Principles of Feldenkrais Method classes and lessons to apply to all aspects of life:
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- Tune in to whatever you’re doing, through your whole self: sensations, actions, emotions, thoughts. Avoid multi-tasking as much as possible--we're just not wired for it, and there's always so much going on that deserves our full attention. Consider what meditative traditions have to say: "Don't just do something, stand there!" (or "sit there," or "walk with presence"...a silly paraphrasing, but the point is there's plenty to attend to at rest as well as in action).
- Foster an attitude of care, curiosity, and creativity about your present experience and process. Transcend the adversarial/willpower-based/
future-goal-oriented relationship with the self. - Respond to pain with kindness, creativity, and intelligence. How can you modify what you're doing? Are you falling into the trap of doing it the same way again even though it hurts? What little pieces of movement explorations we've done might be accessed to introduce options?
- Inject curiosity into the gaps between intention and action, stimulus and reactivity. Quiet your well-honed self-judgment. Are you applying "shoulds" to yourself that are actually serving your goals? Most of them aren't.
- Experience and enjoy your pleasures as well as your pains.
- Watch out for time-travel wellness: "I just have to push through this, then I can enjoy my life, improve myself or situation, or get on to the good stuff." Each moment, each activity, right now...is a perfect time for the explorations above.
Hi Nick. I have a question please. I’m wanting to work out what exercise is okay before or after a Feldenkrais lesson. I’ve been given some core strengthening exercises by a physiotherapists to help with mobility. I have an old spinal compression fracture (thoracic t10 region) and some spinal degeneration. I can walk for 200 metres before having to rest. And stand for about 11 minutes. Standing has increased since doing the feldenkrais. The core building exercises I’ve been given are bridges, push ups on a wall and walking. Thank you Nick. I’m slowly but surely improving. I look forward to hearing from from you.
Hi Pauline. The general guideline is that you wouldn’t want to do vigorous exercise right before or after a Feldenkrais ATM lesson, because they diminish your sensitivity, and your ability to sense yourself in great detail as you move during and after a lesson is essential to your learning. As long as you feel restful and relaxed when you lay down you’re in the right place, so maybe end vigorous exercise 15 minutes before a lesson. As far as after a lesson, I recommend at least a few quiet hours of movement to help you get the most from the lesson.
Thanks so much for your helpful reply Nick. I usually have a short walk after the lesson..I oftenvfind that next day after doing a lesson I notice an improvement in how I’m walking. Small improvements are happening regularly. Thank you Nick.