This past year has been a struggle for all of us. We have been unable to function in the normal life we have become accustomed. Our lives, work, education and play ceased and isolation, disconnection, stress and loneliness became the daily pattern we shared individually and collectively. We have binge watched movies, changed our diets, stopped moving and lived in fear. Our window to the world has been the computer, zoom interactions, and waiting for the next delivery of groceries. Sitting for months in front of the computer or television on a couch that is not supportive, sleeping on a mattress that is too old and worn to provide deep restorative sleep and succumbing to lack of conversation reduce the ability for our brains to consider new thoughts and move forward with physical activities to promote healthy people.
With the reduction of movement, we have become atrophied in our bodies. Lack of movement happens normally in the elder populations as aging occurs. This happened across all age groups from the children who have been confined at home to the seniors who have been living in their rooms without interaction with anyone. All of these circumstances lead to brain tired, brain fog and in some cases even developed into brain injuries. The Feldenkrais Method® can assist in connecting to our vitality and help to restore the sense of dynamic self-directed change in our nervous and physical systems.
Basic principles of the Method include slow and kind movements to restore neuropathways lost due to inactivity. This is important for many who don’t know where to begin the process of recovery from loneliness and isolation. We are stuck. Within the method posture, known as acture, posture in motion, and balance are found through verbal or hands on guided discovery. The more clarity we find in our skeletal support, the easier for the musculature to function in balanced actions to create the possibility for movement in any direction with ease.
To find a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teacher near you, please go to the practitioner search at: www.feldenkrais.com. You can change the difficult and painful patterns by learning kind and gentle movement.
A short Awareness Through Movement Lesson.
Consider something simple. Realize that everything is connected and movement is vital. Let us begin with breathing. Take time to discover your habitual breathing pattern. Do you inhale and exhale through your nose, mouth? Or do you alternately inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth? What do you notice about the pattern you use, is it easy, difficult in one direction or both? Do you feel the ability to complete the process with a sense of ease or is there tension or tightness as you pay attention to yourself?
For a few moments, inhale and exhale through your nose. Where does the breath travel in your body? Rest, take time to do nothing. Another Feldenkrais principle which allows time for the brain to process information. This time, breath in through the nose and out through the mouth as though blowing out a candle on the exhale. Where does the breath travel in the body and what do you notice about the ease of breathing? Rest for a few moments. Now, breath in through your nose and out through your mouth with a HHAAA sound. Where does this breathing pattern flow through your body and what do you notice? Each of these patterns have a value and can be utilized for different musculature releases in the body. Becoming aware of how and when to use these patterns will provide an awareness of how the musculature within our system can reduce tension and open positive patterns of stress relief.