𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 "𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥"

 

Gravity is the "Red Pill"

"Red Pill" is a big thing in the movie The Matrix. It's small, it's a pill, so it's small; but you get what I'm saying. "Big" in significance. It's a symbol for awakening from conditioning; the conditioning of society, the constructed illusory Matrix. It's integral to the story; so, if you haven't best for you to go right now and watch the show so you have the full skinny on the reference.

First, to be clear, society needs its conditioning. We all drive on the same side of the road. Well, except for those contrary Brits and all the lands they held in their imperial sway. Or, you turn the water faucet clockwise to shut it off. Or, you light the Tobacco end of a filtered cigarette. Or, the up elevator goes ... up. Except that one at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City when I lived there; a mind of its own it had. 

But then there's the conditioning of ideas. Ways of thinking. The way I think it is, is the way it is; and the way it should be. Isn't that pretty much at the root of all the shit we see in the news these days? A contest over whose view is to prevail. When, in fact, having a view itself might just the problem. We, however, contest of this view or that. The recent Presidential election exemplifies that point. One candidate is gonna take us all to hell. And, so will the other. Depending on which side you take, the stakes have been framed as so dire it's a wonder that more idiots haven't decided to take matters in their own hands. 

In any case, there also is a thing in ordinary life about waking up. Better, waking up from. Plenty of wisdom knowledge on that subject. It's above my pay grade to attempt to give chapter and verse. Go look for yourself, if you're so inclined. If not, never mind; don't give it a second thought. Come to think of it, that's the formula for awakening, don't give a second thought! As my go-to Nisargadatta Maharaj put it: "... the rigorous refusal to harbor thoughts." 

That is awakening. You stop carrying around ideas about what it is, how it should be, and how you think and feel about the difference. Take a fresh, unfiltered look. Because, in the world, there'll always be differences. Heck, if not, why would anyone want to wake up from a cozy dream? 

The "Matrix" is living with a set of prescriptions about what's what. Handed to us by family, teachers, society, priests, and politicians. A dream. Nothing necessarily wrong with any of that. Just, to not be aware that "all the world's a stage" is to keep running in the same set habitual circles, ignorant of the underlying realities. But, once awake, you then open yourself to creative options. Heck, look at the friggin' news, Boy! Oh, Boy! We are most probably at a fin-de-siècle of biblical proportions, and the sleepers at the wheel of the ships of state are still pretending to know what they're doing. Die-hards; let's pray not. Time to pray. To repent. To fess up to our stupidity. Cultivate the virtues. Humility before the Creator. The self-made approach to life is showing us its end game. But, what pol got elected confessing they don't know? Socrates was just some guy way back when. Now, everyone knows; and the contest goes to the one who convinces us they know best. What could go wrong with that?

Waking up is not, by the way, the same as woke. "Woke" in my book is just being hip to whatever the popular zeitgeist is pushing at the moment. "Awake" is having the scales fall from your eyes, cleansing the doors of perception.

So, how does Gravity play into this waking up stuff?

We're not talking about Gravity as a concept. That is, in intellectual terms. Formulas and theories. That stuff is good for moving things like rockets, or building walls. Fine enough. 

There's Gravity as percept. But even not like when you drop your ice cream off the cone, and it falls to the ground. We all know from Gravity like that. Or, from when as kids we played at stacking blocks. Or, how you see a picture is off kilter on the wall.  That sort of thing is more direct, ingrained: but still mainly intellectual. It is closer to activities like skiing and skateboarding and surfing. That sense of reciprocal kinesthetic balance you have to have to keep moving with the flow.

But, there's more. Way more. As the above illustrates, the sense for keeping one's balance is a learned skill. We all have it, in varying degrees. The difference between the two young fellas above is in the balance of the body itself. Repeat ... the balance of the body itself. The one with obvious imbalances in the makeup of his body may in fact be the better skateboarder. We're not talking about the ability to balance. Get that straight. The boy on the right brings a balanced body to the party. That's a crucial difference. It's about the experience of living, of being alive. Do you really want to live!? Yes? Balance your body!

Gravity to the rescue.

And, that is how Gravity frees from past conditioning. We all arrive at adulthood with a random mix of imbalances fixed into the fabric of our flesh. We are shaped by our experience(s). Unresolved accidents and traumas get folded in. Habits, both good and bad, get repeated and shape the way we do things; the way we see things. Insufficient learning, and improper learning. "Shoulders back, head up, knees locked, hips clenched" ... sound familiar? Soldiers have been famously known to faint under holding that standard of uprightness too long. That can't be good. And, very influential, modeling significant others who may have themselves not been healthy examples of simple bodily balance. 

Dr. Ida P. Rolf, the originator of the definitive and peerless approach to Human balance in respect to the demands of Gravity stated it thusly: “When the body gets working appropriately, the force of Gravity can flow through. Then, spontaneously, the body heals itself.”

Of course, now the conversation opens to another question: what is healing? Obviously it's about fixing what isn't right. Flipped over more positively, it's about cultivating what is right. In personal bodily terms this has to do with how imbalances in the arrangement of the body limit range and choice. Contribute to chronic problems associated with pain and stress; if not being the actual cause.

So, you may [should] be asking, "What is right?". Right in bodily terms is the same as for any structural arrangement on Earth. Stacked up nicely vertical, symmetrical side to side, and level front to back. This is not a static situation like a brick wall. It's dynamic. But, at the core that "Plumb & Square" reference needs to be there. 

Healing in its broadest sense also has to do with soulful with reality. There's a range. Wholeness. Oneness. Healing separation(s). Dislocated joints on the ordinary level. The expulsion from the Garden, that's a soul level matter.  

As pointed out, there's the immediate physical reality of how things under the influence of Gravity need to be arranged vertically upright, with symmetries and levels. This is architecture 101 from the time when someone figured out that mud fence would hold up if it was straight. Same with the human body. The basic science of Anatomy and Physics. I know. It makes sense. Just now to put it into practice.

There's the alignment with the Creation itself. For that, sitting in easy alignment with Gravity, energies move and things sort themselves, by themselves. That's Gravity at work! Not much to say. See for yourself!

𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 ...

  

First, some necessary background ...

On Gravity. As everyone knows, Gravity is there. There, all the time and everywhere and all at once. Even in space, where there's the absence of Gravity. Seemingly. At least at the individual experiential level. We may think there's no Gravity in outer space on account of we experience weightlessness there.  But, don't make no mistake, Gravity is even working in the presence of its "absence". On the cosmic scale, and down to the particles of dust. If not down, down into the Quantum.

The main takeaway to please take away is this: The force of Gravity is a resource for Human health, well being, performance, and creativity. It can be enlisted — "uploaded" — easily, by everyone. Now, just to recognize that it's a choice ... and choose it! The simple approach is to foster balance of the body in respect to the dictates of Gravity. It's basic science. Yet, not pretty much applied. Yet. 

Naturally we've come to recognize that bodily balance in respect to the demands of Gravity is something that's worthwhile for us to learn. However, you could say that as a species we Humans are still evolving along those lines. And, a way to go it looks like. Look at the average individual, living with all those accumulated imbalances! Egads! It's so commonplace we've become inured to the situation and it goes unnoticed for what it actually is: We are at war with Gravity. Perhaps Mssrs. Musk and Ramaswamy might fold that gem into their DOGE agenda. [Pass it on, s'il vous plaît'] 

Think about that when you want to understand what's in the news. Our outer condition projected out into the world. If that idea is new to you, check it out. It'll save you a lot of trouble to relate to the world by taking responsibility for what you see as a posture in Life.

Let's now get back to that "Blondell".

As seen in the photo first shown above, we're talking about the eponymous "Blondell" approach to bodily balance. Yet another method based on the theory of follicular continuity and synchronicity with the neuro-myofascial system. Simply put, you pull the hair, that stimulous enters the brain, which neurons in turn connect to the corresponding anatomical location in the myofascial matrix which is linkd to said follicular locus on the keppe. 

The deal with the fascial aspect of all this is that the body is plastic. The body is plastic. Not just elastic, like a rubber band ... PLASTIC. We are shaped by our experience. Literally. That shape is carried by the Fascial system. Among the cognoscenti it's referred to as the Organ of Structure. It's a ubiquitous, continuous three dimensional "fabric" — "matrix", "bedding" —going from directly under the skin, down to the bones, around and through and through muscles and organs, and intimately connected and integral with the walls of the cells. Stop a moment and visualize that. It's even a new point of view in science. 

The Fascial component is rich in protein fibers which form chains/linkages of continuity. Think of how the short fibers of wool are woven together to make a strand of yarn, then to make a knitted garment. Like fiberglass and carbon fiber forms. This fibrous Fascial matrix is theorized to hold shape, maintain relationships. Not rigid, but dynamic. Elastic. Also, being plastic, it forms semi-fixed patterns according to how we use our bodies. Muscle memory? It also takes on imbalanced patterns which are results of repeated bad habits, unresolved accidents and traumas, insufficient learning, and modeling significant others who themselves may not present balance in the makeup of their own bodies.

Here's another way to imagine the Fascial matrix. Like in an Orange. Peel the skin and it's a whole peeled orange. Separate the segments. And, if you look closely, lots of individual juice filled cells. That's like Fascia. All that stuff that keeps everything together. Now wouldn't you say that's a really "appealing" idea?

Relationship, another related big point. The idea of bodily balance has to do with getting the relationships of the parts of the body into a normal anatomical pattern. Scientifically we understand the Human body is designed for verticality, horizontality, and symmetry. And, very significant also, the whole body's relationship to the Earth. Actually, the whole Human being's relationship to the planet. The simple Physics of structures. Same verticality with everything level and even.

Last point. Since the Human body is plastic — shaped by experience — imbalances can also be worked out just as well. How this is accomplished has been extensively documented around the approach called Rolf Structural Integration. Lots on that in other posts on RolfInk website. 

This here write up covers some of the other little known approaches. And, jest aside, maybe there's something to the notion that the hair-as-integral hypothetical can stimulate some thinking about other, even simpler approaches. Maybe even something in a bottle? But, I'm not suggesting literally a pill. Big Pharma would love to cook up something for that! But no, more in a way to do it yourself, at home. Of course, Structural Integration is the definitive and peerless approach should you want individualized, tailored assistance.

Kapische? If not, then stop reading immediately! What follows presumes aforementioned understanding. Like, no dessert until you clean your plate. Sorry. [Not.] Now, go away.

Now, for those who are not dumbasses ... [Say "yes" in the comments, or I'll have to assume there's no one in that category left.]

The twist here with the "Blondell" is that it's indeed a sort of a do-it-yourself approach. Where you set up the apparatus in the comfort of your own home and communicate your felt sensations to a technician — an AI version is in the works — via telephone, who in turn inputs that data into a computer synced with those gizmos pulling on your hair. Obviously, modulating the input tensions on the follicles according to algorithms based on coordination with recipient’s real time subjective verbal reporting. "Yes, yes ... OMG, yes!" Not "OUCH!". And a host of other stuff too technical for me to bother to explain to you. Trust me, it's the shizz. A snippet of which calculus is shown here, thusly:

At this point in Human history we have an “Atomic View” of things. Even our most abstract sciences, they break everything down to particles. Those "Quantum" types, even bits you can't see; but somehow you know they're there on account of tracks made in who knows what and how come. I won't get into it; it'll be over even your head, and that's not the point here anyway. 

Back to the "Atomic View". That’s why we see the universe as composed of separate bodies and constellations of bodies. And even larger aggregations. Even so vast, still as separate bits. Atomic. 

There's another view. By the way, "view" is not the same as "truth". And, there's "truth" and then there's "Truth". The former is relative. The latter, well it just is. So there there — not unlike the force of Gravity — that we can overlook it for all those relative distractions. Of the bits that vie for our attention, don't you know.

A view may be truthful insofar as it helps us get to the truth. There's the “Wholistic View”. To see the Oneness of it all. That, dear friend, is in the realm of The Truth. 

Take a look at this image, and see what I mean. And, let me ask you Pilgrim, how come you think in the spaces between things there's nothing there? If indeed the Universe is a Oneness, a unity, then what's keeping all those bits together? Riddle me that! Gravity?

In case you're thinking that the idea having been presented is a one-off, or maybe even a joke, let me assure you that early stage science can be a gritty business. Many other approaches have undergone clinical trials behind the core theory of the hair-as-extention-of-the-neuro/myofascial-web.

Witness ...

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𝐈𝐬 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥?

 

Good question. And, perfectly understandable. A lot of people have the same concern. Even some who have been "Rolfed" say it's painful. What they don't usually mention is that the experience is about pain leaving. Or, that there can be occasional intensity, but not something hurtful. But, as a client you are in charge. Everything proceeds with your permission and acceptance. That's the plain fact. 

Have you ever had an experience of pain leaving? Or, moving into a place of discomfort and discovering just out of being willing to go there it transforms from pain to pleasure? Try it, you'll like it.

This will answer the big question to your complete satisfaction. You don't want to miss choosing to do something good for youself out of a simple misunderstanding. Wrong information. Do you?

Okay? Let's unpack the question ...

But it does depend on three things: 

What do you mean by is? 

What do you mean by Rolfing? 

And, what do you mean by painful?

That may sound like a smart-ass answer, but a few things need to be cleared up and given the necessary context. That understanding will settle the question. Promise.

"Is"

What is the "is" in question? What's the "is-sue"? 

Your body. Every Human body. Any Human body.

We're talking about the individual Human being and their condition in simple, basic bodily terms. In this case, it's about its condition in respect to how it stacks architecturally. What it takes for that arrangement to live in a normal healthy relationship to the constant and ever present force of Gravity. It's that simple. 

Let's take a look. There's  balance, and there's out of balance? Frankly, usually a mix of both. Typical patterns: head forward ... one shoulder higher ... ministry of funny walks.  Those imbalances, though ... ouch! They can be painful. Not to mention the compensations necessary to keep everything together.

How do we look at the body as a structure? What do we look for? 

The body has an anatomical design, its natural and healthy architectural arrangment. There is a set of definite relationships of the many segmented parts; that is ... feet, legs, hips, belly, chest, shoulders, hands, arms, neck, head. This arrangment as a whole stacks up and operates under the influence of Gravity. Just like any physical structure on Earth. We know the rules of Gravity for our buildings. Same for the Human body. Vertical, symmetrical, even. Bada bing!

Imbalances often occur. Bad habits, unresolved accidents and traumas, lack of training, no training — we're self-taught mostly [who taught you how to stand, to sit, to walk?] — modelling significant others who may not have been themselves good examples of balance in the makeup of their own bodies. 

These arrangements accumulate over time, and unless resolved or corrected, they get set into the fabric of the flesh. Such imbalances report themselves as chronic pains and stress. Limited range, sub-par performance, lack of creativity. 

This is what the orginator, Dr. Ida P. Rolf said about that: "Some individuals may perceive their losing fight with gravity as a sharp pain in their back, others as the unflattering contour of their body, others as constant fatigue, yet others as an unrelentingly threatening environment. Those over forty may call it old age. And yet all these signals may be pointing to a single problem so prominent in their own structure, as well as others, that it has been ignored: they are off balance, they are at war with Gravity."

It's plain to see looking at any individual's body in terms of how well it stacks up along the straight line vertical; also looking for necessary symmetries, and levels-evenness front to back.  

In summary, the "is" in Rolfing is your body and it's alignment in respect to the dictates of Gravity. 

"Rolfing"

Rolfing is a legal service mark name held by the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute. It's one of the schools in the field known as Structural Integration. While the question was put regarding "Rolfing" this answers for the entire field of Structural Integration.

Structural Integration is a definitive and peerless approach to Human balance. Unique in that its main goal is to balance the body with the Gravitational field of the Earth. As such. Sure, anything you do that's good for you contributes to balance. But, bodily balance as such, that's the whole Enchilada in Structural Integration. While we have the innate ability to heal and become whole, other than Structural Integration there is no other formal method designed to address whole body balance along the lines of the demands of Gravity. Repeating ... as such. 

Dr. Rolf, put it this way: "This is the gospel of Rolfing^®: When the body gets working appropriately, the force of Gravity can flow through. Then, spontaneously, the body heals itself." 

As is well known, the Human body takes its shape over time through lived experience. On average it's a random bag. We arrive at adulthood with a mix of balance and imbalance fixed into our flesh. 

Balance is normal and healthy. Imbalances require compensations. "Dis-ease." These, unless resolved, set in and we find ourselves living in patterns which are inefficient, limiting performance and creativity, and sapping vital energy to maintain. Ouch! That's painful! Yet, we can be seduced to accepting this as "Just the way I am". That there is no alternative. 

Well ...

Good News! The Human body has a plastic quality. It has taken the shape you're in, and it can be reshaped.

You may be wondering if that's the "painful" part. The reshaping. Stay tuned. No problemo. 

Structural Integration offers individualized assistance to bring the body to a naturally effortless, graceful upright stance; with ease, flexibility, and fluidity. As Dr. Rolf put it, "So you should be easy in your harness".

So much more could be said, but this should suffice. When you decide to do something constructive to bring this kind of balance into your life, all your other questions can be answered. You can add a comment/question below this post.

So now, let's talk about the Elephant in the room.

"Painful"

"Just what do I have to do today to get you into a balanced body?"

Most people look at things like Structural Integration as a therapy. I got a problem; I need it fixed. I've tried everything, maybe this'll do it? With medical attention and therapies typically something is done to you. You're a passive recipient. You take your medicine. You take the shot. Get a procedure done to you. Go under the knife.

Strutural Integration is a system using manual touch and guided self-movement. Rather than "fixing" a symptom, chronic problems get resolved out of fostering that head to toe balance in the whole body.  And, the big difference is that in terms of dealing with "painful" in Structural Integration you are in control*. 

If at any time the contact in a session of Structural Integration is unacceptable, for any reason — whether it be the manual touch itself or the movement instruction —  the process works best when you speak up for yourself. Then the practitioner can change the pace, ease up, slow down, or stop. Net, net ... you are in control. It's your body after all. Your limits are always respected.

That should settle the question on "painful".

But maybe a little more about what is pain. It's a big subject.

We all know pain. It can vary in intensity. An itch, temporary annoyance, a twinge, a chonic persistent ache, to a stop-the-world-I-want-to-get-off 10 on a 10 point scale.

Pain is first a physical sensation. Yet, we give it meaning, have pictures for it. Have stories that tell how it got there. Have situations, places and people who trigger painful feelings. In other words, pain comes packaged. There's the physical felt sense, and the psychological/mental and emotional components too. Getting rid of pain sometimes depends on where to open that package.

This is important to mention since Structural Integration is what's called a "somatic" method. As such, it addresses the whole Human being, but grounded in Anatomy and Physics. There may be a psychological/emotional component but we can get our hands on the body. Knock on wood. Balance the body, balance the mind. The body/mind apparatus is a unity; it all goes together.

*Structural Integration is taught in schools recognized by the International Association of Structural Integrators. An important distinction about this approach is that it is not a therapy. That said, yes, bringing a higher order of balance into the makeup of the Human body may have therapeutic effects. But, the work is a teaching. A training, to learn to live in balance in tangible, and noticeable ways. This is something you take away from the process. As an experience. It's not just intellectual, conceptual. It's perceptual. You own it much in the same way you own how to ride a bike, swim, juggle. Or anything else you've learned to do, and now it's set in muscle memory. 

And, since the method is instructional, you participate. You learn. You put in effort. That's very different from many of the things you can do for yourself therapeutically. 

It takes doing. An effort on your part.

So, what are you waiting for?