The Method
MOSHE FELDENKRAIS
Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc., (1904-1984) was a distinguished scientist, physicist and engineer. Born in 1904 in a small town in Russia, he emigrated to Palestine when he was a young man. He earned his D.Sc. in engineering from the Sorbonne in Paris and was for many years a close associate of Noble Prize Laureate Frederic Joliot-Curie at the Curie Institute in Paris. In the 1930s he met Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, who inspired him to become one of the first European black belts in judo (1936). He became a respected judo instructor and authored several books on the subject. In Britain during the 1940s, Feldenkrais began an intense exploration into the relationship between bodily movement and the ways we think, feel and learn. It was here that Dr. Feldenkrais made revolutionary discoveries culminating in the development of what is now known as the Feldenkrais Method and contributing to the founding of the new field of somatic education. Before his death, Feldenkrais personally trained a small number of practitioners to continue his work. Today his work continues to spread and there are certified Feldenkrais teachers practicing around the globe. He passed away in 1984.
THE FELDENKRAIS METHOD
The Feldenkrais Method is an innovative system that approaches human development and the improvement of functioning through the medium of physical movement and directed attention. It approaches human learning by accessing the nervous system’s innate ability to enhance and refine our functioning. Based on his/her personal history, each individual adopts patterns of physical and psychological behavior adapted to his or her particular environment. These patterns are deeply embedded in our nervous system and often become outmoded or dysfunctional, creating unnecessary limitations and sometimes pain. Our posture and the ways that we move were learned, even if that learning was not conscious. Consequently, physical difficulties or limitations are seen, from the Feldenkrais perspective, as the result of either incomplete learning or trauma that can lead to dysfunctional habit patterns. When it is necessary to change or create a new pattern, the Feldenkrais Method provides the means to know what to change and how to change it. The founder, Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc., utilized his background in physics, mechanical engineering and Judo to develop an approach with an unusual melding of biomechanics, motor development, psychology and the martial arts. The Method has achieved international recognition for its demonstrated ability to improve posture, flexibility, coordination, self-image and to alleviate muscular tension and pain. Awareness Through Movement (ATM), done in groups, harnesses the nervous system’s ability to self-organize toward more effective and intelligent action.
AWARENESS THROUGH MOVEMENT
Awareness Through Movement (ATM) consists of gentle, verbally guided movement sequences, each organized around a different theme, and often practiced in a group setting. The movement lessons give structure to the investigation of diverse themes such as attention, self-image, intention and self-responsibility resulting in a multifaceted and textured learning experience. Unlike many movement practices where the same sequences are repeated, ATM offers an impressive variety of movement situations which address every human function and area of the body. Thus, the experience of participating in ATM is full of surprises, challenges and the pleasure of learning in new and unexpected ways. The length of the training program provides an opportunity for the participants to experience the full breadth and depth of the Feldenkrais ATM repertoire and its transformative potential. In the training context, the sensory-motor learning experienced in ATM gains momentum over time, allowing new ways of thinking, feeling and action to emerge in a powerful fashion. This experiential learning forms the foundation for all aspects of the curriculum.