Fall. 🍁

www.rolfingseattle.net  

 

Hello there. I wanted to reach out and wish you a beautiful, peaceful and abundant Fall Equinox. The time when it is equal day and night.  Fall is being ushered in, yet the last vestiges of Summer linger. This is also a time to harvest.  To collect and bring home all of the fruits of our labor. For years now I have been an avid gardener.  No matter what is going on in the world or in my own life, I return to my garden for solace and renewal.   It is right about now that I begin to harvest all that I have grown.  Apples, blackberries, plums, hops and carrots to name just a few.  This year I will be canning and dehydrating quite a few of them.  It is all deeply satisfying. When we harvest, we are collecting all of the abundance that we have manifested through our hard work.  This can be applied to most any endeavor.  It truly should be celebrated.  And shared. There is a time of harvest in the Rolfing process as well. Clients usually come to see me to become pain free and find balance.  To get to this place, it takes a labor of love, for the both of us.  It takes time, patience, and a commitment to healing.  We are in this together. Over time, bit by bit, a client will begin to notice subtle and sometimes profound changes.  Each session building upon the previous one.   In our first session, the seeds for our future harvest are planted. We tend to these seedlings of change with mindfulness and compassion.  In the early stages of our work, the new and positive changes still contend with long held symptoms.  The new can be felt and seen, but the old still has a hold on our soma and psyche.  There is new growth, yet it is tender and not quite robust. In the interim, positive changes begin to take a stronger foot hold.  They find deeper roots and nourishment.  They begin to feel more solid and there is a sense of growing permanence.   In the later stages of our work together, the harvest begins.  Pain that once seemed permanent is almost completely gone and forgotten.  A client is able to do more with their life again.  They are able to engage with life's activities that were once inaccessible due to discomfort and pain.  They feel as if they have more energy and a greater sense of peace.  The log jam has broken, and resolution to their long standing symptoms has been found. It is here that we should pause and celebrate this harvest.  The harvest of peace, balance, and absence of pain.   Finding this place of somatic resolution is deeply satisfying for both my client and myself.  I find great joy in helping you get to this place of somatic gathering and growth.   On this day, I hope you enjoy the changing of the seasons . . . and your harvest.

Cancellation Policy

 

\Cancellation Policy

Jim Allbaugh - Certified Rolfer®️

www.rolfingseattle.net

All cancellations require 24 hours notice or the full session fee will be charged.

If a client is 30 minutes late to their scheduled appointment, it is considered a cancellation.

If I am unable to give you 24 hours notice prior to re-scheduling your appointment, your next appointment will be free of charge.

Out of Orbit.

 

www.rolfingseattle.net

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.  Be kind.  Always."  

-Brad Meltzer

Recently I had several conversations with friends and acquaintances who are all going through some very challenging times.  Gut check difficulties.  The type where the mettle of who you are is tested.

My heart goes out to all of them.

If you have lived long enough, it is almost inevitable at some point for this to happen.  To find yourself catapulted out and away from all that was and is familiar.

To find yourself knocked out of orbit.

The loss of a job.

The loss of a loved one.

The end of a relationship.

Health issues.

A pandemic.

Sometimes more than one of these at once.

The familiar becomes foreign.  Who you thought you were was and is no more.  What was once predictable becomes unpredictable.  What once felt settled and secure is now scattered.

If you live a life where such stark challenges never really meet you, you are blessed.  If you live a life where one or more crisis unfolds, you are equally blessed.  For when all things are seemingly falling apart, it is here, if you lean into it, you can find healing, transformation and a deeper sense of belonging.

One of the first steps to find healing in crisis is knowing that you are not alone.  Thinking we are isolated, especially during challenging times, is a reflection of our upbringing and the pathology of our current culture.  This can be the first glimmer of change, when we begin to realize we are not alone, and that there is a wellspring of resources just waiting to help you.

When you face these challenges your mind, body and spirit will go through intense stressors and change.

Because of this it is so important to be resourced.

Resources are people, places, things, qualities or activities that help support and nourish you.  They are fundamental and essential assets.

Social Support.

Make sure you have a strong network of social support to lean on.  In today's digital and atomized age, it is easy to forget that we are mammals, hard wired for intimacy, and that we are human, needing compassionate connection with one another.

We all want to be seen and heard.  We all ache to belong. 

Social support can come from your biological family, your chosen family, co-workers, your yoga mates, neighbors, and even the clerk at your local grocery store.

Finding social support and belonging is especially important during times of intense upheaval.  During these times you may discover how much deeper the love for you actually is.  This can be humbling, and at the same time, exquisite.

People generally want to help.  This might be a friend who is with you every step of the way.  A coworker who checks in with you from time to time.  A family member who steps up and takes over the logistics so you can focus on other matters.  Or it can be a cup of tea from a neighbor.  All of it matters.  All of it helps.  All of it is love.

Don't be afraid to reach out.  Make sure the people you love know what is going on with you, and in what ways they can help you.

When we are supported, we can find even more strength and resilience to meet whatever challenges we are facing.

Nourishment.

Prepare and eat deeply nourishing meals.

When we are under undue stress, we often forget to eat well.  It is essential to find the time to create nourishing meals.  Your body and mind are being taxed.  They need as much support as they can get.

Make sure you eat plenty of organic protein.  Proteins are made up of chemical building blocks called amino acids. Your body uses amino acids to build and repair muscles and bones, to make hormones and enzymes, and to repair cells and make new ones.

Healthy animal based proteins:

 

• Organic eggs, chicken, cottage cheese, yogurt, grass fed beef, fish, turkey breast, and shellfish.  

Vegetable based proteins:

• Organic tofu, lentils, black beans, tempeh, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, almonds, hemp seeds and peanuts. 

Avoid inflammatory and processed foods, even though they might be tasty.  Steer clear of an inflammatory diet such as foods with preservatives, deep fried foods, pastries, processed cereals, white rice, white breads and sugar.

Do seek out and relish nourishing and anti-inflammatory foods such as:  

• Foods that contain omega 3 fats (good fats are essential.)  Salmon, tuna and trout and soy based foods are all rich in omega 3 fats.  So are almonds, walnuts, pecans, flax seeds and chia seeds.
• A rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables.
• Lentils and beans, nuts and seeds. 
• Green teas and certain spices such as ginger and turmeric.
• Complex carbohydrates, in moderation, such as whole grains, barley, buckwheat, oats, quinoa, and brown rice.
• Various vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, D, and E.

Finally, make sure you stay hydrated.  Drink plenty of water.  Water is life.  Water brings nutrients to cells, gets rid of wastes, protects joints and organs, and maintains body temperature.

Mental health.

Find and work with a mental health professional.

I am a huge proponent of psychotherapy.  It takes strength and courage.  It isn't always easy, but it can be deeply transformative.

Inevitably and invariably at some point during any life crisis, if your childhood was less than stellar, unresolved hurts and traumas from our past will be reawakened.  All felt in our mind, heart and body.  All beckoning to be tended to in the most attuned and compassionate way possible.

If these tender hurts begin to vibrate and speak again within, make sure you listen.  It is a golden opportunity to care for yourself in ways you may not have been tended to as a child. 

Even though at first we may think we can navigate these waters by ourselves, it is important to seek out a mental health professional who can help you with this process.

Many therapists have a deep calling where they want to help you.

If you are ever in need of a referral for a psychotherapist, please let me know.

Your body.

Get some good body work.  Whether it be massage, acupuncture or . . . Rolfing.

This is where I come in.  :)

Body work during times of intense stress is essential.  There really is no separation between the mind and body.  Feelings are physiological.  Emotions are of the flesh.  Emotions ripple through the body whether they be grief or rage.  With Rolfing, we are able to help create a container that is more resilient, allowing it all to move through more fully and clearly.

Rolfing can also help reset the nervous system.  When we are under stress, we are coming from a vigilant place.  Our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) is on high alert, for dangers both past and present, as well as for threats real or perceived.  Our parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) can be a little bit more difficult to manifest.  We are hard wired to react quickly and swiftly to danger.  Knowing that we can also relax and settle, takes a bit more time and needs some coaxing.

Compassionate touch is so important.  Touch can reduce heart rate and blood pressure. The amount of cortisol (a stress hormone) is also reduced.  Your body needs to be seen and heard as well.  Touch immediately transmits to our entire being that we are cared for and not alone.  This can sometimes be stronger than just words alone.

When we receive quality body work we are tending to our hurts and aches.  We are also awakening and listening to a deeper intelligence within our body that our cognitive mind can barely touch.  This subtle and nuanced wisdom, when listened to and dialogued with, can be instrumental in healing.

Excercise.

Move.  Whether it be going to the gym, yoga, tai chi, martial arts or going for a lovely walk.  

Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators

Rest.

Rest, rest and more rest.  When we are dealing with a cacophony of different stressors, we often think, "...but I need to do more, there is something I am forgetting, I need to get to it all now."

Instead, as much as you can, do absolutely nothing.  No agenda, no itinerary, no lists.  Get yourself a comfortable chair, a blanket, a nice cup of tea and simply stare out the window.  Space out.  Allow your mind to wonder and wander.  Here everything can just unfold, allowing your body and mind to integrate all the changes that are taking place.  Slowly but surely, the world begins to open up a bit more, we become more present, and we can find ourselves, even for a brief moment, relaxed . . .

Conclusion.

There are other resources.  All of us are different and may need different resources accordingly.  For some it might be nature, beauty, creating art, or gardening, 

Regardless, make sure all of your resources have a general feeling of support.  Ones that you can lean on.  That carry you.  That hold you.  That soothe you.

After the tumult of being thrown out of orbit, you eventually find a new rhythm and cadence.  With this new orbit, your ecosystem has changed, it is weathered and raw, but somehow more resilient.  This new goldilocks zone may feel even more supportive and warmer, as if your new home is in a better place than before.

Those that have weathered a traumatic event, and have learned from it, have reported feeling more appreciative of their lives in a myriad of ways.  They might have a deeper sense of compassion, empathy, direction and strength they didn't know they had before.  

Above all else, there can be a profound feeling of gratitude.  They have learned that so much in our lives can be taken for granted.  When they discover the temporal existence of it all, their appreciation for their life, and what they have, deepens.  This feeling of gratefulness, slowly but surely, can radiate and grow.

If you ever experience a crisis of any sort, make sure you are well resourced, this way there is a better chance of learning and growing from it all . . . and to heal.

All Are Welcome.

 www.rolfingseattle.net

I want to make something very clear about my practice.

All are 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.

Moving forward, I want my practice to be even more committed to embracing all which makes us human.

Consequently, I hope this will help safeguard and enhance our collective humanity.

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.

Testing.

 

www.rolfingseattle.net

As the BA.5 variant spreads, making infection and reinfection a stronger possibility, I am implementing a new policy to help ensure your safety, my safety and the safety of other clients.

As it stands now, I only work with clients who have been fully vaccinated.

I will also be implementing the following starting August 1 2022:

If you attend a potentially super spreading event (plane travel, sports event, theatre, wedding, concert etc.) and our session is within 14 days of you attending that event, I would ask that you test 5 days after such an event prior to your session with me.  If our session is before 5 days after you have attended one of these activities, we will need to potentially re-schedule.

When scheduling future sessions, let's consider this going forward as well.

Please keep in mind that I work out of my home office, and work with clients who have comorbidities or pre-existing conditions.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Free home testing kits are readily available:

https://www.covid.gov/tests

I can also provide you with a kit anywhere between 15 minutes to a half an hour before your scheduled session.

Again, your safety and my own are paramount.

If you have any questions about this, please let me know.

Stay safe.  Be well.

Regards,

Jim Allbaugh - Rolfing since 2003.

 

www.rolfingseattle.net

I am continuously fascinated by the body's complexity, deep beauty, and inherent wisdom.  

I am also intrigued by a dynamic that plays out often during a client's first session. It has caught my attention as of late.  I'd very much like to explore this with you.

We all have an inherent need to be seen and heard.  It is absolutely primal.  In my line of work, not only is it necessary for you to be seen and heard, but also tended to.  

Clients usually come to see me to find relief and resolution from chronic pain.  They have usually dealt with this discomfort for an extended period of time.  Perhaps months, years or even decades.

By the time they have come to see me, they have become very intimate with their pain.  

So much so sometimes, they have forgotten what it feels like not to be in pain.

They have come to me for help.  And I'll be damned if I won't try to help them.

Again, it is important to be seen and heard.

Let's say you come in with neck pain.  You obviously want some immediate help.

"The pain is right here in my neck."

I see and hear you.  

Here's where things can get a little tricky.

This is what I have learned over the years . . .

The symptom is not always the cause.

The pain is not always the problem.

My job, as your Rolfer, is not to chase pain around.

My job, as your Rolfer, is to bring your body back into vertical alignment with gravity.

I am always looking at ways to bring your whole body back into balance and alignment.

What this means is, I may or may not work directly on the area that hurts.

What this does not mean, is that I am somehow ignoring or not hearing you. 

On the contrary, I am looking for the deeper underlying factors that are causing your discomfort and pain.  I am looking for ways to help you become more whole and healthy, and consequently, pain free.

There are usually a variety of different reasons why you are experiencing neck pain.  All of which can be addressed.  Your relationship with gravity, the way in which you move, social support, your diet etc.

For this newsletter, let's explore the many anatomical factors that may be contributing to your neck pain.


Lines of tension.

You may have noticed, that at the beginning of each session, I place my hand on the top of your head.  Most every nook and cranny in your body can be felt here.  Any tension, adhesion or laxity reverberates through the cranium.  It is here that we often begin to sense and feel what needs to be addressed.  This is referred to as "General Listening."

Let's say you have come in with the aforementioned neck pain.  You mention that it is sharp and localized, right around the cervical vertebrae of C6 (in blue).  In particular, on the right side.  (Circled in red).

When looking at your posture, I can see that your neck is being pulled down and to the right as well.

In General Listening I can feel a strong pull from your right lung.  Upon further investigation, we discover that there is a substantial restriction in your visceral pleura, the membrane that surrounds the lung.  Believe it or not, there are a slew of suspensory ligaments that extend from this pleura and attach to your neck!  (The line in purple.)  Any restriction in your lung can pull your neck out of whack.  

 

Back to "The pain isn't always the problem."  

Within and throughout the body are sensory neurons in your body called, "nociceptors."  

Nociceptors respond to damaging or even potentially damaging stimuli by sending signals to your spinal cord and brain...lickety split.  If your brain believes that the threat is credible, it will then send the sensation of pain to the body part.  In this case, your poor neck.  

Here's where things get interesting.

These nociceptors can be found in some areas of your body more than others.  

In this particular case there are more nociceptors in the musculature of your neck than the pleura of your lung.  

In other words, the restriction in the pleura of your lung (very few nociceptors) is pulling on your neck (many more nociceptors.).  

Consequently, "Ouch!  My neck hurts!"  

After releasing the visceral pleura, upon standing your neck is not being pulled down and to the right, and there is less pain.  

But wait, there's more!  

In any given session we are more likely than not to find many different culprits.  All of which can create multiple lines of tension.  This can affect one area of your body more than others.  Let's continue with our hypothetical session . . .  

After releasing the pleura of your lung we find a restriction in your stomach.  Your stomach and your esophagus are pretty much one and the same thing.  Ascending upwards, your esophagus then becomes your pharynx, which attaches to the font of your neck and contributes to any number of cranial cavities.  In this particular case, the restriction in your stomach is creating a great deal of tension in your esophagus, which is pulling down on your poor neck.  (The line in blue.)

  

Again, not too many nociceptors in your stomach, but plenty in your already overburdened neck.  We release the restriction in your stomach.  Upon standing, you notice that your head feels further back and lighter.  

Then we find an adhesion in your radial nerve near your right elbow.  Nerves in particular are meant to glide and slide and not get stuck.  

Interestingly enough, you mentioned at the beginning of the session that your right elbow has been feeling a bit "achy" as of late.  This tells me that there are some nociceptors firing at your elbow as well, but not nearly as much as your neck, which is getting tugged on this way and that.  

The radial nerve originates from C5 to T1.  As you can see, the radial nerve has a direct relationship with your neck.  (The line in yellow.). 

After releasing the adhesion of your radial nerve, you notice that the range of motion for your neck has improved substantially.

Finally, we are drawn to an area that is much closer to the area of your discomfort.  An artery called the Subclavian Artery beckons us.  (The orange circle).  

 

Here we find an artery that is adhered to a nearby structure.  The Subclavian Artery is the main root for many other arteries that feed your neck, shoulder and arm.  

After freeing this artery, you immediately feel less pain in your neck.  You also notice feeling more warmth in your right arm and hand.  You mention that your right hand can get cold sometimes.  At the moment, it is feeling warm and "tingly."  

As you can see, there are a wide variety of anatomical structures that, if dysfunctional, can be contributing to your neck pain.  Nor can they be readily felt if they are askew either.

Hopefully this elucidates in more detail what it is I am looking for and working on to help you get out of pain and feel more whole.