The International School of Structural Integration (ISSI) is dedicated to bringing Dr. Ida P. Rolf's classic form of Structural Integration to the global community. Our intention is to translate classical training and experience into comprehensive education and support that will promote worldwide benefits through the exploration and understanding of the "Recipe" that is Dr. Rolf's legacy.

ISSI promotes a view of the human being in relationship to the forces that shape us. If we are to influence that relationship and balance the human form, we must understand the nature of tissue, the material with which we work. Specifically, we are working with the collagenous layers of connective tissue that form the supportive matrix that retains the position of all our body's components.

In learning to structurally integrate the body, we discover that this is not done in parts or in isolation. Instead, we consider the body as a whole and recognize its relationship to the field of gravity. We know that the effect of gravity is to pull down towards the earth, while as humans we are defined by our verticality - our ability to extend from the earth up through gravity. This simple yet fundamental relationship is paramount in our understanding of the concept that Dr. Rolf termed the "Line". This central vertical axis extending up through the body is our central line of reference to the gravitational field, as well as the axis to which our body parts relate.

In viewing the body as a hologram, we read the message (gramma) given by the body as a whole (holos). We picture the body as a series of interconnected sections and work to achieve greater balance throughout. When this is accomplished, the joints and girdles form horizontal planes in relation to the Line. Now, through developing the appropriate relationship of all body parts, the structures have space to function freely and the balanced, integrated body exhibits length, fluidity and a quality of movement that is sustained by the field of gravity.

At the ISSI, we teach the Recipe in its original form - as a comprehensive series of ten sessions designed by Dr. Rolf around biochemical, anatomical, physical and metaphysical principles.

The art of the Recipe is so much more than learning and performing a technique by rote. Instead, it incorporates a series of goals and intentions that lead to benefits that reach beyond greater physical freedom. In fact, the client also experiences emotional benefits and a sense of wholeness, personal empowerment, and connectedness - a sensation often described as "waking up" or participating in a larger reality - as the sessions take them, and us, through our personal journeys.

The psychological benefits of Dr. Rolf's original work have long been recognized as instrumental in our evolution of consciousness. It is a process that supports and encourages both practitioner and client through a path of personal growth and development.

The efficacy of Dr. Rolf's work is such that its benefits can be felt immediately. However, it takes years of experience as a practitioner to fully appreciate the Recipe's inherent potential. The International School of Structural Integration was created for this reason, and we are committed to setting and developing standards of excellence through investment in our students. In doing this, we preserve the integrity of Dr. Rolf's traditional Recipe.

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