Esalen Shares 1967 Recording of Ida Rolf Lecture & Demo: And You Can Listen in Like You Were Actually There
At the end of March 2025 the Esalen Institute reached into their vaults and shared a rare recording from their historical archive: a 1967 lecture and live demonstration by Dr. Ida Rolf. This archival gem features Dr. Rolf in her element — lecturing with intellectual precision, delivering her insights with wit and candor, and guiding […]
FAQ About Rolfing® Structural Integration
Before diving into answering the most frequently asked questions I receive about Rolfing® SI I would like to share this video with you of a presentation my colleague Robyn Martin of Rolfing Orlando did for PechaKucha. It’s a great introduction to Rolfing SI and a fun video to watch. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ur6SY_n_qs] What is Rolfing […]
More Connections Between Emanuel Swedenborg, Ida Rolf & William Sutherland, DO
It turns out there is more to this story about Ida Rolf, William Garner Sutherland and Emanuel Swedenborg. Since the publication of the first piece I have run across two transcripts of Rolf speaking about Sutherland and Swedenborg. One from 1970 and the other from 1973. The 1973 transcript is from the Advanced Training in […]
From twister cables to pointe shoes: The birth of a Certified Rolfer™
— Different synchronistic events and life circumstances can sometimes conspire to show you your life’s path. In my case, those events and conditions combined with my anatomical structure to show me mine, eventually leading me to my current profession as a Certified Advanced Rolfer™. Are you familiar with Rolfing® Structural Integration? Rolfing SI is a […]
Ida Rolf Was Studying Yoga Decades Before The Beatles Discovered the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Long before Michael Murphy and George Leonard coined the term “human potential movement’ in 1965¹ and The Beatles met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in August 1967 Ida Rolf, Ph.D. was interested in the development of human potential. In addition to osteopathy and homeopathy one of the biggest influences on Rolf’s understanding of the human body was […]
How Swedenborg’s Mysticism Influenced Osteopathy, Rolfing SI and The Psychological Lineage of The Fledgling Esalen Institute
I recently spent some time at Esalen® Institute and while there picked up a copy of Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion by Jeffrey J. Kripal. This book recounts the fascinating formation and history of Esalen Institute, the 1960s epicenter of the human potential movement. Many people are familiar with the deep connections […]
Rolfing Structural Integration is NOT Ralphing, ROFL, or . . .
A guide for all you 21st century internet savvy, Facebooking, Blogging, Twittering Peeps out there Long, long ago in a century far, far away lived a woman named Ida Pauline Rolf. She observed that the structure of the human body affects its optimum function, and set out to do something about it. Receiving her Ph.D. […]
5Rhythms® Movement Practice Helps Me Get My Flow On
I went to a Sweat Your Prayers: Silent Practice last Sunday hosted by The Moving Center School. I had not been to a Sweat Your Prayers in quite some time and the practice got me back in touch with a profound quality of being I have been wanting to write about for many months now. […]