What are we actually working on?

By David Hall

Originally published Inner Self Magazine Nov 2007 as "Feldenkrais - Awareness Through Movement, A Holistic approach to self realisation"

The Feldenkrais Method is an approach to self-education that uses pleasureable and deeply relaxing movement explorations. Each lesson asks you to sense your experience of your body and can profoundly influence the way you think, move, feel and function.

Moshe Feldenkrais and countless others through the ages, have spoken of the indivisibility of mind and body. However, most people in my experience still conceive of their body as separate to their mind. Even if they are students of other holistic systems such as Yoga or Tai Chi, when they think of movement exploration, they still think ‘muscle, breath and bone’.

The reality, is of course quite different. If we pay attention to our body without trying to change it, we are in the presence of no less than our response to the experience of life and no more than the glory of being. It is a rich multi-faceted experience.

Consider for example, stiff neck and shoulders. If you have a mind/body split, shoulder and neck tension is probably something that happens to you. It has more to do with the stressful circumstances of your life than the way you are responding to them.

From my perspective, the unnecessary muscular tensions we habitually carry in our body are not just meaningless tensions. They have a purpose and are related to frozen actions. These actions are a response to what we are thinking or feeling about our world and ourselves.

Ideas of ‘who we are’ and ‘what the world is like’ are embodied as a readiness or organization for movement, relative to the world and the challenges we face. Consider what happens if you unexpectedly find yourself in a dangerous place. Your posture becomes more defensive. You ready yourself to fight or run and your senses become tuned to finding the fastest way to safety.

Compare this to the organization for movement you would have when walking into a party where you felt welcome and attracted to all the people present. Your posture would probably reflect actions that are more open, exploratory and expressive.

Our posture on any particular day is affected by our state of mind and the challenges we face. Our most characteristic posture is an expression of our most commonly experienced emotions and thoughts. There are layers and layers of these ‘frozen actions’ that relate to anything from an immediate concern to an ancient fear or excitement.

If a person becomes fixated on some stresses or fears they can sometimes lose perspective on the problem and their ability to deal with it. The problem may seem bigger than it actually is and their own resources may seem smaller than they actually are.

One of the most important things that happen in a series of Feldenkrais lessons is that a person learns to reconcile their actual body image with body images that may relate to particular states of mind. By then end of many lessons the person’s body image can be quite different to what is was at the start.

If a person with a sore back comes in for a Feldenkrais lesson, they may initially think of their back pain as a mechanical problem. They may come in expecting that you will do something to their back to fix it.

This is a problem, as ‘fixing it’ often doesn’t address the real issue. There may be a very good reason why a person tightens up their lower back or neck. It may relate to some emotional need or issue that, at that time, they feel they can’t deal with. If you take away that tension through a massage or adjustment, it is only a matter of time before the tension and the problem come back.

It is only when you make the problem that the tension relates to insignificant, that the person is able to let it go. This can occur indirectly during a course of Feldenkrais lessons. Through the development of the person’s sense of their body, self and sense of ability everything can seem easier.

The back of the person experiencing back pain is not separate to the rest of their body. It is just the place where they are experiencing discomfort. The stress on their back relates to how they using their whole body, not just their back. So we assist them to find what it is they are doing that is placing strain on that area and to find new ways of organising their whole body and moving without that strain. In the process, they become more aware of their body, more aware of their actual resources. At the end of a lesson, problems can seem less of a problem. Their sense or image of their body can be quite different.

People are often surprised by what they feel during lessons and by the depth of relaxation they experience.

One of the great opportunities of the Feldenkrais Method is that you pay attention to yourself without trying to change. It’s a funny thing really, because often if you try to change, you just reinforce it. If you systematically explore your whole body without trying to change, the previously unconscious muscular tensions become apparent and you automatically let them go.

This can sometimes feel like absolute bliss because many of those unconscious tensions relate to the often fear based ‘frozen actions’ I spoke of earlier. When you release these tensions you also release the fearful orientation. It is as if a filter has been removed. You lie there in deep stillness with your cares scattered on the floor.

This is something that can be cultivated through regular practice of the Feldenkrais Method. If you learn to make yourself still and receptive as you explore the way you move; if you learn to focus all your attention on what you are doing and calmly move with the natural rhythm of your breath, you can luxuriate in the glorious sensations of life in the body and rest in the stillness of being. It is absolutely wonderful!


Home What is the Feldenkrais Method? What is the Alexander Technique? What is EFT? Products Articles and Case Studies Alex A severe back problem Headaches & a sore right shoulder Helena - An EFT Study Julia Neck pain What's the difference between the Alexander Technique & Feldenkrais Method? Richard The pleasure of being flesh What are we actually working on? Schedule Testimonials Links Bio Contact Information Newsletter Scenes from a Lesson (Slideshow) Shopping Cart Bang Bang Salsa	What are we actually working on? By David Hall Originally published Inner Self Magazine Nov 2007 as "Feldenkrais - Awareness Through Movement, A Holistic approach to self realisation" The Feldenkrais Method is an approach to self-education that uses pleasureable and deeply relaxing movement explorations. Each lesson asks you to sense your experience of your body and can profoundly influence the way you think, move, feel and function. Moshe Feldenkrais and countless others through the ages, have spoken of the indivisibility of mind and body. However, most people in my experience still conceive of their body as separate to their mind. Even if they are students of other holistic systems such as Yoga or Tai Chi, when they think of movement exploration, they still think ‘muscle, breath and bone’. The reality, is of course quite different. If we pay attention to our body without trying to change it, we are in the presence of no less than our response to the experience of life and no more than the glory of being. It is a rich multi-faceted experience. Consider for example, stiff neck and shoulders. If you have a mind/body split, shoulder and neck tension is probably something that happens to you. It has more to do with the stressful circumstances of your life than the way you are responding to them. From my perspective, the unnecessary muscular tensions we habitually carry in our body are not just meaningless tensions. They have a purpose and are related to frozen actions. These actions are a response to what we are thinking or feeling about our world and ourselves. Ideas of ‘who we are’ and ‘what the world is like’ are embodied as a readiness or organization for movement, relative to the world and the challenges we face. Consider what happens if you unexpectedly find yourself in a dangerous place. Your posture becomes more defensive. You ready yourself to fight or run and your senses become tuned to finding the fastest way to safety. Compare this to the organization for movement you would have when walking into a party where you felt welcome and attracted to all the people present. Your posture would probably reflect actions that are more open, exploratory and expressive. Our posture on any particular day is affected by our state of mind and the challenges we face. Our most characteristic posture is an expression of our most commonly experienced emotions and thoughts. There are layers and layers of these ‘frozen actions’ that relate to anything from an immediate concern to an ancient fear or excitement. If a person becomes fixated on some stresses or fears they can sometimes lose perspective on the problem and their ability to deal with it. The problem may seem bigger than it actually is and their own resources may seem smaller than they actually are. One of the most important things that happen in a series of Feldenkrais lessons is that a person learns to reconcile their actual body image with body images that may relate to particular states of mind. By then end of many lessons the person’s body image can be quite different to what is was at the start. If a person with a sore back comes in for a Feldenkrais lesson, they may initially think of their back pain as a mechanical problem. They may come in expecting that you will do something to their back to fix it. This is a problem, as ‘fixing it’ often doesn’t address the real issue. There may be a very good reason why a person tightens up their lower back or neck. It may relate to some emotional need or issue that, at that time, they feel they can’t deal with. If you take away that tension through a massage or adjustment, it is only a matter of time before the tension and the problem come back. It is only when you make the problem that the tension relates to insignificant, that the person is able to let it go. This can occur indirectly during a course of Feldenkrais lessons. Through the development of the person’s sense of their body, self and sense of ability everything can seem easier. The back of the person experiencing back pain is not separate to the rest of their body. It is just the place where they are experiencing discomfort. The stress on their back relates to how they using their whole body, not just their back. So we assist them to find what it is they are doing that is placing strain on that area and to find new ways of organising their whole body and moving without that strain. In the process, they become more aware of their body, more aware of their actual resources. At the end of a lesson, problems can seem less of a problem. Their sense or image of their body can be quite different. People are often surprised by what they feel during lessons and by the depth of relaxation they experience. One of the great opportunities of the Feldenkrais Method is that you pay attention to yourself without trying to change. It’s a funny thing really, because often if you try to change, you just reinforce it. If you systematically explore your whole body without trying to change, the previously unconscious muscular tensions become apparent and you automatically let them go. This can sometimes feel like absolute bliss because many of those unconscious tensions relate to the often fear based ‘frozen actions’ I spoke of earlier. When you release these tensions you also release the fearful orientation. It is as if a filter has been removed. You lie there in deep stillness with your cares scattered on the floor. This is something that can be cultivated through regular practice of the Feldenkrais Method. If you learn to make yourself still and receptive as you explore the way you move; if you learn to focus all your attention on what you are doing and calmly move with the natural rhythm of your breath, you can luxuriate in the glorious sensations of life in the body and rest in the stillness of being. It is absolutely wonderful! Copyright (c) David Hall 2007