James the Rolfer™
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About James 

Becoming a Rolfer was the end of my quest for a one-word job title. I grew up on a farm, and didn’t ever consider being anything other than a farmer. I loved the annual rhythm, reaping what you sowed and seeing the results of your labour in a really hands-on way, where no two days were the same.

Through my 20s I had fairly random jobs. I landed a sweet job selling Christmas trees, but they laid me off on Christmas Eve. I became a stockbroker but the end of the dotcom bubble was the end of that job. I cooked for people, but service made me grumpy.  

Along the way I did Yoga teacher training with Brian Cooper. Brian recommended Dr Rolf’s book; I’d just bought the book so I looked like the class swot. I don’t ever really make a decision to do something like Rolfing. I just move towards it gathering info, until I reach the point where I say “oh fuck it”.

I went on an amazing intro course called Rolfing® Spektrum. I really liked the Rolfers I met: they were interesting people who were passionate about their work. I think we all take our bodies for granted; we are so familiar with the outside but ignorant or at least not conscious of what’s inside. I learnt so much that week, things that seemed obvious but were startling.  You know when you learn something and say, “that’s so obvious, why didn’t I think of that?"

Some of the things I learnt on Spektrum were:

  • The things that support our posture, the feet that give us foundation & the senses in the head that give us lift.

  • How to talk about peoples bodies in a positive way and why it feels great to hear.

  • How good Bavarian beer is.

  • I started to feel how sensitive our sense of touch can be and what you can communicate through touch.

  • How to move with less tension, to become more graceful.

  • More anatomy than I could fit into my head.

I still hadn't reached the “oh fuck it” point but it was getting close. If I wanted to make the next intake I had to write some essays.  They were essays that made me think like a Rolfer, and look at the body with new eyes.

At about this time I was coming to the end of the 10 sessions with Rolfer Sam Sykes in Leeds. I was travelling back to Edinburgh, waiting for a train at York Station, and I started to see people with new eyes: people all dealing with the same challenge of living with gravity.  Some people were really fighting gravity, rigid with tension. Others were rounded and soft like gravity had won.  I thought, these people need Rolfing - then I said “oh fuck it."

I feel lucky - Rolfing never feels like work to me.  I get to see progress and change like I did as a farmer, and I don’t have to worry about the weather.    
Dear James,
thank you so much for my session yesterday, I went home feeling taller, head held higher, feels good.
I will be making another appointment. I will be in touch soon.
Regards Frances.
I first went to James for a series of 10 sessions a couple of years ago, fantastic. I have had several treatments from him since. His knowledge, focus, attention and passion for his work shines through.
Oh, and he has a great sense of humour, which is very important in life, I find.
Michael Doran-Mental Health Nurse.
Thank you James for fixing my body! I'm looking forward to a pain free back in the mornings (no pressure) I don't know how I end up looking like Frodo Baggins! But you always make me perfect again. Rolfing rawkz! Sheena Curran