Who can benefit from the Feldenkrais Method? *

Anyone - young or old, physically challenged or physically fit - can benefit from the Method. Feldenkrais lessons are beneficial for those experiencing chronic or acute pain of the back, neck, shoulder, hip, legs or knee, as well as for healthy individuals who wish to enhance their self-image. The Method has been very helpful in dealing with central nervous system conditions such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and stroke. Musicians, actors and artists can extend their abilities and enhance creativity. Many Seniors enjoy using it to retain or regain their ability to move without strain or discomfort.

Through lessons in this method you can enjoy greater ease of movement, an increased sense of vitality, and feelings of peaceful relaxation. After a session you often feel taller and lighter, breathe more freely and find that your discomforts have eased. You experience relaxation, and feel more centered and balanced.

What are the guidelines for doing Awareness Through Movement?

• Wear loose comfortable clothing.
• Do the lessons on a reasonably firm surface on the floor with a blanket or mat.
• Do the movements slowly and gently. Slow, gentle movements allow you to sense more precisely how you are doing the movement.
• Stay within your range of comfortable movement (don't go for the "stretch").
• Sense your skeleton and your skeletal contact as you do the lesson.
• Do as many movements as is comfortable for you - that may be two or it may be twenty - and then rest.
• Rest as often as you want or need to. Resting helps to refresh your attention and to integrate what you have been learning. If you find your attention wandering or if the movement becomes messy or confused, stop and rest.
• If you feel pain during a movement, stop and rest. When you return to the movement make it slower and smaller. Generally you can make the movement small enough that you don't activate the pain response. If you still feel pain, use your imagination. You can do the movement in your imagination comfortably and easily, without pain.
• Give yourself some time to integrate the lesson afterwards. This is usually several hours after the lesson. Refrain from extreme effort or highly compelling activities. Dr. Feldenkrais in his book Awareness Through Movement recommends doing the lessons in the evening before bed.

What are some examples of how the Feldenkrais Method can help with different issues? *

• A 42 year old computer programmer with incipient wrist problems is able to increase his speed on the keyboard after learning how to use his arms and hands more efficiently.
• A 28 year old woman goes through her third pregnancy - the first one without back pain.
• A 55-year old woman is able to lift her affectionate 2 year old granddaughter without straining her back.
• A 40-year old cellist becomes so creative in developing new, less strained positions to play in that she able to extend her musical repertoire.
• A 9-year old with learning disabilities can read a full page competently and gains self-confidence in his intelligence.
• A 19-year old diver is able to visualize and perform the complex series of movements needed to accomplish an intricate maneuver more proficiently.
• A 78-year old man walks a mile daily, free of chronic knee pain he’s had for 30 years.
• A 32-year old man learns to reuse his hands after a crippling auto accident.

* From the Feldenkrais Guild website FAQ.