By Eileen McEwan
I first heard about Rolfing through my sister who had been advised to go for Rolfing sessions to help her with her recovery from a complicated fracture in her leg. Something in the way she described what happened in these sessions triggered me to want to experience it for myself, although I was not suffering from an injury at all.
Rolfing helped me to play the viola with more freedom
By that time, I had been playing the viola in a professional symphony orchestra for nearly 15 years. Being a musician, I was always interested in methods that help to enhance the ability to perform with more freedom and help to endure the long hours in rehearsals or practice. Before my job in the orchestra, I studied viola at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. I subsequently worked as a freelance musician based in Amsterdam in various orchestras and chamber music ensembles in classical and contemporary music.
I loved the first Rolfing session right from the start, a feeling that grew stronger as the series progressed. I felt much more freedom of movement. I also became more aware of the parts of me that were tense in the movement or before the movement and were not "helping" me.
Bringing me back in touch with the interconnectedness of my body is one of the things I cherish most about Rolfing®.
I became a Rolfer to pass on this wonderful work
It intrigued me to find out if I would be able to pass on this wonderful work myself and help others in ways that can result in feeling more at home in your body and in improving as a musician. In a 2-week workshop called Spektrum Rolfing® [now “Meet ROLFING®”] I got introduced to the Rolfing touch, movement, and anatomy. After an assessment of the teachers, I got a go ahead to start the training.
Obviously, there was a lot to learn, not having had any training in anatomy, but the felt sense in my hands and the ability of each hand being able to perform different tasks was already developed as a musician.
After the training I combined being a professional musician with having a Rolfing® practice. For me the there is a big overlap: both work with movement, posture, and being in connection with others in a multitude of senses.
I am now at a point in my career where I want to choose 100% for my Rolfing® practice. There are just endless ways to keep developing as a Rolfer® and I want to give them my full attention.
Rolfing® is like fine-tuning the connections in your body. It helps to smooth the way from creation to expression.
Author: Certified Rolfer® & Rolf Movement™ Practitioner, Eileen McEwan - Netherlands
Photos: Janneke Roelofs and Rene Knoop
Visit Eileen McEwan's website.
Read article in Dutch.
Did you know?
Rolfing training is now coming to the Netherlands. Check out the course dates and register here.
