By DENISE ROCO
Rolfist Mario Sanchez Avila mends the body with a tranquil mind and a wiser spirit.
When you meet Mario Sanchez Avila, you will notice that he gleams with a zest for life. Name the sport, for sure he has tried it. Not only will he try out a physical activity, he will always aim to be the best at it.
When he discovered his passion for surfing at age 16, his obsession led to the pursuit of finding the perfect wave. The handsome Mexican left home at 17 and traveled far and wide. Fueled by adrenaline and financially supported by being a professional salsa dancer and instructor, as well as a crowd-pleasing DJ, Mario surfed all kinds of waves and globetrotted to over 50 countries. “Through this perfect combination of surf, dance and music, I [gained] immeasurable knowledge in movement and body language in a multicultural space,†says the man who stands on top of the world.
Over the years, he took courses related to physical techniques in countries like Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand and India. It was go, go, go all the way for Mario, up until that horrendous day in Tahiti. “I dropped from a wave that was about 10 feet tall, crashed on the reef with the corals. My cervical bones were affected. I couldn’t feel my legs, I got paralyzed. I had tingling. The swelling became like that of a billiard ball. I went to a chiropractor, (I tried) osteopathy, acupuncture,†explains a downtrodden Mario.
Flying this time not for fun but for relief, Mario went to eight countries such as Tokyo, Thailand, China, to hunt down the best therapists. He re-tells his story. “I tried everything because I didn’t want to have surgery. One of my friends asked me if I’ve tried Rolfing. He said I had to go to Bali, Indonesia, and said that ‘if you don’t get better from this, I don’t think you’ll walk again!’ In five sessions I was able to walk again.†He has practiced it since.
Mario defines in his own words, this alternative medical treatment of Structural Integration founded by Ida Pauline Rolf in the 1930s, as something similar to a deep tissue massage (but not exactly a massage), which manipulates the fascia. The fascia is the connective tissue that covers all of the body, which doesn’t use one system like chiropractic or osteopathic kinesiology.
“When we move, the fascia expands; when it expands you put your body in line with gravity. It develops the body to have better posture. It helps in all aspects even aesthetically, you lose weight, your chest comes out, your shoulders drop, and it’s almost like shaping a new body.â€
For the full Rolfing effect to set in, Mario suggests a recipe of 10 Rolfing sessions. One session is only 45 minutes. But with only one session, you will already feel a change. Heck, Mario could already walk after five sessions!
“The ideal is to have a new body, a new life that stems from a new structure within. People are so overwhelmed with the shift of correction that for the first time they begin to change, to take care of their bodies. People often say they have this defect inheriting it from mother or father, and they live all their lives thinking that’s normal. When we were born, nobody taught us how to breathe, or move properly,†Mario punctuates with a hint of frustration, but points out how he has seen the change in each person —old, young, rich, poor, fat, stressed and depressed people, people with surgery, without surgery, all touched by Rolfing.
Since completing his certification in the Rolf Institute of Structural Integration in Boulder, Colorado where he was trained by Emmet Hutchins (successor of Ida Rolf), Mario has been practicing for 10 years and counting. He has practiced in 20 countries, working mostly in Latin America and the US, and is practicing in Asia for the first time.
On Facebook, you will find actual testimonials from people of varied ethnicities, commenting for instance, that they’ve gotten taller by two-three centimeters, lost 15 kg., and cured their scoliosis, cellulitis, or pains in sciatica. Some even developed getting larger chests. Infusing seven techniques such as craniosacral, kundalini, reiki and whatever is needed to heal a patient, Mario concocts a customized blend for each person under his care in order to let them relax and come back to their center, their inner self.
One of the most challenging for him to heal was a boy with a U-shaped scoliosis. His face was staring at his pelvis. He couldn’t walk, take a shower, or see in front of him. His bones were deformed when he was born. Mario couldn’t make him completely straight, but drastically improved his scoliosis to 45 degrees. Now he walks and stands without supervision, and can see what lies ahead of him (literally and perhaps even figuratively). Before, everyone had to carry him. After 17 years, he was healed sans surgery.
Fortunately, interested parties in the Philippines may also enjoy the healing touch of Mario, as he is set to return to Manila in November; all they’ve got to do is email at marioacp@outlook.com, and they can get an appointment.
Like the fascia that connects the body, Mario, too, connects people to a new kind of healing — and helping. “It’s about that feeling, it’s like catching the biggest wave, and then there’s a release. There’s an achievement that there’s a person who never thought they’d change,†he concludes.
