If you know me, then you know the story of how my mom used to rub my back as a baby to calm me down (read: shut my crying yap). Yeah, how lucky am I that I got a mom and a massage therapist all in one? To this day, I love bodywork of all kinds. Touch my back and I'm a gooey puddle of bliss (gasp, I've just let slip my secret -- it's like Superman admitting his weakness for Kryptonite. Boyfriends take note...).
Back in 2007 I did the Rolfing 10 Series. At the time I was in a training and we were discussing emotional centers in the body and how different parts of the body correspond with certain emotional holding patterns. I was fascinated. I inhaled books like Ken Dychtwald's Bodymind and Candace Pert's Molecules of Emotion. And because I often like to use my body as my own little laboratory of learning, I jumped at the chance to experience Rolfing and notice where my body held tension and what it would feel like when that tension was released.
Just last week, I started my second 10 Series. I had forgotten just how powerful Rolfing is. I was breathing fuller and deeper right after my first session and I couldn't wait to get on my yoga mat to see the difference it made in my practice. In a word: spaciousness. Okay two words: spaciousness and openness. And I'll add another word for good measure: release. My yoga practice the day after my first session felt incredible. I noticed that I could get deeper into the postures and go a little farther in ones that I had felt restricted in before. I was breathing deeper. I was feeling loose and free and energized. My movement was more fluid and felt effortless. Yes, I was sore, but I was happy. [Blogger's Note: for muscle soreness, try adding 1-1.5 cups of Apple Cider Vinegar to hot bath water. Ahhhhhhhh...relief.]
Tonight I go back for my second session and I can hardly wait. Heck, I'm already looking foward to getting on my yoga mat tomorrow to notice the subtle changes the work will continue to have on my yoga practice (not to mention the effects it has on my body and my daily movement). It brings new meaning the answer to the question I often ask myself: "Can I open just a little more?"
I urge everyone that I work with (you too, dear blog reader) to give themselves the gift of some sort of bodywork and then pay close attention to noticing what happens the next time they get onto their yoga mat. And if you can manage to budget in a series of 10 Rolfing sessions, I highly recommend it. I guarantee it'll change your yoga practice and your life.
Namaste!
Amazon.com Widgets
