Tag Archives: Moshe Feldenkrais

Falling over in sitting and standing

I shared an article recently about an experience with someone in a Balance class who didn’t walk, stand or sit in an upright position.  I want to share now what motivated a change in her mental, emotional and physical behavior in her first two classes.

Our first class together was spent re-directing her focus from her storytelling to noticing how to stay upright in her seat to do the movement patterns being shared with her.

She didn’t show up for the second class yet did come back for the third. Between our third and fourth classes there was a significant difference.  She had been the first one to arrive at the third class.  This meant there was enough time to spend propping her up to stay in an upright position.  She was frozen solid through her shoulders, arms, neck, head and torso with one side of her rib cage being held so it was shorter than the other.  arm support To keep her upright props were placed under her arm on the side that was contracted (shorter side).  Blocks were put under her feet so she could feel them on the floor.

By the end of the lesson she became aware that she had stopped using her back muscle strength to hold herself upright even in sitting.  She had lost physical contact with engaging them!

After our class she went home and used the same propping technique to support herself in sitting.  This was obvious  as at the next class she was able to bring herself into an upright position in sitting and hold it.  She had no concept of this the week before.  As I place props under her arm I noticed her arms were more flexible and she was bracing herself less!

She was more happy and content in this class and I noticed she was listening more deeply and paying attention.  At the end of this class she exclaimed, “No one is showing us this or explaining how the body works.”

This is an extreme example of the meaning of Moshe’s quote:

Flexible Bodies, Flexible Minds

Moshe Feldenkrais

Renee Lindstrom, GCFP,
Feldenkrais® Practitioner since 2007, Value-Based Communication & Empathy Coach since 2004, Art of Placement  since 2000, Founder of Greater Victoria Peace & Intercultural Celebrations since 2010 & Greater Victoria Labyrinths since 2012, #yyj Peace Week Calendar Founder – 2014 & 2015

Exploring Empathy Nature with a creative Medicine Wheel Installation

Pictures of an indoor Medicine Wheel Installation by Inside in October, 2014 for exploring 4 Aspects of self with a template representing a cycle of life.  The four quadrants of the wheel represent the four seasons, four cycles of day & night, four parts of self and connection to natures elements.

Combining reflection to the elements in this cycle of life with an empathy talking circle encouraged a deeper personal sharing.  The circle format supported inner leadership and a deepened sharing that created an empathetic field and safety.

If you are interested in reading more on the Medicine Wheel I would recommend Buffalo Woman comes Singing by Brooke Medicine Eagle.  Brooke Medicine Eagle was in Victoria, B.C. in 2001  at the University of Victoria as part of the Prophet’s Conference.  I enjoy sharing that Brooke also studied Feldenkrais, directly with Moshe Feldenkrais!

Have your own Medicine Wheel Event!  Connect for more information on this walking map of consciousness and explore an empathy nature talking circle.

Quote

“Health is meas…

“Health is measured, not by the capacity to stay standing, but by the ability to be knocked down and then return to standing.” Moshe Feldenkrais

Inner Connecting

Researching information on Quiet Gardens for an upcoming post on  Walk-Victoria.com I have come a video on the perspective of Walking as a form of prayer.

I wish to share this video and express how Moshe Feldenkrais developed Awareness through Movement® lessons.  Moshe came from the perspective of a person being attentive to their inner sensual qualities, in the experience of an isolated movement, while expanding and increasing  their awareness to include how isolated movements can expand to other parts of the body functions.  It is my experience that in this perspective of attentiveness a person may automatically go into the same inner connections as expressed through this video.

For me then, setting up a Mindful Walking Practice in my neighborhood’s gardens or on a local Labyrinth would be a multiple skill that would support the growth of required attentiveness  in my Awareness through Movement® and Awareness in Thinking practices.  It was with this focus in mind that Walk-Victoria.com was created!  If in Victoria it is my wish that you use the free resources of Walk-Victoria.com to find interesting space in our community.  If in other communities of the world, I hope you will explore and find beauty in your walks!

Posted by Renee Lindstrom, November 4, 2012, Follow Renee on Facebook  & on Twitter

Moshe on flexibility

“What I’m after isn’t flexible bodies, but flexible brains. What I’m after is to restore each person to their human dignity.”
Moshe Feldenkrais

Moshe on learning

“…self-knowledge through awareness is the goal of reeducation. As we become aware of what we are doing in fact, and not what we say or think we are doing, the way to improvement is wide open to us.”

Moshe Feldenkrais

Moshe on life…..

“Without movement life is unthinkable.”
Moshe Feldenkrais