Today’s first #yyj Feldenkrais Awareness through movement classes happen in Aquarius under 1/4 Moon actions of Challenges, Decisions & Actions. Aquarius governs these body parts: Wrists, Ankles, Joints, Circulation, Veins, Neurological System and reflects the 1st chakra – Read more on first chakra life influences & try sample movement experience.
Read more via Root Chakra
by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP @ Inside Awareness, Living in Natures Love Blog & Renee Lindstrom Live
Natural Foot Motion each of us was borne with. Without it one is less likely to have balance.
For 13 years I have been asked about what shoes I would recommend by clients and students in my Feldenkrais® Private Movement Practice and Awareness through Movement Classes. Shoes are a very personal decision and one must be comfortable with the design, style, fit and personal concepts of what will give them the best support.
An opportunity to work more closely with foot pain led to some postural patterns becoming obvious. Postural patterns that seemed to be created by the insoles in ones shoes. Insoles that hold the foot in one place with no natural shift of weight through the foot from back to front, front to back and side to side. This surprising awareness was enough to break a 13 year pattern of not getting into shoe talk and the start of taking a deeper look.
This pair of Adidas will explain one of the reasons I have not recommended shoes in the past. It goes against the past few decades of advertising and marketing that has been somewhat misleading. Yet these are quite possibly the most comfortable shoes I have ever slipped on. These are wide enough to let ones toes move and the uppers are soft without any weight, seams or tight bands or pressure. It has a sock fit construction with pull tongue and heel making it easy to slip on and off. The insoles are a soft foam with no rises, valleys or dips letting the weight move through the feet and toes curl to create natural arches. This design lets one have a more natural gait. The only aspect of this shoe that I have reservations on is the slight incline of the heel, however smaller concern than I have for other styles.
Why recommend they type of shoe?
“Flexible Body, Flexible Mind” Moshe Feldenkrais
I am going to recommend this type of shoe as they are weightless. When wearing them the focus is not on lifting the shoe in the same way as the more familiar styles of shoes. This will increase the potential of increasing the movement of the foot and ankle versus the effort of lifting a heavier shoe. Ideally one would not lift their foot from the floor or ground to take a step. Instead they would use the ground to push-off from that comes from a shift of weight through their foot to create a pattern of movement moving up the up leg. This shoe design has the potential to allow one to have freer movement through the bone structure in the feet. The sock fit of the shoe eliminates the distraction of laces and weight at the top of ones foot allowing more felt sense awareness of how ones foot is moving. My experience of this shoe is the one can begin to cultivate awareness of their feet in motion versus loosing a connection to them in heavier more confined shoes.
Link to Adidas Ultimafusion on Amazon
more on Healthy Feet (reducing pain) coming soon
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by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP
Mindfulness through Movement
Observing people’s posture in standing and walking for the past 10 years has been educational. I have begun to notice subtle posture nuances that clearly indicates ones state of mind and their physical and emotional well-being. The most common condition I am observing in people is a separation between what one thinks and a connection to physical movement.
Generally I notice ones focus of attention is on interpretation of what is happening versus actual experience. For me this means having a fixed perspective, opinion or belief. If a physical ailment surfaces there is a fixed belief to go and have someone fix it or use tools to make physical movement easier. Tools like a cane, walker, scooter, special chair and bed. What’s missing is an easier possibility! This is the exploration of how to move differently. I am not referring to practices such as yoga, therapy, stretching or exercising as the difference is that you are following a limited structured pattern. I am referring to increasing awareness of feeling how you move in the process of moving. This includes increasing your ability to focus your attention on how each bone and joint movement can be sensed.
When mobility increases I notice that there is an increase in coping. The mask of fear, anger, pain and anxiety is replaced with a peaceful and open appearance.
Recently I wrote about settling the fight, flight, fright experiences of the Hippocampus from the perspective of communication. I have noticed that another more effective way to settle these reactions has been through the application of Feldenkrais® Movement.
Working with three ways to settle ones flight, fight and fright reactions I find the application of Feldenkrais Movements the quickest and most effective for shifting and integrating change. It engages more immediate functional connection between ones physical, mental and emotional states of being. Many times I have experienced someone in a series of 6 classes for balance where after the first or second class someone has given up their cane. They describe that they are less fearful to stand and support themselves.
This year a trend has been the lack of connection to feeling one’s legs. I had to purposely show someone that they dragged a leg behind them when there wasn’t any physical reason for this. It turned out this leg had been broken years before and this person forgot how to use this leg. This resulted in collapsing. When life became too difficult to enjoy they requested an operation, however there wasn’t anything to operate on!
Recently I encouraged someone to consciously shift weight purposely into one of their legs and their reaction was to say that this leg couldn’t support them. I asked them how they had walked all these years and suggested that this leg must actually be supporting them. We spent a few minutes practicing shifting weight from foot to foot and their fear was tangible. A short week later the leg that was not trusted appeared stronger and I smile as there was no hesitation in using this leg. The fright, flight and fight reactions were not visible!
What is exciting as a practitioner giving guidance to explore patterns of movement is that there it bypasses the stories in ones mind and focuses them on discovering their movement process. It teaches them ways to feel the movement. It increases present awareness (being in the moment).
To other ways for calming ones state of flight, fright and fight can be through increased understanding of your emotional and intellectual functions and your environment.
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Posted in Feldenkrais Method
Tagged #yyj Feldenkrais, Ability to Cope, Anxiety, Emotional Reactions, Emotional State, Fear, Feldenkrais Method, Fight, Fight Flight Freeze, Find Calm though Movement, Find Peace through Movement, Hippocampus, Learning to walk without canes, Mental State, Pain, physical movement, Physical State, Separation of mind and physical movement, Walking
by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP
Before & After Harvesting
Along the fence running the length of the back of the property bamboo has been planted. This fence has a busy sidewalk and roadway behind it and the bamboo provides privacy and protection now that it has grown. This summer the bamboo has become tall enough that the stalks are ‘living art.’
Harvesting this bamboo has transformed this grass from an overgrown and overwhelming state into a calm bamboo forest! This space is becoming more balanced and comfortable. The openness also represents letting new energy into the life areas that run along the fence: wealth, fame and relationships!
The element that dominates these three life areas is the element of fire. Bamboo represents the element of wood which is supportive of fire. It is also the strongest wood on the planet that represents longevity. It is a good plant to support health, wealth and happiness in these three life areas!
For more on uses of harvested bamboo visit Living in Natures Love our sister site to empower personal landscape connection for health and wellness.
Where is your relationships corner?
Imagine a nine square grid overlaying your property. Three rows of three, equal in size. Now stand on the street facing your property. The relationship corner is the last square to the right in the farthest row of three. Now walk back into your garden as though for the first time and observe this area and what story it may share.
Consider a consult with me, in person, face-time or by phone!
by Renee Lindstrom, GCFP
Last night I encouraged a couple to take a risk and be honest with each other and to listen to the message in what each is saying while trying not to be defensive. This morning I came across this great piece, author unknown.
To laugh is to risk appearing foolish.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
To live is to risk dying.
Yet risks are often taken,
because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risk nothing
may avoid suffering and sorrow,
Yet he reduces his chances to learn, feel, change, grow, love or live.
Chained by his opinions,
He forfeits the opportunity to contribute
to the growth of the whole.
To risk is our gift and our choice.
Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Movement Education
Transitioning from Language of Conflict into Language of Connection (based on Nonviolent Communication)
As I consider today’s Self-Awareness through movement workshop I am searching for a focus point of motivation. Recent Feldenkrais students have deepened the connection between left and right brain movement actions. I recognize that this is the intention for today, the balance of the right and left brain in movement that creates presence in action.
Babies are the most present and aware beings on the planet. They have to be to be able to teach themselves to roll over, sit up, crawl, stand, walk, run do somersaults and cartwheels. This will be a good place to focus the workshop participants. Not on doing cartwheels, exploring babies first movements!
One segment of society that I have consistently worked with this past decade is seniors, men and women. This includes those with diagnosed conditions and those without. As my experience of theirs and societies behavioral patterns become more recognizable, I find an urge to begin to write a series to share some aspects that I am discovering that influence false believes of aging. If you are interested in learning more, check back in to explore this series!
A year ago this month I received a call for help from one of my own kids. They no longer lived on Vancouver Island so it wasn’t as though I could go and rescue them! In the ongoing telephone calls of support I learned of a cat that this kid found solace with. I loved that cat sight unseen!
As plans were made to helicopter this kid out of this situation, I realized the cat would be left, however, I knew that she would be visiting me at some point. Two to three months later this kid came to stay with me and we made plans to pick up the cat.
The arrival of this small cat was interesting. She entered as a warrior and strutted around the house like she owned it even though she had never seen it before. Her tail stood straight out for days and was hard and inflexible. She behaved like a feral cat. After two weeks I stood looking at her and told myself that I had to let her go. I told myself I couldn’t tolerate this and that I had given her enough, yet she hadn’t changed. Then another inner voice questioned me and said, “Really! What about the empathy that you have for your students and clients that help them experience transformation.”
Hearing that question I committed to not labeling this cat and to become more empathetic with her. I realized that her behavior was scaring me. I had expected a warm and loving cat and what came was a distant, cold warrior! So I became warm and loving. I anticipated her needs until she began asking for things that she needed. They was an immediate shift! One day she came up to me at eye level and searched my eyes for a long time. I can only imagine that she was seeking reassurance. Over this year I have witnessed and experienced a complete transformation as she settles. She still has a wild nature however I am learning that means she needs to play!
I would have never thought I would become that person who talks about her cat. Well I do! My other kid who still lives off the island, which means our visits are by phone and on-line, receives many pictures and stories of the latest heart warming moments with this cat I experience!
As the anniversary date approaches I have become aware that the kid that came home has also gone through their own transformation. Prior to coming home I gave some consideration to their status as my kid. I wondered and worried if it was my job to tell them everything they were doing wrong and what they needed to fix. You know, being mom! Well I quickly threw that thought into the rubbish! I decided to accept, empathize and to love unconditionally. However, what I did decide to do is ask for my needs to be met as they arose in the present!
I began to listen for their needs more closely. As the kitty cat transformed, so did this kid. There is more confidence, self-respect, self-assurance and self-love demonstrated. Rather than impart my wisdom on what I think they should be doing, they approach me when they are ready and ask for empathy and/or advice. The story that unfolds in front of me is of how they are managing their relationships differently and being more assertive in creating their own boundaries in a non-violent or abusive way. They are also addressing the abusive nature of others reactions in a clear more productive way!
Don’t get me wrong, I do ask questions way about some things that are important for me and that I think could benefit them, however it is not in a way that they feel I know what’s best for them. It is simply a check in to find out what is important for them.
As my youngest left home, I had four months on my own without kids. Having this one move back was a no-brain-or for me however, I wondered what it would mean. You know, what would I have to give up? Well I am happy to admit to you and myself that I have gained a loving and supportive relationship with a kid that I thought I had lost as they went their own way.
One of the ways that deepened this relationship was their observation of how I was with their cat, believe it or not. Many times I saw them look at the two of us, the cat and I, in a funny way. They had left home with a perception of mom that was based upon their own experience of wanting (not getting their needs met). Now they where actually witnessing a different pattern than what they interpreted in their teen years when we had opposing needs! As they started to recognize the loving connection between the cat and I, they allowed themselves to experience the loving connection that they didn’t know or forgotten was there!
This cat has created the experience that I imagine most moms and kids experience with grand-babies! Taking care of my own children gave me the opportunity to have empathy for my own parents and now I wonder if grand-babies would also enhance compassion and understanding! My parents were gone prior to the birth of my children so I will have to experience it with my kids, kids!
What about your parenting experiences? Are you letting your children have autonomy? Are you building relationships with your young adult children or are you still trying to parent them?
Transitioning from Language of Conflict into Language of Connection (based on Nonviolent Communication)
Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning 