What is the Rolf Work Shop?

The Rolf Work Shop is the name of my Structural Integration practice of which, I am the owner and currently the sole practitioner. The Rolf Work Shop name acknowledges that the Rolf Method of Structural Integration is dedicated to the work and teaching of Dr. Ida P. Rolf, a scientist and practically minded woman who "discovered" that the shape and alignment of the body's structure can be functionally changed by its interaction with the gravitational field of the earth. Dr. Rolf developed the method of Structural Integration to take advantage of this discovery and this is the work that I, along with many of my clients, have used to our mutual benefit.

Bio of Manuel Aragon

I have practiced Structural Integration since 1998 and am certified at advanced level by the Guild of Structural Integration (Boulder, CO). I completed my basic and advanced level certifications with Neal Powers, Peter Melchior, and Emmett Hutchins, all direct students of Dr. Rolf. Since my initial certification, I have attended various Rolfing and SI seminars and classes with the likes of Louis Schultz, Rosemary Feitis, Andy Crow, Nilce Silvera, Judith Roberts, and others. I am currently completing the final requirements of the 2 year teacher training at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco to become a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher. Additionally, I hold an instructors license from the Bujinkan Dojo of Noda City, Japan and a Bachelors degree in Biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz. My practice is firmly rooted in my enthusiasm for science, movement, and alignment and I endeavor to pass on this experience to all of my clients.

I first came to SI work in an attempt to alleviate chronic pain from my scoliosis and have not looked back since. The effects of the work were real and immediate and improved with time. After three sessions, I was out of pain and have been pain free since. The experience was so profound that I decided (right there, on the table) that I wanted to become a practitioner in order that I might share this amazing work with others. That said, self practice has been the cornerstone of my own sustainment (and improvement) over the years. I first had the basic series at age 25 and now 12 years (and many trainings, sessions, and yoga classes) later I am still finding constant improvement in my ability to keep my spine long and the depth of my own kinesthetic understanding and awareness continues to grow. The Rolf Method is a powerful, life changing, method that has its roots in the physical realities of this world. It is most particularly effective at integrating the human physical structure. To that end, it is not a panacea and I work within a referral network of both traditional and alternative practitioners whose different areas of focus and specialization complement one another. In this way, I can provide health resources for the vast majority of people who come to see me.

"Rolfers make a life study of relating bodies and their fields to the earth and its gravity field, and we so organize the body that the gravity field can reinforce the body's energy field. This is our primary concept."

-Ida Rolf