evolutionary motion
evolutionary motion
The Feldenkrais Method® of somatic education is a gentle way of learning and interacting with the nervous system. It was developed by Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais (1904-1984) in response to a knee injury he had incurred. The doctors had told him he could have surgery on the knee but that he only had a 50% chance that he would be able to walk again. With his background as a physicist and master in Judo, he used principles of physics, motor development, bio-mechanics, psychology, and martial arts to rehabilitate his knee and develop his method. It teaches us how to move more freely and easily thereby reducing or eliminating chronic pain, stiffness, and parasitic limitations. The Feldenkrais Method allows us to access our fuller potential that we did not know we had. 

Through guided gentle movement explorations and touch, the Feldenkrais Method allows the brain to understand underlying movement patterns and how different areas of the body function together or sometimes separately. Through this new understanding, the musculature can conform to all the wonderful possibilities that we were designed to be capable of performing.

The Feldenkrais Method is practiced in two modalities: Functional Integration® sessions and Awareness Through Movement®. In Functional Integration, the practitioner physically guides the student through a series of gentle, passive movements while the student is lying on a table, sitting, or kneeling. The lessons can address general well-being or can be designed for a specific need (e.g. to reduce tension or pain in a specific area, to improve flexibility or range of motion of a specific joint). In Awareness Through Movement, the student is verbally guided through specific movement sequences while their attention is being brought to how the movement is translated into various areas of the body. There are countless numbers and variations of lessons that can be chosen to address individual needs. These movements can later be practiced at home so that you can take your learning and well-being into your own hands. 

“I have been intrigued by this subtle form of retraining the nervous system, which I recommend to patients whose movement has been restricted by injury, cerebral palsy, stroke, fibromyalgia, or chronic pain.  I find it to be much more useful than standard physical therapy.  I also believe that the Feldenkrais Method® can help older people achieve greater range of motion and flexibility, and help all of us feel more comfortable in our bodies.”
Andrew Weil, M.D. Author of Spontaneous Healing and Natural Health, Natural Medicine

EVOLUTIONARY MOTION ©2009   WEBSITE DESIGN BY RACHEL KASHON GRAPHIC DESIGN   PHOTOS BY TOM SORENSEN and ROSALIE O'CONNOR
Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Functional Integration®, Awareness Through Movement®, and Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner®
are servicemarks of the Feldenkrais GUILD® of North America.
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