Movement Resources

The Feldenkrais Method® 

The Feldenkrais Method® is a powerful and revolutionary mind/body approach to improving life that uses gentle, mindful movement to bring new awareness and possibility into every aspect of your life. Developed by Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, the Feldenkrais Method® has helped millions of people worldwide.

The Method can be experienced in two ways:

·      Private sessions called Functional Integration Lessons®, where a teacher guides an individual student in movement lessons using gentle, hands-on, non-invasive touch as the primary means of communication.

·      Group sessions called Awareness Through Movement Lessons®, where a teacher verbally guides students to sense themselves through slow, mindful movements that explore functional movements of daily life.

Mind/Body Connection

Your brain loves to learn. It thrives on acquiring new skills such as playing a musical instrument, learning a new dance or a new language. In order to learn anything new, you need to focus, move slowly and deliberately, and think about what you are doing. Without this focus and attention, you wouldn’t acquire the new skill, or deepen your knowledge. The focus on, and practice of these new activities causes the brain to morph, to grow new connections between billions of cells, and to create new motor and sensory-motor maps for each new physical activity. Your brain’s ability to change itself is called “neuroplasticity.” It allows brain cells and nerves to change their appearance and function: to grow or shrink, connect or disconnect, and re-connect to each other in entirely new ways.

Feldenkrais lessons use this self-generated exploratory learning process and internal sensing of unique movements to help overcome the results of accidents, illness, disabilities or unhealthy habits acquired over a lifetime. Specific reference to how neuroplasticity is stimulated through The Feldenkrais Method®: listen to this Interview of Dr. Norman Doidge (author of The Brain’s Way of Healing) with Ginger Campbell, MD, Brain Science Podcast (10 min. excerpt)

Books


• Relaxercise: The Easy New Way to Health & Fitness, by Zemach-Bersin & Reese ** highly recommend
• Awareness Through Movement by Moshe Feldenkrais  [Easy-to-Do Health Exercises to     Improve Your Posture, Vision, Imagination, & Personal Awareness]
• Stop Sciatica Now, Help Yourself Eliminate Back and Leg Pain, by Pamela Kihm
• The Brain’s Way of Healing, by Dr. Norman Doidge, 30 min. interview of his book
• You can find these books and audio CDs, and more at The Feldenkrais Store: http://www.achievingexcellence.com/

Websites


• You can look for a practitioner and learn more about the Method at our Guild's site:  
   http://www.feldenkrais.com/
• Sign up to receive free monthly lessons at http://www.uncommonsensing.com/free-resources/
• https://www.feldenkraisaccess.com/ [Excellent resource for articles and lessons to download]

YouTube videos: There are many Awareness Through Movement lessons & interviews on YouTube – www.youtube.com. Search for “Feldenkrais Exercises” or “Feldenkrais Interviews.”

Lessons

When doing the lessons on your own, it's best to lie on a firm surface, start out slow and small and most of all, be comfortable and take good care of yourself! Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need clarification on any of these.
Click here for instructions

Turning with your Whole Self

This lesson explores and connects many parts of ourselves that are involved in the simple function of turning: head, eyes, jaw, ribs, knees and feet. We’ll be looking at which parts are overused or underused and how we can incorporate them to turn easier and more coordinated.
December 9, 2020
Download Lesson

Soothe & Calm (rotating hands/coordinating eyes)
(A 15-min. meditative lesson to restore your nervous system)

April 30, 2020
Download Lesson

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Contact me any time with questions or concerns.
Joan Jordan, GCFP, CMT: www.mindfulmovement.co • 720.988.7473 • joanpacosjordan57@gmail.com