THE TEN SERIES
Superficial Sessions
Sessions 1-3 address the more superficial layers of the body. The Practitioner and client collaborate to gain a greater sense of these layers and how they may present.
Session One
The series begins by systematically releasing the body’s fascial stocking. Lengthening of the trunk through the pelvis
The fascia around the rib basket, shoulder joints and costal arch is released and allows for the diaphragm to expand from the front sides and back ribs to create a smooth bellow like motion.
The fascial planes of the neck are also freed allowing for a lightness and ease around the shoulders. Oxygen becomes more available in this process and the client feels an increase of energy. The client finds upward freedom within and through the breathe.
Session Two
The second session focuses on the legs and feet.
Work is done to enable a stronger and more secure connection from the leg down into the earth.
Weight travels down through the inside of the foot rather than its sides and heel. The client finds connected grounding and support down the entire leg, knee, ankle, foot and toes.
Session Three
The third session is an integrating one. Weaving the work done in the first two sessions together.
Engaging with clients to establish a more three-dimensional space along the vertical and horizontal lines of the upper body.
This is done by manually working to free the appendicular structures, like the shoulders from the rib basket and vertebral axial structures. Helping to create a greater sense of movement and support that is necessary for a well-organized mobile body.
Core Sessions
Sessions 4-7 address the deeper core of the body. Each of these sessions aims to elongate the body from its central line up through the feet and the crown of the head. Through this deeper intrinsic tissue work the body can then initiate movement from the inside structures outwards with greater support and flexibility.
Session Four
Four focuses on finding support via the midline of the body. The territory is the inside of the legs to open and differentiate them from the pelvis and lumbar vertebrae. Then working to create a balanced span along the pelvic floor.
By doing this one will be able to walk with a less inhibited swing of the leg and strain to the lower back. Creating an inner support that the limbs can hang and more easily express supported movement.
Session Five
We continue to establish deeper bilateral and pre-vertebral support for the client. This extends upwards knowing that there is now the capacity to feel the ground.
Beginning with the more outer structures for example the hip flexors and rectus abdominis, slowly lengthening and separating them. Then there is the ability to lengthen the inner structures of the Iliopsoas complex so they too may express strength and stability.
There are many nerve fibers around this area that become stimulated with this new found movement. Tension around the lower abdominals is softened. Possibly easing menstrual cramping, and other abdominal concerns such as constipation and bloating.
The realm between the pelvis and the thorax, organize and balance, establishing a deeper sense of self for the client. The sensation of the legs extending down from the vertebrae not the hip joint is increased.
Swing and play are reintroduced to ones bipedal movements!
Session Six
This session directly addresses the axial complex with the main goal being to differentiate the sacrum and subsequently the spine, from the pelvis. Creating a structure that rests on a well-supported vertical core requiring no effort to maintain.
Attention is given to the deep rotator muscles that attach to these structures, creating spaciousness for increased ease and balance of the pelvic girdle.
The breathe is more fully felt upwards along the spine.
Session Seven
This is the final session of the deeper core sessions. Here the focus is to create balance at the opposite end of the vertebrae at the head.
In this session we focus on differentiating the Neurocranium and Viscerocranium from the vertebrae or core of the body.
Differentiating and harmonizing the tissue and how it attaches the cranium to the neck and the thorax, finding balance.
This also then opens the connective tissue around the skull and face improving breathing of the nasal passages.
The head now rests atop the vertebrae, softly with levity.
INtegration Sessions
Sessions 8-10 are sessions of integration and ultimately closure for all the previous work done. In these sessions there is more attention and communication between the client and practitioner to how the deeper intrinsic structures now play with the more superficial extrinsic ones. The practitioner returns back to the superficial layers using an approach with broader touch, more global.
Session Eight
Sessions eight and nine are are somewhat interchangeable in their order of process depending on the client and their progress up to this point.
Session Nine
Functionally, as stated by Monica Caspari in her article from the Rolfing Journal of Structural Integration, March 2005,
“To have the best possible support from the legs for the work of the arms (such as reaching or pushing) and the best possible balance front the arms to orient the work of the legs (such as walking or running)” To then also “see the axial skeleton providing the best possible support and stability to the girdles and limbs, so that the flow of movement from the bottom to the top and the top to the bottom appears to be uninterrupted”
Session Ten
Closure of the Ten Series.
Structurally the final session addresses the whole body from head to toe, working to horizontalize the superficial fascia. Returning to the initial outer superficial realm from session one, only now it has been rendered more supple, hydrated and flexible thus mobile.
The overarching goal here is that the body may exist more harmoniously in gravity.
Integration of the human structures not any notions of posture.
