The Feldenkrais Method
By Lisa Attridge De Gordillo (Mar 31, 2006)


The Feldenkrais Method is not exercise. Nor is it therapy. It does not deal with the unconscious repetition of a motion or activity while listening to music. It's not about perspiring, weight loss or building muscles. It's not about washboard stomachs or cellulite reduction. It is a learning method through which one gains awareness through one's movements.

Our lives are made up of patterns of actions and movements. These actions form muscles and engage muscle groups specifically required for those tasks or activities. This is fine and good, if all one does in one's life is those actions. However, the result is a limitation of range and ease of action for which those muscles have not been "exercised." So, sit-ups may be great for developing a sexy stomach but will do little for organizing your pelvis to move efficiently. And if the pelvis is disorganized, well, forget about it. One may wake up one day not being able to move in the way one used to, or with a pain that simply won't go away and for which external assistance is sought, be it with medication, massage, chiropractic or other treatment.

We look to others to cure us of our pains when we (usually) are the cause of them. For some, it takes too much discipline to heal themselves, so they tend to look for an "easy" answer that rarely works in the long run: an adjustment, a manipulation, a cortisone shot, invasive surgery, and so on. We tend to move in disorganized, inefficient ways and are rarely conscious of what is involved in actions as (seemingly) simple and frequent as coming to a stand from sitting. We know more about the pressure our car's tires need than we do about basic, routine movements.

Moshe Feldenkrais developed the Feldenkrais Method out of his unique understanding of Western science and Eastern arts. An internationally known physicist and engineer, he authored books in five languages and was an expert in judo and soccer. For many years he was an associate of Nobel-Prize laureate Frederic Joliot-Curie, at the Curie Institute in Paris, France. Incapacitated by an old injury, Dr. Feldenkrais was given little chance of ever walking normally. Rather than accept defeat, he applied his extensive knowledge of anatomy, physiology, psychology and physics and his mastery of martial arts to restore his own normal functioning and, later, the functioning of others. During the last 40 years of his life he taught thousands of athletes, actors, dancers and disabled and elderly people his method for enhancing their physical and mental abilities.

The Feldenkrais Method is a unique body-centered learning process achieved through gentle, interesting movement sequences that simulate the exploratory learning natural to infants. Through this method, one can increase one's ease and range of motion, improve one's flexibility and coordination, and rediscover one's innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement. These improvements will often generalize to enhance functioning in other aspects of one's life.

The Feldenkrais Method is taught in two formats: group classes called Awareness Through Movement and individual lessons called Functional Integration. In Awareness Through Movement classes one uses attentive repetition of nonstrenuous movements to reeducate one's nervous system. The teacher verbally leads the student through a structured lesson. As one moves and listens to one's internal sensations and feelings, one releases chronic muscle tension. The increased sensitivity and relaxation create more options of movement and give one the feeling of freedom that comes from having more choices. Students experience immediate improvements in posture and breathing, reduction or elimination of chronic discomforts and a positive feeling of physical and emotional well-being.

In Functional Integration, as one lies on a low table, fully clothed, the teacher's hands gently guide one into new ways of moving and using one's body. The often-minute movements feed information directly into the nervous system. Each lesson in this format is private and adapted to one's specific needs. Functional Integration is useful for anyone, especially those with difficulty participating in classes or who desire the most rapid improvement.

This method is truly profound and is imparted by certified teachers who go through a rigorous, four-year course of training. Some say, "Oh, yeah, my yoga teacher showed us a Feldenkrais move." The Feldenkrais Method isn't meant to have one action or "move" taken out of context and inserted within a yoga class. Much like life itself, it is the process that is important, and not the goal. 


The Feldenkrais Method is taught by Paul Voudouris at the Yellow Door Holistic Center, Mondays and Thursdays from 9-10am. Space is limited and priority is given to students who commit to the month, as opposed to walk-ins. For questions, contact Paul at 044-415-101-0053 or at pvoudouris@yahoo.com