Awareness Through Movement #39

Lifting your knee while sitting - practicalities - with recording

synchronising movements, aiming for the exact time two parts of the body move, can be a meditative experience… “hhhmmm… and are they landing at the same time?”

These are small practices that can change the entire experience of a lesson. Rather than letting all the parts move without you saying how and when… for they are YOUR parts, aren’t they… or do they have a mind of their own?

When I started asking these questions I began to get more of a sense of what Moshe was talking about, and it yet again changed my approach to the lessons.

Today I met with a practitioner who’s been doing these lessons in the privacy of her own time, when it works for her. She mentioned something about Moshe referring to “the spine as a chain” in one of the lessons… he didn’t. While I’m staying true to the movement of each lessons, what I’ve been doing is introducing what I learned with Leora Gaster from her and Mia’s Mind Body Studies training. They are not allowed to use the word Feldenkrais for legal reasons which can give you a sense of how complicated the mess is that was left behind him. His first assistant is not “allowed” to use his surname on their website, and the Guild refuse to acknowledge her developments of his work as “Feldenkrais”.

The two years I studied with MBS was invaluable, the differences between the two trainings are very distinct, quite stark. I found the way Leora interpreted his work a pleasure to digest, despite the complexities which are continually unfolding. I’ve been introducing some of those learnings into these lessons, and it seemed to make all the difference in the discussion with this particular practitioner today.

In the one-on-one zoom meetings that have been happening many questions are being asked, it’s been great to meet with people face to face even though through a big screen! If you would like to schedule a time, the best slots for me are between 10-1pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday. (I need to be out the door at 2.45). If you live in Melbourne you are more than welcome to come to my home for a hands on session.

Below is a video I think really shows what Feldenkrais talks about when he mentions the environment, I see ladders in a completely different way now!