I've collected here various guides I've written and emailed students over the years. Some are more formally presented; some are simply catch-alls for ideas that my students have found useful as they study and improve. Some include printer-friendly pdf versions.

ATM Class Guide: What is Awareness Through Movement? Written originally for in-person class students about expectations at your first class, and how to do Feldenkrais lessons.

What is the Feldenkrais Method, in more detail?: In response to student questions, I wrote this more scientifically-detailed bullet point description of the method, its background, and the principles of biomechanics, neurology, learning, and human improvement that make it work.

Integrating Feldenkrais learning into everyday life: How to carry the method's self-study and self-improvement principles over into everyday life.

Ideas for ATM Self-Study: A simple list of do's and don'ts for Feldenkrais explorations, whether you're exploring remembered lessons, working from notes, improvising, or using a book or audio or lesson source like the Feldenkrais Project.

Ingredients of Organic Learning (aka Curiosity!): Not just for Feldenkrais study, not just for somatic explorations! An unordered list intended to help you create a safe, fun, and efficient human learning environment for yourself or others. Good reminders for teachers and parents.

My blog post with an excerpt and introduction to Dr. Norman Doidge's The Brain's Way of Healing includes a "study guide" list of eleven core principles of the Feldenkrais Method. Get the wonderful book for more details!

7 Comments

  1. Debbie on May 28, 2019 at 7:02 am

    Are there any advantages/disadvantages to doing Feldenkrais with eyes closed?

    • Nick Strauss-Klein on May 29, 2019 at 10:47 am

      Most people tend to leave their eyes closed a lot of the time. People often find they’re more aware or it’s easier to pay attention to the sensations in their bodies that are being created by the movements if the visual field is absent. There’s good science to back this up, since we’re a very visual species, and seeing takes up a lot of neurological real estate.

      That said, if your gaze is soft and mobile, and you’re able to sense and feel (and even think — that’s that hard one!) without fixing your eyes or head in place, much can be gained with the eyes open.

      And of course some lessons and parts of lessons work with the eyes open purposely, integrating our gaze and vision into other movements.

  2. Roberta on January 1, 2020 at 6:55 am

    I find Feldenkrais fascinating and would love to learn. Is there anywhere I can find videos of the exercises, I like to see them visually. Please let me know. There is no practitioner in my area. I would love to work with someone hands on.

    • Nick Strauss-Klein on January 3, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      Hello! I find audio most effective for benefitting the most from Feldenkrais study (you can read why on our FAQ page), but I definitely understand that, at least initially, lessons can seem harder to comprehend by audio than watching video. If you search YouTube for Feldenkrais lessons you’ll find there are some practitioners who have posted lessons there.

  3. Yael Moore on August 2, 2021 at 5:01 am

    I truly don’t know where to begin; after a knee replacement and shoulder replacement And a broken pelvis. Having said that, I walk 4-5 km And truly won’t be able to start trekking again. How do I build a program for myself?

    • Nick Strauss-Klein on August 2, 2021 at 11:11 am

      It’s hard to say from a distance, but I’ve designed our site’s lesson sequences in ways that land well in most circumstances. The most important thing is to enjoy a variety of lessons that are accessible and comfortable in your current state, whatever that is each time you lie down. Have you worked through our Getting Oriented lessons yet?

  4. Charmaine on March 25, 2023 at 5:46 am

    Really interested since i have chronic pain in my neck and hip

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