The Feldenkrais Method

You may ask, what is this method with a strange name?

The method was created by Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, an Israeli physicist. It was based on his experience with his own injuries, his martial arts background and his pioneering (and scientific!) work with human body awareness.

The Feldenkrais method is a body movement method. That means it uses human movement as the primary tool to achieve its goals.

Here are method’s main goals:

1/ Release the tension in our body.

2/ Improve body posture.

3/ Train our body awareness.

How are those things achieved? Well, by moving while laying on the ground! And paying attention to what’s going on. The method uses slow, easy but unusual movement combinations. The focus is not on mechanical repetition, or on achievements, but on the movement itself. On the quality of movement, to be precise. Through this process, we are able to discover tension and stiffness in our body. By releasing those, our posture starts to improve.

Here are some other methods that are sometimes compared with Feldenkrais (as the method is also called).

Yoga — yes it is similar, in its ‘slowed down’, gentle version. I would say the difference is that in Feldenkrais, you are constantly moving. There are no positions to stay in and hold. Your focus is on the way your body moves.

Tai-chi — yes I think this one is similar. The difference is that to do Tai-chi correctly, you need a good amount of strength and skill. In Feldenkrais, you don’t. You can work with your body as is. The only skill you need is to pay attention to your movements.

Feldenkrais is something quite unique in today’s world. It does one crucial thing with us. We are spending a lot of our time with different kinds of screens, devices or gadgets. Our attention is in these devices and in those virtual worlds inside them. Feldenkrais does the opposites — draws our attention back where it belongs — to our bodies. And that is a great thing.

Still sounding quite abstract? I agree it may. The method is complicated to describe in words. One just has to try it and feel it. I highly recommend anyone to go and check it out with one of the local Feldenkrais Practitioners.