Feldenkrais Founder, Method, and Training

Founder of the Feldenkrais Method

Moshe Feldenkrais (D.Sc.) (1904-1984), founder of the Feldenkrais Method, devised an approach to re-educate the body through increased awareness, which results in releasing the habitual habits that cause us pain and restricted movement.

In the 1940s, Feldenkrais was incapacitated by an old soccer injury to his knees.  He was given the choice of living with debilitating pain for the rest or his life or undergoing surgery.  But the surgery offered only a 50% chance of success and carried the risk of increased debility.  He refused the surgery and took on the task of rehabilitating himself. 

Already an internationally recognized physicist, engineer and martial artist, he began an intensive study of neurology, anatomy, biomechanics and movement.  What he learned in the process of restoring his own health became the basis of what was, at that time, an entirely new approach to physical well-being - The Feldenkrais Method.

Feldenkrais Method

The Feldenkrais® Method is an advanced approach to well-being that goes to the root source of stiffness, discomfort and most chronic pain caused by injury or bad habits. These conditions are usually precipitated by our personal physical and emotional histories and aggravated by the passage of time. For example, everyone tends to acquire subtle but damaging habits in how they sit, reach for objects, even hold a pen. Over the years these habits begin to exist on a physiological level. They become encoded in the connections between the motor cortex of the brain and the muscular system. Once entrenched, they put stress on the body and interfere with our ability to function efficiently.

Feldenkrais provides remarkable relief for many chronic and debilitating conditions caused by injury or bad habits, including:

• neck and shoulder stiffness ..
  
• chronic or acute back pain ..
  
• migraines and tension headaches ..
  
• Temperomandibular Jaw Disorder (TMJ) ..
  
• fibromyalgia and chronic pain ..
  
• post-injury recovery restrictions ..
  
• breathing and voice restrictions.

A unique system of body reeducation, the Feldenkrais Method helps people to move more comfortably, efficiently and gracefully.

It is in learned in two ways:
Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement® Classes and Workshops which consist of subtle and precise movement sequences, and/or in Private Sessions which are gentle, noninvasive, hands-on lessons. Known as Functional Integration, these sessions are conducted by a certified Feldenkrais practitioner while you lie fully clothed on a comfortable table. Because Feldenkrais is natural and safe, you can benefit from it regardless of your age or physical condition.

Many people practice Feldenkrais for the sheer pleasure and the benefits of becoming more attuned to their body’s wisdom. Feldenkrais can help you:

• speed recovery from injury ..
  
• alleviate stress and enjoy deep relaxation ..
  
• perform better and fine skills as a musician, dancer, actor, martial artist or athlete ..
  
• look younger and feel more energetic ..
  
• explore the interconnections of mind and body ..
  
• recognize the unique beauty of yourself and others.

Feldenkrais Professional Training Programs:

The Feldenkrais Method has helped tens of thousands of people.  There are over 1,500 practitioners in North America alone, and certification programs are conducted worldwide. 

For information on training programs worldwide, please contact The Feldenkrais Guild at 1-800-775-2118 or at www.feldenkrais.com

“...What I'm after isn't flexible bodies, but flexible minds.
What I'm after is to restore each person
to their human dignity.”
Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc.