The Feldenkrais Method: The Alternative Medicine for Pain

Life can be pretty stressful and it can have a significant effect on how we feel each and every day. We may wake up feeling tired, sore, or just out of touch with the world. Just doing normal everyday tasks can become a big challenge. What if there was a way to change this? This is where the Feldenkrais Method comes in.

So what exactly is the purpose of the Feldenkrais Method? Basically, it teaches people how to move about in a way that enhances bodily function. According to Feldenkrais.com, "you can increase your ease and range of motion, improve your flexibility and coordination, and rediscover your innate capacity for graceful, efficient movement." The Feldenkrais Method is based on the principles of physics, biomechanics, and knowing how humans learn and develop. Students who are learning the Feldenkrais Method begin to understand how their thoughts control their muscle movements and how to overcome muscle rigidities. By doing this, they learn how to find new ways of moving.

So who can learn and benefit from the Feldenkrais Method? The answer to this question is easy: Anyone. There have been many successes involving the Feldenkrais Method. You will feel taller and lighter, breathe more easily, and bodily discomforts such as back, neck, and arthritis pain will be relieved. Such successes include a 28 year old woman who goes through her first pregnancy without back pain and a 32 year old man who learns to use his hands again after being in a bad car accident. Many celebrities including Whoopi Goldberg, Helen Hayes, and a former Israeli Prime Minister have tried out and benefited from the Feldenkrais method. The Feldenkrais Method is taught in group classes called Awareness through Movement. During these classes, the teacher guides students (verbally) through a number of different movements in common positions such as standing, sitting in a chair, sitting on the floor, or lying on the floor.

In Awareness through Movement lessons, the teacher verbally directs students through a number of movements. These lessons generally last between a half hour and an hour. The movements start out slow and easy and gradually pick up in intensity. The explorations of these movements involve senses such as thinking, sensing, moving, and imagining. Students are able to find their own way through a lesson.

If you are interested in learning the Feldenkrais Method and would like to attend a lesson guided by certified Feldenkrais practitioner, just type in the search form at http://www.feldenkrais.com/practitioners/find/ to Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioners. You can also do a state by state search.

Source:

The Feldenkrais Method of Somatic Education, http://www.feldenkrais.com/method/frequently_asked_questions/