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October 07, 2010

Comments

Barry Nutter

I was Ida Rolf's model when she was teaching a class in the Florida Keys. When she got her fingers into the soft tissue around my xyphoid process, the solar plexus area, I yelled wow that hurts. She said not to resist the pain and it would go away. She said try to make it hurt worse! I said why would I want to do that? She explained that my resisting the pain was causing it to hurt more. She said try to breathe there and push back into my fingers from the inside. As I began to work with her suggestions
I felt the tight scar tissue from an old injury begin to melt and the warmth of circulation replaced the pain. I learned to directly meet the pain in my life and welcome the change that became a new sense of well being and aliveness. Now 40 years later, I share that story with my patients when I do their sessions. Pain is part of the process. It is never too much to deal with. It is that threshold where the greatest change happens. It is much more painful to remain stuck in the flesh, than to experience the joy of freedom.

Anne Hoff

Concerning the comment below: Dr. Rolf was known for getting right in there and doing what she felt needed to be done. Rolfers™ have learned since her time that pushing the edge of intensity does not work for everyone. A good practitioner will find your comfort level and get results - at least that's what I strive for.

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