A short understanding of
Fascial Manipulation
Integral Bodywork™ is a style of structural integration that draws upon the influences of Western bodywork pioneers such as Ida Rolf, Moshe Feldenkrais, Lauren Berry and Dub Leigh, in addition to using the insights of yoga, zen and the martial arts. This method focuses on freeing the matrix of the body’s connective tissue. Special attention is given to the pelvis and core, seat of our deepest emotional and energetic blocks.
Focus on working the body's connective tissue developed out of the work of Ida Rolf, first gaining widespread recognition in the 1970's and 80's. Other names for similar work are Postural Integration, Structural Integration, and Hellerwork among many more. Like any organic system or technology, a quality later product keeps its roots in the lineage, but also flowers with developments that can far surpass its earlier ancestors. Integral Bodywork™ is one of the outgrowths of this natural evolution.
Integral Bodywork™ is not a massage but is mostly administered on a massage table. There is direct skin-to-skin contact between the client and practitioner. Fingers, knuckles, and elbows are used to help free the body's connective tissue and restore the body to a balanced state. Each individual session lasts about two hours. A complete series that covers the entire body by carving away tension and stress stored inside, is ten sessions. Sometimes more sessions are necessary to work out problem areas, but typically chronic pain, especially in the back, neck, shoulders, and feet are reflections of misalignments in the entire body and can often be healed in the ten session process. Many clients find an amazing reduction of pain by the end of the first ten sessions, but continue to receive ongoing treatments to enhance areas of chronic hardness in their body or free blocked energy. Maintenance sessions can also help prevent pain down the road and keep the body in healthy, working order.
Anyone can benefit from Integral Bodywork™ - any age, from athletes, dancers, housewives, office workers, meditators, to taxi drivers. Athletes will notice an increased range of motion and improved performance. Yoga students will see their practice open up and advance very quickly. Meditators and other practitioners of mind-body disciplines will see their gross and subtle awareness enhance. Those with repetitive or sitting jobs will come more into balance with their bodies and see more freedom in their movement. Most experience freedom and openness that they've not felt since childhood.
Integral Bodywork™ works primarily by stretching the fascia tissue along with muscles. As a matter of fact, treatment of the muscles only or bones only rarely "stick" in the long term because these bodily components work together (not independently) and are governed by the condition of the body's fascial matrix which we will get to know in a minute. This is why often a massage or chiropractic adjustment for chronic conditions will feel good for a while, but often only last a week or less. (Not that I'm saying there aren't conditions where massage or chiropractic care aren't perfectly appropriate. Especially in cases of malformed bones, there may be little other choice, but clearly if a chronic condition persists, one would be wise to look for more permanent solutions)
By applying focused pressure, Integral Bodywork™ stretches the fascia like taffy. After stretching, the fascia is left in a permanently expanded state. The practitioner is literally resculpting the fascial matrix, making room for the muscles and bones to rebalance, melting away years of stress and misuse.
Stretching the fascia will likely be uncomfortable. We will be releasing years of pain and misuse that have been 'armored' in the body. Think of a session as doing 35 yoga classes at once. Each person has a different body and different level of pain tolerance. The important thing to understand is that the individual receiving the work is the one in control. The level of pain is always something that person can work with. The goal is to learn to continue to expand into the pressure rather than contract. We do this using a rating system from 1-10 of how much pain you're in. We work together to keep the pain from going over 7. Although this work may be uncomfortable during the session, the results are seen and felt immediately after working. Most people report an immense sense of relief from Integral Bodywork™ that lasts much longer than other attempted healing or integrative modalities.
Trauma and energy from past wounds are stored in the body. The practitioner is not giving you pain, but releasing pain that is stored in your body. Many people experience emotional releases as their body releases the physical armor that was preventing the emotion from flowing through. Through Integral Bodywork™ people are able to release these stored feelings. Some people actually do the work more for emotional release than for the physical benefits. Tears, shaking, hot/cold flashes, or tingling are some ways stored feelings release. If an emotional release occurs then a safe space is created to allow that release. This may be as simple as curling up to the side and allowing the energy to dissipate. Many people report no emotional or energetic changes during or after sessions. Each person's experience will be entirely unique.
If talk about energy and emotional wounds stored in the body seem 'far out', 'archaic', 'mythic', or even 'ridiculous', consider the visceral feeling of action that is often created by strong emotion. When you are very angry or afraid, the body desperately wants to move, run or strike! Emotion chemicals are sent to the muscle cells to use as a powerful fuel. We inherited this system from our ancestors who needed it to outrun tigers, kill bears, and face other threats of superior physical ability. We have today removed those threats, but the system for handling threats remains the same, so we often feel these actions our bodies want are inappropriate (we are in a board meeting, around our boss, parents, children, or friends). Indeed often it is a very correct decision to not beat up our boss or hysterically run out of a board meeting, but there is a price we pay for inhibiting our emotions and dominating our less-than-rational selves.
Something has to happen to the fuel. Our body still contracts, just not in a way that allows it to move freely. In effect, we "freeze" the fuel in place. This tightness in the muscles is what we commonly in the West call stress. The stress will stay until we free the fuel. Whether you want to think of the fuel as molecules, energy, or something else is largely a matter of worldview or perspective, just choose the perspective that works for you and seems to "fit" on a gut level. In Integral Bodywork™, we will free the fuel, and much of that fuel is stored in the fascia. Perspective mirrors experience. Some will experience a simple release of stress, others vague emotions, and some full blown memories. The experience is unique to the individual, but always freeing.
This work is life changing. It can be very intense for some people. Many people feel tired afterwards and need to sleep more. Others feel more energized. Some feel scattered and disorganized as their body and mind attempt to find a new way to organize itself in the world. As body and posture change, movement will change. Occasionally hives or gout will flair up for a couple days after a session. This is all normal as the body attempts to release many stored up toxins and old fuel. All this only lasts a short time. With proper maintenance using expansive movement, the work is everlasting.
Clients come to receive Integral Bodywork™ for a variety of reasons; from straitening out their posture, to relieving chronic pain (especially shoulder, back, neck, hip, and foot), stress release, emotional release, or just wanting to feel better. No matter what the reason, you will experience a life changing event provided you come in with an attitude of cooperation. In Integral Bodywork™, the practitioner and client must work together and the client must take care of be responsible for themselves by giving the practitioner constant feedback of physical and emotional sensations. Working together, the two of us can get amazing results! Come see for yourself.