| This article answers the following frequently asked | | | | relating to a desire, intention or need you have. |
| questions about the Feldenkrais Method:o What is the | | | | In Awareness Through Movement (ATM), you are led |
| Feldenkrais Method?o Who can benefit from the | | | | verbally through an active, exploratory movement |
| Feldenkrais Method?o What happens in a Feldenkrais | | | | process with the goal of learning to move more |
| Method session?o How does the Feldenkrais Method | | | | comfortably. Unlike other kinds of exercise or therapy, |
| differ from massage, chiropractic, and osteopathy?o | | | | you explore at your own pace, according to your |
| How are Feldenkrais practitioners trained?o Who was | | | | unique needs and abilities. The "lessons" are not |
| Moshe Feldenkrais? | | | | exercises; the emphasis is on moving and feeling |
| What is the Feldenkrais Method? | | | | better. |
| The Feldenkrais Method is named after creator, Dr. | | | | How Does the Feldenkrais Method Differ from |
| Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc. a Russian born physicist, | | | | Massage, Chiropractic, and Osteopathy? |
| engineer, martial artist, and educator. | | | | The similarity is that all practices touch people. |
| A gentle systematic method to improve human | | | | However, Feldenkrais practitioners are functionalists. In |
| movement and general functioning, The Feldenkrais | | | | massage, the practitioner is working directly with the |
| Method uses simple movements to reorganize posture, | | | | muscles and soft tissues; in chiropractic and |
| flexibility, strength and coordination. More efficient use | | | | osteopathy with the bones. These structural |
| of self creates environments within which chronic pain | | | | approaches seek to affect change through changes in |
| and injuries can heal. Intelligent, effective actions feel | | | | structure (muscles and spine). The Feldenkrais Method |
| good, and enhance the enjoyment of everyday | | | | works with your ability to attend to and coordinate |
| activities. | | | | movement (the nervous system). This is a functionalist |
| Who Benefits from the Feldenkrais Method? | | | | approach in that you can improve your use of self |
| Anyone can benefit from the Feldenkrais Method. | | | | despite any structural issues which may be present. |
| Feldenkrais is helpful if you are experiencing acute or | | | | How are Feldenkrais Practitioners Trained? |
| chronic pain. It also helps healthy people who want to | | | | All Feldenkrais practitioners must complete 740-800 |
| enhance their abilities. The Method has been used with | | | | hours of training over a 3 to 4 year period. Trainees |
| people suffering from back pain, arthritis, sciatica, TMJ, | | | | participate in Awareness Through Movement and |
| fibromyalgia, whiplash, polio, stroke, and other disabling | | | | Functional Integration lessons, lectures, discussions, and |
| conditions. Athletes and other artists have experienced | | | | group process. Trainees gradually acquire knowledge |
| improved performance as well as a faster, more | | | | of how movement and function are learned and |
| complete recovery from acute injuries. Seniors can | | | | organized. Eventually students teach Awareness |
| enjoy a renewed ability to move without pain or strain. | | | | Through Movement and Functional Integration under |
| Lessons in the Feldenkrais Method can help you enjoy | | | | supervision. And finally, after accreditation from the |
| an improved ease of movement, increased vitality, | | | | Feldenkrais Guild of North America and the |
| more complete relaxation, and a sense of being more | | | | International Feldenkrais Federation, students are |
| centered and balanced. Seniors, golfers, runners and | | | | prepared to work with the public. |
| walkers, anyone wishing to feel more balanced and | | | | Who was Moshe Feldenkrais? |
| energized will love the Feldenkrais Method. | | | | Feldenkrais was born in the Ukraine in 1904. At the age |
| Celebrities having success stories include Norman | | | | of 14 he left home and traveled alone to Palestine, |
| Cousins, Margaret Mead, Helen Hayes and Whoopi | | | | where he worked as a laborer and tutor in |
| Goldberg. Professional athletes have enjoyed the | | | | mathematics. He became active in gymnastics, soccer |
| benefits of Feldenkrais, including basketball star Julius | | | | and jiu-jitsu. During his mid twenties he left for France |
| Erving. Famous musicians receiving the work include | | | | and enrolled in school. He graduated from the l'Ecole |
| violinist Yehudi Menuhin, and cellist Yo Yo Ma. Even the | | | | des Travaux Publiques de Paris with a degree in |
| former Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion loved | | | | Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and went on to |
| his Feldenkrais lessons. | | | | the Sorbonne in Paris to earn a Doctorate of Science |
| What happens in a Feldenkrais Method Session? | | | | in Physics. It was in Paris where Feldenkrais assisted |
| A lesson generally lasts from 30 to 45 minutes, and | | | | 1935 Nobel Prize winner Joliot-Curie in early nuclear |
| consists of comfortable, easy movements that | | | | physics research. |
| gradually evolve into movements of greater range and | | | | Feldenkrais also met Jigaro Kano in Paris, the creator |
| complexity. Most lessons are based on developmental | | | | of modern Judo, and in 1936 Feldenkrais became one |
| movements and ordinary functional activities (reaching, | | | | of the first Europeans to earn a Black Belt in Judo. |
| standing, lying to sitting, looking behind yourself). Other | | | | After suffering several crippling knee injuries, |
| lessons are based on more abstract explorations of | | | | Feldenkrais used his knowledge and deep curiosity |
| joint, muscle, and postural relationships. There are | | | | about biology, child development, cybernetics, ethology, |
| hundreds of lessons, varying in difficulty and | | | | and psychology, and taught himself to walk again. In |
| complexity, for all levels of movement ability. | | | | the process, Feldenkrais developed a systematic |
| The Feldenkrais work is done in two formats. | | | | method for accessing the power of the nervous |
| Functional Integration is performed with the student fully | | | | system and improve human functioning. Feldenkrais |
| clothed, usually lying on a table. It is a hands-on form of | | | | returned to Israel in 1949 where he continued to |
| communication through gentle touching and movement. | | | | integrate and refine his ideas into what is now known |
| In Functional Integration the practitioner develops a | | | | as the Feldenkrais Method. |
| lesson for you, tailored to your unique organization, and | | | | |