Here are some references to books I like and to web sites I’ve found useful. If you’re interested in the books, consider getting them at your local bookstore. In the Bay Area, my favorites are Books Inc. in Mountain View and Kepler’s (www.keplers.com). I also like the East West Bookstore in Mountain View (www.eastwest.com ).

The classic book about Structural Integration was written by Dr. Rolf herself. If you know anatomy, you will probably find it fascinating. Otherwise, it may seem overly technical and you may find the information on the web sites listed below more useful.

Ida P. Rolf, Ph.D. Rolfing. Reestablishing the Natural Alignment and Structural Integration of the Human Body for Vitality and Well-Being. Healing Arts Press. Rochester, Vermont. 1989.

For a more entertaining take on the work, I've now placed an article from the March 2007 Vogue magazine on my site. Click here to read it.

There are a number of interesting web sites about the work. Check out these:

• The Guild for Structural Integration is the school where I studied with Emmet Hutchins and Peter Melchior, Dr. Rolf's first two chosen teacher. www.rolfguild.org
• You can also study the work at the Rolf Institute. They've recently revamped their web site and have a lot of good information there. www.rolf.org
• My friend Jeff Linn has developed macros that bodyworkers can use together with NIH Image software to better evaluate and treat their clients. He also has a lot of cool links on his web site.
• For inks to interesting and thought-provoking articles, check out Robert Schleip's website www.somatics.de

• The European Rolfing Association has an interesting website at www.rolfing.org. Some of the articles are in German, but many are in English.

One of the goals of Structural Integration is to bring your body into mindful alignment with gravity. Instead of teaching my clients exercises, I often recommend some form of awareness training such as mindfulness meditation. Using mindfulness, you become more aware of your body and may find you respond more calmly to life's stressful situations.

Two classics on mindfulness are by Jon Kabat-Zinn. I recommend them to friends who are interested in learning more about meditation:

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation In Everyday Life. New York:Hyperion. 1994.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Full Catastrophe Living. Using The Wisdom Of Your Body And Mind To Face Stress, Pain And Illness. New York:Delacorte Press. 1990.

Will Johnson is a Rolfer and Buddhist who has written several books I really like. His last book explains how mindfulness of the body grounds you in reality and can help if you are continuously lost in thought.

Johnson, Will. Aligned, Relaxed, Resilient. The Physical Foundations of Mindfulness. Shambala: Boston&London. 2000.

For an exploration of mindfulness and psychotherapy, I recommend Mark Epstein's books:

Epstein, Mark. Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective. Basic Books. 1995.

Epstein, Mark. Going to Pieces without Falling apart: a Buddhist Perspective on Wholeness. New York: Broadway Books, 1998.

I recommend that my clients include some form of stretching--at least a few minutes each day--as part of their health maintenance routine. Stretching, Pilates, and Yoga resonate well with Structural Integration work. Chi Gong or Tai Chi, while not directly stretching your body, make you aware and help your alignment with gravity.

I myself have studied yoga for over ten years and enjoyed it even more after my Structural Integration work.

One of my favorite books about Yoga is by Erich Schiffman (www.movingintostillness.com)

Schiffmann, Erich. Yoga. The Practice of Moving Into Stillness. New York:Pocket Books. 1996.

While in Boulder, I also practiced at Richard Freeman's Yoga Workshop www.yogaworkshop.com

Of all the forms of yoga I've studied, I've found yin yoga to be the most effective. See my Yoga page for some additional information.

I have also studied some Chi Gong with Joe Deisher (www.taichisage.com) in Palo Alto and Annie Kelly in Santa Cruz.

My clients often ask me whether Structural Integration will help them lose weight. While I believe that increased body awareness can contribute to healthy weight loss, I usually refer to my favorite nutritionist, Gerda Endemann. Gerda's advice is always sound and she is helping me not only with weight questions but also with cholesterol issues. Her website is www.healthyfat.com (and she means the fat you eat, not the fat you carry on your waistline).