by Charles G. Siemers: We are going to take the theme of Wholeness & meander around it. Yoga > Union.
Back Ground
Dr Ida Rolf got her Ph.D. in Biochemistry 1927. She was a very powerful Charismatic Victorian Lady
She studied Tantric Yoga for 10 years including yoga camps or as she called it Yog with a gentleman who at the age of 19 was told by his teachers that he had received the full transmission.
His great statement was he got more exercise sitting in Silence. Than they did doing postures. The Silence, the un-partioned Wholeness
How She Got Started
So she had two children & at some point wanted the kids to have piano lessons from a particular teacher who no longer could teach because of arthritic hands. So Ida said I’ll fix your hands & you teach the children.
She probably started with yoga postures & right from the beginning she worked with the whole body (Wholeness), not just with the wrist & hands.
Ida & Yoga Demonstration
Now we are going to jump into my first training class with her. She brought in a yoga guy in a loincloth & Ida guided him through some postures.
The most interesting was the standing back bend, Most people break in the lumbar region to get range soothing like this <.
What Ida did was to go for maximum length along the back bend curve which maintains spinal integrity. Now in the Rolfing world we say a person is built around a line, a gravity line, a core. Her approach was to get maximum length in the core, which translated, to the most energy in the relationship of the core to the larger field of gravity.
So gravity becomes the healer.
By the time she was finished his back bend transformed to something like this (.
Now I’m going to detail this a bit more, lets talk about this open curve, this open back bend, this open flesh. Now we all know the thoracic ribs go around from back to front. So the now open rib cage especially on the back side allows movement in the individual ribs.
Which provides an experience of the vertical pumping action of the spine. Rare to be able to do or facilitate this deep organic lengthening pumping action of the spinal column. Great exercise for the spine!!
The core is always a mysterious mystery, even though we throw the word around like it’s a common understanding.
I’ll give an example of the light of the core
I’m in an on going group with Brugh Joy.
I’m working with him one & one in a group
He is calling me an Alien _ I have no idea what He is up to
I see his entire spinal column fire off with Beautiful Wondrous Sparkling Light,
I’m sent into an expanded state above the clouds
Tea with Ida
Let me set the ambience. This was pre 1973 @ Esalen Institute.
Dr Rolf is giving an Advanced Rolfing class. The class is totally closed.
No Visitors No Scientist No visiting dignitaries, Nobody, Even the founder of Esalen Dick Price couldn’t get in.
For some unknown reason I find Dr Rolf’s assistant Rosemary & make up story of why I need to see Dr Rolf. Rosemary is bright nothing should have gotten by her. I can not imagine what I came up with – this was impossible- I wasn’t even a Rolfer yet – I was probably not even accepted into the Rolfing Training yet.
Someone shows later & reports I’m invited for tea with Dr Rolf
The following morning before class.
No doubt I put my Big Sur finest on.
As I’m showing up a couple of heads poke out & there is a feeling in the air of, who is this unknown mysterious visitor. I’m taken in & seated & there is Dr Rolf all lit supremely with an 8-ft. aura with a white mist or small snowflakes in it, absolutely phenomenal. We chat- its evident I just slipped in.
As we finish I ask her if I can stay for the morning,
out of her mouth comes “NO”
& at the same time her aura blinks YES.
I dumbfounded as I am young & nothing like this has happened before. Wisely I pick YES.
We can put this under Communication of the larger wholeness to the smaller.
I find one of the head guys (Michael Salveson, I suspect) I know. He says just sit out of her sight. She doesn’t see you, your not here.
Well she does know I’m there & uses me as a class demonstration by her son. An honor perhaps.
Seeing
The story is particularly enlightening for teachers teaching.
This is a 1975 Advanced class in which was somehow (Actually Jim Asher, God bless him, spoke with Dr Rolf) chosen to assists the class with her. I had only been Rolfing 3 years & there was much to do about this.
It’s the afternoon & there are 3 or 4 tables working. Ida is intently working with one of the practitioners. I’m watching the rest of the room
Then I notice I’m drawn to see whatever I need to see & issues that need to be dealt with.
I find my self-leaving my chair automatically & going over & fixing what ever needs to be addressed with the Rolfing that’s going on.
On my way back to my chair I here Dr Rolf say “Chuck”, I answer “Got it”.
This goes on the rest of the day!!
The next time I’m Rolfing Ida I mention this & she responds
That’s how I do it don’t tell anyone!!.
So what is going on here, the room is a pool of energy (wholeness) so ripples are felt when one is tuned in at this level.
Ida Calling the Mountains
I’m sitting next to Dr Rolf this is my fist practitioners class, we are in Boulder CO – it’s the later afternoon.
She gazes out through the big picture window at the mountains.
I feel her bring the refreshment of the mountains into the room, marvelously refreshing. Nature is a seamless wholeness.
Charles G. Siemers Advanced Certified Rolfer
Trained By The Founder Dr Ida P. Rolf
42 Years Experience www.advancedRolfingLA.com
