by Renee Lindstrom, founder Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning
This blog article below was written on this author’s personal website http://www.reneelindstrom.com recently. It is from a perspective of a somatic empath that carries the ability to identify the authentic somatic experience and the cognitive conceptualization that those not in their somatic experience believe it is. No judgement, simply a gap this author is bringing focus to. You can read this article by clicking the article link below or listen on You tube at link below it. I hope this content will be of interest in those sincerely interested in actively going beyond what they think they know from societies conditioning in accepting the stories attached to their mental, emotional and physical states of being. The first step to breaking free of acceptance to labels, assessments, and moral judgements, etc., is having clarity on the separation that supports it.
Below are two earlier articles from this authors personal web site on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs from an interesting perspective that may be interesting to read after digesting and integrating this perspective from a somatic empath. Understanding this first stage will support how society is perhaps being misguided by this lack of clarity by those who are seeking to meet their needs without compassion and empathy for others.
If you would like to connectto learn moreabout educational opportunities, coaching, mentoring , consulting or functional integrations
Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Awareness Through Movement®, and Functional Integration®, are registered service marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North America. Feldenkrais Method®
Copyrighted Property posted on Renee’s authentic accounts only:
by Renee Lindstrom, founder, Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning
Bus Stop Feng Shui
Announcing Feng Shui for function
….in first person…..I have just announced this focus on the topic page titled Awareness through Feng Shui.
Announcing a new integrative focus on Awareness through Feng Shui. Not a new focus my work as a practitioner, consultant and mentor, a new focus in Feng Shui and a newly differentiated topic on the Urban Feng Shui web site. Feng Shui is a program of one of the nine pillars at my learning center, Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning. It is a program in the Knowledge/Educational Life area for creative lifestyles. Feldenkrais is in a the pillar area of Health with a focus of attention on functional integration that originates with the skeleton in postural transitions… I have differentiated the life areas life activities fall under for increased integrations, understanding and increased mindfulness. This differentiation increases intellectual clarity through enhanced mindfulness. Watch these web pages if this topic interests you as there will be a new and interesting perspective on design and health. The relief is it will not be from the marketing perspective of advertising furniture will a lack of understanding the skeletal needs for optimized functional movement.
A woman demonstrates a sequence of recovery poses from lying down to standing up during a workout.
1. Standing
2. Sitting
3. Prone
Here are some reflections of this Feldenkrais Practitioner prior to a Breath Workshop held in April, ’26 to center and ground prior to leading a group through a specific guided patterns of movement. .
The focus of attention in the verbal guided patterns to go beyond the busy mind of thinking into an expanded awareness of the somatic experience
The process of observing the guided pattern suggestions is another focus of attention for balancing the somatic experience with cognitive conceptual function. This focus in this pattern leads with somatic experiences to redirect cognitive functional focus of attention. In the process of this focused pattern, the mind can enter a state not unlike a mindfulness meditation. In this mindfulness like state the cognition can expand beyond beliefs, opinions, evaluative thinking and social conditioning into a field that cultivates deeper awareness.
The guided micromovements focus on the body’s structural design for potential movement beginning with the core – the skeleton.
Why? The natural design of the bodies ability to transition through postural shifts is through the bone pressure using the force of gravity. Original movement transitions are not through muscle and soft tissue lifting the bone and bearing the weight of the bone matter. That only creates constraints, pain and limited function. Organizing the skeletal bones to transition through flexibility and expanded range of motion increases ease and effortlessness in functionality.
Micromovements through the perspective of skeletal function is its own separate type of workout from what is currently focused on, and this focus can be far more challenging than the current mainstream focus is aware of
Imagine repeating changing patterns of micromovements toning the muscles through available functional transitions that release the few muscles that have become the primary motivation for controlling movement. New muscle patterns are created as habitual holding is released through the tonification and dormant muscles are activated, while the organization in the brains is expanding through conscious awareness.
These guided patterns go beyond the conceptualization of cognitive intellectualization that has locked movement into patterns that eventually create diminishing capacity through its limited understanding. Beliefs, opinions and evaluative expressions lock down the brains functional capacity. This is expressed through a lack of flexibility in all qualities of function; mentally, emotionally and physically.
This suggests that these guided patterns for integrating movement through a focus that taps into conscious awareness that balances both the somatic experience and cognitive function can give all aspects of functional experiences a workout from perceptions, mobility to brain function. Ihe focus is completely on expansion and identifying limitation whether it is through thinking, emotional and physical patterns.
This fantastic connection in this process is that it is through organic functional movement, the brains focus of attention and mindfulness. Imagine a fitness workout that is actually a pattern for learning and going beyond what we know into a expanded reality that reduces fear, pain, effort and suffering into ease, flexibility, groundedness and agility.
Learning focus here is through the bones and not socially conditioned thinking patterns that come through titles, names, labels, trends and images of right and wrong beliefs. Current examples are the bastardization of the cultural practices of yoga and tai chi where cognitively designed exercises have been turned into chair yoga and chair tai chi. These are exercises packaged as a concept and they lack the somatic awareness component of the source philosophy. It’s the development of a marketing strategy for creating an image that taps into the focus of attention of society’s ego concepts of self image. Are they beneficial for becoming active. Yes, however they are examples of misleading advertising that is associated with the mindfulness and expanded consciousness of the traditional philosophies.
The above is an evolution of deeper understanding of social conditioning and the lack of balance between somatic experiencing and cognitive conceptualization that is developing from the focus of attention and observations of the practitioner of functional integration.
It is an example of reflection for tapping into and grounding thought patterns for organizing a focus on balancing the mind to guide patterns that will open students consciousness and not reflect boxed in cognitive concepts. Pausing to organize thoughts to set them aside to guide others into mindfulness is an important part of this practitioners process. I hope you enjoy the content.
Body Mindfulness – Core Body Functional Breathing Audio
Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Awareness Through Movement®, and Functional Integration®, are registered service marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of NorthAmerica
by Renee Lindstrom, founder, Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning
Functional Breathing Patterns sensed with somatic awareness
Often when observing the breath patterns of an individuals I will see that there is a lack of skeletal movements in their patterns of expansion and contraction in the moving parts that could be recruited for fuller body supported whole movement for drawing in air and expelling it.
The body parts I refer to are the bones and joints that create flexibility, balance, expansion and contraction, and counterbalance.
Shown here in this slideshow.
The ribs are connected to the vertebrae and sternum. They are as high as the vertebra at the base of the neck and down to the floating ribs that in some can be close to the bony ridges of the pelvic bones.
If you look at an image of the ribs from a frontal view you will see that the attachment to the sternum isn’t bone. Rather the bone has transitioned into cartlidge and forms a joint for expansion and contraction.
In this back view you can see how the shoulder blade comes up to form a socket where the humerus bone rests in the cradle of the socket. Above the blade at top is the end of the clavicle.
In this picture you can see the skull on top of the vertebra in this upright position. It sits over the rib cage and pelvis. It becomes obvious that the shoulder blades, clavicles and arms are add ons to the core body skeleton.
In this picture you will view the skull over the pelvis and the pelvis over the feet. If you look at the hip and shoulder joints you will see the round heads of the upper arm and leg bones resting in the cradle of the socket. This same round bone is in the ankle joint and the top vertebra where the skull rests. The skull forms the cradle.
You can observe the elbow, wrist and knee joints bend however do not have the circular round ball at the end that sits in a socket. Your wrists can move in a circular motion though. Perhaps not in the same way as the ankle, hip and shoulder joints.
The above slideshow demonstrates the moving parts of the skeleton that supports whole breath through core functional skeletal movement patterns.The focus of attention in these guided patterns is movement where the muscles, ligaments and soft tissue are spontaneously moving in response to the skeletal micromovements. These micromovements with a skeletal focus treats the muscle and soft tissue as partners that follow and hold the bones in alignment. This focus is on core bone strength and the resilience of the muscles that are not resistant to functional movement patterns. Muscle strength is separate from bone strength, yet often in cognitive intellectualization does not include the understanding of the bone movement in functional postural transitions.
The patterns in The Mindfulness Body Breath workshop and Audios focus attention on education of whole function through postural transitions to enhance and improve natural rhythms of breathing. The guided patterns balance the somatic experience with the cognitive conceptualizations for increasing mindfulness through function.
More on Body Mindfulness Audio plus added bonus below: Free Intro to expanding somatic sensing in video embedded down below
These guided patterns are from Feldenkrais workshop that Renee has held since 2007. The feedback after each workshop has been positive with appreciation expressed.
Core Body Functional Breathing Audio
The Audio for Core Body Functional Breathing will guide you through patterns of movement to explore breathing with the focus on micromovements to release bones held in rigid patterns to encourage fuller intake and expulsion of breath and that is a natural function and not forced through concepts. These guided patterns generate a conscious felt sense connection to contraction and expansion through movement. This increase in awareness can support consciously releasing the constraints to blocking the resilience through the patterns of opposites that initiate contraction and expansion through bone movement that is needed for organic fuller breath patterns.
Included in this audio lesson offer is an intro and outro for the intent to learn how to engage the sensory awareness using the five senses in harmony and partnership with cognitive function. It is this practitioners experience that integration and development of new neural pathways do not develop through thinking that is dependant on beliefs, opinions and evaluative thinking. Neural pathways are developed on new actions that engage growth through novelty, exploration and discovery.
Read more on the benefits of Somatic Body Mindfulness and research of Feldenkrais below
How to purchase and enjoy – Core Body Functional Breathing Audio
How can you move a body part through function when you don’t know what it is somatically or the ability to different it from your body mass?
Intro to how to use your senses of sight (visions) and sound to differentiate felt senses of individual body parts.
In this short video Renee introduces the potential of expanding the felt sense of the bones inside through vision and imagination. Using pictures of the bone parts through the sensory perception of sight and sound the listener can focus on integrating this knowledge into their somatic sensory perception that can create a connection to the bone through the sensory ability to feel them independently through *function.
*function – postural transitions such as lying to sitting and then to standing
Read more on the benefits of Somatic Body Mindfulness and research of Feldenkrais below:
increase relaxation and windows of emotional tolerance and self-connection
improve sleep and sleep sounder
increase body functions, cognition and emotional responses of calm, mindfulness and joy
Exploring the body anatomy through the felt senses increases inner awareness and trust. This body exploration is a different type of strength training. The difference is the focus of attention on the body, mind and felt senses through guided patterns designed to expand conscious awareness of the body function. The strength of feeling one’s body through moving joints and bones deepens awareness of physical connections as postures change, like in the shifting transitions from sitting to standing and back to sitting. Movement is a series of shifting postures. The functioning healthy body is not stationary, nor poses. It is designed for a continuous flow of integrative movement patterns.
Feedback On Body Mindfulness Introduction
“I am excited!!! This is great! It is like you are there with me step by step. It’s what all of us are looking for, real Feldenkrais support” S
“That was great, Renee! You have such a calm and lovely voice. I’m happy to add this to my calming strategies.Thank you. ” H
“I really like this sort of thing and would welcome further “installments” in the series and/or a revised version of this one. I liked the pace at which you spoke, not too rushed and left enough time to do the exploration of the particular area of the body to which you were drawing attention.
I liked that you offered options re leg position (straight out or with bolster under knees) but wondered whether one position or the other is preferable. Or is it just that one would notice different things, depending on how the legs are positioned?” K
Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Awareness Through Movement®, and Functional Integration®, are registered service marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of NorthAmerica
by Renee Lindstrom, founder, Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning
Launching TMJ – Jaw Release #1 – Side to Side
TMJ Jaw Release Guided Pattern Audio #1/3
These guided patterns are from Feldenkrais workshop that Renee has held since 2007. The feedback after each workshop has been positive with appreciation expressed. Here is a recent comment from a ’26 workshop.
I always appreciate my sessions with you and the learning. The focus on the tongue, back of throat and head hinging as part of the jaw release has really made a difference. Some of what you shared was new for me so it is taking me awhile to get the hang of it but I’ve been exploring those movements further at home and it’s been good. J
These somatic patterns are called Awareness through Movement Lessons and this workshop series is the integration of of moving parts that enhance ease in the jaw function. The patterns cutivate awareness of the joint movement through micro movements that increase efficiency.
A student may become consciously aware of the individual parts inside their mouth and in their facial features, neck, and further down the torso. It is a wonderful way to find a deeper inner peacefulness, and experience the calming influence of mindfulness.
These lesson contribute to:
Reducing jaw and neck pain
Headache support through pain reduction
Increased jaw function
Lessen scienty, tension and stress
Improve Jaw Function
Enhance sleep and relaxation
Read more on the benefits of Somatic Body Mindfulness and research of Feldenkrais below
How to purchase and enjoy TJM Jaw Release – Side to Side
TMJ – Jaw Release Side to Side #1of 3
Explore the anatomy of the jaw using guided patterns and mindful exploration for cultivating awareness through the felt senses and the skeleton.
increase relaxation and windows of emotional tolerance and self-connection
improve sleep and sleep sounder
increase body functions, cognition and emotional responses of calm, mindfulness and joy
Exploring the body anatomy through the felt senses increases inner awareness and trust. This body exploration is a different type of strength training. The difference is the focus of attention on the body, mind and felt senses through guided patterns designed to expand conscious awareness of the body function. The strength of feeling one’s body through moving joints and bones deepens awareness of physical connections as postures change, like in the shifting transitions from sitting to standing and back to sitting. Movement is a series of shifting postures. The functioning healthy body is not stationary, nor poses. It is designed for a continuous flow of integrative movement patterns.
Feedback On Body Mindfulness Introduction
“I am excited!!! This is great! It is like you are there with me step by step. It’s what all of us are looking for, real Feldenkrais support” S
“That was great, Renee! You have such a calm and lovely voice. I’m happy to add this to my calming strategies.Thank you. ” H
“I really like this sort of thing and would welcome further “installments” in the series and/or a revised version of this one. I liked the pace at which you spoke, not too rushed and left enough time to do the exploration of the particular area of the body to which you were drawing attention.
I liked that you offered options re leg position (straight out or with bolster under knees) but wondered whether one position or the other is preferable. Or is it just that one would notice different things, depending on how the legs are positioned?” K
Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Awareness Through Movement®, and Functional Integration®, are registered service marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of NorthAmerica
Inside Awareness Legacy Project for balancing transition in early childhood somatic learning to conceptualized intellectualized learning
While continuing to expand the Learning Center’s objectives for continued consulting, teaching, coaching and mentoring Mindful Lifestyle choices through education, a new goal was announced in late 2025 for creating a legacy impact through education for balancing the two learning streams of consciousness.
One way you can support this legacy project is by visiting and shopping at one or more of these creators. Each one of these online marketers offer products that align with the lifestyle area learning opportunities offered by Inside Awareness.
Please support the Educational Legacy Project at Inside Awareness
Remember, the only place to donate is on the Inside Awareness website – www.insideawareness.com under the legacy tab. This website will demonstrate years of work in blog posts and pages to confirm its authenticity. Authenticity can further be explored at http://www.reneelindstrom.com.
Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Awareness Through Movement®, and Functional Integration®, are registered service marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North
Here are the YouTube channels for Inside Awareness with playlists you can like and subscribe to if you are interested in supporting the Legacy Project of Inside Awareness. Each playlist has individual videos you can listen to, like and support. This objective is to monetize the channels and playlists to help finance this legacy.
Renee also has a podcast with interesting topics. For example, one that is relevant and has been discussed in mainstream media recently is on the incorrect use of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The label of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs isn’t used, yet the points made in the article are the same. It identifies and demonstrates the inverted use of this pyramid to block and stop people from moving forward in their lives. This is currently playing out in the global experience that encourages us to develop the consciousness we need to change these behaviours, or at the very least call them out as we recognize them.
This Legacy project educational focus aligns with organic somatic learning in early childhood and can transition these early learning patterns to counterbalance socially conditioned ones. There are many lifestyle benefits to this objective, like aging well.
Remember, the only place to donate is on the Inside Awareness website – www.insideawareness.com under the legacy tab. This website will demonstrate years of work in blog posts and pages to confirm its authenticity. Authenticity can further be explored at http://www.reneelindstrom.com.
Here are the playlists on YouTube channel for Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning – Click individual pics to link to plalist
Here are the playlists on YouTube channel for Somatic Influencer
Here are some examples of podcasts on Renee’s YouTube channel
Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Awareness Through Movement®, and Functional Integration®, are registered service marks of the Feldenkrais Guild® of North
Inside Awareness Center for Integrative Somatic Learning 