely changed. Of
experienced colleagues at work. These first generation after Ida Rolf. Did you think course, there was no control group, no
thoughts gave some help to reflect about about working on the brain itself in those scientific perspective. But it became more
the brain and its presence in various kind of days? and more obvious to me that something
bodywork, about our work but also the work PS: Honestly, no. We had great had changed in his coordination. I later
of Feldenkrais and the early osteopaths. conversations during those days. But not had several inspiring talks about it with our
At the beginning, the most important about the brain. And international dialogue colleague Hubert Godard and with you,
experience was when I observed Peter was not easy. There was no internet, no Christoph, and we agreed that what had
Melchior do the traditional Ten Series in fax. Phone calls to the US were expensive. happened inside the brain of this boy could
class on a friend of mine who is a musician. I remember writing a letter to John be understood from the early research of
Sometimes after class – this was in 1983 Upledger. A letter from Europe to the US Nikolai Aleksandrovich Bernstein.
– we met privately at this friend’s house, took eleven days one way. A slow sort Bernstein (1896-1966) was a Russian
and Peter demonstrated some additional of romantic communication. I was happy scientist whose research on human
work. He asked my friend to play a certain when Upledger’s answer came twenty- coordination, and movement in general,
piece of music, then he worked on him, two days after I had sent my questions to was revolutionary. Unfortunately, his
and after that we asked my friend to go him. I am sure that big old John was aware research was not accessible for a long
back to the Steinway piano and play the of the importance of the brain. I saw good time because of a controversy between
same music. The three of us realized that results in his work on babies who suffered Bernstein and Pavlov. Lenin favored
he played the music in a way that sounded from serious brain dysfunction, babies that Pavlov’s research, so the political situation
differently. My sense, as a musician myself, we had treated in Munich before. But I had in the Soviet Union isolated Bernstein in
was that he played it in a more authentic no understanding of the role of the brain a very difficult position for a long time. I
way. After a few interventions by Peter in all this. encourage all of us to look at his writings
Melchior, the musician seemed to establish Again and again, I made a few observations because I consider Bernstein’s research
a better connection with the original score that allowed us to speculate a little bit more. an important first step for us as Rolfers™
for the music. It became obvious to us – When we discuss single cases, we report to think about the connection of the brain
especially when he played right after a short of the results of single treatments. Perhaps with the musculoskeletal system.
treatment – that his body was not ‘in the those of us who are scientists will laugh
way’, while his mind was connecting well Back to the boy and the transformation
and consider the results meaningless.
with the meaning of that piece of music. of his handwriting. What Bernstein found
And actually, we have to agree, many are
Music is similar to language, without being in his research is that certain movement
meaningless. But I do think that sometimes
language, as the philosopher Theodor patterns – in this case, writing – are
we are confronted with single cases that are
W. Adorno wrote many years ago. The not present just locally (i.e., the hand
quite significant. And not only that, they are
work that Peter Melchior did was mainly and forearm), but that the pattern of
challenging and inspiring. Those individual
focused on the fascial container, however the movement is present in the whole
cases can open our eyes for a new vision
the outcome showed up in different activity organism. So, if you, for example, take
and frequently provide the basis for new
of the contents, the brain. He enabled the a pencil with your foot and write, it still
techniques. We have to look at more and
musician to use more appropriate ‘words’ shows the same essential form as your
more single cases that are comparable. And
within the ‘language’ of music. handwriting, or if you hold the pencil
at the same time we have to be aware that
with your mouth and write. Patterns of
That was the moment I started to every brain is different, like every human
coordination are present in the whole
speculate that we really do much more structure is different, as Hans Flury stated
organism, not only in single parts. That’s,
than working on and affect tissues. If the many years ago. The brain is perhaps the
I think, a big challenge for our work. We
brain gives orders to the hands on the most ‘individual’ part of us – and that is why
may get a little bit more understanding
piano keys, and things sound different the individual case is so meaningful.
how working intelligently on the lower
after very few interventions, there must be One of those meaningful cases was a extremity has an effect on the coordination
an interesting bridge between the fascial nine-year-old boy who had disturbed of the upper extremity. Ida Rolf would
system and the brain, and vice versa. We coordination in walking and other activities have said: “Go where it ain’t.”
made this observation many decades that stemmed from a lack of oxygen to his
before researchers determined that about CS: So, working on the boy’s feet gave
brain during his birth. I would say it was
80% of the sensory nerve endings are not more freedom for the use of the hand.
a very mild sort of cerebral palsy. A week
in muscle fibers but in the fascial system. Some awakening happened in his arms
after a detailed, traditional Second Hour
and hands, so that he was then able to
CS: So, that was the beginnings of your [of the Rolfing Structural Integration (SI)
write in a much clearer and more fluent
speculation about how manual interventions Ten Series] – with work especially on his
way, although you didn’t touch his hands.
modulate brain activity and refine actions feet and lower legs, and a little on his back
of the musculoskeletal system. You had – the mother showed me samples of his PS: We didn’t touch the ‘upper pole’ at
experience in the 1980s assisting in classes handwriting in school work done before all except for a little bit of traditional work
taught by Peter Melchior, Jan Sultan, and after that session (see Figure 1). His on the neck. Interestingly enough, his
I started to speculate that . . . there must be an interesting bridge

between the fascial system and the brain, and vice versa.
22
pattern of walking also had changed in so much on the junction of the maxillae occlusion of the upper and lower teeth
a very productive way, as I noted when I and the mandible with the neurocranium. can put tremendous pressure on the
saw him again weeks later. His organism This has led us to a very global hypothesis: neurocranium. We may say, and some
had learned something new: I checked that the junction of the neurocranium and dentists will agree, that this can be
over a period of months, and the more viscerocranium is very basic for the whole dangerous for the brain itself. The brain is
coordinated walk remained present. So the function of the craniosacral system, and sensitive to pressure and temperature. We
challenging and the inspiring aspect for us especially for that part that is called the have to keep an eye on this reality. When
is that working with the fascial system in brain. This is a very profound junction we become aware of that, it becomes
a sensitive way, using active and passive because the anterior space of the neck obvious that the spatial order of the
micromovements of the joints, seems to is in constant movement activity (e.g., different parts of the brain (i.e., the order
stimulate a learning process in the central swallowing and other inner motions). and dynamics of the ‘contents’) and the
nervous system, which is much more than And this activity manifests in all sort of order and dynamics of the surrounding
just making tissue a little bit softer for the tissues that connect the neurocranium membranes and bones (i.e., the order of
next hours or days. with the viscerocranium. the ‘container’) are most important for the
CS: So, you had these early considerations, To understand the ‘spacious’, nonlinear regulation of pressure and temperature.
Peter, of how we can educate the brain as modalities of force transmission, it helps And it becomes obvious that the vessels
we work on the other end of the human to look at the anatomical research of that connect from inside the brain to the
body. What should we pay attention to Frank Willard. We can see that the space body, and the nerves, are the bridges
in our traditional Seventh Hour when we of the neck is probably – aside of the between the brain and everything else.
work with the upper pole? What can we do respiratory diaphragm and the heart – That leads to another consideration. We
for the brain that is real manual work, not one of the most dynamic spaces of the need to thank Barral for a lot of inspiration
just education? whole human organism. Dentists and here. Whenever we work manually, the
PS: I’ll address several aspects. For a long oral surgeons know that this dynamic client’s senses are the bridges to his
time, I wondered what made Ida Rolf focus space around the throat and around the brain, and the ‘senses’ are present in the
A B
Figure 1: Handwriting of the nine-year-old boy. (A) Sample of his handwriting in school before session. (B) Sample of his handwriting after session.
Reprinted with permission from Alles im Lot eine Einführung in die Rolfingmethode mit einem Selbsthtilfekurs von Hubert Godard by Peter Schwind,
Hugendubel Verlag, Munich, 2001, pages 58-59.
23
This has led us to a very global hypothesis: that the junction

of the neurocranium and viscerocranium is very basic for the
whole function of the craniosacral system, and especially for
that part that is called the brain.
nerves – motor nerves and also sensory A few of us working in Munich have begun Hour of Ida Rolf. I’m not sure what she
nerves. To give an example: the same to see clients who have recovered from would say if she heard that, but in my
intervention will show different outcomes COVID-19 infection. It will be interesting understanding it’s a clear extension of
if the client has his/her eyes open or to check how we can affect any damage that approach.
closed. It is also relevant if we use verbal that has happened to the olfactory system CS: So that’s one avenue working with
intervention while we touch, or if we stay and the olfactory nerve. Of course, it is a the brain, and there’s other avenues via
strictly within the modality of nonverbal critical question to find the right time for the the eyes or the brain itself. What about
communication using touch. Many years treatment, because research has shown, the emotional component of our facial
ago, a world-renowned musician asked that the virus can remain in this area much expressions, Peter?
me to have his own music playing during longer than the time of acute illness.
the manual treatment. I refused. Today I PS: Well, ever since Wilhelm Reich’s
But there is a whole other aspect to it. different modalities of work, there’s been
would be open for this. Too bad the person
The nerves that help us to smell are a much consideration of strain around the
is not alive anymore.
direct avenue to the inside of the limbic tempomandibular joint (TMJ). I think –
I’d like to comment on the traditional system and especially to the so-called and again this is just a hypothesis – that
Seventh-Hour intranasal work. Some archeo-brain, which is the place where a balanced autonomous nervous system
practitioners are not sure why we should our brain handles smell, even if we are is only possible with balanced tensional
do it, and of course just saying that we not aware of it. Humans don’t have such forces around the temporomandibular
do it because Ida Rolf taught it is not a sophisticated a system to smell as, for joints. The tensions of this area are
an intelligent answer. I remember in the example, dogs and elephants. Our human easily transmitted to the eyes. Bates,
early 1980s hearing Emmett Hutchins say brain is able to recognize up to 400 who developed the well-known Bates
that intranasal work is not about making different smells. The ‘smell department’ of method for eyesight, said that some
the nose bigger; it’s about stretching the our brain is oftentimes active, even if we people actually cannot let go of tension
membranes inside the sinuses. That’s are not aware of it, and because of that around the eyes even during sleep. Some
very relevant, because the sinuses, with we tend to make emotionally influenced cases seem to be caused by too much
their role in air ventilation, are important decisions. But smell is very different from muscle tension and fascial strain coming
as a cooling system for the brain. seeing. Whenever we see, our brain has from the TMJ. Forces that manifest on
CS: I know that from wearing masks the chance to do lots of interpretations the two maxillae act intensively on the
nowadays! of the visual perception. The visual brain. During our last Brain course at the
cortex ‘processes’ the visual impression. Munich Group, I learned from Barral that
PS: Yes, everyone is now feeling what Smelling is different: a smell goes directly the fascia of the temporal muscle has a
before was experienced only by those of to the brain, and the brain has little or no direct connection to the membrane that
us who tend to have chronic inflammation chance for interpretation. We can say that envelopes the brain.
in the sinuses, inside the maxillary sinus smell is a direct avenue to our inner world
or inside the other sinuses. We realize CS: And this force transmission has some
of feelings. It is impressive that Sigmund
how important it is to have a cool brain. implicit emotional meaning?
Freud payed so much attention to the
So, the intranasal work is important, and sensory anatomy of the nose during his PS: Any emotional state is present all
I want to highlight especially how to work early studies. For German readers or over the body. But certain emotions are
inside the nose. It helps to understand speakers, I want to suggest listening to the especially present in certain parts of the
how to do the job elegantly, to understand podcast Das Gehirn und der Finger where body. And certain emotions are especially
how we establish contact inside the nose, the neurologist Dr. Magnus Heier (2021) present in certain areas of the brain,
while giving gentle support from the talks about the nose with Daniel Finger. while the brain as a whole is involved.
outside of the nose. If we give support It gives lots of important information Look for example at the brain of solo
on the outside of the nose while we concerning our ability to smell. climbers. Researchers have found that
carefully work with a small finger inside. the amygdala, which plays an important
We speculate that it is possible to have CS: So, it’s not only that Rolfing Seventh-
role in being able to feel fear, comes
an influence on the olfactory nerve. This Hour nose work has an effect on the
into action only very slowly in some solo
can be very important for people after sinuses, it also provides stimulation or
climbers. That will help them when they
automobile accidents where they almost traction to, or a freeing of, the olfactory
get caught in a dangerous moment. The
lose, because of compressional forces on nerve, and that reaches into the limbic scientists used sophisticated imaging
the nerve, the capacity to smell. Boxers system and may change a pattern of systems to document what goes on
say that it does not hurt any more when perception there. inside the amygdala. These new imaging
you get your nose broken a third time. We PS: Yes. I think this is one of the really systems could help to prove if we are really
know why. good outcomes of the traditional Seventh doing something significant whenever
24
It’s not only that Rolfing Seventh-Hour nose work has an effect
on the sinuses, it also provides stimulation or traction to, or a
freeing of, the olfactory nerve, and that reaches into the limbic
system and may change a pattern of perception there.
we try and stimulate the plasticity of the 2018), you describe how Barral gave you to collect some information. Our hands will
brain to heal itself – I use the words of some insight into how one can work with be attracted to a certain space inside the
Norman Doidge. His book The Brain that internal brain injuries after strokes. brain, sometimes towards a tiny spot. And
Changes Itself is such a valuable resource PS: This book tells the story of a very we may recognize that certain parts of the
for bodyworkers (2007). tragic event. It is a storytelling book that brain are active or not. That may be enough.
CS: And our work traditionally has an wants to talk to the natural intelligence Or we want to go a little bit further.
influence on plasticity, if I understand of the reader. This book is, as we say in We could observe the activity of the
you correctly. German language, written with the blood brain when we have a client with some
of my heart. But I wonder if it may be dysfunction of the lower limb, around the
PS: Yes. Ida Rolf started to use the notion
misunderstood when we read it in English knee. We observe the brain, and then ask
of ‘plasticity’ long ago. It is an interesting
language. Translation is not easy. Its point the client to move the knee. We will see if
challenge to think about the relationships
is not to glorify Barral as the practitioner we can sense activation in a certain part
existing between the plasticity of the
or myself as the author. Rather, I hope to of the movement cortex or somewhere
tissues – whatever that means – and the
stimulate manual practitioners to start else. Then we work on the knee, and we
plasticity of the brain. I want to come
their own thinking, their own speculation, observe the brain again. We remember
back to another anecdote. I remember
about the brain, to be open to a wider what if felt like before. Recently there are
working on a four-year-old girl who had
perspective of looking at the work. I some new imaging systems that actually
such intense cranial strain that it was
wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t can check if what we sense is reality or
not possible to touch her cranium. My
seen it in front of my eyes, that manual just a fantasy.
colleagues and I decided to make home
work could help someone recover to a
visits around midnight when the girl was I believe that we are able to sense activation
significant degree from very severe brain
sleeping deeply, and we treated especially or circulation in the brain, but I doubt that
damage. After the stroke, Bruno, the hero
the cranium and the feet. Touching her we are able to make clear distinctions of
of this story, was not able to speak for
cranium and feeling, through the bones, the different units of the brain that clearly.
almost one year. And he found the way
there was a very unusual feeling of the We may sense a tumor inside the brain,
back to language. What I admire very
individual morphology of this young brain. but most likely we don’t feel it directly;
much about our friend Barral is that he
CS: You mean the internal pressure was instead we may feel how it changes the
does not mystify this kind of thing. He tries
unusual? situation inside the ventricles, as Barral
to do something that is extremely difficult
says; or we may sense that our hands get
PS: Not only the internal pressure, it felt in a very simple way. Barral explores the
attracted to that problematic part of the
like the entire parts of the brain and the physiological and anatomical reality of the
brain. To avoid getting lost in complexity,
many tiny arteries inside the brain and human brain and makes it accessible for
it helps to know the anatomy of the brain,
the cells of connective tissue were ‘mixed manual treatment. The philosopher Karl
its spatial anatomy, which I find so difficult
together’; the whole morphology, as far as Marx claimed in the appendix of Capital
to understand. We have to know that very,
we could feel it through the cranium, felt (Das Kapital) that he has put Hegel from
very well, but at the same time not fall in the
so different from what we would sense standing on his head to standing on his
illusion that we are feeling those structures
usually in children at this age. The girl had feet. Maybe Barral does the same with
William Garner Sutherland. directly and discretely. The cranium and the
had very serious inflammation of the brain brain are an area where we are in danger
as a baby, and as a result of that her ability CS: He opens our senses for that, what of getting lost in our romantic fantasies.
to speak was drastically reduced. After a we can really sense and observe? This may be – or not – the trap of esoteric
few treatments, the girl started to speak PS: Yes, it is something we can sense approaches. They are so enjoyable for
normally, but I didn’t relate that to the work with our hands. He demystifies many the practitioner’s mind, but for the client’s
we did. I thought it was just by chance. But ideologies about working with the cranium. organism they sometimes seem to produce
much, much later, when I watched Barral For example, many people will say, “I little result except deep relaxation (which
work on a stroke victim, I started to rethink feel the hypophysis [pituitary gland],” also has its value).
my observations about the little girl. For or they say, “I feel that part of the brain,” CS: So, in summary, it’s clear that the brain
this young human it was an emotional but Barral challenges this as he believes is very complex. There are many ways of
breakthrough to be able to say “pizza.” that’s not possible. We can feel certain connecting to it – educating it; treating it
She had suffered so much to not be able irregularities. What we as Rolfers or as indirectly via the TMJ; connecting with the
to articulate that word when they had pizza manual practitioners may learn from this – nerves to the emotional and coordinative
for lunch at the kindergarten. and again it’s a hypothesis – is that we may system, and to our balance and gravity –
CS: Another question. In one of your books, be able to feel through the cranial bones but there’s immense complexity and detail
The Croissant Inside the Brain (Schwind and through the membranes of the brain, that follows from that. Do you have any
25
We may be able to feel through the cranial bones and through

the membranes of the brain, to collect some information. Our
hands will be attracted to a certain space inside the brain,
sometimes towards a tiny spot. And we may recognize that
certain parts of the brain are active or not.
concluding remarks for us Rolfers about thirty years has led him to broadening the
how to do the Seventh Hour and what to ‘classical’ structural perspective. Since 2008
look for? And what do you have to say he also teaches for the Barral Institute.
about the brain per se, how to look at it?
PS: In practice, a productive way of References
working is to ‘touch’ the brain by using
Craig, A. D. 2015. How do you feel
neutral touch, a sort of touch that is free of
an interoceptive moment with your
our personal projections. A musician may
neurobiological self. Princeton and
write a kind of melody that sounds like
Oxford: Princeton University Press.
a question, and a few seconds later we
listen to the answer. The composer Ludwig Doidge, N. 2007. The brain that changes
van Beethoven was great at that. Think itself: Stories of personal triumph from
about his Bagatelles for piano op. 33. He the frontiers of brain science. London:
wrote into the scores: “Mit einem gewissen Penguin Books.
sprechenden Ausdruck” [with a certain Heier, M. 2021. Das Gehirn und der Finger
speaking expression]. In manual work we [podcast]; episode with Daniel Finger.
shall find the same perspective by using https://www.podcast.de/podcast/786545/
touch like Beethoven used sound. When
Barral, Jean-Pierre. 2020. A manual
working on the brain, we ask questions
approach to the brain, part 1. Munich,
by touching and await the answer. And
Germany: Munich Media.
that is certainly relevant not only for work
on the brain. I like the statement of the Schwind, P. 2018. The croissant inside
great Swiss writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt the brain: The legendary manual therapy
about the brain: “I believe in the limits of Jean-Pierre Barral, DO, MRO(F), RPT.
of knowledge and in the power of Barral Productions.
imagination. The most wonderful thing is Wikipedia contributors, “Nikolai
the human brain, more wonderful than the Bernstein,” Wikipedia, The Free
god it is able to conceive” [translated by Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.
Georgette Delvaux, DC]. org/w/index.php?title=Nikolai_
Peter Schwind PhD was certified as a Bernstein&oldid=994683203 (accessed
Rolfer in 1980, as a Rolfing Instructor February 14, 2021).
in 1985 and as an Advanced Rolfing Note for Schwind (2018), German original
Instructor in 1999. He practices in edition:
Munich (Germany). He has written a
Peter Schwind, Das Croissant im Gehirn
series of books that were translated into
several languages. The English version Die ungewöhnliche Osteopathie des Jean-
of his last book The Croissant Inside Pierre Barral, Random House, München
the Brain was published recently (Barral 2015
Productions). Peter has – together with
Christoph Sommer – produced and edited
seventeen DVDs about the work of Jean-
Pierre Barral (Munich group media).
Christoph Sommer is a Certified Advanced
Rolfer and Basic Rolfing Instructor at the
European Rolfing® Association e.V. He
has been practicing in Munich since 1986.
Additional training in Fascia and Membrane
Technique (with Peter Schwind) and
Visceral, Neural and Articular osteopathy
(developed by J.P. Barral) for more than
26
In My Head
Learning from My Concussion
By Lina Amy Hack, Certified Advanced Rolfer™
ABSTRACT Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is far from mild. In this article, Lina
Amy Hack discusses one of her concussion stories as an example of the classic fall
backward. The anatomy of coup and contrecoup brain injury is described and the
resulting diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is explained. It is proposed that cranial nerves
could be made more prominent in concussion research as it was Hack’s personal
experience that her cranial nerves were directly damaged during the described injury.
Introduction Concussions are difficult to diagnose

because the damage is at the cellular level
Concussions are serious. When I first of the neural tissue and the symptoms are
started reading concussion research, I took diffuse. They develop slowly over time in
Lina Amy Hack exception to the word ‘mild’ in the term the acute phase of the injury (Ryan and
‘mild traumatic brain injury’, since all my Warden 2003). Since becoming a Rolfer
concussions have felt really significant. So, I studied mTBI in part to understand my
I took a look at the definition of ‘severe brain body’s story and also to be skillful for
injury’ which includes brain bleeds, broken clients who present with this type of injury.
skull bones, severed white tracts, and the In this article I will describe the anatomy
list gets worse from there. Mild is clearly of a common type of concussion that I
the low end of a progression that ranges happened to experience and the lesser-
to severe and life-threatening. In research, known injuries that follow.
concussions are often called mild traumatic When Rolfers do manual interventions with
brain injuries (mTBI); they are closed head the heads of clients, they are interacting
injuries (no skull fractures, no leaking fluids). with all the mild head injuries the person
27
has had. This article will increase your abated. Now we have questionnaires of injury is often explained in the mTBI
knowledge about the forces involved in to grade the severity of a blow to the literature, yet I invite you to think of this as
mTBI, the tissue damage characteristic of head, and treatment includes giving the model to be applied to each unique
concussions, and encourage you to pay the person information about post- circumstance you encounter. Another
attention to cranial nerves when working concussion symptoms, what to expect reason my example becomes useful to
with the related biomechanics of a head during recovery, as well as possible analyze is that it was a sports related
that has a history of trauma. light exercise regimes (McCrory et al. injury, and a lot of concussion research
2018). We now know that the pathology is being done in the sports context. The
of a mild brain injury is due to axonal sport I was playing at the time is called
The Nature of Concussions shearing of white tracts associated with ringette (see Figure 1), which is an ice-
the brainstem, corpus callosum, cerebral skating sport that looks a lot like hockey
Concussions are caused by either a direct
hemispheres, and cerebellum which but uses a straight stick (no blade) and
blow to the head, face, or neck, or an
interferes with normal brain functioning a blue rubber ring (no puck). The players
indirect injury to the body that transmits
(Johnson, Steward, and Smith 2013). We try to keep possession of the ring and
force to the head (Hirad et al. 2019). The
could and should add cranial nerves to score it into the net, which is exactly
event could take the head from a stationary
this list of structures that suffer axonal the same as a hockey net. Everyone is
position and put it into motion; or the head
injury during mTBI. I like to think of cranial wearing helmets. In 2004 I was an upper-
could have already been in motion and
nerves as downstream tentacles from the level ranking referee for ringette. I was
the event could cause a sudden stop. The
upstream jellyfish brain, and when the refereeing a competitive playoff game
unifying idea is that the head undergoes
latter gets bounced around the calvarium, for the age group of eighteen to twenty-
a rapid acceleration and/or a rapid
the former experiences cellular changes. year-old players; this was fast paced
deceleration. Concussions were once
game. I was standing by the net, where
thought to be negligible injuries (Ryan and
the referee position is stationary, when a
Warden 2003). We now have substantial
evidence that significant neurological My Direct Experience with player with possession of the ring went
Concussion behind the net with two attacking players
changes occur: mTBI symptoms include
on either side. The fast-moving group
cognitive injury (memory difficulties,
Every concussion story is unique; an traveled behind my back; my eyes were
decreased concentration, and decreased
infinite number of trajectories of forces tracking them first over my left shoulder.
processing speed), somatic injury
can connect with the head. As clinicians With a quick head pivot, I was expecting
(headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue,
who hear clients’ mTBI stories, we have to catch sight of them again over my right
sleep disturbances, blurred vision, tinnitus,
to deduce the individual mechanical shoulder. That didn’t happen. What did
and hypersensitivity to light or noise), and
experience of their head injury in order happen was they crashed into the back
affective symptoms (irritability, depression,
to strategize optimal manual interaction of me, took my legs out from under me,
and anxiety; Maruta et al. 2010).
with the tissue. I present here my most and my helmet-wearing head hit the ice-
Traditional treatment for concussions has recent concussion in 2004 as an example covered cement before the rest of me did.
been to rest until the symptoms have of a classic fall backwards. This type
There was an immediate shift of
consciousness that I was not aware of
at the time, I know now that I could not
perceive that I was hurt as badly as I was.
My training as a referee had me override
my injury and push through. The play had
continued down to the other end of the
rink; no concern came my way, I popped
up, caught up, and finished the game. The
next morning when I woke up, my eyes
were crossed; they didn’t uncross for an
excruciating long time. A headache and
confusion developed, worsening each day.
I had trouble sleeping, I was nauseous,
and six days after the event I saw a doctor
who diagnosed a concussion. I was given
information about symptoms that I would
experience in the days ahead. The guidance
was to not worry as concussion symptoms
can get even worse before they get better.
I had one month of memory loss after that.
I learned to not be in distress that each day
as I woke up, I couldn’t remember what I
had done the day before. After about five
weeks of feeling dizzy, sleeping a lot, and
Figure 1: “Ringette Regina Tournament” by two stout monks is licensed with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To not being able to remember day-to-day
view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/. events, these symptoms lessened.
28
inferior aspect is the thick spinal cord

also bathed in CSF, as it becomes part
of the spine and looking a lot like the
central thick tentacle of the jellyfish. Our
jellyfish-like brain has small, fine tentacles
as well; the twelve paired cranial nerves
are tentacle-like fibers that originate in
their respective nuclei of the deep brain
(midbrain and brainstem). The cranial
nerves have bundled axons that we call
nerve fibers; the path of the cranial nerves
involves tunnels into the various cranial
base bones – they travel through to their
respective sensorial or motor destination.
The cranial nerves are wet in nature similar
to the jellyfish-like tissue they came from.
As they leave the skull, they are anchored
via dura membrane and vascular fascia to
the foramina they travel through (Barral
and Croibier 2013).
Figure 3: Superior orbital fissure at the back of the
Cranial nerves are rarely mentioned in eye socket.
concussion research, yet when I palpate
the terminal structures of my cranial nerves
on my own head, it feels as if I can access accessory nerve (CN XI) to travel through,
and work with my head injuries (Barral and as well as blood drainage for the inferior
Figure 2: Jellyfish. Photo by Nikolay Kovalenko petrosal sinus and sigmoid sinus (see
Croibier 2013). Making contact with my
and Colin Viessmann on Unsplash. Figure 5). An mTBI could give an internal
frontal bone was the beginning of feeling
the memory of that eye-crossing event, pull to these nerves affecting part of the
and providing gentle traction in an anterior functions involved in the muscles of the
Coup and Contrecoup Brain pharynx and larynx, the parasympathetic
direction gave me relief. It was contacting
Injuries my sphenoid peripherally at the greater regulation of abdominal organs, and
wings that I had access to the scar tissue primary movements of the head. Some
Now, let’s deduce the intracranial forces
that seemed concentrated asymmetrically of the cranial nerves carry sensory
involved in producing these symptoms.
behind my eyes. The best I can describe the information that travels from the periphery
This is the common fall backward, where
legs slip forward and the person’s occiput feeling is a density that seemed to benefit of the head to the CNS; some carry motor
hits the ground. In this case the surface of from manually supported craniosacral information that travels from the CNS to
the head had a helmet protecting it from motion of my sphenoid (Upledger and the destination; and some carry both.
contusions. Ideally, pre-fall, the person’s Vredevoogd 1983). Regardless, all the functions innervated
skull is functioning as the upper-most by the cranial nerves are essential and
When I thought about the anatomy of are directly involved in survival. At the
pole of the human structure, balanced my concussion that I was accessing, it
on top of the spine (Rolf 1977), with a cellular level, these tentacle-like fibers are
felt less like compression in the sutures really collections of tens of thousands of
homeostasis to the pressure inside the and more like something behind the eyes.
cranial bones and the membranes and axons of nerve cells emanating from the
Four cranial nerve pairs travel from their midbrain and brainstem.
fluids secure in the skull. respective midbrain nuclei through the
We can think of the contents of the superior orbital fissure at the back of Now we’ve got our working model of the
calvarium as the center of the central the eyes (see Figure 3): the oculomotor head, we can return to the example mTBI of
nervous system (CNS), home to thoughts. nerve (CN III), the trochlear nerve (CN the standing person about to fall. Imagine
The CNS is the top of the body’s IV), the abducent nerve (CN VI), and the in slow motion the skull with the floating
physiological regulation, and downstream ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve jellyfish-like brain falling backward, and
from the CNS are vital senses like smell, (V1, see Figure 4). The first three of these the helmet-covered head hitting the
sight, hearing, taste, and the vestibular innervate muscles that control eyeball ground. What happened in those quick
system. The brain consists of highly movement. I mention the paired superior moments is essential to understanding
organized neural cells and glial cells orbital fissures as an example to think the injury. As the skull is falling, the
packed tight together and, interestingly, broadly of all cranial nerves and all their forces in the tissues vary because tissue
it has the consistency of jelly. The brain foramina, for concussions can give all densities vary: dense bone is falling, the
is wet in nature and is literally floating of the cranial nerves a stretch, which we CSF is falling, the enclosed jellyfish-like
in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), as CSF is will discuss in a moment. First, I want to brain is falling, and the cranial nerves are
4% more dense than the brain (Drew mention another important passageway, falling. The skull bones are stopped first
and Drew 2004). Think of an enclosed the jugular foramina because they are the by the ground with a rapid deceleration.
buoyant jellyfish when imagining the openings for the glossopharyngeal nerve The location that is struck is called the
brain (see Figure 2). Emerging from the (CN IX), the vagus nerve (CN X), and the ‘coup’, in this case the occipital region.
29
volume, causing a larger protective

layer of fluid cushioning for the brain to
land on in the coup region of the injury.
Concurrently, the CSF has flowed away
from the opposite side of the brain,
which for our example is the surface of
the midbrain/brainstem and anterior/
inferior frontal lobe. The smaller volume
of CSF at the contrecoup during the
moment of impact and dissipation of
shock forces is proposed to lead to
increased injury to neural tissue at the
contrecoup (Drew and Drew 2004). The
harder the head falls, the more CSF
fluid will flow to the coup, proportionally
decreasing the CSF cushioning at the
contrecoup, leading to greater injury
to the brain tissue at the contrecoup
(Ramzanpour et al. 2018).
3. Negative pressure theory (also
known as the cavitation theory): The
contrecoup brain injury is more severe
because of the negative pressure
generated when the skull is suddenly
stopped. The skull stops, the CSF
stops, and the brain continues to
move and to compress into the coup
resulting in tissue pulling away from
the bone as a mild cavitation at the
contrecoup site (Drew and Drew 2004).
It is easy to imagine that the jellyfish-
like brain experiences a snap inside
the skull, and that the tentacles on the
contrecoup get pulled at their anchor
points – that is, for example, the cranial
nerves at their sphenoid foramina.
4. Rotational shear stress theory:
This model proposes that it is rare
Figure 4: Cranial nerves emerging from inferior aspect of brain. Copyright Thieme Medical Publishers,
Inc. 2017. Used with permission.
This is where the person may experience the contrecoup (Ramzanpour et al. 2018).
a contusion, bruise, and pain. A contusion There are several theories about why the
did not occur in our example as I was contrecoup brain injury location incurs
wearing a helmet. But there was an injury: more damage than the coup:
concussions are an injury inside the
calvarium. Once the bone stops, the fluid 1. Shock wave theory: As the skull
experiences a rapid deceleration. One decelerates suddenly, the force
might suppose that it slops around, but in transfers from the point of impact at
actuality the fluid is quite contained and the coup to become shock waves
it is quickly subjected to the mass of the dissipating throughout the brain with
brain smashing into it. The brain pushes the focal point of damage being at the
into the CSF and then the inside of the contrecoup location (Banga et al. 2017).
bone – this is the internal coup. And there 2. Positive pressure theory (also known
is a second location of injury in the skull as CSF displacement theory): When the
in that moment, exactly on the opposite- tissues of the skull are falling, the CSF
side skull interior; this is the ‘contrecoup’. being denser than the brain falls faster
The forces involved at the contrecoup are than the brain. Therefore, it is said the
more severe than at the coup, and the CSF is displaced to the leading position Figure 5: The jugular foramina are the openings
brain injury tends to be more serious at of the movement and accumulates in located to the left and right of the foramen magnum.
30
The seven pairs of cranial nerves

that emerge from the midbrain and
brainstem (CN VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII)
travel short distances before piercing
the sphenoid, temporal, and occipital
foramina, where their dura will merge
with the fascia of the bone, becoming
an anchor of sorts to a decelerating
brain. Another anchor for the brain and
CSF system occurs where the dura
mater is continuous with all four clinoid
processes of the superior sphenoid, as
well as the connection between dura
and the foramen magnum (Upledger
and Vredevoogd 1983). The dura
mater along the inside of the skull also
folds inward to create internal walls:
the falx cerebri, falx cerebelli, and the
tentorium cerebelli (see Figure 6). Right
where these membranes meet the
skull there are vascular venous sinuses
in the fold of the dura against the skull;
the blood and fluid collecting here
is about to flow out of the brain. The
brain is not attached to these vascular
and membranous structures, but the
brain is subject to their shape and all
concussion forces would take place
inside these compartments.
Figure 6: Intracranial membranes and principal dural sinuses. Copyright Thieme Medical Publishers, In that split second when my legs went
Inc. 2017. Used with permission.
out from under me and the back of my
head and body slammed to the ice
surface, my brain experienced an injury
from the mechanical forces converging
Upper Group Lower Group at the contrecoup. Being so engrossed
in my role as referee, I popped back up
1 Superior sagittal sinus 7 Cavernous sinus
to my feet and got back to the game. I
2 Inferior sagittal sinus 8 Anterior intercavernous sinus probably looked exactly the same to the
spectators, players, and coaches, but
3 Straight sinus 9 Posterior intercavernous sinus
what I know now is that in that split second
4 Confluence of the sinuses 10 Sphenoparietal sinus on the ice, my brain had been cushioned
on its posterior side by the helmet, by the
5 Transverse sinus 11 Superior petrosal sinus
skull, and by the accumulating CSF. The
6 Sigmoid sinus 12 Inferior petrosal sinus brain bounced. The negative pressure
at the contrecoup would have put a
Note: The occipital sinus is also included in the upper group. stretch into the anchored cranial nerves,
and rotational shear forces would have
occurred between the midbrain and
for tissue to travel in a linear way 5. Angular acceleration theory: In brainstem, especially along the uneven
when experiencing sports-related physics, the idea of an angular surface of the superior sphenoid. Brain
forces, there is often a rotational force acceleration is that the object (here the tissue that was tethered would have had
experienced by the skull and brain as brain) that is experiencing the sudden angular stretch forces exerted through
well (Drew and Drew 2004). The falling deceleration is tethered to an object its cellular fibers; some tissue would
jellyfish-like brain in our example is of dense mass (here the skull), where have been suspended in CSF with
suddenly stopped and the contrecoup the first object will change speed more different vectors of deceleration, creating
location is subject to a combination of slowly than the mass it is tethered to and the opportunity for multi-vector shear
linear movement as well as rotational will experience angular forces through throughout the inferior aspect of the brain.
movement, which can induce shear the tension of the tether itself (Drew This injury did not produce immediate
rotational forces through the midbrain and Drew 2004). The brain is mostly impairment – no loss of consciousness,
and brainstem cranial nerve tracts a free-floating jellyfish-like object, as and no loss of motor function. Yet
with an unfortunate focal point of we have already discussed, yet it does the cognitive, somatic, and affective
stress at the contrecoup location. have anchors and compartments. symptoms that developed in the days
31
Putting it all together, concussions occur when neural cells in

the skull and their axons experience mechanical stretch, shear,
and rotational strains at the moment of rapid acceleration/
deceleration leading to the axons becoming stressed, undulated,
and misaligned as a result of axonal cytoskeleton damage.
that followed gave me direct knowledge symptoms that a person experiences after this compromised quality of neural signal
of the respect this type of injury deserves. this kind of injury emerge slowly over time: can become a persistent dysfunction
delayed-onset of headache, dizziness, and (Johnson, Steward, Smith 2013).
confusion are now recognized as post-
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) concussion symptoms due to DAI (Ryan
The day after my concussion while
refereeing I woke up with my crossed
The reason that mild head injuries have and Warden 2003). eyes, they wouldn’t uncross for what felt
a slow onset of symptoms is that neural Putting it all together, concussions occur like a long time. I had no idea what was
cells don’t die at the moment of the injury when neural cells in the skull and their axons going on nor how serious a symptom this
during an mTBI; the neural cells in the white experience mechanical stretch, shear, and was. Fair to say the swelling in my cranial
tracts that get the shock wave maintain rotational strains at the moment of rapid nerve tracts had been progressing while
their cellular membrane integrity initially. acceleration/deceleration leading to the I had been sleeping: mTBI research has
The damage is inside the neural cell. Like axons becoming stressed, undulated, and found that axonal pathology increases to a
we’ve covered, cranial neurons have a cell misaligned as a result of axonal cytoskeleton peak in the first twenty-four hours following
body, this is where the proteins are made, damage. DAI is difficult to diagnose the head trauma and levels off after that
genetic code is stored, and mitochondria because in vivo imaging of this microscopic (Johnson, Stewart, Smith 2013). Significant
produce biochemical energy for the cell. breakage is not available. From personal axonal swelling can get critical and look
Cranial neurons also have a long tube-like experience, I could feel the change in my like a bulb along the axon, even if it doesn’t
axon, which carries the neural signal either head’s cellular environment yet I could not burst the cell; a large axonal bubble will
from the brain to the motor destination or have described it. Once microtubules are essentially cause a disconnection to the
from the sensorial periphery to the brain. broken, transport molecules that were axon’s ability to function. Disconnected
For example, the cell body of a neuron moving along start to accumulate at the axons become broken cell junk that the
belonging to the glossopharyngeal nerve breakage points. This happens slowly in cellular community in the brain has to
(CN IX) can be found in the medulla part the hours after the event. There is a range clean up – this takes time. Glial cells and
of the brainstem; its axon will emerge as of severity to axonal swelling depending on immune cells will break down the material
part of the neuron, pass through a jugular the forces each axon experienced. At first of the axon and over time, absorb the
foramen heading toward the pharynx, the breaking of the microtubules may allow components or allow the degraded axon
sending signals regarding swallowing. You relaxation of the tension in the axons, but parts to flow downstream interstitially into
can think of that axon as a microscopic the cell suffers interrupted axonal transport the lymph system of the brain, which flows
tube of fluid. This tube of cytoplasm also and ballooning of cytoplasmic fluid. A to the aforementioned sinuses (Yao et
has cytoskeleton filaments in it that travel neuron with a low-grade axonal injury will al. 2020). The loss of axons is eventually
the entire length of the axon, all the twists still be able to conduct its neural signal visible and measurable as shrinking
and turns. There are neurochemicals at and it may be able to be repaired; it is still white tract structures in the brain. Hirad
the terminal end of the axon that need a living cell. Cellular molecular machinery and colleagues (2019) found there was a
to be transported all the way to the cell may be able to rebuild and reconnect the reduction of thickness of white brain matter
body in the brainstem and vice versa. microtubules. The fluid involved in the in the right midbrain structures of collegiate
There are neural peptides made in the cell swelling may be moved along the remaining football players at their postseason
body of cranial neurons that need to be intact microtubules. Flow can be restored to assessment compared to their preseason
transported from the brainstem, down the both the internal molecules and the action assessment. Players that had more mTBI
axon tube, to the terminal button. There are potential signal along the axon membrane events with rotational acceleration features
many of these microtubules in each axon. – this takes time. The damaged axon may had the most loss of white matter, including
These cellular fibers maintain the shape experience partial interruption of axonal structures associated with the brainstem.
of the neural pathway as it has corners transport from staggered breakage points They also found a significant correlation
through the bone and microtubules also among the microtubules; these axons between decreased white brain matter and
serve as scaffolding for these transporting may swell along their entire length and still neurocognitive changes with the athletes.
proteins. They are like stationary elevator function well enough to send neural signals In our example, now that we have all the
cables where transport proteins will pull but in a compromised state. A concussed pieces, we see that my helmet protected
along the cytoskeleton to move important brain has altered neural signal speeds due the surface of my head so I was able to pop
cellular molecules. It is these microtubules to DAI; the body of the neural cells living in up and keep going. Yet due to the snap of
that break during an mTBI causing the the brainstem experiences changes in its head hitting the ice, my jellyfish-like brain
axons to lose their shape; this damage mitochondria, which decreases the energy with cranial nerve tentacles experienced
is called a diffuse axonal injury (DAI). The reserves of the injured neurons. Sometimes a quick deceleration with rotational and
32
angular forces. The convergence of shock appears to be a unique lymph as it is also the horizon? Invite your hands to your
led to a significant contrecoup injury; my downstream of CSF biomolecules. It has temples to give touch feedback about
brainstem and deep brain structures were been proposed that manual therapy of the the horizon behind the eyes and follow
likely pulled away from their cranial base head after concussions supports the flow the micromovements from there, you
foramina, yanking on my cranial nerves as of the glymphatic system (Yao et al. 2020) may find your own mild injuries ready to
they travelled their winding routes through as well as CSF movement associated surface and be soothed.
bone, shearing microtubules in cranial with the cranial bones (Upledger and Lastly, the next time you hear a client
neurons. It is my thought that both sides Vredevoogd 1983). talk about a concussion, I invite you to
of my oculomotor nerve (CN III), trochlear In my concussion example, I had a second imagine the forces of acceleration and
nerve (CN IV), and abducent nerve (CN VI) reason to be in denial about my injury: it deceleration that were unique to their
that together travel through the superior happened five days before my wedding! experience, to deduce where the coup
orbital fissures of the sphenoid had such By the time of my wedding, it was clear and contrecoup occurred. As we have
an abrupt tensioning that there was to me and my loved ones that I was reviewed, concussions are serious.
significant DAI along those motor fibers. suffering the symptoms of a concussion. Lina Amy Hack has been a Rolfer
This led to peak axonal swelling the next I could only think one thought at a time. since 2004, practicing in Saskatoon,
morning and the muscles of my eyes I remember as I watched my friends and Saskatchewan, Canada. She came to
were on the receiving end of failing neural family pack up all my stuff the day after Rolfing SI as a biochemist who had done
signals; since my cranial nerves were the wedding, that I was not capable of genetic engineering research after her
delivering faulty signals, my eye muscles the complex thinking involved in packing honours BSc, later working in a water
could not straighten my eyeballs. up. It took a lot of effort to plan out quality testing. Since becoming a Rolfer
how I was going to get out of the chair she has become a Somatic Experiencing®
I was sitting in and to focus on getting
From Confusion to across the room. If I thought about the
Practitioner, completed a BA psychology
Awareness future or the past, my head pain would
honors undergraduate degree, researching
parental touch patterns and child sleep
Healing from a concussion takes time; the increase. My own body taught me how behavior. She completed her Advanced
first step is realizing that the concussion to heal from this injury; it had me slow Rolfing Training in 2016. Lina is also the Co-
has happened. In the moment that I had right down. I had to let go of things like Editor-in-Chief of this journal.
no control over the direction of my eyes, remembering day to day events, to rest
headache, dizziness, and confusion were without any stressful demands to my
prominent; still I was not aware that I had performance; it was many days with References
an mTBI. Asking the brain to perceive its very simple thinking (see Figure 7). After
Banga, M.S., BV, S., Roy, K., Saha, S.K.,
own injury is dubious. I remember willing about a month, almost like a light switch,
Dixit, S., and P. Ghosh. 2017. Contrecoup
my eyes to bring their focal points back I could feel my capabilities come back
head injury. Indian J Neurosurg, 6:103-106.
together, resting them closed when they to me; luckily new neural circuits were
couldn’t, then trying again. When my eyes ready to go for me. Barral, J-P. and A. Croibier. 2013. Manual
did return to me, they stayed with me; therapy for the cranial nerves. Palm Beach
In this discussion we stayed on the mild
they clicked ‘on’ again. With the neural Gardens, Florida, USA: Barral productions.
side of the concussion symptoms in
activation of attention along those cranial that we side-stepped discussing loss Doidge, N. 2007. The brain that changes
nerves, I showered those pathways with of consciousness due to a blow to the itself: Stories of personal triumph from the
signals to animate my eyes properly. head – some people go into a coma frontiers of brain science. New York: Viking.
Eventually, the signal found a way after an mTBI. We also stayed focused Drew, L.B. and W.E. Drew. 2004. The
around the swelling axons to an intact on brainstem structures, while it is also contrecoup-coup phenomenon: A new
circuit. This is what neural plasticity is all true that all the brain structures suffer understanding of the mechanism of closed
about: when a familiar pathway becomes the forces of mTBI. I focused on the head injury. Neurocritical Care, 3:385-390.
damaged, the brain can adapt to use an brainstem/cranial nerve connection to
intact axon on an neighboring route to illustrate my specific symptoms. There Johnson, V.E., W. Stewart, and D.H. Smith.
deliver the message, producing a new is a wide range of individual differences 2013. Axonal pathology in traumatic brain
circuit along the same nerve, and leading between concussions. For brevity, I also injury. Experimental Neurology, 246:35-43.
to functionality again (Doidge 2007). skirted around downstream consequences Hirad, A.A., J.J. Bazarian, K. Merchant-
In the days following an mTBI, the damaged such as brain swelling associated with Borna, F.E. Garcea, S. Heilbronner, D.
cell structures associated with the bulbous head injuries and oxidative stress that Paul, E. B. Hintz, E. van Wijngaarden, G.
axons become broken down producing increases after mTBI. There is sometimes Schifitoo, D. W. Wright, T.R. Espinoza,
interstitial junk. The brain has its own inflammation in the meninges and brain and B.Z. Mahon. 2019. A common neural
lymphatic system called the glymphatic parenchyma which can co-occur with DAI signature of brain injury in concussion
system. This is a network of lymph vessels (Yao et al. 2020). The myelin sheath around and subconcussion. Science Advances,
that receive the downstream interstitial axons is protective to concussive forces, 5(8):1–11. https://advances.sciencemag.
fluid and the waste products from the yet there is a complex nuance there that org/content/5/8/eaau3460 (accessed
neurons and glial cells (Yao et al. 2020). was beyond this discussion. December 9, 2020).
This is how the brain removes broken I invite you, the reader, to take a pause, Maruta, J., S.W. Lee, E.F. Jacobs, and
down materials that are too large to diffuse close your eyes, and feel the space J. Ghajar. 2010. A unified science of
into the blood stream on their own; glymph behind your eyes – does it feel level with concussion. Ann NY Acad Sci 1208:58–66.
33
McCrory, P., W. Meeuwisse, J. Dvorak, M.

Aubry, J. Bailes, S. Broglio, R.C. Cantu
If I thought about the future or the past,
et al. 2018. Consensus statement on my head pain would increase. My own
concussion in sport—the 5th international
conference on concussion in sport held body taught me how to heal from this
in Berlin, October 2016. Br J Sports Med,
51:838:847. injury; it had me slow right down.
Ramzanpour, M., A. Eslaminejad, M.Z.
Farid, M. Ziejewski, and G. Karami.
April 2018. Comparative study of coup
and contrecoup brain injury in impact
induced TBI. Biomedical Sciences
Instrumentation, 54(1):76-82.
Rolf, I.P. 1977. Rolfing: The Integration of
Human Structures. New York: Harper & Row.
Ryan, L.M. and D.L. Warden. 2003. Post
concussion syndrome. International Review
of Psychiatry, 15 (4): 310-316.
Upledger, J.E. and J.D. Vredevoogd.
1983. Craniosacral Therapy. Seattle, WA:
Eastland Press.
Yao, S.C., H. Zwibel, N. Angelo, A. Leder,
and J. Mancini. 2020. Effectiveness
of osteopathic manipulative medicine
vs concussion education in treating
student athletes with acute concussion
symptoms. The Journal of the American
Osteopathic Association, 120(9):607-614. Figure 7: After a concussion, it is best to keep the head in a restful state. Photo by Rodolfo Sanches
Carvalho on Unsplash.
34
A Head that Belongs

to the Space
Head and Sense Perception in Somatic
Movement Education
By Kevin Frank, Certified Advanced Rolfer™, Rolf Movement® Instructor

and Caryn McHose, Certified Advanced Rolfer, Rolf Movement Practitioner
ABSTRACT Authors Kevin Frank and Caryn McHose discuss the essential role of
Rolf Movement Integration in ‘putting the head on the body’. This article discusses the role
of the movement brain, tonic function, somatic imagination, haptic touch, and receptive
senses to creating “a head that belongs to the space.” They provide several exercises for
work on the table, seated, or standing through a structural or movement series.
The head and senses play an essential meaning in the Rolfing and Rolf Movement
role in all forms of somatic movement traditions. Normal denotes Rolf’s specific
education. The head and the senses are, vision and philosophy for human potential.
among other things, important channels An example of normal: an integrated body
of orientation. Orientation is central to will elongate, rather than shorten and
Kevin Frank perception; patterns of perception, in compress, as that body meets challenge.
turn, shape our posture and how we
Rolf Movement is taught through
move. Rolf Movement Integration (RMI)
perceptual and coordinative strategies,
teaches people how perception supports
as well with touch skills that educate and
meaningful change in their quality of
facilitate a client’s or student’s discovery
movement. RMI is a brand of somatic
process. The ‘head and senses’ theme of
movement education based, in part, on Dr.
this issue lends itself to illustrate the RMI
Ida Rolf’s methods for integrating structure.
perceptive/coordinative approach.
RMI aims to integrate structures that shape
human movement. RMI includes a ten- Rolf’s ten-session ‘Recipe’ is a useful
session series [parallel to the Ten Series starting point to consider Rolf Movement
of Rolfing® Structural Integration (SI)] and in its view of the head and senses. Rolf
posits that we see structure integrate when proposed that session seven, the so
motor patterns and stability express what called ‘head session’ of her Ten Series,
Caryn McHose
Rolf called “normal.” Normal has specific is particularly integrative. The proposal is
35
The field of structural integration what we want to have happen and what
we do not want to have happen. Life
can be thought of as an inquiry into is accompanied by injuries, and other
events that cause interruptions to normal
how to interrupt the interruptions to function. Interruption, in this discussion,
refers to the body afflictions for which
healthy function, so that the body can people seek therapeutic help. The field
operate normally.
of structural integration can be thought
of as an inquiry into how to interrupt the
interruptions to healthy function, so that
the body can operate normally. We strive
sound, her reasoning logical. Rolf referred representational brain with which there
to help people climb out of acquired
to the head as the body’s ‘upper pole’. can be various degrees of conscious
errors in their “operating codes,” errors
Integration of head function is vital for participation. However, the two brains
which become impediments to natural
integration of the entire axis, helping the overlap and ‘speak’ to each other; this
movement intelligence.
axis find freedom from the girdles and inter-brain conversation is, effectively,
highlighting that the axis should behave central to somatic movement education. A central feature of what can be offered
as a coherent system. The upper pole to help people interrupt their interruptions
Depending on a vast array of information, (interruptions to normal) is to teach clients
steers the body in many ways. Devoting a
the movement brain maintains an imagined to pay conscious attention to the things
session to the upper pole is wise.
representation of the body, as well as the the body needs to keep up to date anyway.
We propose that helping a client cultivate space around the body – all places the Bodies appreciate the support. Repeated
the body’s upper pole as an integrative movement brain anticipates, and thus experience suggests that bodies restore
element is not something to delay until manages, its potential for movement. normal stability and improved function
session seven. It is efficient to introduce Body and its spatial environment are not when they are reminded to interrupt
upper-pole integration at the beginning considered as two separate things but interruptions with healthy information.
of a series to some degree and whenever are mapped as a unified territory in the What constitutes healthy information?
possible. Early introduction provides the movement brain. All parts of the body and
greatest chance to reinforce upper-pole its surrounding space are, neurologically, a
learning throughout the series. Each step
of the Ten Series and each step of the
matrix of imagined locations. The body is Tonic Function
urgently concerned with maintaining and
client’s self-care benefits from including refreshing this matrix, keeping it up to date, Rolf Movement includes what is known
upper-pole orientation. as the Tonic Function Model (Frank 1995,
moment by moment. RMI calls this matrix,
It is worth noting that taking time for a matrix of ‘action space’. Positing a matrix Newton 1995), a name that derives from the
integration is its own challenge. Integration of action space provides an updated work of French physiotherapist Raymond
can, by default, become a lesser priority premise for structural work: ultimately, Sohier, some of whose ideas are part of
in the learning and doing of a traditional we learn to see and evoke change in the Hubert Godard’s Tonic Function Model.
Ten Series – differentiation can more easily client’s imagined matrix of action space. The Tonic Function Model now represents
occupy a practitioner’s attention. This is a major innovation within somatic
Structural work concerns the dynamics of
understandable, but also remediable. We movement education. The model includes
movement brain imagination.
refer the reader to an article on this topic a series of provocative ideas for structural
The movement brain’s urgency to update work, including a critical examination of
by Frank and McCall (2016): the question
its maps of action space derives from the the concept of structure – structure that
of what constitutes integration and how it
prime directives that the human body has Rolf taught people to integrate.
is evoked merits attention.
evolved to fulfill. The survival priorities
Ways of introducing integrative head One idea is that structure does not, for our
of a human being can for illustration
orientation early in the series is the primary purposes, mean only the physical kind;
purposes be reduced to the following:
subject of this article. We start with an it is not the ‘stuff’, really, that somatic
stay upright, get lunch, do not become
overview of how perception and orientation practitioners aim to change. Rolf provided
someone else’s lunch, seek opportunities
fit into motor pattern education and into evidence that she understood structure in
to make connection, and reproduce. To
Rolf Movement in general. innovative ways. In her book on integration
provide a basis on which to meet these
of structure, Rolf states, “In any energy
priorities (as well as life’s other activities),
system, however complicated, structure
the body uses automatic mechanisms
The Movement Brain and the to reinforce/refresh its matrix of action
(relationship of units of any size in space)
is experienced as behavior. Structure is
Matrix of Action Space space. This part of the equation works
behavior” (Rolf 1977, 31). In other words,
rather well unless something gets in the
Our movement – all our movements the human structure that we might wish to
way. What gets in the way?
and functions – is choreographed by a integrate is the tendency for our bodies to
complex system of nested feedback loops Human beings have additional tendencies behave in certain habitual and predictable
and mechanisms. This system can, for and vulnerabilities, apart from survival ways. Our lives are steered by patterns of
convenience, be called the ‘movement and proliferation. The movement brain’s behavior, and our patterns of behavior
brain’. The movement brain is largely job is, in the modern world at least, constitute our structure. (When patterns
comprised of the non-conscious, sensory- easily interrupted by events that impact of movement change, body physiology
motor brain areas, in contrast to the our meaning making: thoughts about naturally changes the tissue patterns –
36
Paying attention to orientation replaces other, less helpful

activity for movement such as worry, thinking about what
the movement looks like, efforting, etc. It is useful to
introduce simple experiences that help confirm, for the
client, the proposal that the body is interested.
bones, muscles, and fascia – accordingly, behavior. Posture is an expression of the largely ignored influence of gravity
via changed patterns of usage.) motor behavior, as is walking, lifting, orientation. We need to bring attention
pushing, and reaching, etc. Perception, it to gravity orientation at a direct sensory
Rolf’s observations likely result from
turns out, is also a form of motor behavior. level. Gravity orientation goes on all the
familiarity with the work of Ludwig von
The broad scope of what the movement time, in the background, in our brain/body
Bertalanffy, who formulated General
brain choreographs is motor behavior. activity. When we pay conscious attention
Systems Theory (GST), a revolutionary
RMI seeks to help people change their to the felt sense of this orientation – to the
approach to biological modeling
motor behavior. sensations of it – we harness a means to
introduced in the 1930s. GST became a
pivotal influence, not only on biological A second tonic function idea concerns shift how we move; we shift patterns of
thinking, but on broader areas of science gravity’s role in pattern change. Gravity in movement behavior that are, it is worth
as well. Bertalanffy states that structure the Tonic Function Model means that how noting, not meant to be shifted casually.
means essentially the way a system we orient to gravity steers perceptual and We gain access to motor pattern plasticity.
functions over time (Bertalanffy 1976, gross motor behavior at a foundational
An analogy: movement patterns are like
Frank 2012). A notable Bertalanffy level. Gravity orientation patterns and
those annoying ‘child-proof’ containers.
protégé, Norbert Weiner, the founder of preferences are an underlying component
You need motivation to get them open
Cybernetics, is quoted at the head of of structure. The way we orient to the
because it is hard. When you finally
Rolf’s preface to her book where he says, sense of weight and the way we orient
succeed, you have learned new steps to
“We are not stuff that abides. Rather we to the feeling of the space around us and
what was, formerly, a simpler process.
are patterns that persist” (Rolf 1977, 15) in us are strong influences that keep us
However, once you get the knack of the
Weiner was a mathematics prodigy who moving how the way we do – ways we
new method, you get the benefit of what
laid the groundwork for computer science. may wish to change (Frank 2007).
is in the container. Eventually, the new way
Rolf made many different statements of opening is easy. Similarly, when we first
at different points of her career; some Conscious Attention to That bring conscious awareness to our gravity
statements make it sound like she orientation, as a background element to
Which Is Largely Automatic sense perception, it feels like a big deal;
believed fascial mobilization produces
lasting alteration of the fascia, and that This leads to a strategic premise: if eventually it is not so hard to do so and
fascial plasticity is the mechanism by we want to change our behavior, our we get to feel things change. We learn a
which body shape changes. Her writing motor patterns for example, a tonic means to unlock stubborn patterns of
suggests, by contrast, a vision that goes function approach says we need to bring movement, old patterns that now serve us
beyond structural change as equivalent conscious awareness and attention to poorly. We take an important step into a
to tissue plasticity. The authors propose
that the ‘structural change as tissue
plasticity’ theme became (and remains)
attractive because these ideas and
images make the work easier to explain.
The theme helps promote Rolfing SI to
the public. And, it is worth noting, it can
feel to a practitioner’s hands that fascial
mobilization ‘softens’ or ‘melts’ the
fascia, as Rolf proposed. Alas, fascia as
plastic to pressure and the notion that
fascial plasticity causes posture change
has eluded scientific validation. Fascia
is a significant contributor to integration,
as an information conduit to the sensory
motor brain. Brain plasticity has acquired
broad scientific validation.
To summarize tonic function’s perspective Figure 1: A foot board (or
on structure: structure is behavior; the wall) provides a surface for
specific behavior to integrate is motor toes or feet to press against.
37
Figure 2: Toe pressing combined with inhalation and orientation to space

using hands and gaze helps provoke experience of elongation of front line Figure 3: Visual representation of the arc of imagined space.
and adaptability of G’.
more normalized reality of body movement help confirm, for the client, the proposal whole-body movement, one that engages
and bodily health. that the body is interested. hands and feet and eye gaze, and the
head itself, the head as a spatially sensing
part of the body. The hands and feet feed
Start Early and Continue Somatic Imagination sensory information to the movement
Throughout the Series Spatial orientation belongs to a particular brain, as does the use of the eyes for
kind of imagination – a form of imagination helping to build a sense of ‘potent space’.
How do these ideas about structure,
behavior, and gravity orientation fit into that the body is doing anyway. This form of
Rolf’s classic Ten Series or a ten-session imagination can be called, for convenience, Spatial Orientation for Session One
series of RMI? When is the right time to ‘somatic imagination’ (Frank and McHose To do the exploration: The client lies supine
start paying attention to the way a client 2020). It means the way bodies imagine on a bodywork table that has a foot board
orients, and to how head orientation, the world in which movement takes (or a wall) at one end (see Figure 1). Start
specifically, plays a role in many motor place. Therefore, in session one, we need
with guidance and touch that enables the
patterns? The proposal here is that we best to teach people some simple forms of
client to notice a sense of weight in the
begin right away, in session one. There are somatic imagination – somatic imagination
spine and ribs, the abdomen, and head.
that relates to the goals of the first session,
advantages to supporting a client’s head A sense of weight reminds the body of its
which include opening the front line,
orientation experience through the series. location – an important element. Weight
helping to normalize breath, and evoking
How might spatial and sensory orientation helps establish for the body a sense of
mobility of the upper center of gravity (G’)
that engages the head find its way into “I am here.” The body finds reassurance
as well as differentiating G (the general
session one? How do we explain why we repeatedly from this basic reminder.
gravity center) from G’.
work this way to a client?
The client can then be directed to sense
Orientation is what our brain does all his/her toes touching, but also being
the time, in the background. When we Building Potency of Space touched by, the foot board. S/he is asked to
introduce a client to conscious awareness to Open the Front Line and notice what changes in his/her experience
of weight or spatial orientation, it is
Breath as the toes press the board at the start of
helpful to mention that we are noticing an inhaled breath. People typically notice,
something, or augmenting something, How might we introduce spatial orientation after a few tries, how breath movement in
that is happening anyway. The body likes in session one? How do we evoke spatial the front line becomes fuller and easier.
active support for gravity orientation. Have orientation that engages peripheral gaze Elongation of one’s front line in response
the client notice how finding a sense of and peripheral awareness of the space to toe pressing is a normal relationship.
weight or feeling space changes a simple around the body and above the head? It happens in walking: there is a frontal
movement, like standing up from sitting Integration means linking together lengthening and an advance of the upper
or bending over from upright standing. differentiated elements in a system. center of gravity (G’) as the toes push off
Paying attention to orientation replaces Linking is possible on the bodywork and propel the upper body forward. To a
other, less helpful activity for movement table when multiple aspects of body certain degree it is just physics. Slowly
such as worry, thinking about what the movement and body awareness are executed and consciously noticed it
movement looks like, efforting, etc. It is engaged simultaneously. To evoke spatial becomes useful perception.
useful to introduce simple experiences that orientation, therefore, we want to provide a
38
Coupled with intermittent toe pressure imagination: hands are large in the with easy breath rhythm, and prefaced
that supports and enhances rib excursion sensory and motor homunculi. Hand by opportunity to feel a settling of the
during inhalation, we build on this initial movement is finely mapped and closely spine on the table, many clients discover
discovery. We invite conscious orientation monitored. When we visually observe a relationship between an imagined
to the space around the head and the and, at the same time, feel the motion of arc as ‘front line of space’ and the front
space beyond the top of the head. Toe our hand movement, our movement brain line of the body – each component
pressing and orientation in a headward registers proprioceptive, interoceptive, complementing the other. The imagined
direction go together naturally. (While the and exteroceptive information together, at ‘front line of space’ informs the body’s
client lies on the table, we briefly show the same time (Figure 2). The combination map of its bodily front line; and as a
the client how these two components helps clients reach a useful threshold breath occurs, the breath movement is
look in walking. We want to demystify the of perceptive clarity; they start to feel inspired by spatial orientation.
novelty of the proposal.) confident in the validity and reproducibility
of their experience. There is a further role for observed hand
The combination of toe press and outward/ movement: we show the client how to use
upward orientation helps enliven one’s The hands are enrolled to build a palpable his/her hands to make a shape we call
action space inside and out. There is more sense of the surrounding space. The the ‘orb of orientation’, an open basket-
room to move as the body recognizes there body notices hand gesture acutely. Hand like shape that we incorporate into the
is a bigger space to move in. And as this movements are learned, at first, more exploration of the arc of imagined space.
bigger movement happens, the breath is easily when they are slow, deliberate, The fingertips of both hands match and
liberated to be easier and responds to this and consciously noticed. The client touch each other to create this open
change in spatial orientation, naturally. The imagines feeling his/her hands ‘palpate’ orb as shown in Figure 4. This orb of
spatial horizon is refreshed and enlarged. the space as they move. The space can orientation utilizes the body’s sense of
A refreshed and enlarged spatial horizon, start to feel like it has its substance and its hands, to the space they occupy, the
in turn, helps support anterior/posterior that it touches the hands as they touch
mobility of G’. spaces between the fingers, and to the
the space. Proximity is, to the sensibilities shape produced as the fingers touch each
To make spatial orientation more tangible of the movement brain, a form of touch. other. This experience of shape amplifies
and noticeable – to make it easier and, Proximity to the body of the slowly hovered the body’s ability to imagine the space
at the same time, more effective – we hands becomes potent information. one observes with the eyes, but then also
suggest engaging the hands. The hands the space that passes out of sight, once
We invite the client to use his/her hands to
are a unique resource for somatic initially seen and felt, so orientation of
feel, and then express through gesture, the
space in front of the abdomen and chest, space is felt by the head. The client finds
and then the space in front of the face out that the head is a sense-receptive
and the sides of the head, and the regions part of the body. The orb of orientation
of space beyond the top of the head. teaches the head to orient and palpate the
Done in combination with intermittent toe space even though that region of space
pressure against the foot board, the client is not, at that moment, seen visually. This
slowly builds an imagined shape of space last point is vital. The orb moves from
above his/her supine body. We call this visually observed space to space around
shape an arc of imagined space, the feet the head that is not visually observable;
indicating the direction for one end of the this transition provides an opportunity
arc and the hands reach toward the top to witness head orientation that is first
end of the arc beyond the head (Figure seen, then not seen but, nonetheless, felt
A 3). This arc provides a spatial inspiration kinesthetically. Orientation thus starts to
for the inhaled breath. Imagined playfully, include a feeling that the head participates
B C
Figure 4: The ‘orb of orientation’: close up (A), moved toward (B), and then beyond (C).
39
in conscious exteroceptive awareness, a

fundamental skill for RMI.
Receptive (Haptic) Gaze

The orb of orientation leads to an additional
outcome: gaze acquires familiarity with
a receptive mode of perception. Gaze
learns be ‘active in receptivity’ – what
is called ‘haptic’. Haptic refers to those
dimensions of sense perception in which
there is an experience of being touched
by what is perceived. Received sense
perception finds ground in the body as
the body orients to a sense of weight.
Received sense perception relates to
weight because weight is about the body
noticing its location – weight tells the body
it is ‘here’. A feeling of ‘here’ enables the
sense of received sense perception.
These two aspects of orientation go
together. A client must first have found
some sense of received weight in the bones
A B or the soft tissues to be able to productively
build an imagined arc of space. Spatial
orientation is most somatically potent
Figure 5: Pressing a hand on the wall from the toes (A), and then pressing the foot to the floor from when there is a receptive or haptic quality
the hand on the wall (B) to build the support for the head belonging to space. to the imagined space. Weight and space
receptivity are built concomitantly. Work
done on the table (supine, sidelying, and
prone), seated, and standing – the body
integrates all of these more fully with
improved support from receptive gaze and
the capacity to imagine and utilize ‘orbs’ of
orientation in different postural situations.
Upper-Pole Integration
Through Whole-Body
Movements Seated,
Standing, and Walking
As a session or a series progresses, upper-
pole integration is fostered by whole-body
movements with hands and feet engaged
and connected to finding continuity with
movement through the spine. Once done
on the table, related integrative activity
is introduced seated and standing. Here
are three progressive variations for an
example of spatial support for integration
in upright situations.
Variation 1: The client stands in front of a
wall and assumes a contralateral stance,
Figure 6: Pressing a hand on the with the forward hand (same side as the
mirror, in the same manner of foot placed behind) pressing the wall. The
pressing the wall in the previous client links touch of the floor on the feet,
example, and exploring how spatial pressed hand to feel touch from the wall,
orientation of the head might shift and the spatial orientation of head and tail
the visual impact of one’s image. to build a palpable space around the head.
40
Figure 7: The contralateral meeting

brings head orientation into the
realm of relational dynamic.
Can somatic resources support
discovery of spaciousness in a
face-to-face meeting?
Looking at Figure 5, the image labeled A Sustaining these newly built perceptions practitioner and client feel the relative
shows that the client then rises on to the offers a resource, a presence, that success using either the hands or the
toes to press the wall followed by hand diminishes the potential awkwardness in feet to press against the wall such that
press on the wall to return the heel to the the face-to-face encounter. Rather than the press delivers elongation in the front
floor (B). With each press of toes and hand, an avoidance of awkwardness, attention of the spine – elongation palpable to a
the head space amplifies. Head orientation, is channeled to forms of somatic practitioner’s hand placed near T12 of the
thus arrived at, can evoke a sense that imagination that restore natural stability, client’s back.
the body hangs from the head. The head in this case being somatically present to
belongs to its surrounding space. a face-to-face meeting. Sufficient hand
Variation 2: The client stands in front of receptivity, foot receptivity, coupled
a wall with a mirror that reflects the upper with spatial receptivity at the upper pole
body and head at minimum (see Figure 6). allows a person to feel that s/he belongs
The client builds the support from hands in and to the space that s/he occupies
and feet and head and tail in same manner and appreciate that another person can
as variation 1, but practices allowing the become an interesting part of that big and
head orientation, the peripheral receptive supportive space, rather than a problem.
gaze to ‘soften’ the impact of this This form of meeting helps a client learn to
reflected visual self-image. As the client sustain omnidirectional head orientation
opens to spatial orientation of the head in social situations, or while walking – an
and to the space behind and around the activity in which integration can continue
reflected image, that reflected image can to deepen.
become less personal and less dominant
in proportion to the space felt and seen The Wall Test
around it. For a seated exploration, pressing the
Variation 3: Two people form a meeting, wall with toes and hands, we’ll use the
back of hand (or wrist) to back of hand, Wall Test (Figure 8; see also Frank and
each person in contralateral stance as McCall 2016). This requires sustained
shown in Figure 7. (Note the similarity awareness of the available support – the
to, but also the distinct differences from, bench surface touching the rami, the floor
a martial arts version of this setup.) The touching the feet, the wall touching the
two people both notice how the floor hands, the wall touching the toes – but
touches their feet and offers support. also, omnidirectional spatial presence for
They also notice received touch to the the head. An upper pole supported by
back of their hands from the partner’s omnidirectional orientation with space is
hand. Both people build an experience of essential for normalized stability in the Figure 8: The Wall Test setup. The test is a chance
omnidirectional head orientation to space, shoulder girdle; upper-pole stability frees to compare upper and lower girdle; capacity to
a spatial resource for negotiating the the hands and arms to connect easily to press with normalized stability depends in large
challenge of this direct sagittal meeting. and with the axis. The Wall Test helps the part on a head that belongs to the space.
41
Senses worked with the Hubert Godard-derived

Tonic Function Model since 1991 and
experienced has written on this topic from 1995 to
the present. Kevin advocates for an
as receptive ‘information system’ view of Rolfing SI to
help bring the SI field into congruence with
are possible modern understanding of motor control
and, in fact,
and perceptive/coordinative processes.
Caryn McHose is a Certified Advanced Rolfer
vital to broader and Rolf Movement Practitioner, as well as
a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner and
integration. Certified Biodynamic Cranial Practitioner.
She is the collaborator for Bodystories,
A Guide to Experiential Anatomy and The
Receptive Sense Perception Place of Dance by Andrea Olsen and is
the co-author with Kevin Frank of How Life
In addition to the value of spatial orientation
Moves: Explorations in Meaning and Body
via receptive gaze and a receptive sense via
Awareness. Caryn has taught perceptual
the head itself, other senses experienced
approaches to movement education for
as receptive are possible and, in fact,
over fifty years.
vital to broader integration. Evocation of
receptivity to sounds in the environment,
to the temperature of air on one’s skin, References
receptivity to smell – all the senses can
feed recovery of spatial orientation. Frank, K. and R. McCall. 2016 Sep.
Conversely, focusing with visual, auditory, “InterFaculty Perspectives: Integration –
and kinesthetic senses often reduces How Do We Define It? How Do We Assess
stability of, for example, the shoulder It? Where Do We Place It in the Ten Series?”
girdle, in the form of reduced palpatory Structural Integration: The Journal of the
sensitivity and less ease in pressing with Rolf Institute® 44(3):3–10
the hands. Movement-brain intelligence Frank, K. 2007. “Posture and Perception
is frequently interrupted by goal-directed in the Context of the Tonic Function Model
or analytic preoccupation, with all-too- of Structural Integration: An Introduction.”
familiar results. Ultimately, some focused 2007 IASI Yearbook, pp. 27–35.
perception, or analytic activity, does not
have to interrupt normal motor activity and Frank, K., 1995 Mar. “Tonic Function:
stability; however, it usually requires some A Gravity Response Model for Rolfing®
practice for efforted patterns to let go. Structural Integration and Movement
Education.” Rolf Lines 23(1):13–20.
Newton, A. 1995 Jul. “Basic Concepts in
Summary the Theory of Hubert Godard.” Rolf Lines
Weaving a client’s experience of the head 23(2):32–43.
as a primary element for spatial orientation Rolf, I.P. 1977. Rolfing, The Integration of
into the Ten Series of Rolfing SI or into a Human Structures. New York, NY: Harper
series of RMI session amplifies the power and Row.
of the series. Head orientation is more
von Bertalanffy, L. 1976. General System
likely to be part of integrative milestones
Theory: Foundations, Development,
if started at the outset of a series when
Applications, Revised Edition. New York,
the client may be most open to somatic
NY: George Braziller, Inc.
exploration as a component of each
session. Initial discoveries combined with
repeated inclusion of orientation practice
increase the chance clients will practice
on their own and apply their session
experiences to daily life. The upper pole is
fertile ground for evocation of changes in
motor behavior, especially as clients more
fully understand their role in the process.
Kevin Frank is a Certified Advanced
Rolfer, Rolf Movement Practitioner,
and Rolf Movement Instructor. He has
42
Vision, Perception,
Structure, and
Function
An Interview with Dr. Sam Berne
By Gael Rosewood, Certified Advanced Rolfer™, Rolf Movement®

Practitioner and Sam Berne, OD
ABSTRACT Gael Rosewood, Rolfer, Rolf Movement Practitioner, and Continuum

Movement teacher interviews Dr. Sam Berne, optometrist and so much more, on the
relationship of eyes to structure, perception, and movement and his innovations in
holistic eye care.
Gael Rosewood: I’m excited to be studied many different disciplines and

introducing Sam Berne OD to the Rolfing® consider myself a holistic practitioner. It’s
Structural Integration (SI) community. Sam been an exciting journey, I’ve met amazing
has been a colleague of mine through the people along the way, and I’m happy to
Continuum Movement community. We share what I know with your community.
Gael Rosewood met at various Emily Conrad workshops GR: How were you drawn into optometry?
and retreats. I became intrigued with his
SB: Well, it actually started when I was a
particular specialty as an eye doctor. I
child. At about eight years old and I was
took a workshop with him some years ago
diagnosed with a learning problem and
and have had an interesting journey into
my mom took me everywhere because
exploring his various healing protocols.
I couldn’t read. At an eye doctor’s office
It shows me that how I see the world
I got a pair of nearsighted glasses. That
is, as Rolfers know, a perceptual habit. I
didn’t address my learning problem but
have options, maybe options that I never I became a memorizer, that’s how I got
saw before. First, Sam, would you like to through school. My eyes kept getting
introduce yourself in any way? progressively worse. After I graduated
Sam Berne: Yes. I am an optometrist, optometry school, I met a holistic eye
but also much more than that. I’ve been doctor, Albert A. Shankman, OD, and
Sam Bern in practice over thirty-five years, and I’ve went through his physical eye therapy
43
the astigmatism in the eye, and let’s

say the client is also going to a Rolfer,
the Rolfer would call me and say, “Hey,
I don’t know what you did, but there’s
more movement, there’s more possibility
of symmetrical integration.” So releasing
the astigmatism released something in
the posture.
This is why people who wear really strong
lenses and are receiving bodywork [will
get better results] if they can reduce their
prescription or do something to take
tension out of the eyes. Then the body
will be more flexible and be able to go in
the direction of what you’re doing with
Rolfing work, because there’s room for a
The eyes are a portal into our health. release, there’s more harmony between
the eyes and the body.
program. He said two things to me: When we have an eye problem, there is GR: That’s very interesting. I want to ask
“Number one, the reason why you have usually a thread of a systemic, metabolic, you about several questions related to
a learning problem is you have a left eye energetic, postural reason for it. So instead the culture at this time as well as some
that drifts out and you’re not using your of treating symptoms (what most eye categories that reflect concerns people
two eyes together.” And second, “You can doctors do), I try to find the cause and have for their eyes. I’m curious about
definitely reverse your prescription.” So I treat that. Then the eye problem tends to this time of COVID-19, this time when
went through a sixth-month program and go away, and it also has an impact on the we have suddenly been propelled, like
I did both of those things. I dissolved my person’s brain health and overall wellness. it or not, into more screen time, often
prescription 100% and I learned to use So that’s in a nutshell where I started. more Zoom time, et cetera. What are you
my two eyes together. I stopped seeing noticing about people and their eyes in
GR: That’s an impressive list, say more.
double, and I became a voracious reader. relationship to this electronic age and the
It inspired me to move into a track of SB: We could go through any eye new pressures?
helping people improve their vision instead condition and I could tell you how it would
of just looking for disease and using be one of those, just like you read the SB: I’m noticing a marked and accelerated
pharmaceutical drugs and surgery – that’s body and that gives you a scroll of history. deterioration of vision that is so profound
the way most eye doctors are trained. I can tell a person’s history by assessing that it’s overwhelming. If we rewind to
what’s going on with their eyes and vision. our ancestors before screen time, all of
That started me on a very dynamic
The eyes are a really amazing portal into our viewing was mostly in the distance.
process where, although I’ve been out
our health, and recognizing that was a big Our eyes are not built for this level of
way ahead of the curve, luckily I’ve met
aha for me. screen time. First, when we are confined
other visionaries along the path. Along the
to any kind of a screen, we’re in a two-
way I studied various things. One was light GR: Does any example come to mind? dimensional world and we’re not in any
and color therapy for the eyes, which can
SB: There are many. But let’s talk about kind of relaxation. We’re actually going to
actually heal certain eye problems. And I
astigmatism, which means the eye the speed of the digital time, which creates
developed programs in hospitals working
is shaped more like an egg instead more compression in the eye tissue, less
with traumatic brain injury. When people
have had some kind of a whiplash or head of being spherical, that’s the optical oxygenation, less hydration. So more dry
injury, they can have tremendous vision definition. I noticed that when I measured eye, more oxidative stress. A first level [of
problems that either go undiagnosed astigmatism, did an hour of craniosacral issue] is more inflammation, more blurred
or that are hard for eye doctors to treat, right after, and then measured again, vision, and then a deeper level is this
so I developed ways to help people heal the astigmatism would be much less or causing conditions like cataracts, macular
their trauma. I’ve also worked with kids it would be gone. Then, going into more degeneration, glaucoma. You might see a
diagnosed along the autism to attention of a history, there would be things like sudden unexplained deterioration in vision,
deficit disorder (ADD) spectrum. I ended scoliosis, or one leg longer than the other, for example, like somebody developing
up going to massage school and became or some body asymmetry. When I reduce inflammation in their optic nerve.
a craniosacral therapist, and that opened
up a whole world of somatic awareness.
Then about ten or eleven years ago I met
Emily Conrad after teaching a workshop
When we have an eye problem, there
on vision improvement at her studio.
Eventually I became a Continuum teacher
is usually a thread of a systemic,
studying under Emily. So, I have a lot of metabolic, energetic, or postural
tools in my toolbox to help people improve
their eyes and vision. reason for it.
44
And then there’s the blue light issue. potential of peripheral vision because part of the retina. It makes up less than
Any digital device is emitting damaging you’re forced into looking through this 1% of the retina real estate, but it’s
blue light that’s between 400 and 455 very narrow optical system, inducing more important for our detail and color vision.
nanometers. That particular range of blue sympathetic response, more compression, Because there is not a direct nutrient
light is extremely damaging because it’s more cortisol being produced. And there connection (blood supply going to the
a very chaotic frequency. As we absorb you go, you’re just down a rabbit hole at macula), it’s vulnerable to oxidative stress
the light through our eyes, over time that this point. and free radical damage. There are two
chaotic waveform is damaging to the eye GR: From a Rolfer’s perspective, it sounds types of macular degeneration; the dry
tissue. And [if the exposure is] after 6:00 as if you’re saying that with a more kind where the macula dries out, and the
PM, it tricks the pineal gland to shut off open peripheral vision, your connective wet kind where fluid builds up behind
melatonin, so it affects our sleep cycle. tissues will follow suit. They will not be the macula. Either creates a distortion in
so compressed, so tight, and in general the center part of your vision and affects
It’s getting to the point where there’s so
become more permeable. Is that right? your ability to see detail. So that’s a very
many symptoms, so many problems,
attention-grabbing situation. And there
that I think we’re going to need to make SB: Yes, 100% yes. And that’s the key are some fabulous nutritional things,
a course correction – otherwise our that I’m trying to convey to eye doctors. exercise things, and many different
vision is going to be in such a bad state More peripheral vision leads to opening complementary therapies that can help
that we may not be able to get it back. up circulation and nutrients absorption, it reverse macular degeneration.
So, it’s pretty dramatic. With COVID-19, slows us down, puts us in a more receptive,
everybody is on their screens because of intuitive, slow state. GR: What would be your advice to
Zoom workshops and so on, and where somebody with macular degeneration?
So, suppose you and I were seeing the
we need to be is more in nature. More SB: I’ll give the prescription, and of course
same client, and let’s say this client was
in negative ions, and in movement and it could vary based on the person’s history
really near sighted. I would have them
breathing and hydration and sunlight – and so on. Number one, it’s very important
take the lenses off while being treated by
those kinds of things. It’s a huge problem. to make sure you’re getting carotenoids
you, and also give a very reduced lens
Unfortunately, a lot of the lens prescriptions prescription so that your treatment would in your diet – through vegetables that
that are given to people actually are making penetrate more deeply into their system. are red, orange, yellow, and green
the eyes worse. When you get into bifocals, If you’re wearing a lens that’s based on a pigmented. People know these as lutein
trifocals, you’re splitting the vision into two 20/20 eye chart, at some level you’re in a and zeaxanthin. These are very important
or three parts and then asking the eyes defensive posture, you’re in a defensive to protect the macula. If you’re going to
to focus through a narrow window. That strategy. That’s not going to be in the do a vitamin, you would do something like
has a very negative affect on our nervous eyes alone; it’s going to translate to the 16 milligrams of lutein and 4-6 milligrams
system, our endocrine system, our fluid whole body. of zeaxanthin daily. Then you would add
body. So, there’s ignorance out there in the a third carotenoid called astaxanthin,
This is the bridge and the partnership that which is a marine carotenoid, so you can
lenses that are being prescribed, whether I do with osteopaths, Rolfers, craniosacral
it’s based on economics or something that get that either from pink seafood or micro
practitioners, structural integrators, algae. As a supplement, you’re looking
your doctor has been indoctrinated with. Alexander Method and Feldenkrais
So, there’s some issues there. at 6-12 milligrams a day of astaxanthin.
Method® practitioners, and Continuum In addition, you would want to make
GR: Very big challenges. Can you say Movement teachers . . . they get it. But sure you’re eating a high percentage
more specifically how you see trifocals, eye doctors, they’re back in the fifteenth of plant-based foods, getting enough
bifocals, and specialized lenses affecting century here. It’s time to move forward, probiotics, and reducing inflammation in
the nervous system, the fluid system, and because whatever prescription you get the body – because any gut inflammation
the endocrine system? based on 20/20, you’re locking your eyes is going to affect the eyes. I would also
down into a position, and once you lock wear blue-light-blocking filters if you’re
SB: Yeah, the musculoskeletal system them down, there’s very little movement
too. Think of it this way, the bigger the on any digital devices, because blue light
in changing your vision. definitely affects the macula.
window you’re able to look through, the
more side vision or peripheral vision you GR: Wow. Do you have any eye diseases And then you can consider some ancillary
can access. Accessing peripheral vision that you want to speak to very specifically? treatments like acupuncture, which
activates the parasympathetic nervous SB: Well, I think we should speak of the works really well for macular problems.
system. When you over focalize, so three main ones. The first is macular In traditional Oriental medicine, there
you’re just tunneling in, a couple of things degeneration, which is the leading cause are meridians that go right to the eye,
happen. First, your vestibular system of blindness. The macula is the center and the organ of the liver is related to
shuts down. Second, because peripheral
vision is reduced, you go into sympathetic
nervous system overdrive – almost like
hypervigilance – and this over focalization
More peripheral vision leads to opening
affects your orientation, your memory, and
your depth perception. So the bigger the
up circulation and nutrients absorption,
window you’re able to look through, the it slows us down, puts us in a more
more relaxed you’re going to be. With
multifocal lenses, you are eliminating that receptive, intuitive, slow state.
45
the eye. So working with a traditional called glaucoma. It’s called the silent thief have created the structural defect.
Oriental medicine doctor can sometimes because you don’t know that you have And once they realize that and are
bring more energy to the macula. Those it and it begins to reduce the peripheral able to step into the new discovery,
would be just some basic broad-brush vision, the visual field, because it starts it starts to impact their orientation,
things. If you did those, you would have to damage the optic nerve. It’s a vascular their processing, their movement, their
a really good chance, at the very least, of disease, either the eye is not producing balance, and their decision-making. So
neutralizing the deteriorating, and at best enough fluid or the fluid that’s in the eye we’re probably doing similar things, but
of reversing the condition. is not circulating properly. So this is a I’m working from the eyes into the body
red flag for lymphatic health, connective- and you’re working from the body into
GR: Wonderful. What condition do you
tissue health, this is up your alley as the perception of the eyes. There’s no
want to talk about next?
Rolfers. If you start improving your fluid question that when we start using our
SB: Cataracts. For most people, as they health it can actually do things like bring eyes in a certain way, if it’s the same
age, the lens of the eye starts to accumulate eye pressure down. There have been pattern over and over again, eventually
metabolic waste. That’s kind of a normal studies that show that bouncing on a it’s going to create some deterioration
aging change, and the standard approach rebounder ten minutes a day can bring and disease.
is [a surgical intervention] when it gets bad your eye pressure down. Glaucoma is My job is to interrupt that pattern and, again,
enough; the surgeon just takes the lens very much related to stress, trauma (it there’s a lot of different techniques I’ve
out and puts in a plastic lens and you’re could be head trauma). Also, heavy metal developed visually that create obstacles
good to go. It’s a very high percentage toxicity can mask as glaucoma and affect for people. Of course, we do this in the
of success surgery. But there are things optic-nerve health. therapeutic setting. One of my favorites
that you can do in early-stage cataracts Again, the lymphatic piece is really is to give people either the opposite
to either slow down or sometimes even critical. So, there are things you can do prescription to what they normally wear –
reverse the condition, and there are a to neutralize the glaucoma pattern, and in which really throws them for a loop – or
couple essential ingredients that are some cases even reverse it. The standard I give them a prismatic prescription that
important for lens health. approach is pharmaceutical eye drops completely changes their orientation, their
The first is an antioxidant called glutathione, and eventually surgery. This is a condition visual midline, their relationship of vision,
it’s one of the master antioxidants in the where a lot of the complementary therapies vestibular, and proprioception states. They
body. There has been some research I promote work very, very well at reducing then have to find a new way of processing,
showing that people with low levels of optic-nerve damage and bringing the eye and I keep interrupting that. Sometimes
glutathione have a higher risk of developing pressures back to normal. I put people into a lot of blur. Blur is one
cataracts. I’d suggest daily supplementation GR: Interesting. We are well educated in of those experiences that people usually
at 240 mg per day. The second ingredient Rolfing training to understand that how we don’t like, because they feel they’re out
that’s supportive for lens health is vitamin of control, or fear they’re going to get
put our world together proprioceptively
C. There was a study done in the UK that injured – there’s some association they
affects our structural patterns and our
showed that people who ingested 1,000 made with blur. So when I put them into
functional habits. There is an assumption
blur, they do whatever it takes to avoid it
milligrams daily of vitamin C had a 33% that when clients learn from their Rolfing
and they do that through the eyeball – to
lower risk of developing cataracts. The process, they start to broaden how they
the point where the eye gives up because
third risk factor in cataracts is your glucose are perceiving their sense of themselves
of the intense mental fear of being out of
levels. So, if you eat sugar or have trouble and the world through their senses. So
control. When that happens, the tension
metabolizing carbohydrates and sugars, if we hope to send them out in the world
in the eyes releases so profoundly that the
you’re prediabetic, you have a higher risk of with new perceptual patterns. Now, if you
person’s eyesight comes back to normal.
developing cataracts. reverse this and think about perceptual
patterns as you know them from studying Emily Conrad, or one of the Continuum
Now what’s really interesting is there’s eye
eyes, what can you say about our visual folks, I’m not sure who, said that 60%
drops called Oclumed on the market that
habits and the kinesphere – how you to 80% of body tension may be carried
can improve lens health. These are natural
find those habits affecting people either in the eyes. I don’t know if it’s that high,
eye drops that actually contain glutathione
structurally or functionally. but think about how much tension people
and vitamin C. And then there’s some
carry, and the eyes are one of those
nutritional things that you could do. Again, SB: I think we are very much in
unrealized dead zones. When I do an eye
a plant-based, anti-inflammatory diet alignment here. If I speak from the eye
exam, ask people to read the chart, and
of low-glycemic-index foods, minimally point of view, the way we use our eyes
then I give them a relaxation lens, I say,
processed foods. These would be some functionally changes the structure of
“How do your eyes feel?” They have no
basic, broad-brush strokes that you the eyes and has echoes into changing
idea. Even people who are in somatic
could do to reduce cataracts. I’ve had the structure, posture, and movement
practices. These are the people who
hundreds of patients reduce cataracts of the body. What I’ve observed is that
should be in touch, but a lot of them say,
just by changing their diet, doing some when I can help people discover their
“I have no idea what I feel in my eyes.” It’s
detoxification process, and reducing their habits, conditioning, and belief systems
perceptually through their vision by part of the desensitization that we’ve all
stress levels. gone through, and [we need to begin to]
giving them different challenges – I
GR: Great. And then you had one more. strongly challenge their vision to move connect on a somatic level with our eyes.
SB: Yep. So this third one is a really out of the status quo – they start to GR: Very interesting. I’m wondering
interesting disease, it’s a vascular disease understand how their functional habits if you have a choice anecdote about
46
The way we use our eyes functionally changes the structure of

the eyes and has echoes into changing the structure, posture,
and movement of the body . . . When I can help people discover
their habits, conditioning, and belief systems perceptually
through their vision by giving them different challenges – I
strongly challenge their vision to move out of the status quo –
they start to understand how their functional habits have created
the structural defect . . . So we’re probably doing similar things,
but I’m working from the eyes into the body and you’re working
from the body into the perception of the eyes.
change that happened globally through faulty vision on the eyeball. But it’s not free information. I’ve done hundreds of
somebody’s life because their habitual the eyeball’s fault, it’s the programming video blogs on different conditions and
patterns of seeing changed? behind the eyes that causes the eyes also different eye exercise protocols.
SB: I have a great case. An actress was to change. The surgery changes the I list ninety-day EyeClarity protocols
referred to me by an osteopath. Her eye superficial external prescription in the for various conditions at https://www.
doctor prescribed one lens for distance eye. So now you’ve got the programming, drsamberne.com/category/eye-exercise/
so she could see in the distance and and then you’ve got the change in the eye-exercise-protocols/ (you can open
prescribed a second lens for near so eye, so it creates a mismatch. Of course each protocol to get the specifics). I
she could read without reading glasses. the programming is a lot stronger than also teach classes online, you can find
Well, that created such disorientation and the surgical procedure, which is why, that on my website as well. I usually do
blurred vision that she ended up in the over time, the eyes revert back to where a monthly, Saturday morning class, and
osteopath’s office getting cranial work. they were. And it’s pretty devastating to then a retreat a couple times a year.
My assessment was that the eye doctor people when they recognize that their
programming is what’s caused their And then the third point that I would make
corrected the right eye for distance and the is that you can change your eyes and
left eye for near, but she was trying to use eyes [to be this way] and that’s what
needs to change. vision at any age, even as you get older.
her near eye for distance and her distance You could probably speak to this too,
eye for near – so there was a huge conflict GR: This is such important information. through your healing work, that age is a
mentally and somatically – and on top of Well, I’m going to open this up to you, number. There are some really amazing
that, it was splitting her eyes. Sam, to see what you would still like to say. things that you can do to at least give
I got her in some reversed prescription SB: I’ll leave readers with three things. people the tools to become better at self-
exercises and initially she couldn’t handle First, and we touched upon this, is that regulating. This is how I bring Continuum
the blur. She got very dizzy and disoriented. how we function with our eyes changes into the vision work, teaching some very
I said, “Okay, go into the disorientation. the structure of our eyes, so that if we short ‘dive’ or sound bath and having
Don’t fight it.” And after every session can do some kind of physical therapy people touch their eyes with their eyes
she would say, “My eyes feel so much through our vision and become aware closed . . . It’s amazing healing, putting
more relaxed and I see more clearly.” Fast of the function, we can change the sound and touch in and around their eye
forward three months, she came in today structure. There’s no statute of limitations tissue. It immediately enlightens and
and said, “I feel great. I’m integrated – I of age or genetics that interferes with this gives access to something much deeper.
would never go back to that monovision – ability to heal. One of my sayings is we And it gives the permission to do that.
and my osteopath is confirming based on don’t have a genetic destiny because our
what he is feeling. And it was a nightmare, So those would be the main points. This
grandparents or great-grandparents had
I thought I was losing my mind.” As a is a field where I feel like I’m a pioneer,
a certain condition.
result, her creativity is taking off, her focus kind of out ahead of the curve.
is taking off, her teaching is taking off. The second point I would make is that if a
GR: Are you finding a way to reproduce
So that’s one success story of many that person starts to feel they are being bullied
yourself yet?
illustrates the point you’re talking about. into a certain procedure or a certain
method of treatment, they should pause SB: Not yet, but I’m sure that will come.
GR: That’s a wonderful story. What about and seek out a more holistic perspective. Right now it’s more about just connecting
the people who have their vision changed You could begin to examine what are with people. I think that because of COVID-
through a surgery? some other alternatives besides just 19 social media and the internet are really
SB: You’re talking about is LASIK surgery. doing drugs and surgery. On my website, great ways to connect with people. There
Think of it this way, we want to blame www.drsamberne.com, I have a lot of are a lot of channels to do that, and for
47
How we function with our eyes changes

the structure of our eyes . . . we can
change the structure . . . there’s no
statute of limitations of age or genetics
that interferes with this ability heal.
those that are interested, they will find and health. He was on the faculty at the
a way. But it’s also why I love talking to Esalen Institute, in Big Sur, California, where
people like you, because you’re already he taught the month-long Legacy Program
there, you’re just doing it from a different and also weekend and five-day workshops
place. But we’re doing similar things, and using his methods to improve vision and
so those are the kind of folks I’m seeking wellness. He is a certified aromatherapist,
out, that’s how it’ll disseminate into the craniosacral therapist, and an Authorized
mainstream. It’s changing, it’s happening, Continuum Movement Teacher. He hosts
there’s a movement going on. So those a weekly podcast called the EyeClarity
are the big points, and I’m excited about Podcast, and also has a weekly Facebook
the future and what’s going on, how Live show where he answers questions
people are responding. from his followers. Aside from his eye
therapy protocols, he also has developed
GR: And you can work remotely with
products and natural eye drops to help
people?
support vision and wellness. His website is
SB: Yes, working remotely is very simple. www.drsamberne.com.
Sometimes I’ll have people send me their
Gael Rosewood is a Certified Advanced
eye records, so I can review those and get
Rolfer, Rolf Movement Practitioner, and
a baseline on where we start. But then
Continuum teacher. She is well-known for
from that place, yes, we can do wonders
training and working directly with Dr. Rolf
from a distance.
and Emilie Conrad. Gael helped to create
GR: Thank you. the Rolf Movement program at the Dr. Ida
SB: I want to thank you for inviting me, Rolf Institute®and was also an instructor for
I love Rolfing work. One of my favorite the until 1998. She still teaches CE courses
people is Jan Sultan, and here in Santa for Rolfers and mentors students by request.
Fe we have lots of Rolfers. So I’m a firm Note: Sam Berne photo ©GenevieveRussell.
believer in it. I went through that process
and it gave me my body back after all the
injuries I had had. So I love the work, I love
how you’ve integrated it. I watched one of
your videos for the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute®
(DIRI; see https://vimeo.com/471168958)
where you eloquently shared Ida Rolf’s
story and her vision, and how you met
her. It’s remarkable the people you’ve
met over the years. And Emily Conrad, of
course, as well. So onward we go.
GR: Onward we go, yes.
Dr. Sam Berne has been in private practice
in New Mexico for over thirty-five years
working with patients to improve their
vision and overall wellness through holistic
methods. He holds a Bachelor of Science
from Pennsylvania State University, Doctor
of Optometry from Pennsylvania College,
and did his postdoctoral work at the Gesell
Institute in collaboration with the Yale Study
Center. He is also a teacher, author, and
researcher. He is known as a thought leader
in the field of integrative-alternative vision
48
Innervation of the
Eye, Orbit, and Eyelid
Assessment and Treatment
By Jeffrey Burch, Certified Advanced Rolfer™
ABSTRACT This article describes the innervation of the eye and the container of
the eye. Assessment methods are described to reduce tensions in nerves to the eye, the
lining of the eye socket, and the eyelids.
Organization of the Nerves of which arises from the brain stem. All cranial
nerves exit the brain case through apertures
the Eye in the cranial base. Some cranial nerves
Each eye is innervated by several cranial exit the brain case through a single port.
nerves, each carrying variously visual Other cranial nerves branch extensively
information from the retina, control of within the brain case, with some of their
the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the individual branches exiting the brain case
Jeffrey Burch eye, and autonomic innervation. The six through each of several ports. Some whole
cranial nerves that innervate the eye are: or branches of cranial nerves share a port
with other cranial nerves. Some branches
• CN II - Optic nerve of cranial nerves innervate structures within
• CN III - Occulomotor nerve the cranium including the meninges (see
Figure 1).
• CN IV - Trochlear nerve
Several cranial nerves travel from the
• CN V - Trigeminal nerve brain case to the orbit, all of them entering
• CN VI - Abducens nerve the orbit through three closely adjacent
apertures in the posterior surface of the
• CN VIII – Vestibulocochlear nerve
orbit. Once in the orbit these nerves fan
All of the nerves innervating the eye and out to innervate the several parts of the
its container are cranial nerves, each of eye and its musculature. Given the more
49
1)
Figure 1: Innervation of the eye. Copyright Thieme Medical Publishers Inc. 2017. Used with permission.
or less cone fan-shape of nerves from a The inner surface of the orbit has sensory article, here is descriptive information
small area in the back of the orbit to the innervation from the trigeminal nerve. about the structure of nerves in general.
several parts of the eye and its muscles, This is different from the branch of the
Each nerve cell is an elongate single cell,
each movement of the eye will slack trigeminal nerve that provides sensory
having a wider body and a thin, elongated
nerves toward one side of the eye and innervation to the eye itself. A method
axon that may be up to 1m in length.
add tension to nerves on the opposite is described below to apply therapeutic
The diameter of axons is variable but
side. Therapeutically, we can utilize slow levels of tension to the trigeminal branches
in human nerves the dimension of their
small movement of the eye to assess supplying the surface of the orbit.
diameter clusters around one micrometer,
tension in these nerves, and to apply
or 1/1,000mm. The largest diameter axon
therapeutic load to nerves which may be
too tight. How to do this is detailed below. Innervation of the Eyelids might be seen with a strong magnifying
glass, but most axons require a microscope
The eyelids have motor innervation by for visualization. In contrast to the individual
branches of both CN VII, the facial nerve, axons, macroscopic nerves are easy to
Innervation of the Lining of and CN III, the oculomotor nerve. Eyelid see with the naked eye and to feel with
the Orbit sensory innervation is from the trigeminal the hand. For example, the optic nerve is
nerve, CN V1. The ‘1’ after V designates about 5mm in diameter. The largest nerve
The eye is housed in the bony orbit. The
the ophthalmic branch, the most superior in the body, the sciatic nerve, is about the
shape of the orbit resembles an elongated
of three branches of the trigeminal nerve diameter of the person’s thumb.
four-sided pyramid with a flattened top.
which exit the braincase separately.
The four sides of the orbit – left, right, How do individual axons with a diameter
superior, and inferior – are relatively of .001mm relate to macroscopic nerves
flat, more or less trapezoidal surfaces,
Structure of Nerves and of 1mm, 5mm, or 2cm in diameter?
converging posteriorly toward the back Each macroscopic nerve contains many
of the orbit where they are capped by Related Pathology individual axons bundled together as
a rhombic planar surface that lies in an As a step to understanding the assessment a multiconductor cable, resembling a
approximately coronal plane. and treatment methods provided in this telephone cable with many individual
Therapeutically, we can utilize slow small movement of the eye

to assess tension in these nerves, and to apply therapeutic load
to nerves which may be too tight.
50
wires in it carrying separate conversations. increased effort will be required to produce further in the direction of stretch until
Within each macroscopic nerve, each further movement. This increase of effort to a new first barrier is felt.
individual nerve axon is insulated so that produce more movement does not follow 4. Proceed in this way through a
the nerve cells do not cross-talk with each a smooth curve; it has steps. We call the succession of first barriers. If you started
other. The insulating material is connective first step up or increase in this effort the from a slack position, this succession of
tissue, part of the interstitium. In addition ‘first barrier’. The first barrier is often, but barriers will move through and past the
to the insulating material, macroscopic not always, a highly beneficial force level equilibrium position.
nerves also contain additional connective at which to treat. (Some methods use
tissue for structural strength. While each any other effort barrier, up to end-feel.) 5. When a somewhat larger and more
macroscopic nerve is made up of many Once a first barrier load is established, it generalized release is felt, you are done.
axons, the composition of each nerve is is maintained dynamically as the tissue 6. Gently retest the near end-range
50%-90% connective tissue. Like any incrementally releases. By ‘maintained span of tissue in this direction to end-
other connective tissue, the connective- dynamically’ we mean that as the tissue range in the direction treated.
tissue components of nerves can, and incrementally releases, we adjust the 7. Retest the end-range span of the
frequently do, become fibrosed. That is to position of our treating hands to maintain tissue in other directions.
say, the repair process overshoots, adding the same sense of the first barrier load
too much fiber and shifting the fiber balance through a sequence of new positions. 8. Continue to treat the other
toward more collagen and proportionately directions as needed.
less elastin. Fibrosity of the connective- We’ll go through the sequence of finding
and treating at the first barrier. 9. At the first subtle sign of swelling or
tissue components of a nerve reduces its edema in the tissue stop. Make a note to
elasticity. Elasticity of nerves is necessary 1. Use two contacts, usually two recheck this tissue at the next treatment.
to accommodate movement. hands, to slack the tension in the It may have improved on its own or may
A common way for nerves innervating the tissue. To accomplish this, contact the benefit from additional treatment.
eye to become fibrosed is acceleration tissue at two points and slowly shorten
Emphasizing this last point, it is important
injuries. If while walking or running I run the tissue, so it become more slack.
to recognize when treatment is sufficient.
into something, my body is abruptly 2. Very slowly release the load required Several releases will be felt. As you work
stopped while my eyes continue forward, to slack the tissue. If the first barrier through the several small increments of
ballistically stretching the nerves to the is at a location more slack than the release, watch for a subtle feeling of fluid
eye. Nerves also fibrose as they heal from
equilibrium position of the tissue, you filling. This fluid-filling sensation indicates
other insults including infection or injury
will observe that to slack this tissue, the first beginning of inflammation. Stop
due to chemical exposure.
you have to stretch other tissues the treatment of this bit of tissue. By
When a nerve to an eye is fibrosed it cannot engaging them like a stretched spring. treating further after the subtle fluid filling
adequately elongate as the eye moves in
its socket. This movement limitation can
lead to the person either positioning the
head more or less off center, and/or making
A common way for nerves innervating
routine asymmetrical movements with the
head as a whole in order to position the
the eye to become fibrosed is
eyes. Over time these adaptations have
large effects on the person’s neck and,
acceleration injuries . . . Nerves also
from there, the rest of the body. fibrose as they heal from other insults
The methods described below restore the
elasticity of the nerves to the eyes. including infection or injury due to
chemical exposure.
Treatment Method: First-
Barrier Stretch As you very slowly release the force is felt, you may make the tissue feel less
There are several different treatment required to load this spring, watch for tense at this time, but you are tipping into
methods that can be used to restore the a moment when the springiness of the tissue damage that will be followed in the
elasticity of the nerves to the eyes. The tissue suddenly seems to push less weeks ahead by new fibrosis in the area.
method described here is easy to perform hard into your hands. You are now at Rather than continuing with treatment of
and relatively safe. It is called First-Barrier the first barrier. If instead you arrive this tissue at this time, note what was
Stretch. This method is described first in back at equilibrium without observing accomplished, then at a future treatment
general terms and then in its particular this, then slowly begin to stretch the two weeks or more in the future, re-assess
application to the innervation of the eye. tissue beyond its resting state until the area. You will likely find the tissue to
there is a small but distinct rise in the be better than you left it. Further treatment
Tissue may be mobility tested in any
force required to stretch the tissue. In may be desirable at this later date. This
direction. If the tissue is stretched or
this case, this will be the first barrier.
compressed very slowly, at first a certain caution and process is important for all
effort to move the tissue will be perceived. 3. Once at the first barrier, wait until tissue. Given the vulnerability of the eye,
As movement proceeds through the range, a release is felt. Then proceed slowly this cautious process is mandatory.
51
Application to the Innervation the client to move their eyes in tiny contact and manipulate the eyelid itself. It is
increments further sequentially in best to treat one eyelid at a time.
of the Eye the two directions in which they had 1. For the right eye, use the right hand
The general first-barrier method above loaded the tissue initially. to establish a unilateral cranial base
describes first slacking the tissue and 4. After these next first barriers are dynamic stabilization on the right
then springing out to and perhaps stacked in this way, wait for a further side of the cranial base, as described
eventually beyond the resting equilibrium release perceived at the cranial base. above, with contacts on the occiput,
of the tissue as the tension in the tissue Continue this cycle until a greater mastoid process, and greater wing of
incrementally decreases. For the eye release is felt and the eye can be the sphenoid. Then with the pad of
this is done in a special way utilizing moved significantly farther without your left index finger, contact the right
movement by the client. creating a pull at the cranial base. upper eyelid. Gently traction the eyelid
1. Since the cranial nerves all exit from 5. Then ask the client to rest their eyes in eight directions, up, down, left, right,
the cranial base, the practitioner will to center before repeating the whole and both directions on the diagonals
contact the cranial base to provide a process. As before explore multiple between up-down and left-right.
dynamic stabilization. Establish this directions. Choose the direction at 2. Note the apparent elasticity of the
dynamic stabilization by placing your which the first barrier is felt at the eyelid in each direction, and also
two hands in a classic craniosacral shortest distance of travel. This may note pulls felt in the cranial base
therapy hold, where with the client be the same direction as before or not. as limitation is approached in any
supine on the table and yourself at the The distance traveled will be greater direction. If the eyelid tissue will not as
end of the table facing the client’s head, than the first round. By this method easily go in a direction, and if there is
you slide the third, fourth, and fifth any tight cranial nerve innervating the a concurrent pull to the cranial base,
fingers of both hands under the client’s eye will be elongated. this indicates a tight cranial nerve to
occiput, one hand from each side, left the eyelid. If the eyelid shows reduced
and right. The second fingers contact The process as described works on both
elasticity but challenging this does
the mastoid processes. The pads of eyes together. It is usually not possible
not result in a pull at the occiput, then
your thumbs contact the greater wings to know which nerve or nerves are being
the stiffness in the eyelid is due to
of the sphenoid, immediately posterior stretched at any given moment; however,
something other than innervation.
to the margins of the orbit. In this way in the end all of the nerves of the eye will
you can control the occiput, temporal, achieve good span. 3. Recall that when a tight cranial
and sphenoid bones. nerve to the eye is detected, one
It is possible to work on one eye at a
finds and treats at a first barrier load
2. With your hands in this position ask time, by using a one-handed hold on
in several increments as described
the client to very slowly move their eyes the ipsilateral side of the cranial base for
above. For the eyelid, however, the
until you feel tissue engagement. The the eye being worked on. The second
practitioner works with two contacts
eye movements must be very small. hand can then very gently contact the
– one on the eyelid and the other on
To guide this, ask them to look at the eye through the eye lid. The practitioner
the ipsilateral cranial base. Unlike for
ceiling and notice small irregularities then moves the eyeball. While this can
the eye itself, the client’s movements
there, then to use the small irregularities be effective, there are drawbacks. The
are not used.
as landmarks to shift the gaze in tiny unilateral hold on the cranial base is
increments. Ask them to sweep their less certain than a bilateral contact, 4. Several directions may benefit from
eyes slowly left and note where a first and there is some risk to the client from treatment.
barrier pull is felt in any or all of the directly contacting the eye (for example, 5. Follow the same procedure for the
bones of the cranial base. Then ask the if the person has glaucoma, the added lower eyelid.
client to shift their gaze slowly right to pressure on the eye can be damaging).
In contrast, having the person move their 6. To assess and treat the left eyelid,
where you feel a first-barrier pull. One change your hands to establish a
of these first barriers will be felt sooner own eye engages them in the process
mirror image of this setup.
than the other. You may initially work and gives them agency.
at either the near first barrier or the far
first barrier.
Application to the Innervation Application to Innervation of
3. Once this first barrier is found in a
of the Eyelid the Lining of the Eye Socket
left-right dimension, ask the client to
start from this new beginning place, left The innervation of the lining of the eye
Motor and sensory innervation of the eyelid
or right of center, and to also shift their socket is by the trigeminal nerve and is
is achieved by CN VII (the facial nerve), CN
gaze a tiny bit up, then down. Notice purely sensory. As with the nerves serving
III (the oculomotor nerve), and sympathetic
where the first barriers are in this the eye, these trigeminal branches to the
nerve fibers. The facial nerve innervates the
second dimension, superior-inferior. lining of the socket emerge from a port in
orbicularis oculi, frontalis, procerus, and
Ask the client to maintain their gaze the posterior surface of the eye socket.
corrugator supercilii muscles and supports
steady at the accumulated first barriers eyelid protraction. A treatment method A mechanism of injury for the nerves
in two dimensions. When you perceive similar to that described for the innervation innervating the eye was described in
some release from the vantage point of the eye can be used. For the eyelid, which the forward motion of the body is
of your cranial-base contacts, ask however, it is practical for the therapist to suddenly stopped, while the eyes continue
52
forward ballistically stretching the nerves

to the eye. For the trigeminal branches
I want to emphasize safety . . . describe
innervating the lining of the eye socket, what you want to do with your client. Get
the related mechanism is somewhat
different but also related to concussion. their agreement. Work gently and at a
If the brain is ballistically accelerated
within the braincase, this jerks on cranial slow to moderate pace.
nerves. This mechanism of injury can
apply to any cranial nerve. The trigeminal 3. Repeat this process adapting the manipulation. Having learned assessment
nerves innervating the lining of the socket position of your left hand to successively and treatment methods in several
are relatively fixed in their positions. If the work with the superior, medial, and osteopathically derived schools, he then
brain is quickly accelerated within the inferior margins of the orbit, in order to developed several new assessment and
braincase, this motion sharply pulls on the assess and treat the branches of the treatment methods that he now teaches,
nerve branches to the orbit, injuring them. trigeminal nerve serving each of the four along with established methods. In recent
To apply a first-barrier stretch to the surfaces of the orbit. years he has developed original methods
trigeminal branches to the lining of the 4. For the left orbit set up a mirror for assessing and releasing fibrosities
orbit we make use of the elasticity of bone. image of this positioning and process. in joint capsules, bursas, and tendon
Living bone has about the same elasticity sheathes, which he is also beginning to
as a piece of nylon of the same size and teach. Jeffery is the founding editor of the
contour. Our general understanding of Conclusions IASI Yearbook to which he contributes
bone has been led astray by handling regularly, as well as to other journals. He
dead, dry bone, which has the same The innervation of the eye and its adnexa served for many years as a member of the
relationship to living bone as beef jerky is complex and fascinating. While it is Rolf Institute® Ethics Committee. For more
does to living muscle tissue. It takes not necessary to know all of the details information visit www.jeffreyburch.com.
surprisingly little force to bend bone. For of anatomy to perform the assessments
the method described here be gentle. and treatments described in this article,
knowing more detail is likely to increase
1. To assess and treat the innervation of
the practitioner’s sensitivity. Details of
the lining of the lateral face of the right
the innervation are readily available in
orbit, have the client supine and sit at
anatomy books and on-line.
the client’s head. Use your right hand
to establish a one-handed dynamic In closing I want to emphasize safety.
stabilization of the right cranial base as Before beginning, ask your client about
described above with contacts on the any known eye-related pathology. In
occiput, mastoid, and greater wing of response to what you hear, err on the
sphenoid. Then, with a finger or fingers side of caution. If you decide to proceed,
of the left hand gently compress the describe what you want to do with your
lateral margin of the right orbit postero- client. Get their agreement. Work gently
medially. This bends the bone to slack and at a slow to moderate pace. Keep
the innervation toward the emergence up the conversation with your client.
of the nerve at the posterior of the eye. Describe what you are doing and why.
As you compress this margin watch for Ask the client about their awareness as
any sense of relaxation in the cranial you work. Stop if there is any discomfort.
base. Such relaxation suggests there Jeffrey Burch was born in Eugene, Oregon
was tension in the innervation of the in 1949. He grew up there except for part
area being assessed. of his teen years lived in Munich, Germany.
2. Next, slowly diminish the pressure Jeffrey received bachelor’s degrees in
on the lateral margin of eye socket, biology and psychology, and a master’s
watching for the first sense of pull in degree in counseling from the University
your cranial-base contact hand. When of Oregon. He was certified as a Rolfer in
this pull is felt, stay at this level of 1977 and completed his advanced Rolfing®
stretch on the nerves by maintaining Structural Integration certification in 1990.
just enough pressure postero-medially Jeffrey studied cranial manipulation in three
on the margin of the orbit. As each different schools, including with French
increment of release occurs, lighten etiopath Alain Gehin. Starting in 1998 he
your pressure a hint more until the began studying visceral manipulation with
first-barrier pull is again felt. Continue Jean-Pierre Barral and his associates,
in this fashion through a series of completing the apprenticeship to teach
releases until either you have arrived at visceral manipulation. Although no longer
no pressure on the margin of the orbit associated with the Barral Institute, Jeffrey
or there is a subtle sense of fluid filling. has Barral’s permission to teach visceral
53
Exploring the Grunwald

Eyebody Method®
An Interview with Ina Bretschneider-Baker
By Naomi Wynter-Vincent, PhD, Certified Advanced Rolfer™, Rolf

Movement® Practitioner and Ina Bretschneider-Baker, Certified
Rolfer, Rolf Movement Practitioner
ABSTRACT In this interview, Ina Bretschneider-Baker discusses her experience

with the Grunwald Eyebody Method and the positive impact it had on her eyes
and life. Grunwald eye types are considered and how this information aligns with
Bretschneider-Baker’s Rolfing® Structural Integration practice.
Naomi Wynter-Vincent: The Grunwald to try and the impact was immediate: my
Eyebody method makes use of these system calmed down – from irritation and
remarkable pinhole glasses (see Figure overload to peace and rest in the fraction
1). You mentioned to me previously that of a second. I had never heard of Eyebody
you first tried the glasses in 2015 on before – and had no particular interest in
the recommendation of your Rolfer. Had my eyes. At the time I was using varifocals
you heard about Eyebody before? Did on a permanent basis – for reading,
you have a particular concern or interest computer work, and distance – and I saw
around your eyesight? them as part and parcel of the ageing
process. After the Eyebody workshops, I
Ina Bretschneider-Baker: I first tried the now use weaker two-field varifocals. My
glasses between Phase II and III of my glasses are in permanent movement. I
Ina Bretschneider-Baker Rolfing® Structural Integration (SI) training. take them off as soon as I am not reading
My Rolfer, Erika Gornott gave them to me or working at the PC, they are constantly
Naomi Wynter-Vincent
Figure 1: Ina Bretschneider-
Baker wearing the Grunwald
Ina Bretschneider-Baker Eyebody pinhole glasses.
54
moving between the top of my nose, the Japanese texts during that time, and the was willing to follow his guidance, without
top of my head, or dangling down from need for the reading glasses disappeared, resistance, and to my amazement I could
a string around my neck. I am not a true for approximately two decades. sense different parts of the eye: I had the
Eyebody follower in the sense of aiming to NWV: How do you respond to the extremely sensation of fluid coming into the eye, and
live entirely without glasses: I continue to detailed anatomical differentiation that moving; I was able to actively change the
find them a handy tool. Grunwald claims is possible (e.g., that position of my vitreous humour by using
NWV: Can you tell me something about it is possible to discern tension in the my imagination, and enjoy the difference
the (social, cultural, psychological) ‘sheath of the optical nerve’). I have read – similar to the sensation of release from
‘history’ of your eyesight? For example, I ‘debunkings’ of his theory that say that active movement participation in a Rolfing
became a glasses-wearer at around age this is not technically possible. What do intervention. To my own amazement, I
nine because (in the classic way) a teacher you think? learned to sense and be able to differentiate
noticed that I could not read everything on various parts of my visual system, to
IBB: I do not know how you work with specifically address some of them with my
the blackboard (I am mildly short-sighted). anatomy books, images of fascia, etc.
But my mum was dead set against them, imagination and create changes for myself.
For me, they are attempts to create Whether this is technically possible, or not,
chiefly for aesthetic reasons, and she a common ground for understanding
strenuously believed that wearing glasses does not interest me at all. The imaginative
– while every individual using the journeys created results for me which have
was the result of people ‘reading too material will re-imagine and interpret the
many books’, something she disapproved been helpful, to say the least.
material in their own specific way. In my
of. For her, glasses-wearing was a sign understanding, Peter Grunwald uses eye When I applied for the Rolfing SI training,
of intellectualism in direct conflict with anatomy as a common gateway by which the admission paper asked us to breathe
female attractiveness, although she later in and out, then describe the anatomical
to introduce his own personal research
reconciled herself to her spectacles- structures that I could sense being actively
– which is a study not really of anatomy
wearing daughter through the cliché of involved in this process of breathing for
but of the human potential to explore
the ‘sexy after-hours librarian’. I’ve made me. I struggled with this question. Later
one’s own body and senses. Peter takes
wearing glasses something of a personal on, I read another applicant’s answer to
his students on a wonderful imaginative
trademark, but from a Rolfing SI and the same question (we exchanged our
journey. Does it finally matter whether
Eyebody point of view, I realize that glasses application papers after the deadline had
what you sense during this journey of
limit my potential ‘eye-intelligence’. passed) and was amazed by the very
travelling through your visual system is
fine and detailed description she gave.
IBB: As a child, my three elder siblings really in [perfect] correspondence with
So many things she could sense and
ended up wearing glasses, and I would what the anatomy books and medical
describe! Seven years later, my awareness
have loved to have them too. There was studies tell us?
is different, and my description could be
a process connected to them: finding out In many ways I find the Eyebody approach similarly rich and detailed – something that
what was wrong made you at the center similar to Rolfing SI: a process of exploring was beyond my imagination at the time.
of attention for a while. Glasses (and the the wonders of a body and creating Likewise, when you turn your interest and
children wearing them) had to be looked space for pulsation, for breath, for life. We awareness to the visual system, explore
after: there were regular eye tests, and work at our best when we ‘lift off’ from your eyes and eyesight in detail with your
money – which was always lacking – was the anatomy books and allow our senses senses, exploring in action as much as in
spent on them. Later in the 1960s there to sense and our imagination to guide us. meditation, it is my personal experience
were more fashionable models of eyewear, Personally, I have long regarded myself that a high level of differentiation is
and of course glasses stood for reading as not being creative, unable to operate possible through the imagination. Whether
and studying; in short: being intelligent! in the imaginary spheres: lack of fantasy, it is really the sheath of the optical nerve
I did have reading glasses for a short time in lack of imagination, lack of sensitivity and you are exploring, or your imagination
my mid-twenties, when I was studying for sensibility – good at coping, surviving, thereof, is, to me, irrelevant, as long as
the Japanese Language Diploma at Bonn sorting things through and/or out, getting by experience of this exploration you
University in 1980-1981. The Japanese done what must be done. Rather more can sense flow, a difference in tension, in
texts, particularly the dictionaries, were in of a laborer than an intellectually or orientation, in being. A strangely wonderful
very small print and photocopies were still artistically talented person. journey, indeed.
of rather poor quality. The need for them at The guided meditations of Peter Grunwald NWV: I am intrigued by the connections
the time felt like proof of ‘proper’ studying, made an incredible change for me here. I Grunwald draws between different visual
and I got frames that looked very much like
the glasses my father had been wearing in
my early childhood years in the 1950s. As
a certified Japanese translator, I returned In many ways I find the Eyebody
to Berlin in Autumn 1981, working for a
Japanese trading house in East Berlin,
approach similar to Rolfing SI: a
commuting to work during the time of the
Berlin Wall several times a week, until I
process of exploring the wonders of a
graduated with an MA in Japanese studies, body and creating space for pulsation,
sociology, and politics at Free University
Berlin in 1988. Ironically, I rarely read for breath, for life.
55
patterns and personality types. In the the Eyebody method, I have understood system. They can experience that change
history of Rolfing SI we have sometimes by personal experience that I belong is possible to the extent that one is willing
sailed close to these kinds of ideas but to the mixed types group with a right to let go of old attachments and habitual
stop short of ascribing personality types over-extended and left contracted eye [visual] patterns, allowing for presence in
to posture. How do you respond to this type. This difference between my eyes the here and now. Participants’ willingness
aspect of Grunwald’s thinking, in terms has [had] an impact in my daily life and to explore and allow new experiences may
of what you learned, both about yourself, been the cause of sudden irritation and enable them to establish a new sense
and in your work with clients? confusion. Having learned to read the of vision: one that does not depend on
signs of my system and knowing better grasping only at sharp, clear vision, but
IBB: Peter Grunwald differentiates between
how to address them, I am much less which allows for flow, sensing, intuition,
the ‘over-extended’ and the ‘contracted’
given to these patterns. With some clients time, visualization, and being in the here
type of eye, each showing specific
I can sense their visual preferences – and and now. And life might be very different if
differences, anatomically, energetically, etc. can approach them when working at the we could learn to see with these new kinds
There are different possible combinations table on their contracted, ‘safer’ side first. of vision.
of these eye types: double over-extended,
double contracted, mixed type right During the workshops, wearing In German, the Eyebody mantra is lebendige
over-extended, and mixed type left over- prescription glasses or contact lenses Aufmerksamkeit, which Peter Grunwald
extended. If one wishes to explore the is not allowed. Only the pinhole glasses, translates as ‘lively attentiveness’. But
possible relation between different visual made to Peter Grunwald’s specific design, for me, as a native German speaker,
patterns and personal behavior and being, are permitted. There is a richness of the translation does not have the same
it is easiest to begin with the ‘pure’ types: meditative explorations, lectures, exercise connotation. Despite decades of switching
the double over-extended and the double- rituals, physical activities, and last, but not easily between German and English, I hit
contracted. least, the practice of ‘interviews’, in pairs, a wall here: ‘lebendige Aufmerksamkeit’
during which the person being interviewed touches me deeply in a way not matched
After participating in four of his is blindfolded and led by the partner, by ‘lively attentiveness’. Peter grew up in
workshops, I can confirm that there are hand in hand, contracted-eye side by Bonn with German as his first language
clear differences which become obvious contracted eye-side, through a room or a and my first three Eyebody workshops
as soon as Peter Grunwald forms student garden. These interviews have helped me were conducted in German. I specifically
groups by different eye types. I don’t to develop and trust my own imagination attended a workshop in English to see if it
presume to be an expert on his typology and ability to visualize. Prior to this, I was would make a difference and found all the
as I have not pursued this theme, this not able to use my imagination like this; other aspects of the workshop completely
filter of interpretation, in any active way. I could think, but see nothing. That has the same – except for the mantra. So, I
I acknowledge it as one possible way profoundly changed with the practice of have embraced not only being a ‘mixed’
of looking at people, similar perhaps to Eyebody interviews. My newly discovered (or mixed up!) type, but embraced being
applying the specific filter of Libra and (and maybe rediscovered) ability to German, after all…
Virgo aspects to a person . . . I am wary use words to create a visualization is
of belief systems and have never applied NWV: I am very interested in the spiritual
something I use with my Rolfing SI clients or existential dimension of Grunwald’s
these types of filters exclusively to my regularly, in particular when asking for their
world experience. Though this is perhaps work – in our email exchange you
active participation and movement during mentioned the idea that this work is,
fully in line with me being a mixed type! a session.
Allow me to give you a very simple (and finally, a ‘preparation for dying’. Can you
simplifying) example of the difference that All of the practicums in the Eyebody method say a little bit more about this?
might occur in social interaction from type enable exploration and understanding of
IBB: For me, Eyebody practice has
to type. When meeting another person, the different eye type patterns, they help
Zen-like aspects, with rituals to enable
a double over-extended person will feel people to experience their impact on many
the individual to arrive at inner balance,
most comfortable with a clearly defined levels – physical, mental, psychological –
fluidity, and presence, and to allow them
distance – much more than an arm’s in daily life. While the advertised goal of
to let go of old patterns and attachments,
length; a double contracted person will the Eyebody method and the workshops
embrace the unknown, be more sensing
feel most comfortable with the opposite is to enable participants to eventually
and present. But I do find it very difficult
– the closer, the better; for the mixed eye live without visual aids, it does not stop
to give an answer to your question
there, just as the Ten Series does not aim
type persons there is first of all: confusion! here. The more I try the more difficult it
narrowly at the release of specific aches
The over-extended side likes to keep a becomes. In my experience, Eyebody has
and pains. The physical level is only one
safe distance; the contracted side looks helped me to move from survival mode
aspect, a starting point, but the real goal
for cuddly closeness – and there will be into increased presence to real life. But
is transformation of the whole person. The
further differences depending on which how can I describe this?
different eye types, in my understanding,
eye is which type, right-over or left-over.
are not fixed entities, but rather snapshots Peter has a way of connecting eyes, brain,
I have found this differentiation in eye types within an overall fluid system. Workshop and body; he applies this in his lectures
helpful, not so much for understanding participants learn to adjust their over- and his practice – and this creates results.
others and assigning them to a specific extended or contracted eye(s) to a new, He also has developed a very detailed
group with defined characteristics, but perhaps ideal, ‘neutral eye’ way of being system of connecting and relating specific
as a way of coming to terms with and and seeing while exploring and sensing parts of the visual system with essential or
understanding myself better. Thanks to their own bodies, particularly their visual spiritual qualities. During his meditations,
56
this aspect is more in focus, and I found it behind them. For you and those lions of Rolfing SI over Eyebody’s somewhat
not too difficult to follow his guidance and do not inhabit the same space. There lonely embrace of light.
experience change. But I am far from being is no depth between you and those As for our training, I have little to complain
able to reproduce this on my own; I have creatures, since you stare at them from
about. Of course, we can always address
not studied this in enough depth and detail. a position entirely outside of their world
in more detail certain structures here
As I can remember it, Peter describes a (Abram 2010, 90-91).
and there. It is our task, as Rolfers, to
pathway of the visual system, from the
The experience with the flower was an pursue the wide array of subjects that are
auxiliary, though to the anterior and interior
epiphany that quite blew my mind; a level touched on in our training in more detail.
eye, all the way up to the upper visual
of communication and connectedness – The training is already very rich and my
cortex – and then out though the different
with an iris blossom and thus the world – view is that we should not overburden
energetic layers into the universe – and this,
previously unknown to me; a breathtaking the Basic Training with more content.
for him, anticipates the process of dying,
and absolutely beautiful communication. Nevertheless, I would welcome greater
based on the assumption that the spirit
It’s a memory I treasure but I have not focus on the history and philosophy
will leave the body via this pathway. And
invested more of my time to explore of Rolfing SI in the Basic Training and
if one exercises this route often enough,
these kinds of experiences. I see myself its context within the human potential
the danger of going astray in the process
as a witness, rather than as a follower movement: new and younger students
of dying – and having to be reincarnated to
or ‘believer’ of the Eyebody method, may have little knowledge of this.
solve the resulting confusion – is minimized.
and limit myself chiefly to the practical
This, evidently, is a belief that I cannot finally Ina Bretschneider-Baker experienced her
applications of Peter’s work for daily
argue for or against. However, the practice first Rolfing SI sessions with Erika Gornott
life. I leave the possible transcendental
of Eyebody does result in a different quality in April 2012. A full-time office manager,
aspects to others – perhaps there is too
of life, so maybe death will also be more supporting two children and two elders,
clear, light, and easy. much resistance on my side!
she enrolled in the European Rolfing
I have had one spiritual experience NWV: What has the overall impact of Association’s® modular training, graduating
during one of the workshops, and it learning about and experiencing the in 2016, shortly before her sixty-first birthday.
is my most intense memory from the Eyebody philosophy and techniques In December 2019 she also completed
several Eyebody workshops I have been for you – personally and in your the European Rolf Movement training.
done. We did a practicum that resulted practice? Do you see a gap in the Rolfing Officially becoming an old-age pensioner
in me ‘communicating’ with a flower, or, SI training as it currently stands? Should in August 2021, Ina is very much looking
put another way, I had a powerful sense we, as Rolfers, have something more to forward to dedicating herself fully to her
of experiencing contact between the say or do around these questions of eye Rolfing SI practice in Erkrath, Germany.
iris (of my eye) and an iris (the flower), use and eye coordination?
Naomi Wynter-Vincent certified as a Rolfer
multidimensionally, heart to heart. I was IBB: For me, the impact of experiencing in London in 2014, and as an Advanced
recently reminded of the distinction when the Eyebody approach has been very Rolfer and Rolf Movement Practitioner in
reading David Abram’s excellent book, personal: the changes that occurred Munich in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology when first putting on the pinhole glasses; She holds degrees from the universities of
(2010). He describes the way that our how confusion fades and I can settle Cambridge, Sussex, and University College
habituation to looking at the natural world peacefully in my body when I wear them; London, including a PhD in psychoanalytic
on a screen (TV or laptop) means that, how my touch changes; how I find my theory and literature. Her website is at
for much of the time, we experience the senses rather than getting stuck in my londonrolfing.com. Wynter-Vincent is also
world in two dimensions rather than three: brain or trains of thought; learning to trust the Europe Editor of this Journal.
As we spend more and more of our lives myself, the earth, the universe . . .
gazing at screens, tuning our senses Finding out about my eye ‘types’
to the fabricated distances that we explained a lot for me – and going References
see there, the instinctive participation through the Rolfing SI training in parallel Abram, D. 2010. Becoming Animal: An
of our eyes in the near and far of the to the Eyebody experience was, for me, a Earthly Cosmology. New York, NY: Vintage.
world is suspended for longer and good combination: a process of personal
longer periods . . . If you are watching growth, falling apart, differentiating and
a nature-based program on television [re-]integrating on a different level. The
– observing a female lion, perhaps, as fundamental difference for me between
she lolls with her cubs under the shade the two aspects of my training is that I
of an acacia tree – and you happen to can share the richness of the Rolfing SI
stand up and walk across the room, experience with my clients in sessions,
notice: your movement does not alter but cannot share the Eyebody experience
anything on the screen. The depth of as such with clients. Peter Grunwald
the room, of course, shifts around you presents his stories and conclusions from
as you move – the bookcase looms up his own lifelong search, but he seems
in front of you and then recedes as you less focused on sharing the processes of
step past it . . . yet the spatial positions his work in order to create autonomous
of those cubs do not shift in relation practitioners in the way that Rolfing SI
to one another, or to the acacia tree does. Frankly, I do love the teamwork
57
Working with the

Bates Method of
Vision Education
Within Rolfing® SI
An Interview with Pierpaola Volpones

Movement® Practitioner and Pierpaola Volpones, Basic Rolfing® and Rolf
Movement Instructor
ABSTRACT Pierpaola Volpones speaks with Naomi Wynter-Vincent about the

Naomi Wynter-Vincent eyes of Rolfers, that seeing body patterns happens as a physical event of vision for the
practitioner. Volpones has been addressing her eyes with the Bates Method of Vision
Education and she discusses the value of allowing herself to have blurry vision with no
glasses. Structural states that relate to focal and peripheral vision are described.
Naomi Wynter-Vincent: What, for you, ‘wrong’. So, it is very easy to ‘see’ one’s
is the significance of eyesight and ways fears instead of the client him or herself.
of using the eyes in Rolfing Structural What I have found very helpful is to pay
Integration (SI)? attention to the physical event of vision:
the image of my client touches my retina;
Pierpaola Volpones: One of the keystones
it leaves a print, a mark in my retina. From
in Rolfing work is body-reading. And it’s one
that sensation that brings me in contact
of the most difficult skills to teach! Why? I
with myself, I analyze what I see: I organize
believe it is because we are good in talking
myself so that I have the cortical experience
Pierpaola Volpones about what we feel, yet less articulate in
of vision after the sensorial one.
using words to explain what we see. There
is another aspect that contributes to the NWV: I understand that you’ve learned
struggle with body reading: so often it is something about the Bates Method of
seen as a test, so students, and teachers Vision Education. Can you tell me a bit
too, get tense because we are afraid to be more about that?
58
What I have found very helpful is to pay attention to the physical

event of vision: the image of my client touches my retina; it
leaves a print, a mark in my retina . . . I organize myself so that I
have the cortical experience of vision after the sensorial one.
PV: I came in contact with the Bates rods, meanwhile, are all over the retina is entering the window and illuminates
Method many years ago. I started to and very numerous: we have about 120 a wall, we can perceive the gradient of
wear glasses in my adolescence due to million of them compared to the cones brightness with our peripheral vision; when
myopia. My father was an eye doctor (6.4 million); the rods are activated even we look at the shape drawn by the sun’s
and he prescribed glasses to me with a in poor light conditions. The rods detect rays, we are using focal/foveal vision. Both
correction that was less that what I needed variations in luminosity, and in a wider visual processes are needed to be able
to see ten diopters. He explained that my sense they perceive movement, so they to orient within the environment: in fact,
eyes would become lazy otherwise, that tell us where something is; by contrast peripheral vision is wider, as if we are using
having a lower correction was intended to the fovea is the place where, thanks to the wide angle in a camera; foveal vision
stimulate the eyes’ activity. This was all he the cones, we gather information in order has a more limited field, as if we are using
said and I found it very interesting. Years to know what something is. Ultimately, in a zoom.
later I heard about the Bates Method; I order to be able to understand what we Yet another type of vision is tunnel
bought the book, read it, and started to are seeing, the image has to fall into the vision, which happens when we reduce
do the exercises. I found it very boring! fovea: this motion is what is named the the field of view, as if we are inside a
I was not disciplined enough to train my ‘saccadic motion’, and it is performed by tunnel. We keep the foveal vision but lose
eye muscles regularly. Many years later, the extraocular muscles of the eyes. peripheral vision completely: tunnel vision
in fact only a few years ago, a colleague
Wearing glasses, where the center of lenses undoubtedly has consequences in our
of mine, Giovannella Pattavina, organized
are aligned with the pupils, prevents the postural tone and in the freedom of eye
a two-day workshop based on the Bates
eyes from moving freely; they have to stay movement and, by corollary, in the way
Method. I believe that over the decades
aligned with the lenses instead of being that we are able to perceive and receive
I had changed my attitude toward self-
free to search out the objects of sight. Not the world. Understanding and embodying
exploration, but undoubtedly Giovannella
wearing glasses frees my eyes to do what the distinction between peripheral, focal,
also offered a different approach; her
they are supposed to do and allows me and tunnel vision made a lot of sense
teachings started to make a lot of sense
to see something else (the blur!). Another for me: it helped to bring clarity about
to me and I could practice some of the
exercises and found them very helpful. experience that amazed me was that any different visual styles and their resulting
The breakthrough idea, for me, was ‘to session of Bates Method exercises started consequences for posture and tone.
accept Mr. Blur’: to take off my glasses with relaxation. ‘Palming’, ‘sunning’, resting It has helped me, my clients, and my
and accept that vision could be blurred, the eyes in the orbits: it felt as if these students to understand, recognize, and
but that it was ok. What a relief to allow practices allowed sympathetic activation change habits and patterns.
myself to do this! to be reduced, and made the eyes more NWV: Have you integrated aspects of the
ready to accept changes in their usual Bates Method into the way you teach or
Another surprise was to learn that eyes visual habits.
have to move; that, in fact, they move your practice with clients?
constantly to catch the image and align Understanding the roles of cones and rods PV: Yes, whenever it makes sense to
it with the fovea, in what is called the also illuminates the different kinds of vision introduce some elements. For example,
saccadic motion. Saccadic motion is the that can be summarized as ‘peripheral’ before we even start to try to change
physiological activity that our eyes do in and ‘focal’ vision, and these have postural anything in the way that people see,
order to be able to ‘see’. Of course, we consequences. Focal (or foveal) vision is there is a sensation of the eyes that can
also see thanks to the retina, which is the helpful for seeing details and colors, the be defined: we can observe the eyeballs
membrane positioned inside the eye, full ‘what’ of visual content. Peripheral vision in the orbits, sense their movement, and
of receptors, cones and rods (the cones recognizes motion, tonality of light, but free their capacity to move, to recover the
are able to see colors and shapes; the not details. These different visual types or physiological saccadic motion. The most
rods recognize movements), that catch preferences can be seen to correspond to surprising exercise I did in the workshop
the light stimuli and send them to the a more focused posture of neck and head, was to ‘allow the world to move’ as I walk,
brain that then transforms those stimuli in focal vision, and a freer motion of the to perceive the motion of the world around
into images. From there, the neurons of neck and head, where peripheral vision is us when we move. It is the best way to
the retina are continuous with the optic dominant. Despite being apparently less introduce peripheral vision that I have
nerve that reaches the visual cortex detailed, peripheral vision is what allows ever experienced. I teach these subjects
located at the occipital lobe. On the us to react very quickly when something in Rolf Movement classes or in classes
retina, next to the optic nerve root, there crosses our field of vision, before we even on functional understanding of vision, in
is also a small area named the ‘fovea’. know what is it. Foveal vision lands on relation to topics such as perception, the
This tiny spot – 1.5mm in diameter – is the cortex; peripheral is subcortical. For triangle of orientation, and the Seventh-
full of cones, and almost no rods. The example, if we are in a room where sunlight Hour orientation in space.
59
Understanding and embodying the distinction between

peripheral, focal, and tunnel vision made a lot of sense for me:
it helped to bring clarity about different visual styles and their
resulting consequences for posture and tone.
NWV: I have been looking into something might be compressed to lift the plane of the Mills and Michael Salveson in her Basic
called the Eyebody Method®, by Peter gaze. We also know that posture is linked Training, Michael Salveson, and Jeffrey
Grunwald, and I’m intrigued by the way to one’s character and personality traits. A Maitland in her Advanced Training. Her
that he connects our patterns of eye rigid posture might cause the neck to be Rolf Movement Training took place in Italy
use to specific restrictions in the body, too straight; the eyes always looking from with Janie French and Annie Duggan. She
even personality types. He also believes ‘behind’. A shy person might demonstrate began her Rolfing and Rolf Movement
that it is possible for most people to a certain posture and the tendency not to teacher training almost twenty years ago,
correct how they use their eyes to the be able to look straight into the eyes of and has been teaching since 2006. She
point where they no longer need to wear another. An arrogant person might gaze on runs a practice in Rimini, Italy, and teaches
glasses. He also goes very deeply into people as if looking from a higher position. for the European Rolfing Association®.
ocular anatomy in a way that we certainly Somebody in love might have languid Her website is at www.volpones.it.
do not, as Rolfers. Do you think that we eyes . . . For sure, one’s emotional state Naomi Wynter-Vincent certified as a Rolfer
do enough, as Rolfers, around eyesight can interfere with the mechanical habit of in London in 2014, and as an Advanced
and visual preferences? vision, our language idioms reflect this. Rolfer and Rolf Movement Practitioner in
PV: Probably not. There is a lot to do, a lot For example, not being able to see clearly Munich in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
we can learn from other methodologies. I while angry, being clouded by a bad She holds degrees from the universities of
learned from Tessy Brungardt to literally mood, blinded by love, not being able to Cambridge, Sussex, and University College
work the eyes: that is, to hold the eyeball see beyond your own nose . . . London, including a PhD in psychoanalytic
and feel where it is free to move and NWV: You are a glasses-wearer. Can theory and literature. Her website is at
where not; to perceive which of the you say something about your own londonrolfing.com. Wynter-Vincent is also
eyes muscles is tighter, for example. It’s experience of your eyesight, and how the Europe Editor of this Journal.
amazing what you and the client can feel! you feel it might relate to other patterns in
NWV: Where and when are our patterns your posture or personality?
of eye use formed, do you think? PV: I went through different phases toward
PV: The optic nerve is believed to my need to wear glasses. There was a time
when I felt handicapped, penalized, as if
complete its myelination during the third
having less than ‘perfect’ vision was a lack
month of life of the newborn. As a sensory
in my being. I also hated wearing glasses
organ to explore the environment, it takes
because I would drop them or they would
some time to be ready to function: the
fall; I generally found them a nuisance.
organs of smell, taste, and the auditory
But without glasses, for example while
and vestibular systems are ready much
swimming, I could not clearly see where
earlier. They are available to us from the
I was or where others were. And I can get
moment we are born. But eye use and
headaches if I strain my vision. At other
vision are processes that require a cortical
moments in my life, glasses have become
component. We see with our brain, as
a fashion accessory, and I have played
science teaches us, and the optical
a lot and had fun with them. I also wore
nerves can be considered an extension
contact lenses for many years, until I was
of the brain. From this point of view, the
sick of having this piece of plastic in my
development of the nervous system and
eyes all the time. But the first time I had
of vision go hand-in-hand. And we know
contact lenses, I felt so happy and free;
that in this developmental process, as
I could see clearly at a distance without
in others, there are also affective, social
perceiving the limitation of the frame of
events, and factors that determine this
my glasses. Now that I am getting older,
development alongside the form that we
I have to take my glasses off to be able
inherit within our genes. to read: just the opposite of what other
NWV: Does physical posture determine people do! It’s relieving, particularly after
eye use or the other way round? the work with Giovannella.
PV: It’s difficult to say which comes first. I Pierpaola Volpones discovered Rolfing
tend to imagine posture being the stronger SI through bodywork and her research
in shaping eye use: for example, when the into well-being and somatic expression.
neck is very far forward, the occipital area She studied in Munich with Stacey
60
Awakening the
Rhinencephalon
Rolfing® SI and the Nose-Brain

Movement® Practitioner
ABSTRACT Rolfers do manual work on and in the nose in the Seventh Hour of the
Ten Series. This article reflects on those protocols as well as the implications of COVID-19
precautions. The author explores the idea of nasal intelligence and the role smell has with
body awareness, intuition, and orientation. The nose and breathing are coupled, which is
touched on as having complexity that is anatomic and social.
Somewhere inside the head is the so it came as a surprise when I got to the
‘rhinencephalon’ – the nose-brain. Why pre-training. I remember having a slight
is that? Do our noses think? Have our head-cold when I first received the work –
noses got brains? Why did the early something that is now unthinkable in these
Naomi Wynter-Vincent anatomists call it the ‘rhinencephalon’? times of COVID-19. As I think about being
Where did they get that idea from? able to resume work (here in the UK we
W. R. Bion (2014, vol. 8, 157) are back in strict lockdown at the time of
writing and likely to remain so for some
Intranasal Rolfing Structural Integration time to come), I wonder and worry a little
(SI) is, without question, one of the more about the strange but very interesting work
surprising and sometimes challenging that we do most often as part of a session
parts of our work. The challenge may, of seven. Will clients become more wary
course, be on both sides of the client- of receiving work in the nose (or mouth),
practitioner line: we may be nervous or for fear of infection? Will we be wary of
reluctant to give the work, and some of our catching an infection from our clients
clients are undoubtedly nervous to receive while working intimately at these particular
it. (I’ve never had a client refuse the mouth sites? How can we continue to integrate
work, but two clients have asked not to the nose into our work, into our clients’
receive the nose work.) My own initial Ten self-perception and awareness, without
Series did not include any internal work, working (inside) the nose directly?
61
I chose to open this piece with a quotation anosmia (the loss of the sense of smell),
from the British psychoanalyst, Wilfred even without obvious blockedness or
Bion (1897-1979). Bion trained initially as stuffiness of the sinuses, is a recognized
a medical doctor, and he was fascinated symptom. Though blessedly usually
by the experiential interfaces between temporary, we should acknowledge
conventional modern anatomy and that COVID-19 potentially disables a
those vestigial, archaic, or embryological part of our nervous system, a part of
aspects of anatomy that find no place our intelligence. In his very interesting
in anatomy textbooks but nevertheless article, The Smells of Fascia: Rolfing
leave their traces, either developmentally and Intuitive Olfaction, Ray Bishop
within the individual, or within the (2000) discussed the way that he could
cultural imaginary of our species. The sometimes track clients’ process through
rhinencephalon, or nose-brain, is a bit his own, powerfully intuitive sense of
of descriptive anatomy that has a long smell, noticing the overpowering odor of
history as an idea but no longer really has anesthetic while giving a session five, for
an anatomical reference, at least in human example, or a distinctive smell of burning
beings. It can refer to the nose itself, but while working on a client who, it later
also to those parts of the brain involved emerged in her therapy, had witnessed
in olfactory processing, and everything a tragic scene of someone burning when
in between. What I am interested in she was very young. While losing our
exploring is the idea of an imagined Figure 1: Fragrance can allow us to access a ability to smell might save us from some
part of anatomy that can nevertheless different state of mind. Photo by Jabo Elysée on odors we’d rather not be aware of, it also
stimulate or orient our work as Rolfers, Unsplash. blunts a very primitive, early aspect of
and particularly during this period where our intelligence that centers on detecting
we are more than usually reliant on the threat and recognizing safety.
and forms an important bridge between
imagined or imaginary aspect of our work. our inner and outer worlds. In this time Odor and fragrance play an especially
I want to be clear: by ‘imaginary’ I do of COVID-19, it is also our first defense important part in the life of the
not mean (or do not simply mean) ‘not against (or the open door to) the novel rhinencephalon (see Figure 1). When
real’. The rhinencephalon is not ‘fake coronavirus. In the new world that we are Proust’s narrator in In Search of Lost
news’; the rhinencephalon can be a learning to inhabit, the nose is suddenly Time tastes the madeleine dipped in lime-
creative resource allowing us to explore more prominent in our conversations. flower tea, he almost certainly smells it
the idea of our nasal intelligence and to Scientists now tell us that the chief route too, and a part of his memorable account
think about how Rolfing SI might help our of coronavirus transmission is not via of the sudden unlocking of memory is
clients to enrich their nasal awareness, unwashed hands (or unwiped groceries!) undoubtedly attributable to the nose-brain.
nasal intuition, and nasal orientation. so much as through aerosols: that is, Fragrance and odor alert us, remind us,
through the minute droplets expelled create a literal atmosphere that can enable
This is work that has more in common
through normal breathing that may contain us to access parts of our mind that are
with Rolf Movement work, perhaps, than
the virus. Aerosol is very literally the air we otherwise inaccessible. For example, I am
the more direct or ostensibly ‘structural’
thinking about the way that many different
nasal work of a typical session seven. But breathe, the atmosphere between two or
religious traditions call on incense as a part
it is not exactly obvious movement work more people, and we are having to learn
of prayer or meditation (not only to mask
either. Unless you’re Samantha Stevens to think of it as always potentially unsafe.
the unpleasant whiffs of congregations
– the character played by Elizabeth The spaces between (you and me, you
of old), the role of aromatherapy (both
Montgomery in the 1960s US comedy and the other), the spaces inside and
as art and science), and perfume. During
television series Bewitched – and have outside, are now fraught and freighted
lockdown in spring 2020, I spent several
perfected a wicked nose-twitch, the nose with invisible, incalculable risk. Of course,
evenings testing fragrance samplers from
doesn’t really move, itself, all that much. there were always colds and flus – none
a favorite perfumer and was struck by how
of this is actually new – but our awareness
Rather, the role of the nose in movement profoundly relaxing I found the experience:
of risk is definitely heightened as a result
is more that it moves you: towards or it seemed to allow me to access a different
away from pleasant or unpleasant stimuli, of our collective experience of 2020, and state of mind redolent of meditation or
or moving the air that passes through the the nose is at the epicenter. hypnosis. I appreciate that wouldn’t be
nose in and out of the body. As such, the We also now know that COVID-19 to everyone’s taste (or, put another way,
nose has a powerful orienting function targets our ‘nose brain’ in another way: in good odor) – many people are very
The rhinencephalon can be a creative resource allowing us to

explore the idea of our nasal intelligence and to think about how
Rolfing SI might help our clients to enrich their nasal awareness,
nasal intuition, and nasal orientation.
62
It is nevertheless timely that we give thought, as a community, to

the impact of mask-wearing and the different ways that we and
our clients may experience the mask.
sensitive or allergic to fragrance. Indeed, I our most important bodily function and about the experience of undressing and
have an embarrassing memory of treating our most important relationship with being seen in underwear – a traditional,
a visiting Rolfer who, it turned out, was the external world. He calls out mouth- even canonical aspect of Rolfing SI –
strongly allergic to perfume. I had sprayed breathing, in particular, for its harmful and how one person’s feeling of bodily
a room scent that I considered innocuous effect on the body. (The book opens with ease and freedom is another person’s
and pleasant just before she arrived, a fascinating discussion by the author place of distressing exposure and body
because my rhinencephalon teaches me and a fellow ‘pulmonaut’ – or adventurer dysmorphia. For many of us, and for the
that it is a way to make a space more in breathing – as they experiment first next several months, if not the whole of
welcoming. Not so for my client, who with ten days of mouth-breathing only, 2021, there is a new piece of ‘session
experienced the scented space as thick or followed by ten days of nose-breathing, clothing’ and a new intimate territory to
heavy with a fragrance that she could not with startling results tracked by doctors.) be negotiated and imagined. Can we
bear to be in (I opened all the windows and While ‘modern’ humans (that is, those ask our clients to remove their mask to
cleared the air within a minute or two, so raised on industrially processed foods) complete the nose (and mouth) work of
we could continue). Experiences like these suffer from blocked and infected sinuses, a session seven? Should we leave it out
call attention to the powerful differences allergic rhinitis, and specific diseases of entirely? Can we assess their structure
that may exist between your, and my, nasal breathing (especially asthma) far more without being able to see this part of it?
intelligence, and the kinds of long-range than their pre-industrial forebears, or The answers will be different for each
communication (and miscommunication) than peoples who do not eat industrially of us. What we can do, however, is try
that can be happening when we share the processed foods, Nestor reminds us that to imagine the client’s experience of
same air. a part of our problems with breathing has their nose, by awakening our own nasal
We can also deploy the nose-brain as a less to do with the amount of air we are awareness, our own ‘nose-brain’.
means of orientation. During a mentoring breathing – in general, he says, we are Naomi Wynter-Vincent certified as a
session with Hubert Godard, we worked breathing in too much (oxygen, with a Rolfer in London in 2014, and as an
with my partner to think about how we resulting lack of carbon dioxide) – but with Advanced Rolfer and Rolf Movement
could take a more functional approach the perception that we cannot breathe. I Practitioner in Munich in 2017 and 2019,
to changing long-held postural patterns. am aware that these are words, as I write respectively. She holds degrees from the
Godard suggested that my partner could in the last days of 2020, have a particular universities of Cambridge, Sussex, and
orient himself from the nose, opening and distressing political resonance. The University College London, including
his nasal awareness to the odors and feeling of suffocation is among the most a PhD in psychoanalytic theory and
atmosphere of Paris, allowing that to be primally distressing experiences that we literature. Her website is at londonrolfing.
the basis from which a more open front can have. Most of us are fortunate enough com. Wynter-Vincent is also Europe
line, lifted eyeline, and balanced cranium to avoid the extremity of that experience, Editor of this Journal.
could emerge. This is what I mean when but, as Rolfers, we should remain alert to
I speak of a more functional, movement- the many, many clients for whom breathing
based approach to working with the nose is routinely experienced as laborious, References
that would not, in this instance, involve precarious, and anxiety-inducing.
Bion, W. 2014. The Complete Works of
the kind of internal work that might not When I think of how it will be to work W.R. Bion. C. Mawson and F. Bion, (Eds.).
be available to us at the moment. Working with clients in 2021, I imagine a scene London: Karnac.
imaginatively with the eyes or the throat, where both Rolfer and client wear face
might, of course, offer other possibilities. masks for the entirety of the session (at Bishop, R. 2000 Winter. “The Smells of
But I think that our Rolfing SI and more least here in the UK). Let me be clear Fascia: Rolfing and Intuitive Olfaction.”
general cultural imaginary is already quite that I absolutely support the necessity Rolf Lines 28(1):15–17.
developed in these areas, and less so of wearing masks while we continue Nestor, J. 2020. Breath: The New Science
with the nose. Our heroes and heroines to grapple with a viral pandemic that of a Lost Art. London: Penguin Life.
look on ‘wide-eyed’ or ‘slack-jawed’, or relies on aerosol transmission; it is
part their lips in pleasure, but the nose Wynter-Vincent, N. 2018, July. “Reclaiming
nevertheless timely that we give thought,
does not seem to occupy our imagination ‘Pudeur’: A Counterpoint to Rolfing®
as a community, to the impact of mask-
in the same way, save for the comedy of Culture.” Structural Integration: The
wearing and the different ways that we
flared nostrils, nose-blowing, or sneezing. Journal of the Rolf Institute® 46(2):50–51.
and our clients may experience the mask:
Yet the nose is a prime actor in the most as something that introduces or amplifies
important function of all: breathing. feelings of restriction and anxiety, as a
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, the delimiter of where the work of SI can and
excellent recent book by James Nestor cannot go, or as something that creates
(2020), goes a long way toward reminding safety in the Rolfing encounter. I have
us of the nose’s signal importance in previously written (Wynter-Vincent 2018)
63
Perspectives
Keeping Them in the

Game: Working with
NFL and NBA Athletes
for Performance and
Recovery from Injury
An Interview with Wayne and Sandy
Russell Stolzoff
Henningsgaard
By Russell Stolzoff, Advanced Rolfing® Instructor; Wayne Henningsgaard

and Sandy Henningsgaard, Certified Advanced Rolfers™
ABSTRACT Russell Stolzoff, Advanced Rolfing Instructor, interviews Wayne

and Sandy Henningsgaard, two longtime Rolfers who have a depth of experience
in working with professional athletes, particularly football players in the National
Football League (NFL) and basketball players in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). The interview goes into how they work together doing four-handed work, and
Wayne Henningsgaard how they came to working with athletes and the inherent challenges, the demands of
working with performance athletes, and the nuances of sports injuries with particular
attention to concussion.
Russell Stolzoff: Sandy and Wayne, I’m ward, and also in a four-year program in
glad you’re both available and interested Bioenergetic Analysis. Bioenergetics looks
in having this conversation. We’ve talked at how the body influences the character or
about this interview, and Wayne, you’ve the psychology of the person. I heard that
indicated that you really want to talk mainly Ida Rolf could accomplish in ten sessions
about how you guys work, so, I’d like to what it took five years in Reichian analysis
spend the bulk of the time on whatever or Bioenergetic therapy. So, that led me to
that is. For readers who don’t know my interest in Rolfing Structural Integration
you, can you say a little bit about your as a client, in order to enhance my practice
backgrounds, how you became Rolfers, of yoga, release my body from previous
and how working with athletes became a sports injuries, and increase my capacity
Sandy Henningsgaard for emotional aliveness. In deciding on
prominent part of your practice?
another career change, I completed my
Wayne Henningsgaard: I was in graduate basic Rolfing training in 1990 and had
school, and working in a psychiatric a full practice of past clientele waiting to
64
going to see this guy Bill. And I was no movement. And then we talk about
more than a couple sessions into Rolfing what are we seeing, what are we going
work when Bill started telling me, “You to accomplish. Usually, like 98% of the
know, you should be a Rolfer.” That time, we’re working in the same plane,
started the ball rolling for me. so on the outside plane, the inside plane,
RS: I know that you work together on the the Fourth-Hour line, something like that.
same client oftentimes, how does that go? There are times when there’s a complex
something or another in a leg and, for
WH: It started in a couple of ways. The
example, Wayne’s at the knee, and I
athletes are really big, and seeing that
might work on both shoulders. But most
many players, eventually I needed help.
of the time we work together [in the same
But also we took a three-week class on
four-handed work from Emmett Hutchins plane]. And, our intention is always going
in where we explored ways to work to the same place.
together on a body. I had a huge load of There’s something else about us working
Viking players, and then other players that together that needs to be said, I think.
were coming, so I knew that to be able to And that is that while we might be equal
do this work and survive it, we needed to partners in our relationship with each other,
go to four-handed work. when we’re in a session, we’re working
SH: It started out occasional thing, if there together and there’s one boss, and I do
was someone who was difficult. Then we the support work. So, I’m there to support
decided to make it one day a week for Wayne in any way that I can. He does the
Strength, power, and determination make for
joint sessions, I think. We eased into it heavy lifting, and I do the support work.
a Minnesota Viking NFL Hall of Fame player.
gradually. And, it just kind of blossomed. He makes the decisions, and I help him
(Photo by Mike Morbeck, CC BY-SA 2.0, via RS: Are you trying to connect your work, out. The big thing about working together
Wikimedia Commons). or how do you communicate about what is to have a communication, where you’re
you’re after? I’m sure you must be very both thinking the same thing and trying to
get in for Rolfing sessions. I then began to in tune with each other by this point, get it done. If there’s people out there that
take classes from the Upledger Institute but how do you organize the work when want to do a double practice, it’s about
and continuing education from the Rolf you’re doing it? really working together, and somebody’s
Institute®. Already in my first year, I got got to give up being the boss. It’s just
SH: Just like in classes we look at
my first Minnesota Viking [NFL team] as about that simple.
the body beforehand and watch it in
a Rolfing client, who was a wide receiver,
and some other players who were referred
by the head trainer at the Vikings. It
wasn’t long until I was seeing all the wide
receivers, which expanded into running
backs and finally into a variety of positions
in the offense and defense. As things
evolved, we began traveling to other
teams as players became free agents or
were traded. In 2017 we moved to Phoenix
and into semiretirement. In 2018 we began
to work with a team of professionals
providing services to NBA players primarily
and secondarily to NFL players.
Sandy Henningsgaard: As for me, I was
as a critical care nurse. I was taking a
continuing education class, and the nurse
who was teaching it brought Rolfer Bill
Smythe in to talk at one of the classes.
From my background in critical care
nursing, I knew about patient observation
– watching people, their skin, their tissue,
how they’re moving, if they’re awake or
asleep, whatever is going on. Bill worked
on a young man in the class, and when
he got up off the table my thought was, NBA player Bobby Portis, now
“He looks like he’s high. No drugs, no with the Milwaukee Bucks, with
alcohol; what does that feel like?” So, I Sandy and Wayne after his first
was convinced in that moment that I was session, August 24, 2020.
65
Perspectives
You can perceive density – I call them density trails – and

depending upon the injury, it can take you into deeper and
deeper structures. The ultimate structure to release is to get
to where the density of fascia around a nerve is restricting
movement of the bone and causing the inflammatory condition.
You’re always working through density, and in an injury that
hasn’t had any treatment, the body’s only going to let you
through so much in one session. Even if you get what the player
considers tremendous results, it’s only let you through a certain
amount of that density because it’s been layered up in the injury
and use process.
WH: I’ll call Sandy in if it’s a difficult injury right away beginning to open up that field free again and the structures related to
and there’s a lot of scar tissue and a lot of injuries and starting to correct them. it. Any particular problem or injury that a
of misalignment. By the time the guys RS: So, it’s like you’re doing integrative player is struggling with is going to come
have gotten into professional sports, they work and accomplishing the goals of the out progressively in a number of sessions.
already have injuries from high school, Ten Series in every session. Yes, it’ll get better with the first session,
they’ve had surgeries in college. Then and they think it’s a miracle, but it’s not
we work together in a particular area. But WH: Exactly. I just look automatically done. It’s a progression.
otherwise, we’re always working from a through the Ten Series lens when I look at
a body in the first session. SH: It’s all buried under the next layer and
continuum of the body, basically from one the next layer.
end to the other. A basic protocol merges SH: The other thing is that these
the first seven sessions of the Rolfing Ten professional athletes, especially the RS: How do you explain that to your clients?
Series into a single session. The primary basketball players, they’re all over the WH: It goes into how I learned to
emphasis is resolving current injuries, country, so we don’t know how long it’s approach the work. I think probably the
releasing current strains and imbalances going to be until we see them again. most powerful influence was a class we
to prevent future injuries, and improving Therefore, you can’t leave somebody took from the developer of muscle energy,
athletic performance. Our basic approach right after a Fourth Hour or something he’s an osteopath and a chiropractor.
is to work the dominant restrained hip joint like that, you just can’t leave them in that In that class I learned that you can free
and restore the position and motion of state. So, it’s go for it and then be sure all any bone through reciprocal inhibition of
the ilium in all three planes, then integrate of the energy goes through. the muscles, which told me that if I know
this with the lumbar spine, and then both WH: You have to remember they’re going how to work the structures around the
ends of the body. Then we address the to go out and play, so you always have muscles, I could do the same thing. And
groin and entire inner leg to the Achilles, to have them ready for that. You can’t do I also learned from joint play – that, yes,
medial arch, talar and subtalar joints, to a progressive series. We don’t want them manually there’s a play in that joint, and I
the calcaneus. We then address the back to be susceptible to injury, and you want should be able to get long-axis traction
of the legs with emphasis on hamstrings, to discover potential injuries before they or a sidebend or whatever in every bone
back of the knees, and the lower soleus happen and correct them. just through my touch. That really led me
compartments into the plantar fascia. to understand density, and that’s how
RS: How I approach it is each time you I work. You can perceive density – I call
Emphasis then shifts to the front of the hip see them you might look all over again,
and groin and anterior compartments of the them density trails – and depending upon
as if you hadn’t seen them, but you know the injury, it can take you into deeper and
lower legs. Finally, we address restrictions you’ve done something already and
in the spine, neck, cranium, and arms. We deeper structures. The ultimate structure
you’re trying to further the situation. to release is to get to where the density
end the session by integrating the iliacus
and psoas to the front of the spine. This WH: Yes, totally. Not too long ago we had of fascia around a nerve is restricting
an LA Laker [NBA team] looking like it was movement of the bone and causing the
sounds like a lot of work, and yes, it targets
towards the end of his career. Nobody was inflammatory condition. You’re always
the main areas of concern at the time.
able to help him with his Achilles, but in working through density, and in an injury
And that really brings us into the injuries. one session he was feeling great, he can that hasn’t had any treatment, the body’s
Most of the injuries are going to be in the play again. We’ll see him again, because only going to let you through so much
ankles, knees, hips, lower back, shoulder of course one session doesn’t do it, it’s in one session. Even if you get what the
girdle, and neck. So, in our protocol you’re just the beginning of getting the Achilles player considers tremendous results, it’s
66
with the structures, and into the nerves

that are restricted, that bone floats free.
It moves. If it’s a hip bone it moves
forward and back; it in-flares back and
forth; it’s not locked up or down. If it’s
not moving, there’s a density of tissue,
usually involving tissue that’s restraining
the nerve. And even with a hamstring
injury, remember the hamstrings are
attaching on the back of the pelvis, so
you have to be able to address how the
hamstrings are fitting in the picture. If the
hip is locked up or down or shifted back
or forward, you’re not going to get that
hamstring resolved.
RS: This is great.
WH: Can I tell you how I developed our
concussion protocol? With the cranial
work, the inspiration was Don Hazen,
who was a Rolfer and chiropractor. We
took a couple classes, nerve manipulation
Balance, speed, and sometimes putting on the brakes. (Photo by Tom Hagerty, CC BY 2.0, via Rolfing classes from him, the nervous
Wikimedia Commons). system, and I think I took some courses
from Upledger too.
only let you through a certain amount of really going to appreciate hearing about it. In my first years of Rolfing work disc
that density because it’s been layered up SH: I hope so. The thing that I think problems were a mystery to me, but I
in the injury and use process. learned through the density trails that if
should be stressed to people that want to
SH: And you know how scar tissue goes. work with athletes is to get at it and stay I could release the density trails of the
We worked on a guy this past summer at it. If you get a professional athlete to nerves, I could take the pressure off the
where one leg was just not supporting volunteer to be on your table, you learn an L3 through S1 discs. There are basically
him at all. It took us many sessions to get awful lot doing that. just two nerves to consider –although
that leg back under him, but we couldn’t remember they go all the way down to
WH: My first Minnesota Viking client knew the feet. You’ve got the sciatic nerve track
get it all at one time because we had to
his body and was a great communicator. underneath the lateral hamstring, the
work the ankle and the hip, the ankle and
We hit it off. Take your basic hamstring fibula, to the saphenous and sural nerve
the hip, back and forth.
injury. You’ve got a simple test, right? down to the lateral arch. And you’ve got
WH: He’s such a great example, because – client flat on the back and see if you the tibial nerve track, medial hamstring,
he couldn’t walk, his career was over. He can bring a leg all the way up. You keep deep back compartment of the leg,
had a huge scar-tissue-enlarged knee and working it until it’s resolved. You can’t do down into the plantar fascia. If I release
a huge scar-tissue-enlarged ankle. And he any damage. (If he fell into a hole and got a the density trails around those nerves up
had an infection in the knee that they had rupture, that’s a different story and needs into the sacrum, and address the sacrum
not succeeded in removing surgically. But an MRI.) But just persistently work until and the lumbar spine structurally like a
from the density perspective and what that hamstring is free. I think too many Rolfer (e.g., dealing with any sidebending
I’ve learned I knew we could resolve that. Rolfers would just do a little bit of work and restrictions or torsion restrictions of the
He’s had some fluid removed also, and he quit. But the athlete wants results. sacrum), I take the pressure off those
was doing his physical therapy rehab, but nerves, then an injured disc will start
RS: You’re really stressing here a way of
by working into that density we brought healing itself. And it certainly has been
working that goes after the density and
that knee back to normal and the ankle proven with the players because they
persists until there’s a result.
back to normal and him back to normal. get MRIs all the time. The docs will tell
It’s incredible when you think about how SH: Right. You can’t accomplish that kind me that they like to have me go in first
crippled he was. We had two football of thing in an abbreviated session. These because I’ll tell them what’s wrong. And, I
players like that over the summer. Work into guys we work on, we’re always an hour just do this by the density trails.
that tissue, and it will resolve itself. Rolfers and a half. Sometimes it’s two and a half
For the concussion work, we missed
shouldn’t back off. They should realize it’s or three hours on one guy, but it’s to get
out on an opportunity. Without really
just soft tissue. We did know, I think from everything going, all the injuries resolved,
knowing what I was doing, I had resolved
the MRI, that there wasn’t enlargement of and get it all integrated into the body so a concussion problem for a wide receiver
the bone. But even if the bone was spongy, he can all go out and play again and be at for the Dallas Cowboys. This was early
that’ll come out as the soft tissue works. the top of his game. on in our work with professional athletes
RS: Fascinating. It’s really good to hear WH: Let’s take the hip as an example. and before concussions were really
how you guys work. I think people are When I resolve the density of the tissue acknowledged as a major issue in the
67
Perspectives
from the cervical spine into the

cranium in the fascial net.
• The vestibular nerve: it restores
balance and coordination to both
sides of the body in the fascial net.
SH: One thing about the spinal accessory
nerve is that we find it way down to the
bottom of the scapula all the time. I think
it’s Netter’s anatomy atlas that has the
spinal accessory nerve going down to
the inferior portion of the scapula. There’s
another book that says it ends at about
the third rib, and that’s usually wrong.
We find it way down to the bottom of the
scapula all the time, so always look at
more than one book.
WH: How we do this protocol, our first
approach is to just take the cranium, take it
in one unit as a bowling ball, and feel how
dense it is. These athletes they have dense
heads – they’ve taken poundings, football
Signed jerseys from Adrian Peterson, from his tenure with NFL teams the Cardinals and the Vikings.
players and basketball players. So, I’ll
(To read about Sandy and Wayne’s work with Peterson, see Henningsgaard and Henningsgaard 2014).
address the density around the head.
Then I’ll address the density around the
NFL. He called us up and said, “They’re spinal accessory nerve, that’s locked individual bones. So, I’m working density,
asking me to head a panel with doctors through the trapezius up into the and I’m going through these layers. It’ll
and everything on this whole concussion neck and to the head, that’s a primary take me right into the sutures. And as I’m
issue. I’d like you guys to be a part of one because the shoulder girdle is in there, literally there are nerves related
it.” I had to tell him that concussions always involved with athlete’s head to these sutures, and the sutures stop
were not my specialty, and I couldn’t injuries. When you really get that popping free. Suddenly the density comes
have even verbalized enough what I was nerve free, you open that whole open, and then my fingers will be drawn
doing at that point. And I think because thing up for pressure release from in through the sutures deeper into the
of competitiveness and qualifications, the head, because there’s a density brain below the bones themselves into
Rolfing SI itself was not respected enough trail that goes from there into that the membrane system, and that’s to feel
to get into a panel like that. compression. the movement of that membrane system
But anyway, I decided the same approach • The temporomandibular joint and and the tentorial nerves. That’s how we
applied to concussion injuries. I had taken the trigeminal nerve: working with approach it. So, we’re working the density
different osteopathic classes, cranial these unlocks the cranium right like a Rolfer through the cranium, and then
classes, etc., from different osteopaths, away by releasing and balancing we’re going into the brain through the
but I really liked the Rolfing approach. I the atlanto-occipital joint in the nerve systems in the body, approaching it
found that what I had done with Rocket fascial web. that way.
and other people, not knowing it, became • Releasing the vagus nerve (tenth RS: To paraphrase what I am hearing you
clearer with understanding of the cranial cranial nerve) in the scalene fascia say, you’re starting out with the essential
nerve system. I think the key, again, is works to release both the upper density that you perceive in the shape
you’re approaching the cranium through structures of the neck and the lower and mass of a particular part of the body,
the nerve system, and taking the pressure diaphragmic area of the rib cage. and as those start to release, then you’re
out of the brain. You don’t have to work • The suboccipital nerves and the finding more specific trails of density that
all the nerves. Here’s the ones to address: nerve of Arnold on both sides, tend to hug nerve structures, and you’re
• The eleventh cranial nerve, the because this releases the transition tracking in through that.
You’ve got the sciatic nerve track . . . and you’ve got the tibial
nerve track . . . If I release the density trails around those nerves,
up into the sacrum, and address the sacrum and the lumbar
spine structurally like a Rolfer . . . I take the pressure off those
nerves, then an injured disc will start healing itself.
68
WH: Yes.
RS: Okay. I think people are really going
to love to hear that. It’s interesting to
me that after all this time, I’m hearing
this. When I took the Barral-method
nerve manipulation classes with Rolfer
Christoph Sommer, I discovered that I had
been, without realizing it, working along
the nerve pathways my whole career. You
can almost bet that there’s a nerve there if
you’re tracking the density. You just have
to learn what it is.
SH: Exactly.
WH: We just need to realize that there’s
no limit to our touch. We have the ability
to perceive and touch bone. If you can’t
touch it, there’s density in the structure
to address. Release it some until you
can get a hold of the bone and track its
movement or nonmovement. Then track
and release restrictions to joint play.
That gets results, so that’s why we stick
to being Rolfers. Resolve density, and
everything should move.
RS: I want to touch back on something
that you briefly mentioned, about whether
our work had the credibility to be on a
panel because we don’t have verifiably
researched results that we can point
to. Instead, we have a lot of anecdotal Strength, coordination, and flexibility all in one. (Photo by Eric Kilby, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons).
evidence. Our clients are walking
testimonials to what Rolfing SI can do. But you have something that’s really going, the players love you. But you’re in the
the result is we are still on the periphery. really moving . . . but that’s not a big midst of that competitiveness.
I’ve tried to make inroads and haven’t percentage of the people that populate
really succeeded. It often defaults back to We were down in Tampa, and the head
our planet. trainer said, “I have not been able to sit
a kind of informal network of practitioners
that players use to get the help they RS: Right. So, it has to be a connection. for eight months, and I haven’t been able
need outside of the organizations that The person receiving work has to innately to run for eight months. Nothing’s helped
they’re a part of. I think it’s only natural recognize that you are after something me, and the players said maybe you
to have a wish that our work would be they need, and they like it. could.” I worked on him. Next day I get a
more recognized and could find its way SH: I think so. call, “I’m sitting again. I’m running again.
in among the approaches that teams are Everything is fine. This is great. You guys
WH: Speaking to your questions of the have helped me so much. Thank you.”
incorporating. I know you guys are more system, the first head trainer for the
connected to the teams of practitioners A year later, he says, “Well, now I’m not
Vikings was completely supportive even so sure. Maybe it was those drugs that
that are usually around sports teams. sending his son to us. But when the new I was taking that really helped me.” Of
What do you think about all of this? head trainer took over, he didn’t send course, he had been taking the drugs for
SH: First, it took us a lot of education, players over. He was supportive, and he eight months before the session. Again,
training, and application of other modalities wanted me to give him a report on the he didn’t nix players from coming to us,
into our Rolfing practice. Second, I have a players, and I just thought after a while he didn’t tell players not to come to us,
really strong opinion that this guy sitting on what’s the point? He’s not doing it, why but there is a competitiveness within
my right [gestures to Wayne] is brilliant and am I reporting to him? The problem I the system that it’s going to be hard for
determined to get the change done. He’s noticed within the systems themselves anybody to break through.
got that stick-to-it drive that has got to get – because we started to fly and work
on other teams – is that there’s so much RS: Well, I have to think that the success
it completed, or however you word it.
competitiveness between physical that you’re having is helping. Even if the
RS: I call that being a dog with a bone. seas don’t part, it’s got to be making a
therapists and trainers. They all want to
SH: Yeah, a big dog. There’s all those get into the system. So, you’re dealing difference because your work is getting
factors. So when you get somebody that’s with that. We were never nixed because known, and that’s a great thing.
like this, like Wayne, and an athlete that of the players. They can’t nix you when WH: Yeah. I’m just giving Rolfers a heads
wants all of the things he can offer, then you’re getting results for the players, and up. Don’t take it personally [if you can’t
69
Perspectives
penetrate the system], because from miracle worker, but nobody can believe it pelvic problem, I don’t know of any other
what I’ve seen on the inside, it’s cutthroat including the coach. He’s running around systems of treatment that sees that as a
among the many different people wanting here like he’s not injured.” So, that was pattern, that sees that what’s going on up
to work for players on these teams. probably the fun thing. The coach gave us there is also in the legs, and that the legs
RS: Yup. I got you. seats on the fifty-yard line. need to support any changes that happen
SH: One or two rows back from being above. I think that alone explains a lot of
SH: There was a chiropractor who worked Rolfing SI’s effectiveness. When it comes
for the Vikings and saw them for free. right on the field. It was cool.
to athletes, these football guys, it’s like
WH: Back when we were working, RS: Yeah. That’s a nice story. that’s their motor. There’s so much drive
chiropractors were seeing the Vikings for WH: We should probably touch on and so much muscular development
free just to say they could see them. We injuries. There’s a common set. Achilles, there, and there have been so many
charged. We’ve never not charged. ankle, knee – you’ve got to be able to injuries. If you can improve that, you really
work with a lot of knees. And then, typical improve the overall quality.
RS: I know. It’s hard to understand the
resistance to paying for good work even on these guys, the hips get very, very WH: I agree, Russell, totally. Legs are
when there’s plenty of money to afford it. tight, so releasing the trochanter. Then the primary thing in an athlete, both
there’s lower back and sacral problems, basketball and football.
WH: Can I tell you one more great story? and then shoulder girdles, and then neck
and head. RS: I can’t think of a sport where it wouldn’t
RS: Well, you tell me as many as you want.
be so . . . maybe swimming, but I don’t
WH: The week before Christmas we went SH: The biggest thing is what’s happening know. Anything that’s weightbearing,
up to the Gunflint Lodge on the Canadian in the legs, because they’re on them, gravity, drive, compression, acceleration,
border for a family vacation, so I was gone they’re using them. And when we started stop and start. Think of tennis.
for a little bit of time. So the quarterback, working with basketball players, I didn’t
Here’s a question for you. I’ve observed
after we’d left, had gone down in a game think they were going to have as much
that often the opposite side from the injury
with a serious high ankle sprain and he head stuff as the football guys, but they
ends up bearing up for the injured side.
couldn’t walk. He was in a high leg cast do. They fall on the wood floors all the
You post up on the side where you’re not
and they were going to try to give him a time. They get whacked, and they fall
hurt. That happens automatically. Usually
boot, going to try to figure out a way for over. Holy cow, every one of them had
there’s not an awareness of it happening.
him to play. some kind of a concussion going on that
And then let’s just say the injury heals, but
We were just getting home when the they might not even be able to admit to.
the balance, the shared load, doesn’t go
primary receiver and captain of the offense RS: No, they don’t. back to the side that was injured.
called me up. He said, “I will bring him to WH: Right.
your office myself. Please, would you see WH: Right, that’s true. For me, Russell,
the guy?” So, he came up. And again, SH: And the other thing with these guys is the final way to resolve that is down at the
here’s how Rolfers can succeed. Problem that they’re in the top 1% of any football core. It’s at the iliacus and the psoas, and
was, the talus was significantly out of player on the planet, or any basketball then I always give the sacral joint a true
place. It literally immobilized his whole player on the planet. They’ve been adjustment by working through the front
ankle, his whole foot, and everybody else playing that sport since age ten. They of the body. You have to get the core,
had tried, unsuccessfully, to adjust or get wanted to start. One player we worked the spinal engine firing on both sides to
that talus to move. But what do I do as a with, he started at six years old playing in bring that over. We always do that last in
Rolfer? I go into the back compartment, the streets. Think of the injuries in those our session anyway. And I can’t stress
his soleus compartment, his gastroc legs. It’s a long time. enough that you’ve got organs there,
compartment, his interosseus membrane. you’ve got ligament attachments of
RS: I felt for a long time that one critical
I get the leg free, and of course easily organs in the inside of the hips that have
thing that Rolfing SI emphasizes, that
get that talus bone back into place. He’s to be addressed to get the core to fire.
most every other approach doesn’t, is the
walking around my office like he’s not relationship between the legs and the rest SH: That’s always so much fun. When
even injured. of the body, the relationship of the legs Wayne starts working on the psoas and
The next day I get a call from the practice through the pelvis and the legs through the iliacus, I’m always at the occiput,
field. He says, “Wayne, I knew you were a the spine. With a spinal injury, or sacral or feeling and seeing if I can free up the
nerves that are back there a little more.
When the core opens up, it comes all the
I’m just giving Rolfers a heads up. Don’t way up through the neck and the head,
and I feel it.
take it personally [if you can’t penetrate WH: Again, you’ve got the nerve of Arnold
the system], because from what I’ve and the suboccipital muscles on both
sides, so the nerve of Arnold will be still
seen on the inside, it’s cutthroat among locked up on one of those two sides if
they’re still in compensation like you’re
the many different people wanting to talking about, Russell.
Another thing that’s interesting is the
work for players on these teams. change in recovery with stem cells. In the
70
past, if there was a serious ligamentous alcoholic family treatment center before
injury, it was going to heal slow, a couple going into private practice as a body-
of weeks even. One time Cris Carter had centered psychotherapist and holistic
gotten a high ankle sprain, and he came bodyworker. He realized that to be human
out in a boot. Sandy and I together worked was to be a body forming a personality in
those tendons that had been displaced need of connection to one’s deeper soul
and the swelling. We worked literally just and a higher power beyond oneself. For
in density and freeing the most minute his second career he went into Rolfing
tissues, putting that leg and ankle back SI. By 1990 he was practicing as a Rolfer
together, and his swelling came down. exclusively and began seeing Minnesota
He played, and he got 160 yards the Viking players on a regular basis, along
next game. But the following game he with other NFL and NBA players and
only lasted half a game; again, that’s that other professional athletes. Since 2018 he
deeper injury, so it took time to heal. It has worked as a part of a of professional
was such a serious injury. It was in the team offering services to NBA and NFL
tendons and the ligaments themselves, players. Sandy and Wayne’s website is
but we weaved that stuff back together continuumrolfing.com.
like putting the tissue back in place to get Sandy Henningsgaard spent thirteen
it to work. years in the nursing profession, with the
SH: Yeah, it was well worthwhile. That last ten years in critical care. She traveled
was way before stem cells. to Munich (Germany) in 1985 to become
a Rolfer and completed the Advanced
WH: With stem cells, that player can be
Training in 1990. Sandy’s dedication to
right back playing, so that’s a big deal.
health and well-being guides her Rolfing
RS: Thank you guys so much. practice. She maintains her Minnesota
WH: I hope it can inspire Rolfers. nursing license and Arizona massage
license. When not traveling with Wayne to
RS: I know it will. work on NBA and NFL players, she enjoys
Russell Stolzoff is a lifelong athlete whose playing in their ceramic studio and playing
understanding of Rolfing SI’s impact on with their two dogs. Sandy and Wayne’s
embodiment and performance dates back website is continuumrolfing.com.
to the dramatic improvements in balance Further Articles by Wayne and Sandy
and quickness he experienced from his Henningsgaard:
first Ten Series in 1983. For the past thirty
Henningsgaard, W. and Henningsgaard,
years he has devoted his professional
S. 2014 Dec. “Lessons in the Body’s
life to elevating his skills as a practitioner
Potential: Working with One of the NFL’s
and instructor. In 2010, Russell founded
Greatest Running Backs.” Structural
Stolzoff Sportworks to bring the benefits
Integration: The Journal of the Rolf
of Rolfing SI to professional athletes. He
Institute® 42(2):20–22.
was instrumental in helping members of the
NFL’s Seattle Seahawks stay in the game and Henningsgaard, W. and Henningsgaard,
perform at the highest level en route to two S. 2008 Sept. NFL Athletes Receive
consecutive Super Bowl appearances and Rolfing® for Career Longevity.” Structural
the 2013 Super Bowl NFL Championship. Integration: The Journal of the Rolf
Russell’s diverse background includes Institute® 36(3):10–12.
scientific research and studies in Somatic
Experiencing® trauma resolution and
Bodynamic Analysis (a developmental
approach to body psychotherapy). Russell
is a member of the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute®
(DIRI) Advanced Faculty. He lives and
practices in Bellingham, Washington.
Wayne Henningsgaard completed a BA
from the University of Minnesota in 1972,
later followed by an MA in counseling
psychology from the University of St.
Thomas. He also completed training
programs in Gestalt, transactional analysis,
and Bioenergetic therapy. He worked in and
supervised the nursing staff in a psychiatric
hospital and as a family therapist in an
71
Reviews
Reviews
in classes, it’s always humbling to watch discussion of the limbic system, and how
Barral proceed with little to no background it is possible to treat it and the emotional
information about the person’s ailment, system with his listening techniques.
watch his process and treatment, and Through an interactive use of guided
then witness the results, accompanied imagery, Barral uses listening to track the
with a ‘reveal’ interview and presentation shifting of the attraction detected within
of the issues the client has brought. the brain, and then works with induction to
achieve a balance in how the limbic system
The second disc devotes a lot of its
responds. The general procedure in these
content to treatment of vascular and nerve
A Manual Approach to the Brain – Part 1 techniques is very similar; it’s really only the
relationships with the brain, ensuring
with Jean-Pierre Barral context that differs.
that the organ is getting the nutrition and
Reviewed by Allan Kaplan, Certified instructions it needs for optimal function. As usual, Barral is succinct, precise, and
Advanced Rolfer™ Again, step-by-step lectures and demos confident in his instruction throughout
clearly outline Barral’s techiques for the The Brain. The DVD set a wealth of
Viewing this latest offering of DVDs from
treatments. He uses direct techniques to information. Being a bit weak in my
Jean-Pierre Barral, DO, was a poignant
the eyeballs to release the eye musculature neuroanatomy, I found a great website,
experience for me: I attended Barral’s brain
and improve vascular flow to the brain. www.neuroscientificallychallenged.com,
class a year ago, just as COVID-19 was
that was helpful in filling in the gaps in my
breaking around the world, and returned For me, the most fascinating aspect of
knowledge. Having missed Barral’s Brain
to the US directly into a fourteen-day the entire class was monitoring brain
II class in Munich because of COVID-19
quarantine. Having been taking several processes and treating the brain utilizing
travel bans, I look forward to that future
classes with Jean-Pierre every year for Barral’s tool of listening. Barral developed
installment of DVDs from Munich Group
a long time, watching the discs after listening in his initial studies of visceral
Media as an intro until I have a new
nearly a year-long hiatus transported me manipulation, and has utilized it in his
right back into the classroom with J-P’s opportunity to take the class.
further treatments of other systems of the
familiar self – his accent, his mannerisms, body. In the practitioner’s listening of the Bear in mind, DVDs alone are not a class
his depth of knowledge, and his surety brain, there may be an internal attraction substitute, but they do serve to give a
of skill. Truly, his DVDs and the excellent or pull that someone trained can palpate. very good idea of what to expect in any
job Munich Group Media has done with The practitioner, then introducing stimuli, Barral class, and are even more valuable
their production are the next best thing to can track the responses and use induction as an in-depth review.
being in an actual classroom with Barral techniques for treatment. The DVDs are produced by Rolfing®
himself. As I watched and reviewed my Structural Integration Instructors Peter
class notes, I realized how closely the Remembering back to my class
experience of this material, one of the Schwind and Christoph Sommer through
discs emulated our class, despite being
clearest examples of this was having a Munich Group Media. Readers in the
three and a half hours of material, versus
model inhale, through one nostril only, US can buy the DVDs individually or as
three full days in class, and I was able to
the scent of an oil, and feeling that the a set from https://www.barralinstitute.
review with the advantage of being able to
attraction of my hand to a spot inside their com. Those in Europe can order them at
replay bits and pieces as often as needed
brain would shift like a compass needle. https://www.munich-group-media.com/
to grasp their content.
Repeating the procedure with the model en/index.html.
The DVD set is comprised of three discs, breathing through the other nostril would
each packed with material. The first serves elicit a different result. Using induction in
to present the lay of the land, with review of conjunction with this listening process, Conquering Concussion: Healing TBI
basic concepts Barral has developed over I could balance the brain. This sort of Symptoms with Neurofeedback and
many years of pursuing his approach to process can be used with smelling, eye Without Drugs by Mary Lee Esty and
body dysfunction whether with treatment motions, tasting, finger motions – any C.M. Shifflett
of the visceral, nervous, venous, or
sensory stimulus. Fascinating!! Reviewed by Lina Amy Hack, Certified
articular systems of the body. The initial
Disc Three rounded out the DVD set Advanced Rolfer™
approach to the brain is no different. It’s
essential to check the body for fixations with treating the sphenoid bone, and When I was originally suffering from the
so that the environment of the brain is as then focusing on the limbic system. The concussion that I describe in my article
balanced as possible. Barral uses his own sphenoid is a crossroads of many vascular “In My Head” (see page 27 of this issue),
diagrams, notes, and demos to present a and neural connections to the brain, and is my symptoms would have prevented me
thorough overview of the anatomy and influenced by twenty-eight muscles; having from being able to read a book about
landmarks of the organ itself, as well as it as unrestricted as possible, to keep these concussions. I do wish I had known
influences and relationships with the rest channels optimally functional, is important. about the practice of Mary Lee Esty, PhD,
of the body. A highlight of the disc is the Barral describes and demonstrates a LCSW, founder of the Brain Wellness and
inclusion of an actual treatment with a number of techniques toward this end. Biofeedback Center, and her dedication
guest client. Having seen many of these He then devotes the rest of the disc to a to brain wellness. My understanding
72
is that she has helped many people about neurofeedback and biofeedback.
suffering from complex post-concussive I hope that the next edition of this book
syndrome, even years after their injury. As will include a complete literature review of
a product of all that clinical experience, this ongoing trend.
the book Conquering Concussion: Healing The third part of the book has a lot of
TBI Symptoms with Neurofeedback and useful information about how to take care
Without Drugs by Esty and C.M. Shifflett of the daily needs and challenges that a
(Round Earth Publishing, 2014), has a lot person suffering from a concussion may
of information about mild traumatic brain experience, this is valuable practical
injuries (mTBI) and treatment (past and information. The authors acknowledge a
present) of post-concussion syndrome. role for manual therapists in facilitating
It starts like any classic textbook, with a ease in the fascial web after these types
thorough overview of famous head injuries of injuries.
as case studies driving the knowledge
The book ends with a very important topic –
about brain injury. It is only in recent years
prevention of injury. I was wearing a helmet
that it has become common knowledge
when I experienced my serious mTBI, and
that concussions are serious injuries, and
although it did help lessen some of the
Conquering Concussion helps fill the gap
impact, it was not enough prevention. The
of knowledge about the consequences of
science of helmets, seatbelts, headrests
mTBI, which is a serious brain and body
in vehicles, and prevention in sports is an
injury. Concussions can lead to a long list
important topic that could probably be
of life-altering symptoms that disrupt the
activities of daily life. Rolfers would benefit its own book. As an avid downhill skier,
from reading the chapter about what I very much enjoyed the section talking
happens to the body during a concussion, about how people who chose to do high-
where the cranial and cervical anatomy risk sports need to teach themselves
relevant to mTBI events is reviewed. To how to fall – this is very much true in
paint the picture of the types of suffering skiing. I encourage readers interested
concussions lead to, many case studies in concussion and neurofeedback to
are presented, which feels like a journey read Conquering Concussion; it will
through Esty’s clinical learning to becoming give a complete overview on the topic
the expert that she is today. from the history, the medical politics,
innovative neurofeedback treatment,
Esty’s primary tool of intervention is and looking to the future where hopefully
neurofeedback, and it is through this post-concussion syndrome information
lens that the book delineates a pathway becomes more common knowledge.
to healing. People suffering from post-
concussion syndrome have had remarkable
recoveries from neurofeedback treatment
and yet, like Rolfing® Structural Integration,
it is not considered a mainstream health
intervention because of the difficulty
to research holistic health outcomes.
Esty and Shifflett characterize the
marginalization of biofeedback in general to
be due to normative use of drug treatment,
resistance from insurance companies to
pay for this lesser-known treatment, and a
general denial of people’s autonomy to be
able to heal themselves. It is an interesting
chronicle of the barriers these clinicians
have faced and one that Rolfers would
identify with. Yet as I read the challenges
the neurofeedback clinicians have faced
in getting recognition, valid research,
and peer-reviewed publication, I did a
quick search and found there were quite
a few recently published research articles
73
Institute News
Institute News
Message from Our Executive that supports classroom learning. The faculty is meeting regularly
to complete curricula mapping, creation of a Rolfing® Structural
Director/Chief Academic Officer Integration glossary, and online curricula. Look for an online
ethics course as continuing education to be offered in 2022 and
approved for use in licensing credit.
Dear Membership,
The DIRI Diversity Committee has continued to meet and to
With 2020 in the rearview mirror, focus on increasing inclusiveness at the Institute. It is currently
I know that we are all looking working with the Board of Directors on a statement for our
forward to this new year with website that reflects our commitment to and valuing of equitable
great expectations and hope. treatment for all persons of diverse races, ethnicities, sexual
The Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® (DIRI) orientation, religions, etc. Along these lines, the DIRI marketing
is celebrating fifty years of team is working on marketing campaigns and website changes
operations this year, and it is that better reflect this commitment.
truly remarkable to think about
The DIRI Ethics Committee has been training and consulting
how far we have come since the
with UC Berkeley’s Center for Social Justice in implementing a
early days at the Esalen Institute. During 2021, the DIRI Board of
robust and nuanced accountability model for addressing harm
Directors will be working to develop the next three-year strategic
to persons and to the community. This training has focused on
plan with feedback from you based on the survey conducted
shifting from a ‘retributive’ model to a ‘restorative justice’ model.
in winter. During the April ConnectMembership meeting, Board
We are very committed to supporting the ethics committee in
members will share the results of the survey with membership.
its work on building a robust and comprehensive model that
Then, throughout the year, the survey results will be used to
supports ethical behavior.
develop a series of ‘focus groups’ on specific topics with smaller
groups of faculty and members. The focus groups – listening The other day, during our administration staff meeting, we
circles – will allow the Board to hear different perspectives realized that the five of us have worked together as a team since
on where we ought to be going as an organization. Individual 2016-2017, while I am in my sixth year (having arrived in January
members will also be invited to email in their suggestions and of 2015). It is great to have such a competent, professional group
ideas. Using this data and taking a hard look at where we are of women to work with. Their expertise has been especially
currently, the Board and administration will develop a written invaluable during the pandemic. We welcome and invite you
strategic plan in the fall of 2021. A summary of that plan will be to reach out to us if you have a suggestion or a concern. The
shared with the membership by January 2022. Institute belongs to all of us, and so does the commitment to
continuous improvement.
In our new 2021 school year, we are very encouraged by the
enrollment levels. COVID-19 deaths and hospital visits have Sincerely,
dropped considerably here in Boulder County, with restaurants
reopening and school attendance moving forward. We were
already able to hold three classes in fall 2020, with sound Christina Howe
enrollment numbers in our Basic and Advanced Trainings Executive Director/Chief Academic Officer
(sixteen students in Phase I of Basic Training, ten students
in Phase II, and eight students in the Advanced Training). We
kicked off 2021 with January classes with solid numbers as
well: a Phase I class with twelve students, a Phase II with fifteen
students, and an Advanced Training with seven students. We are
optimistic about the rest of the year as well. We will be offering a
Rolf Movement® Integration certification intensive here at DIRI in
three phases. We anticipate offering both the workshop format
and the intensive format of the certification training in Boulder on
an ongoing basis.
The faculty and administration have grown a lot around using
technology as a supplement and resource for students in online
and in face-to-face classes. We are focused on building a digital
resource library for students with videos and published content
74
Institute News
Upcoming USA Classes 2021
®
2021-2023* Rolfing SI Basic Training 2021 Rolf Movement® Integration
Boulder, CO Campus Certification (Intensive)** Boulder, CO Campus
Program Start Date Program Start

P3.21 June 7, 2021 RMI2.20 March 1, 2021
P3.21 July 5, 2021 RMI3.20 May 24, 2021
P4.21 October 4, 2021 RMI1.21 April 12, 2021
P4.21 November 1, 2021 RMI2.21 July 12, 2021
P1.22 January 1, 2022 RMI3.21 September 20, 2021
P3.22 May 16, 2022 RMI1.22 April 2022
RMI3.22 September 2022
®
2021-2023* Rolfing SI Regional Basic Rolfing Certification Program
Atlanta, GA, United States
Program Start Date

RP1.21 June 11, 2021 RP2.22 January 7, 2022
RP1.21 July 9, 2021 RP2.22 February 11, 2022
RP1.21 August 13, 2021 RP2.22 March 11, 2022
RP2.21 September 16, 2021 RP2.22 April 8, 2022
RP2.21 October 15, 2021 RP3.22 June 16, 2022
RP2.21 November 5, 2021 RP3.22 July 15, 2022
RP2.21 December 10, 2021 RP3.22 August 12, 2022
*All classes including CE can be found at rolf.org

**The RMI classes listed are for our 30 Day Intensive Program and include three parts. We also offer a Workshop Format
that can be completed over time for added flexibility from various USA locations.
Upcoming CE Courses
The Dr. Ida Rolf Institute® is committed to cultivating academic growth and therapeutic skills in all of its graduates.
Continuing education studies can cover a broad range of relevant subjects. Certified Rolfers may take workshops in specific
manipulative techniques or may explore other related subjects such as craniosacral therapy or visceral manipulation.
Classes are continually being added - please visit www.rolf.org/courses for the most recent updates, or to register.
75
Contacts
Contacts
Officers & Dr. Ida Rolf Institute Staff
Board of Directors
Christina Howe Japanese Rolfing Association
Libby Eason (Faculty, Chair) Executive Director/Chief Academic Officer
bodfaculty2rep@rolf.org Yukiko Koakutsu, Foreign Liaison
Stephanie Sherwin Omotesando Plaza 5th Floor
Paul Van Alstine (Western USA) Director of Faculty & Student Services 5-17-2 Minami Aoyama
bodwesternrep@rolf.org Minato-ku Tokyo, 107-0062
Mary Contreras Japan
Florian Thomas (Europe) Director of Admissions +81+3-6868-3548
bodeuropeanrep@rolf.org & Recruitment
www.rolfing.or.jp
Juan David Velez (Faculty) Pat Heckmann jra@rolfing.or.jp
bodfaculty1rep@rolf.org Director of Operations & Systems ®
Management Rolfing Association of Canada
Cosper Scafidi (Eastern USA, Treasurer) Beatrice Hollinshead
bodeasternrep@rolf.org Samantha Sherwin Suite 289, 17008 - 90 Ave
Director of Financial Aid & Compliance Edmonton, AB T5T 1L6
Greice Gobbi (International - Brazil/ Canada
Canada/Japan) Brazilian Rolfing Association +1-416 804-5973
bodinternationalrep@rolf.org Dayane Paschoal, Administrator (905) 648-3743 fax
Angela Lobo, President
Ines Hoffmann (At-Large, Secretary) Associação Brasileira de Rolfing - ABR www.rolfingcanada.org
bodatlarge2@rolf.org R. Cel. Arthur de Godoy, 83 info@rolfingcanada.org
Vila Mariana
Carole LaRochelle (At-Large) 04018-050-SãoPaulo-SP
bodatlarge1@rolf.org Brazil
Dan Somers (Central & Mountain USA) +55-11-5574-5827
bodcentralrep@rolf.org +55-11-5539-8075 fax
Executive Board Members www.rolfing.com.br
rolfing@rolfing.com.br
Libby Eason
Ines Hoffman European Rolfing Association e.V.
Cosper Scafidi
Sabine Klausner
Education Executive Committee Saarstrasse 5
80797 Munchen
Neal Anderson, Chair Germany
Tessy Brungardt +49-89 54 37 09 40
Lisa Fairman +49-89 54 37 09 42 fax
Larry Koliha
Kevin McCoy www.rolfing.org
Adam Mentzell info@rolfing.org
Juan David Velez
Dr. Ida Rolf Institute®

5055 Chaparral Ct., Ste. 103
Boulder, CO 80301
+1-303 449-5903
www.rolf.org
info@rolf.org
76

Diri Journal March 2021 Interactive 4.8.21

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Diri Journal March 2021 Interactive 4.8.21

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Diri Journal March 2021 Interactive 4.8.21

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Structure, Journal of the

Dr. Ida Rolf Institute®

Also in this issue

The Sensory Organs of

Publisher Articles in Structure, Function,

Cover Art “Rolfing®,” “Rolf Movement®,”

March Cover Art

The Head: The Upper Pole

The Sensory Organs of the Head

Although we have addressed

If you could just The head is often what brings clients

By Robert Schleip, PhD, Certified Advanced Rolfer™

ABSTRACT The human body is by majority made of water, specifically interstitial

Hyaluronan is one of the most hydrophilic molecules in nature:

While the application of sudden pressure tends to be ‘ignored’

(Schleip et al. 2011). We also showed that

‘Interfacial water layers’ – i.e., the arrangement of water

By Konrad Obermeier, Basic Rolfing® Instructor

ABSTRACT This is article is a discussion of embryological development of the

The face is situated in a compressed area in between the

brain. The developing brain demands and

One compressional region that results

Figure 5: A – Expanding hemispheres; B – Expanding heart; 1 – Eye region; 2 – Naso-zygomatic

The head is a private and privileged place, full of symbolic

By Lina Amy Hack, Certified Advanced Rolfer™ and

session. This particular piece wasn’t in

Rolf used to say, one of the hallmarks of maturity is a shift

The Fourth Hour should include introductory Seventh-Hour

The Brain – New

By Christoph Sommer, Rolfing® Instructor, and Peter Schwind, Basic and

ABSTRACT Christoph Sommer interviews his faculty colleague Peter Schwind on

I started to speculate that . . . there must be an interesting bridge

This has led us to a very global hypothesis: that the junction

We may be able to feel through the cranial bones and through

By Lina Amy Hack, Certified Advanced Rolfer™

Introduction Concussions are difficult to diagnose

inferior aspect is the thick spinal cord

volume, causing a larger protective

The seven pairs of cranial nerves

Putting it all together, concussions occur when neural cells in

McCrory, P., W. Meeuwisse, J. Dvorak, M.

A Head that Belongs

By Kevin Frank, Certified Advanced Rolfer™, Rolf Movement® Instructor

Paying attention to orientation replaces other, less helpful

Figure 2: Toe pressing combined with inhalation and orientation to space

in conscious exteroceptive awareness, a

Receptive (Haptic) Gaze

Figure 7: The contralateral meeting

Senses worked with the Hubert Godard-derived

By Gael Rosewood, Certified Advanced Rolfer™, Rolf Movement®

ABSTRACT Gael Rosewood, Rolfer, Rolf Movement Practitioner, and Continuum

Gael Rosewood: I’m excited to be studied many different disciplines and

the astigmatism in the eye, and let’s

The way we use our eyes functionally changes the structure of

How we function with our eyes changes

By Jeffrey Burch, Certified Advanced Rolfer™

Therapeutically, we can utilize slow small movement of the eye

forward ballistically stretching the nerves

Exploring the Grunwald