Feldenkrais ® - the benefits
Think of the freedom of movement enjoyed by young children. This image gives you an idea of the wonderful capacity of the human body for flexible, comfortable and easy movement. Yet you may associate movement with limitation, discomfort and pain or you may feel you are some way short of realising the true potential of your body. What tends to happen is that we each develop our own particular habits in the way we move which, over time, may not serve us well. Your movement may also become compromised by injuries, illnesses and operations or the demands of daily life may place too much stress, tension and strain, whether physical or emotional, on your body.
The consequence is inevitably stiffness and pain with wear and tear on your joints. Your movement repertoire becomes limited, rather like only being able to see the world in black and white. We often assume that such limitations are the unavoidable outcome of growing older. This is not the case and you can help yourself no matter what your age.
As movement is central to an active life it pays real dividends to invest in learning how to move in a more informed, intelligent way. With Feldenkrais you go back to the basics of sound movement. No complex or academic understanding is required. The Feldenkrais approach is experiential, so you sense and feel the changes which your body is making. It is a true integration of body and mind.
With this solid foundation in place all your actions throughout the day become better organised, easier and more enjoyable. Your movement repertoire becomes more varied and richer - like enjoying full colour vision. More possibilities and options become open to you as you begin to move more comfortably and flexibly. As you are making more efficient use of your skeleton you move with less effort and the minimum of stress on vital joints. You will soon develop the ability to tune into your body and to monitor how you are moving.
You will quickly see results but Feldenkrais is not a "quick fix" approach. Your deeply ingrained movement patterns - the source of your difficulties - will tend to reassert themselves unless you use Feldenkrais regularly to reinforce more beneficial movement options. Feldenkrais is a truly empowering process which gives you the tools to realise your potential and to look after your body better for the rest of your life.
®Feldenkrais and the Feldenkrais Method are the registered trade marks of the Feldenkrais Guild UK Ltd.