Humanity.

 

www.rolfingseattle.net

HUMANITY.

hu·man·i·ty
noun

"The human race; human beings collectively."

I am humbled daily by the work I do.  I am reminded over and over and over again that we are all human.  Deeply flawed, incredibly resilient, far more vulnerable than we pretend to be, and hard wired to be in compassionate relationship with one another.  

The flower above is an epitome of our personal humanity and humanity in general.  Each petal of this flower aches and strains to receive the sun's magnificent light.  Nourishment.  Vitality.  Life force.

To alter or diminish any petal or part of the flower dims the vitality of the entire flower.  All are sacrosanct.  All are essential for the flower's survival.

In my own personal process, I feel the need to embrace all parts of myself that need healing. All aspects of the flower. I do this not only because I am committed to my healing and others, but because I want to be a better practitioner and person.  By tending to the many facets of my own being, ignoring none, I am better able to see my clients more fully and clearly  . . .  you, my fellow human being.  

I am reminded of this need for clarity in my practice daily.  

I have seen and worked with clients who have had debilitating chronic pain, and I have been fortunate to help them in their healing journey.  I have seen and worked with clients who have recently lost someone they loved.  Their psyche and soma immersed in a process of deep grief.  I have seen and worked with clients who are celebrating a great accomplishment, their bodies emanating gratitude and delight.  

Can you tell from the above descriptions which of these people are African American?  Which of them are Transgender?  Which of them are Jewish, Christian or agnostic?  

This you can know, they are all human.

Each one of us has a rich and varied lived experience.  This cannot be ignored or ironed over.  At the same time, we are all one and the same. We are all one family.  We are all reaching for the light.

I invite you to ponder and play with this awareness as well.  How can I be a better human?  How can I contribute to the well being of humanity?  

Rolfing can help you explore these questions in greater depth.


Rolfing and Humanity.

Not only can Rolfing help you become more at home in your body and pain free, but it can also help you embody your humanity.  When we meet our body with curiosity and acceptance, we begin to accept more fully what it means to be human.  Consequently, it is more difficult to dehumanize others.

When we are divorced from certain parts of ourselves, whether it be physical or psycho-emotional, it becomes easier to also distance ourselves from our fellow humans.  When we begin to embrace all which makes us human, our flaws, our aches and pains and suffering, our hearts can then feel our shared humanity.  This process can be excruciating, but exquisitely beautiful none the less.  


Your Humanity.

When you come to see me, know that all of you is welcome.  

Arrive as you are.

No one petal is more magnificent than the other.  No one part cancelling out the other.

All of your vulnerability, anxiety, uncertainty, doubt, delight, concern, energy, fatigue, grief, gratitude, compassion, and resilience.  There is no one part of you that is wrong, bad or to be dismissed.  You need to make no apology for all that you are.  To heal means to embody wholeness.  To reclaim all parts of yourself, both physically and emotionally.  

During the Rolfing process, various emotional states may begin to reveal themselves.  You might begin to feel a bit more vulnerable, sad, or melencholy.  Or you might begin to feel long held anger.  Or grief.  Or pure delight.  Try not to push them away.  They are all apart of who you are.  They are all apart of what it means to be fully human.  

As this phenomena unfolds, meet it curiosity.  In doing this, you heal, and you can then meet and see your fellow human being with more empathy.

Even though temporary, your aches and pains are also welcome.

There can be a tendency to disassociate from the parts of ourselves that hurt.  Sometimes we even meet this discomfort with animosity.  Instead try and meet your pain with compassion.  It is, after all. your body letting you know that something just isn't quite right.  You might be amazed at how the pain can begin to dissipate if it is met with kindness.


Your Body's Humanity.  

All of you is human.  Your heart, your lungs, your nerves, your blood vessels, your viscera.  This incredibly and infinitely complex physical being, our home, is a mammal, a primate species called  "human" or Homo Sapiens.  

There are some biological variations in the human species, such as blood type, genetic diseases, cranial features, organ systems, eye color, hair color, build and skin color.

Yet, all of our bodies, with some rare exceptions, are pretty much the same.  Most all anatomy tends to be in roughly the same place.  This makes my job a lot easier!  :)

Each petal has, with some variation, the same shape, size and contour.

During a session, be in wonder of what it feels like to be in this form, the human body.  Become acquainted with this miraculous and magnificent human body you have.  

I might work on your feet during a session.  Feel the intricate movement and motion of your toes.  The sense of grounding under your feet after a session.  I might work on your liver.  Perhaps find delight in this.  "I have a liver!  Whoa.  I am an animal, mammal and human being after all."  Perhaps feel the counter of it as I work, it's volume, it's massive size.  (I like to call it the big kahuna.).  I also might release a teeny tiny nerve in your neck, take note that most everyone you meet will have that same teeny tiny nerve in more or less the same place.

In doing this you might begin to see other folk more fully as well.  Everyone you meet and greet, know that their bodies are very much the same as yours. The template remains the same.  They too are a mammal called human being.  


Rolfing Seattle's Humanity.  

Even though it is just a small corner of the world, I can still emphasize and set the intention of what my practice represents.  It is an autonomous zone meant to facilitate healing and embrace all of which makes us human.  

In other words . . .

All of humanity is welcome here.

All of you is welcome here. 

All are safe here.  

To be even more explicit.

My practice is open to all regardless of their personal history, race, age, color, national and ethnic origin, ancestry, creed, religion, sex,  gender expression or identity, or sexual orientation.  

May this small gesture help heal the divide between all of us.  


Conclusion. 

Know that the ramifications of the work you and I do together can ripple out much further than we realize.  Through Rolfing you can become pain free and potentially more whole and fully human.  Consequently, you might begin to find a more intimate place in the human family.  There is love and healing here.