Posture, Movement, and Habits
Molded by our own experiences, our posture and the way we move are as individual as our signature. They are the result of our life’s history, the activities we do, injuries we’ve sustained, and even the emotions that we have experienced. Over time, our accumulated habits become “invisible” to the point that we may not even know we’re doing them. These habits also create chronic pain, reduced flexibility, and a disconnected sense of our body parts rather than an integrated whole.
The language of improvement
The Feldenkrais® Method is a language of sensory awareness and movement, which translates into a sense of connection to your whole self, your vitality and coordination. It relieves tension and pain by making visible your postural and movement habits and provides new options for moving with increased awareness and use of your whole self. Through this process you develop the ability to listen to your body’s sensory language as well as the skill to improve beyond your limitations or pain.
There are two complementary ways to experience the benefits of the Feldenkrais® Method- Functional Integration® individual sessions, and Awareness Through Movement® group classes.
Functional Integration Lesson
Functional Integration – Individual Session
These individualized lessons are tailored to you. They are great for addressing specific challenges like chronic pain, injuries, or limitations. Lessons are created specifically around your movement habits and goals.
With gentle, precise touch, and sometimes words, your awareness is brought to how you move and suggestions are offered for more effortless ways of moving. As coordination increases people often find a more vertical posture with less effort, and report feeling more balanced and supported with less strain and tension.
Lessons take place with the student lying on a low padded table. However, they may also be taught in sitting, kneeling, standing, or other configurations depending on the needs of the individual. Lessons often end with a take home movement exploration to help integrate your new awareness and skill into your daily life. Clients remain fully clothed at all times.
Awareness Through Movement Class at Hawthorne Wellness Center
Awareness Through Movement – Group Class
These verbally guided lessons are a chance to slow down and pay attention to your body. Carefully sequenced movement explorations based in motor development and bio-mechanics help you feel and experience an easier way to move. As habits of tension and effort drop away, there is often a sense of delight in making discoveries so basic to ourselves as our movement. The increased curiosity, personal awareness, and fluidity in movement fostered by these classes often translates to other areas of daily life.
The classes are non-competitive and allow people of all ages and movement abilities to improve at their own pace. They are great as an introduction or concurrent with Functional Integration lessons or individual Feldenkrais practice.
