Sunday, October 22, 2017. The entire schedule of Phase 1 was completed (July 7–9, August 31 – September 3, and October 19–22 — 11 days in total).
In addition to Pierpaola Volpones (hereafter Paola), Rita Geirola (hereafter Rita), and the assistant Herve Baunard, from October 20 Giovanni Felicioni (hereafter Giovanni) also took part in the form of an assistant.
On the tenth day, I was able to learn how to bring Rolfing together as ten sessions, how the client becomes independent, and the possibilities of bodily movement for integrating the movement of the upper body and the lower body, and so on.
Awareness on the breath in the sitting posture. While receiving support for the lower limbs (the knees, the soles of the feet, the hip joints), and incorporating the movements of the upper limbs (the ribs, the scapulae, the spine) and of the wrists and shoulders in time with the movement of the breath, I was able to observe the excess force releasing from various parts of the body. Here too, what is important is connecting with the other person and proceeding slowly and carefully.
From Paola, Rita, and fellow Rolfers — at what pace to proceed? I found that, unexpectedly, I was guiding the movements quickly, and I was made aware of the importance of proceeding slowly and carefully.
We did two kinds of practice, but because the movements are delicate and the actions are performed in parts where awareness does not usually go in the body, the fatigue of all the participants accumulated as well. On the spur of the moment, an order came for everyone to go outside for 30 minutes, get away from their smartphones, and take a walk. In the season of late October, the autumn leaves come a step earlier than in Tokyo. While enjoying the scenery of the autumn leaves, it became a good change of pace.
On the eleventh and final day, in groups of three, a 50-minute Rolfing session. With the role division of three — Rolfer (the person offering the treatment), client, and supporter — it was done three times in total. With advice to actively do, without fear of failure, things never done before, I carried out a session, using sitting and standing positions, in which awareness goes to the body’s movement.
This training began from reviewing the procedures of Rolfing’s ten-session series.
Looking back:
- That, in order to make the movement of muscles easier to be aware of, the breath, movement, and support by the hands are effective.
- That, in order to distinguish movement performed by the brain from movement performed by the body, slow action is important.
- That, by receiving feedback from the teachers from time to time, the manual technique can be re-examined objectively.
- That the basic procedures should be reviewed from time to time.
— there were great pieces of awareness about these and more.
In particular, since the brain tries to think about things quickly, considering that, in order to improve everyday quirks and habits, movement through the body is wanted, I think it was a great realization that, with a little movement and at a slow pace, great change and improvement of habits can be recognized.
Next is Phase 2, held from January 24 to February 4, 2018. Learning intensively for ten days, with sessions with clients coming in as well, it seems there will be much to learn. Including what was learned this time, I’d like to incorporate it into my own sessions and improve through practice.