Awareness through movement
Build a better relationship with yourself
through the Feldenkrais Method
WHAT IS THE FELDENKRAIS METHOD?
The FELDENKRAIS METHOD is a somatic educational system, developed over 40 years of study and research by Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais. It is a revolutionary approach to understanding human functioning with the purpose of improving both physical and mental performance. It utilizes movement and attention to enhance our natural ability to discover, learn, change and continue to develop throughout our lives. It is applicable to anyone wanting to enhance the quality of his or her everyday life and activities.
AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT lessons are group sessions. Participants are verbally led through a series of structured movement sequences, which utilize attention, perception and imagination. Designed to evoke a more synergistic use of yourself, the lessons establish new patterns of movement. As the lessons progress, participants become more aware of their movement habits and new patterns of behaviour become naturally more available. There are more than a thousand different lessons with movements ranging from developmentally-based patterns to innovative and novel configurations. The movements are usually done lying down or sitting, and in a manner that recognizes each participant’s own pace and range of motion. Comfort, ease, and the quality of movement are the main criteria used towards developing greater volition over what you do and how you do it.
By understanding and identifying your habits in movement, you can learn and acquire alternatives that promote greater ease and wellbeing. It utilizes your brain’s innate capacity for learning and its potential for lifelong maturation and growth. Rather than teaching “the right” way to move it provides you with “more choices” of how you might move; so depending on your own structure, the context you are in and the action you are intending, you can choose the most efficient and most comfortable way of acting.
It evokes a more skeletal use of your self; your skeleton being the part of you that bears weight and transmits force. We tend to under utilize our skeleton and overwork our musculature. These gentle processes help you to deconstruct some of your muscular habits and create a more effective skeletal use of yourself resulting in improved functioning, performance and effortlessness in your everyday actions.
Throughout the world, the FELDENKRAIS METHOD of somatic education is growing in recognition and in its relevance in the sciences, the arts and rehabilitation. The applications of the method range from reducing pain, improving orthopedic, neurological and learning difficulties, to enhancing performance of professional athletes, dancers, musicians, and actors. People from all areas of life are drawn to the method for its ability to achieve greater levels of comfort, increase mobility and range of motion, improve coordination and flexibility, expand self–awareness, enhance self image and evoke greater clarity and vitality.
