Growing older gracefully—a changing body or an aging body?
By Richard Adelman, M.A., May 11, 2007

Workshop
Aging Gracefully
Richard Adelman
Sat, May 19-Sun, May 20
LifePath Center
Reloj 80

“The Feldenkrais Method is the most sophisticated and effective method I have seen for the prevention and reversal of deterioration of function.” -Margaret Mead

The philosopher Martin Buber warned that if neglected, “the body bites back” and the poet Rilke observed, “We die of our unlived lives.” What would aging gracefully be like for you, and is it even possible? Can one deepen and ripen instead of shriveling up, rigidifying, or collapsing?

A somatic approach to these issues involves working to form a more intimate, friendly relationship with your body. Somatic education includes subtle hands-on work and slow, easy floor work movements to deepen contact with how you habitually use and misuse your body. This helps ground you in the reality of how you are living bodily. In addition, the process frequently helps you discover more comfortable, functional, and truthful alternatives. Enhanced stability and self-confidence diminishes your chances of becoming one of the “fallen women of San Miguel.”

While the Feldenkrais Method addresses biomechanical neuromuscular education, the Formative Psychology of Stanley Keleman, a modern contemplative approach to the life of the body, is a way to contact and influence more directly the emotional-existential aspects of your body process. As your body changes you actually exist differently—you are a changing person. How do you identify with or deny this process? How do you incorporate the softer, rounder, more feeling-oriented bodily forms and attitudes which emerge with age? Can you accept your slower rhythms, longer reaction time, and more diffuse awareness?

Aging gracefully, then, may have to do with both learning to move more fluidly and taking a more graceful, patient, loving attitude toward yourself.

In the words of one San Miguel resident, 79-year old healing minister Dagmar Helman, “The six private sessions I had with Richard Adelman were informative, gentle, and very powerful and they affected me on many levels. His work enables me to move beyond the victim position and approach my many injuries from World War II in a much more positive way. And how supportive this method is in accepting aging! I will continue to work with him and I recommend this work to anyone.”

Richard Adelman, M. A. Psychology, is a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner and Pilates Instructor, with nearly 40 years’ experience in Somatic Studies. He will be at Lifepath for a talk on Friday, May 18 at 7pm and a Workshop on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20 on “Aging Gracefully” and will be in residence for private appointments the following week. Cell: (415) 114-3069. LifePath: 154-8465.