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Welcome to our July 2019 newsletter. Neuroplasticity - the nervous system's ability to 're-wire' itself - is our theme this time round. Anne Taylor, a student teacher, explains in more detail what the concept means, and gives us an uplifting personal perspective on how it has changed her life. Practitioner Sophie Arditti shares a 20 minute lesson, so you can experience your own neuroplasticity yourself. Who would think we could learn so easily?
This month we also have two more library events coming up - one in Essex and one in London - as well as a host of workshops and classes throughout the UK. Details are below, along with links to the pick of our recent social media posts and articles.
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And as for me...I have been on the Guild Committee for many years in a variety of roles. I trained as a dancer after taking a BSc in mathematics. I then graduated from the first London Feldenkrais Training (1990), and have organised two Feldenkrais trainings in London. My special interest is in working with performing artists and I play the viola da gamba. Scott Clark
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How I rewired my brain using the Feldenkrais Method
by Anne Taylor
Like a lot of people, I came across the Feldenkrais Method when I was searching for relief from pain and discomfort – in my case, post-operative pain and muscle spasms that had troubled me for years. A consultant at my local pain clinic had told me that looking for an easy solution to this was like searching for the Holy Grail.
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I was determined, however, and following a series of interventions including acupuncture, botox injections, yoga, more surgery, meditation and psychotherapy, I finally found some relief with Functional Integration (FI) lessons.
I returned to Feldenkrais a few months later during a particular stressful time in my life and again found it to be enormously helpful. I was so impressed that I decided to train to be a practitioner – a decision that still surprises me. I am a writer and teacher by profession, and while fairly active, had always lived primarily in my head. I had no real awareness of how I was using my body and Feldenkrais was in many ways a complete departure from how I had spent my professional and personal life up until that point. And yet it felt completely right.
My immersion in the Feldenkrais Method has been transformative. Not only am I free from discomfort for the vast majority of the time, my friends have noticed that I stand and walk taller; unlike most of them I roll effortlessly out of bed in the mornings without any aches and pains. Paradoxically, I feel more grounded and yet lighter both physically and emotionally. I am moving through the world more easily. The most exciting thing about this is that this has happened without any strain, effort or tedious exercises. It has happened through a series of pleasurable experiences where I have been asked or guided through individual and group lessons by skilful practitioners, who have helped me to ‘rewire’ my brain.
Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change its structure, is central to the Feldenkrais Method. Moshe Feldenkrais first recognised our ability to rewire our brains to improve the efficiency of movement through awareness and learning in the 1940s, long before it was commonly accepted in the early part of the 21st century. Previous thinking on the part of neurologists and neuro-scientists was was that our central nervous system was hard-wired for life. Feldenkrais described the concept of neuroplasticity in his book The Elusive Obvious, first published in 1981.
‘My way of looking at the mind and body involves a subtle method of ‘rewiring’ the structures of the whole human being to be functionally well integrated, which means being able to do what the individual wants. Each individual has the choice to rewire himself in a special way,’ Dr Feldenkrais states in the book, which has this year been re-published with a new foreword by neurologist Norman Doidge.
Through experience of thinking, sensation or imagination our neurons wire together and the more these mental experiences are repeated, the more likely this is to alter our brain structure for good or bad. Feldenkrais teachers use touch, movement, and awareness to stimulate the brain to make useful and lasting improvements to movement and to jettison unhelpful habits and responses.
In my case, one of the habits I have been able to let go of is the pain and spasming developed in response to my surgery. It has been almost three years since I started to participate regularly in Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement and Functional Integration lessons, largely as part of the four year London training course which I am due to complete in the Spring of 2020.
I love the premise, in which the Feldenkrais Method is rooted, that it is never too late to change and learn and to reach our potential. I went gig rowing a few times in my early 40s, and came home with aching muscles and was sore for days. I have just started rowing again and am amazed that I have taken to it so easily – no pulled muscles, aches and pains the next day, despite being 16 years older. I can only put this down to being more integrated – to my body moving more efficiently and to using less effort as I learn.
My learning has happened on a conscious and unconscious level and of course is a continuous process. In the words of Dr Feldenkrais: ‘You can at any time in your life rewire yourself…’
The Elusive Obvious, The Convergence of Movement, Neuroplasticity and Health, 2019 edition is published by North Atlantic Books and Somatic Resources, Berkeley, California.
Anne Taylor is a writer, teacher and facilitator specialising in writing for personal and professional development. She is a student on the Feldenkrais London 3 training and
teaches Awareness Through Movement classes in Falmouth in Cornwall.
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Neuroplasticity in action
a 20 min lesson
Try this lesson by Sophie Arditti, which explores the theme of neuroplasticity in an experiential way.
'...walk around with awareness of both parts of both feet even when they are lifted from the floor. How is your overall comfort and ease in walking?'
Sophie, based in West London, teaches regular classes, workshops and individual lessons. She trained in Switzerland, and is organisational assistant on the current London training. She also dances tango, cycles and swims.
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News from the UK Feldenkrais Community
UK Library Events
Guild Practitioners are organising 2 free events in July in Essex and South London with their local libraries, who will then stock seven key books on the Feldenkrais Method. These include the Elusive Obvious by Moshe Feldenkrais, with an introduction by Norman Doidge which has recently been re-published.
Southend, Essex, 20th July, Anke's, SE0 9EZ Yeu-Meng Chan
West Norwood, London 6th July, West Norwood Library, SE27 9JX, Jenny Hill
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:
North of England
• Saturday, 6 July; 10am - 1.30pm
Caroline Scott: Walking with Ease; www.feldenkraisyorkshire.com
The Hebden Therapy Centre, 9 Wragley House, Valley Road, HEBDEN BRIDGE, HX7 7BZ
• Saturday, 20 July; 2 - 5pm
Julie Wrigley: Move From Your Centre, Spread The Load - a gentle workshop
York Yoga Studio, 112 Acomb Road, YORK, YO24 4EY; www.smoothmoveslab.org
• Sunday, 21 July; 2 - 5pm
Anne Robertson: Breath Easy; annerobbo@talktalk.net
Bodywise Manchester Buddhist Centre.Turner St M4 1DZ
• Sunday, 28 July; 10.0 am - 1.30pm
Paul Wooding: theme TBC; www.feldenkraisliverpool.com
Stonewater Zen Meditation Centre, 13 Hope Street, LIVERPOOL L1 9BH
• Saturday, 17 August; 10am - 1.30pm
Caroline Scott: Finding Your Strength; www.feldenkraisyorkshire.com
The Hebden Therapy Centre, 9 Wragley House, Valley Road, HEBDEN BRIDGE HX7 7BZ
Outside UK / Longer Courses
• 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, 13 July; 2-5 pm
Lou Coleman; loucoleman.org
Yoga Point, 122 Dalberg Road, BRIXTON SW2 1AP
South East of England
• Sunday, 7 July; 2-5pm
Kristin Fredricksson: Pelvic Floor Power; kristinfredricksson.com/workshops/
Apotheca, 13 West Street FAVERSHAM, ME13 7JE
South West England
• Friday - Saturday, 19 - 20 July; 2 - 5pm
Nikhila Mary Ludlow: Inner & Outer Balance; www.lifeworks4.me.uk
The Forge Yoga Centre TOTNES TQ9 5PJ
• Saturday, 27 July; 10.30 am - 4.30 pm (Register by 12 Jul 2019)
Rona Wyatt: Choosing Skill vs Will - move without wilful effort and strain
Quaker Meeting House, 1 Whiteheads Lane, BA15 1JU, BoA; bodymindandmovement@gmail.com
• 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
East of England
• Sunday, 28 July; 2 - 6pm
Yeu-Meng Chan: Body Mindfulness through the Feldenkrais Method - A Healthy and Happy Spine!
Feldenkrais Essex Studio, WESTCLIFF ON SEA, SS0 9EZ; www.feldenkrais-essex.com
Wales
• Sunday, 14 July; 10am - 1pm
Veronica Rock: Breathing & Moving Freely; vhrock@feldenkrais.co.uk
Verve Fitness, Health & Wellbeing, 2-4 George St., LLANGOLLEN LL20 8RE
Training to be a Feldenkrais Practitioner in the UK:
The Feldenkrais International Training Centre's (FITC) next training will begin in July 2019. Click here for further information.
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A bit more food for thought: the pick of our recent Social Media posts
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