The BODY & GRAVITY 10-session Rolfing®︎ series guides participants through a discovery of total-body connection. Integrating your posture and movement through the Rolfing sessions will reduce pain and allow you to move more efficiently.
About Rolfing®︎ →Working upon the body’s fascia—the supporting tissue surrounding virtually all our muscles and organs—Body & Gravity’s goal is to restore your body's inherent flexibility.
As part of that work, you will learn to use your body’s energy more efficiently and reduce unnecessary effort.
Rolfing is for anyone:
By re-arranging the body’s fascia (sometimes referred to as our “second skeleton”), your overall stress will be greatly reduced.
This might be important, if you:
Restoring flexibility to the body’s fascia will provide relief from pain and other chronic symptoms of imbalance. Rolfing effectively treats symptoms regardless of age, gender, or type of pain. It is also receiving international attention for its success in treating scoliosis.
Note: Rolfing is not a medical treatment. For help with more severe health issues, you should consult your M.D.
Rolfing has been found effective in treating anyone:
Rolfing is conducted through a series of 10 sessions (the “10 Series”). These 10 sessions are divided into three segments, with each of the 10 sessions having its own specific theme.
The goal of these sessions is to loosen and activate your body’s surface layer fascia on the front, back, and both sides of the body.
The next sessions address the deep core tissue of your body, especially the inner thigh, the pelvis, and the spine all the way up to your neck and skull.
In the final sessions we will focus on strengthening the connection and movement between surface and core tissues, as well as further linking the upper and lower halves of your body.
The first session in the series is devoted to enhancing freedom of breath, through work on loosening the surface fascia of your chest and pelvis.
The second session provides your legs with a stable foundation to stand upon. From your knees down to your ankles and feet, we work on developing more freedom of movement. In the latter half of this session, we also begin work on the back of the spine.
This third session treats the sides or outer regions of your body that were not already addressed in the first two sessions. Together, these three sessions strive to give the body greater overall freedom of movement.
Advancing from the initial surface sessions, we now proceed to the fascia of the inner sides of each leg, up to the base of your pelvis. This work will enhance both the movement and stability of your ankles, knees, and pelvis.
The iliopsoas muscle runs through the deep core of your abdomen, connecting spine, pelvis, and legs. By releasing the fascia surrounding this muscle tissue, you will gain a deeper sense of the connection of your legs and spine.
Continuing to work upon the fascia of your legs, pelvis, and lower back, in this session we adjust the center axis of the lower body, and extend the connection between your legs and spine.
In the seventh session, we turn our attention to the fascia of the upper spine and neck, to strengthen the connection between your head and your body's central axis. If necessary, the work will also extend down into the arms and hands.
The eighth session strives to increase your overall freedom of movement by integrating the fascia throughout the upper half of your body.
Depending on each individual’s needs, we may decide to switch the order of sessions 8 and 9.
The ninth session opens and unifies the fascia and movement of the entire lower body.
Depending on each individual’s needs, we may decide to switch the order of sessions 8 and 9.
In this last session, we make any necessary final adjustments, and review the changes your body has experienced over the course of the 10 sessions.
Restore your body balance to enjoy greater freedom of movement and stable posture
Gain short-term relaxation and pain relief
All muscles and fascia throughout the body
Muscles, bones, & joints surrounding
the immediate problem area
Interactive sessions seeking a total-body connection, integrated posture and movement
Passive treatment
※ This is a general description of massage and is not intended as a comparison of all types of massage and/or body therapies.
Currently in all of Japan there are no more than 150 Rolfing practitioners️. Rolfers™ must complete the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute’s Rolfing certification training program. Rolfing research is on-going, and our work is gradually becoming familiar to the general public. A number of prominent Rolfers, such as Mary Bond and Thomas W. Myers, are sharing their work through YouTube, and on forums such as Talks at Google™.
Rolfing sessions include not only treatment, but also an increased awareness of your body movement. The general procedure is as follows:
1. Interview: We will begin with a thorough discussion of your physical condition. Let your Rolfer know about any past injuries, as well as any specific areas of your body you would like to focus on. In addition, as we progress through the sessions, you should also mention any changes you may have noticed since your previous session.
2. Physical Checkup: After changing into loose, comfortable clothing for your session, together we will begin a physical examination. Focussing attention on your body, from a standing posture you will be asked such questions as, “Where you are placing your weight?,” or, as you breathe in deeply, “Where is the air going?” In this way we will attempt to gain an understanding of your body’s general condition, and how you tend to use it. In addition, in order to document physical changes, you will be offered the option of recording your standing and walking postures, using both still photos and video.
3. Rolfing work: Sometimes on the massage table, and other times seated in a chair, now we will begin work on your body’s fascia tissue. Part of this process will involve movement, and we will often also focus on your breathing.
4. Review: At the end of each session we will re-check your physical condition. You will again focus attention on your body and respond to various questions about what you are feeling. With your consent, we will make another photo & video record of your standing and walking postures.
Depending on your body's condition and the part of the body being treated, your practitioner will employ different techniques. Essentially, relaxing the fascia and regaining flexibility is a process of patience. Think of Rolfing as the application of slow, gradual pressure applied to the fascia using fingers, fist, or the palm of the hand.
There is no kneading, pulling, or use of strong, sudden force. The end result does not depend on the intensity of the pressure we apply, or the amount of pain you endure. If something starts to hurt, please say so. We can always reduce the pressure or use another technique.
If you are new to Rolfing, the thought of 10 sessions might seem a little daunting. To be honest, when I first decided to try it myself, I remember having similar concerns. But Rolfing has been designed as a whole-body solution, and can significantly improve your body's posture and balance. One benefit of completing the entire 10 sessions is that it should reduce your need for other types of treatment or bodywork. Think of it as a long-term "investment" and, in that sense, economical in terms of both time and money.
If you are curious, but not ready to commit to the full series, then I would recommend an initial trial session. Then if you are still interested, you can proceed with the first three regular sessions. Please feel free to discuss your concerns with me at any time.
Session intervals are determined in consultation with your practitioner. Some people prefer once-a-week, while others opt for a once-per-month schedule. Ideally, we recommend a pace of roughly once every two to three weeks, in order to complete all 10 sessions within about half a year.
Constrained fascia results in constrained movement, which in turn is usually the root cause of other chronic physical problems. By freeing the fascia, Rolfing’s aim is to restore your body’s natural balance. This approach offers long-lasting relief from related symptoms.
Rolfing is a very personal, one-on-one procedure, and your experience will differ depending on the Rolfer™️ you choose. For your Rolfing sessions to be most effective, your Rolfer should be someone you feel comfortable working with, both physically and mentally. Checking someone’s website or blog can help give you some sense of what that person might be like to actually work with.
In addition, I might recommend an initial trial session -- a chance for you both to get a sense of one another. Please also feel free to make use of the website of the Japan Rolfing Association, where you can search for Rolfers working not only in Kyoto, but throughout the Kansai region.
Each session payment is due on the day of your appointment.
You will experience the Rolfing idea and session.
* one time per person
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Studio Address: Chatelet Nakai San-jo 202, 395,
Kakimotochō, Nakago-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto,
〒604-8173
Access：
3-minute walk from Karasuma-oike Kyoto Subway Station
10-minute walk from Hankyu Railway Karasuma Station
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