Awareness Through Movement #318

Another classic Feldenkrais lesson where Moshe delivers some gold early in the piece:

“The intention here is to bring your awareness
to this simple thing that we know how to do well,
something within the limits of our ability,
which feels easy,
pleasant,
and comfortable,
as if you’re doing nothing to feel a degree of mobilisation.
When you begin to do something more difficult,
he majority loses their sensation
and mobilises in weak spots
much more than is necessary
and this disturbs the entire action.

Then, mental effort, an effort of will,
and repetition is required to arrive at a good action.
This is the way that turns out less.

The way that pays off is to use that organisation
which also brings lightness to the difficult places.
Most people, are so used to making efforts if it is difficult,
or doing something to succeed,
that they lose this principle,
which is the most important for learning.”

there is a lot of information on boosting willpower, as if it’s the only way to work through procrastination… as if it’s a good thing. Very few people are aware that keeping curiosity alive can be equally as effective.

Our ‘joints’ are complex in their design, I thought it might be worthwhile to get a clearer picture of how many moving parts there really are in these areas:

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Moshe also says:
”Learn how to use this ability to mobilise your body
such that difficult things become easy
rather than strengthening the will and working ‘through’ discomfort.
Whoever has great ability does not need a strong will,
they do things easily whereas others need a supreme effort of will and ability to do.

If the ability is small, a large, powerful will is necessary.”

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Images posted as a reminder that these lessons prove far more beneficial when the movements are done with awareness rather than forcing… all of these parts need to get with the program so to speak, so please… be gentle with your Self…

… as you would with a newborn baby,
we too are learning as we did when we were ‘just’ born.