Feldenkrais Guild (UK) monthly newsletter

A Sense of Safety
Victoria Worsley MA, FG(UK)

Over 12 years of teaching the Feldenkrais Method I have come to realise how much the ability to breathe and move freely and not feel the need to push, strain, brace or pull oneself together tightly depends significantly on our fundamental sense of safety. Whether it is through many little experiences, a persistent condition, injury or major trauma, many of us discover at some point that we are vulnerable.

But the important thing is what we learn from that. Do we learn that we can repair and recover or that we are at constant risk of being in pain or even overwhelmed? We are not always free to choose what we learn in the moment, and once the ‘rug has been pulled’ and our sense of safety is damaged, even in small ways, it can be hard to restore it. We can find ourselves stuck in some form of vigilance, collapse, or anticipation of danger or pain. Not all of us have had to face major trauma, but most of us have experienced enough injuries and every day trials to have been affected. Sometimes in ways we don’t know.

Safety was an issue in Moshe Feldenkrais’s life. He was Jewish. Born in 1904 in a Jewish area of what was then part of Russia, he escaped one pogrom in a cellar aged two. At thirteen he set out for the British mandate for Palestine on his own, with a handful of change and a revolver in his boot. He was in Paris when war broke out again and fled to England to escape the advancing Nazis. He taught himself and others unarmed combat in Palestine and in Paris became one of the first judo black belts in the west. This was a man who even late in life still had a coat with several currencies and a passport sewn into the lining[i]. Just in case. Resilience, adaptability and recovery are key themes of his teaching; the fragility of safety something that arguably underpins it.

This is too big a theme to cover adequately here, but I propose you keep it in mind. A major theme of many lessons addresses our sense of safety in the most basic way of all: how do we find the support to stay upright? How are we able to balance – to constantly lose and re-find our equilibrium – with our precarious two-legged stance and comparatively high centre of gravity? How do we support a big heavy head, let alone have the agility to tilt and turn it? How are we able to shift from one leg to another, push, pull or lift? It takes a most elegant organisation of our whole system to achieve these things optimally.

What happens to this organisation when we have learnt we are not safe? Try it. Imagine you are in danger. Some places may grip or slacken. Breathing, heart-rate, focus, guts and more may be affected. Your system is doing whatever it can to protect you and should recover its equilibrium when the sense of danger is passed. However, many repetitions or too great a shock can teach us to remain in a state of vigilance or self-protection at some level. That disruption then creates its own cycle of difficulty as our systems then have to find less optimal ways to keep us upright, moving and breathing as well as possible. Even a small injury or discomfort can bring a shift as our systems seek to immobilise or protect us.

It is often in classes (‘Awareness Through Movement’) or hands-on lessons (‘Functional Integration’), that we come across those places that we habitually tighten, hold or brace in an attempt to provide the safety that, ironically, those very habits may not let us access. We have a chance to uncover and even let go of protective patterns in small ways, usually with minimal risk, and re-discover the sense of safety that the architecture of the skeleton can enable, and that a more even muscle tone and balanced nervous system setting can offer.

It’s often not about big emotional discoveries, but a simpler, deeper response. Just now a new client emerging from a long period with a frozen shoulder said to me ‘I feel you are helping my system to feel safe again. I feel calmer, more able to feel present and move in a more organic way again instead of just anticipating pain.’ I was delighted. His shoulder was not magically healed, but it was truly wonderful to hear someone experience and articulate that potential pathway to recovery so clearly after just one hour.

[i] His epic life story can be found in Mark Reese’s wonderful biography ‘A Life in Movement’ vol 1, but for more bite- sized reading try Norman Doidge, ‘The Brain’s Way of Healing’ Chapter 5

Victoria Worsley qualified from the Lewes 4 training in 2007. She has a busy general practice in North London for everyone, from children to older people who come for a wide variety of reasons. She was an actor and theatre maker for 20 years previously, runs barefoot and holds a black belt in Goju Ryu karate so she also enjoys applying the method to enable those who like to perform in different ways. Her book ‘Feldenkrais for Actors’ was published by Nick Hern Books in 2016.

A Sense of Safety - a 20 minute lesson

Try this lesson by Victoria Worsley.

'Notice if there any places that are working hard to keep you upright…now listen to your breath, and notice how easy it is to breathe in or breathe out and what places move as you breathe...

If it feels OK bring up some small thing that concerns you…notice how bringing that up feels right now. Is there any change in any of these things we’ve been noticing...?'

Original photograph by Lisa Harbin

News from the UK Feldenkrais Community

Music and Drama Education Expo, Olympia, London: 6th to 7th March 2019

The Guild will have a stall at this year's show, which promises to be as exciting as ever. Do come along to find out more and deepen your understanding and experience of the method.

International Feldenkrais Week - Choices and Changes: Feldenkrais and Thinking

5th to 13th May 2019

As in previous years, we celebrate Moshe Feldenkrais's birthday with a series of events. This year we are supplying books to and organising events in libraries. Keep an eye out for local events - more details to follow.

Classes and Workshops

Take a look at the Guild website to find a teacher or a class. For a list of Feldenkrais workshops taking place in the UK in the next month:

Central England

• Saturday, 16 March 2019, 10am - 4pm
Karin Major: Improve Your Seat - Movement Lessons for Riders - Pelvic Floor
Church Westcote Village Hall, Church Westcote, CHIPPING NORTON, OX7 6SF; www.movetoimprove-equestrian.co.uk

• Saturday, 20 April 2019, 10am - 4pm
Karin Major: Improve Your Seat - Movement Lessons for Riders - Core Strength
Church Westcote Village Hall, Church Westcote, CHIPPING NORTON, OX7 6SF; www.movetoimprove-equestrian.co.uk

Wales

• Sunday, 24 March 2019, 10am - 1pm
Veronica Rock: Easier Walking; vhrock@feldenkrais.co.uk
Verve Fitness, Health & Wellbeing, 2-4 George St., LLANGOLLEN LL20 8RE

North of England

• Saturday 9 March 2019, 10am - 4pm
Steve Cheslett-Davey: Feldenkrais and Sounder Sleep; www.awarenessworks.co.uk
The River Room, Halton Mill, Halton , LANCASTER

• Saturday, 23 March 2019, 2 - 5pm
Julie Wrigley: Finding Your Feet - a gentle workshop with the Feldenkrais method
York Yoga Studio, 112 Acomb Road, YORK, YO24 4EY; www.smoothmoveslab.org

• Friday, 5 April 2019, 12 - 3pm
Veronica Rock: Flexible Hips & Knees; vhrock@feldenkrais.co.uk
Romiley LifeCentre, ROMILEY SK6 4BN

• Saturday, 6 April 2019, 10am - 4.00pm
Steve Cheslett-Davey: Feldenkrais Fundamentals Workshop - "Twists and Turns"
The River Room, Halton Mill ,Halton, LANCASTER; www.awarenessworks.co.uk

• Saturday, 6 April 2019, 10am - 1.30pm
Caroline Scott: Reducing tension: Eyes, Neck & Jaw; www.feldenkraisyorkshire.com
The Hebden Therapy Centre, 9 Wragley House, Valley Road, HEBDEN BRIDGE HX7 7BZ

Longer Courses / Outside UK

• Monday - Saturday, 18 - 23 March 2019, 10am - 6pm
Rebecca Meitlis: Opera Academy, weblink to course
Tietr Wielki Plac Teatralny 1, 00-950 WARSAW Poland

• Saturday - Saturday, 29 June - 6 July 2019, 4 hours per day
Tina Lehmbeck: Move With Ease - the Feldenkrais Method; www.cortijo-romero.co.uk
Cortijo Romero, Orgiva, SPAIN

• Wednesday - Wednesday, 3 - 10 July 2019, 10am - 1pm; 5 - 6pm
Shelagh O'Neill: Finding Space; www.nicefeldenkrais.co.uk
Mas Fontarnau, VIC, SPAIN

• Saturday - Saturday, 24 - 31 August, Daily 10 am - 1 pm; 3 - 5 pm or similar
Shelagh O'Neill: Walking on Air; www.nicefeldenkrais.co.uk
Village Hall, SCORITON TQ11 0JB, UK

• Saturday - Tuesday, 24 August - 3 September 2019, 10am - 6pm
Rebecca Meitlis: Exzellenz- Labor Gesang/OPer; www.exzellenzlaborgesang.de
WEIKERSHEIM ,D-97990, Germany

• Tuesday - Sunday, 1 - 6 October 2019, 10am - 6pm
Rebecca Meitlis: Step into Awareness, a Feldenkrais Retreat
AGISTRI 18010 Greece; www.walkingretreat.org.uk

London

• Saturday, 9 March 2019, 2 - 5 pm
Lou Coleman - loucoleman.org
Yoga Point 122 Dalberg Road BRIXTON SW2 1AP

• Saturday, 9 March 2019, 10.30am - 4.30pm
Sophie Arditti: Jaw and Neck Workshop; www.feldenkraisplace.co.uk
West London Buddhist Centre, 45a Porchester Rd, W2 5DP

• Saturday, 23 March 2019, 9.15am - 5.15pmVictoria Worsley: Feldenkrais: Free Your Neck and Shoulders
City Lit, Keely Street LONDON WC1B 4BA; www.feldenkraisworks.co.uk

• Sunday, 24 March 2019, 2pm - 6pm
Maggy Burrowes: Sitting Comfortably On Chairs & Floors; www.maggyburrowes.com
The Sunflower Centre, 81 Tressillian Rd, Brockley, SE4 1XZ

• Saturday, 11 May 2019, 10.30am - 4.30pm
Victoria Worsley: Eyes, Jaw, Tongue - and Spine; www.feldenkraisworks.co.uk
Dharma Shala, 92-94 Drummond Street, Euston, LONDON NW1 2HN

South East of England

• Sunday, 17 March 2019, 10am - 1pm
Sabine Schmid Blackaby: A Feldenkrais workshop for parents;
26 Round Hill Street, Brighton BN2 3RG; www.feldenkraisbrighton.co.uk

• Sunday, 24 March 2019, 2 - 5pm
Kristin Fredricksson: Ninja Vision - eyes and movement; kristinfredricksson.com
Apotheca, 13 West Street, FAVERSHAM, ME13 7JE (car-parks nearby).

• Saturday, 27 April
Sabine Schmid Blackaby: Our pelvis - a source of power and strength in movement
Bluebell Hill Village Hall, Kent; www.feldenkraisbrighton.co.uk

South West England

• Saturday, 16 March 2019, 9am - 1pm
Mamie Wisker: Effortless Walking; www.movewitheasenow.co.uk
WellBath, Larkhall, BATH, BA1 8DN

• Saturday, 16 March 2019, 11am - 5pm
Nikhila Mary Ludlow: Easier Squatting; www.lifeworks4.me.uk
The Forge Yoga Centre, Collins Rd TOTNES TQ9 5PJ

• Saturday, 23 March 2019, 2-4pm
Jackie Adkins: Free Your Shoulders; www.movetolive.co.uk
Room in Frome, Unit 1a Scott Rd, FROME BA11 1AL (above SK Fruits)

• Saturday, 13 April 2019, 9am - 1pm
Mamie Wisker: Effortless Pelvic Health; www.movewitheasenow.co.uk
WellBath, Larkhall, BATH, BA1 8DN

• Saturday, 27 April 2019, 2 - 4pm
Jackie Adkins: A Flexible Spine; www.movetolive.co.uk
Room in Frome, Unit 1a Scott Rd, FROME BA11 1AL (above SK Fruitss)

• Saturday - Saturday, 4 - 11 May
Shelagh O'Neill: Take a Breath; www.nicefeldenkrais.co.uk
The Guildhall, Street-an-Pol, ST IVES, Cornwall TR26 2DS

• Saturday, 11 May 2019, 10.30am - 4.30pm: Register by 26 April 2019
Rona Wyatt: Movement is Life - Experience key elements of the method and see what you (re)discover; bodymindandmovement@gmail.com
Quaker Meeting House, 1 Whiteheads lane, BA15 1JU, BoA

East of England

• Saturday, 16 March 2019, 2 - 5.30pm
Valérie Fabre: Breathing and posture; www.feldenkraisclassescambridge.co.uk
The Bodywise Studio, Unit 4, Dales Brewery, Gwydir Street, CAMBRIDGE CB1 2LJ

• Sunday, 24 March 2019, 2 - 6pm
Yeu-Meng Chan: Body Mindfulness through the Feldenkrais Method
Quaker Meeting House, LEIGH ON SEA SS9 1NB; www.feldenkrais-essex.com

• Saturday, 27 April 2019, 2 - 5.30pm
Valérie Fabre: Theme to be announced; www.feldenkraisclassescambridge.co.uk
The Bodywise Studio, Unit 4 Dales Brewery, Gwydir Street, CAMBRIDGE CB1 2LJ

• Sunday, 28 April 2019, 2 - 6pm
Yeu-Meng Chan: Body Mindfulness through the Feldenkrais Method
Quaker Meeting House, LEIGH ON SEA SS9 1NB; www.feldenkrais-essex.com

Training to be a Feldenkrais Practitioner in the UK:

The Feldenkrais International Training Centre's (FITC) next training will begin in July 2019, with 3 day courses in January and March 2019 coming up for those interested. Click here for further information.

A bit more food for thought: a few recent articles / podcasts