The objective of Structural Integration is to educate the body how to integrate into its natural postural balance and to find functional ease throughout the entire body with a ten series of sessions called the “recipe”. It’s a hands on process of manipulation thats helps organize the body and restores it to its vertical alignments in relationship to the gravitational field.
How does Structural Integration Work?
When the body sustains any type of trauma, emotional holding or compensation for any reason, this work will help to support the myofasical collagen components of the physical body to lengthen and open in a more effective and supportive way. The fascia is a very resilient, yet flexible tissue. If you can imagine, it is like a wetsuit underneath the skins that connects to all the other tissues through the different layers and throughout the various patterns of holding. As the practitioner touches into these with melding, the intention to lengthen, spreading and creating more internal space, there is more balance, and differentiation of layers that allows for more sliding movement and mobility, and re-hydration. The systematic approach of moving from superficial to deeper levels brings about more ease and movement in a holistic way for the other vital systems of the body as well, enhancing better function all around. The ten serious is a comprehensive and creative process that unwinds and frees the body to experience more fluidity, increased energy, freer breathing, more symmetry, and a feeling of lightness.
How Structural Integration Feels
Ida R. Rolf, Ph.D. was not afraid to really get her hands in a body to affect change. After all, because of the fascia’s plasticity, the body changes dramatically with SI and the results are so positive. However, SI did gain a reputation of being a bit painful, so the work has evolved to include better listening and gentler touch. As a practitioner, I find that it is very important to respect my client’s boundaries and to work with his/her unique sensation responses and choices. At the start, we set up an agreement as to what you want to experience and a clear way to dialogue with the process that is occurring in the moment. It’s important for the body to receive in a way where it does not have to move into a defensive stance. This is important because in order for the client to hold the integration longer term he/she needs to be able to experience the changes without resistance. There may be moments that feel uncomfortable, but that is temporary and you are in charge of the session. The payoff for feeling into the body and letting go is great and well worth the dropping in and experiencing the deeper truth of your body, sense of self, and emotions. The body is the doorway to great transformation.
The Benefits of Structural Integration:
Freedom from chronic pain
Enhanced flexibility
More length and ease in movement
Optimized athletic performance
Better balance between the sides and from top to bottom
More energy and vitality
Easier breathing and movement
Increased body awareness
Improved Posture
Some individuals may perceive their losing fight with gravity as a sharp pain in their back, others as the unflattering contour of their body, others as constant fatigue, yet others as an unrelenting threatening environment. Those over forty may call it old age. And yet all these signals may be pointing to a single problem so prominent in their own structure, as well as others, that it has been ignored: they are off balance, they are at war with gravity. Ida Rolf