When we think about good balance, we often picture someone standing on one leg, perfectly still. And if we find that difficult, it’s tempting to try harder: tighten our muscles, hold our breath and concentrate on not moving. But even when we’re standing quietly on two feet, we’re moving. Small shifts of weight and adjustments … More Balance is not a pose
I’m a little in denial about the end of summer. The weather has been glorious, I do love not having to take a cardigan with me. But time moves on, and here we are edging into Autumn. With the school year, September always feels like a new beginning. And of course, it’s also Rosh Hashanah, … More A Feldenkrais reset
How do we balance ourselves, not only in the way we stand over our feet, but in broader life too? How do we balance rest and action, consolidation and moving forwards? And how can you change those things when your current habits don’t serve you well? Firstly it’s about noticing if something is uncomfortable, or needs … More Finding your balance
One of my one-to-one clients, a musician and martial artist, told me recently he thought Feldenkrais was the “key” to many different activities and that its real benefit was in teaching you adaptability. Feldenkrais himself said that health was the ability to move in any direction without preparation or hesitation. He meant this both physically and mentally. … More How balanced are you?
This week I’ve heard several people say the same thing: “I just woke up feeling stiff.” Maybe that’s true for you. Perhaps you’ve got a painful back. Maybe you’re feeling anxious about something? For the musicians amongst you, perhaps an upcoming performance. Maybe you’ve just got too many decisions to make. Whatever it is, our … More What’s bothering you this week?
When you’re looking to improve your movement, it’s really important not to miss out the Pelvis. It’s such an important part of us – attached to all the biggest muscles, and at the bottom of the spine. It’s really your motor centre. In many of the lessons I teach, I talk a lot about the … More The secret life of the pelvic floor
This week, someone said something in a lesson that stayed with me. “I felt movement where I’ve never felt it before… and it felt exciting.” I realised afterwards that this sentence could have come from almost any lesson I taught this weekend. The details were different, but the experience was remarkably similar: people discovering possibilities … More A Chance to Choose
This week I had a concert with my young violinists. One six-year-old spent the entire rehearsal in tears. Nothing her mother or I said could persuade her to play. Yet at the concert she walked on stage, played beautifully. Afterwards, her Mum said that ice-cream bribery had been used. (Clearly a useful strategy in the … More Why experience matters
Hidden in Plain Sight If you’re not moving your pelvis, everything becomes more difficult. And yet, it’s not something we talk about very much. Perhaps because it’s close to the genitalia, it tends to get shuffled quietly offstage. But the pelvis deserves centre stage. It just happens to be where sex and excretion take place, … More Giving the Pelvis its Due
Stability is useful, there’s no doubt. But we need mobility as well, unless you’re a rock! Stability is only part of the story. We need Core Mobility, and also Core connection. You needs to integrate it with rest of you. When you hold yourself contracted continuously, you separate your two halves, top and bottom. But … More Beyond the Core
