Introducing the Feldenkrais Method®

“The purpose of an elevator pitch is to describe a situation or solution so compelling that the person you’re with wants to hear more even after the elevator ride is over”

Seth Godin

When I started my practice, I made several, and it must be said, spectacularly unsuccessful, attempts to come up with a brief description of the Feldenkrais Method® and what makes it so effective and interesting.

After many drafts, I finally came up with the following lines for my imaginary co-passenger on the elevator, one who has just finished asking me,” So, what is it that you do?”

I would picture myself nodding my head sagely and responding: “You know how the normal expectation of life is a continuous downward spiral where we progressively lose our capabilities as we age. Well, I teach a method which shows the path to life-long improvement in our mental and physical capabilities and what we are able to achieve.

We do this through movement and through our awareness to become aware of small, largely unconscious habitual patterns we have accumulated over the years which increasingly restrict our movement and organize our behavior.

Having become aware of these patterns we are then able to reclaim old freedoms and learn new ways of being, in movement and in life…”

So far, so good. It would surely interest everyone about how they could offset the adverse effects of aging.

And what is more compelling than being able to reclaim old freedoms and learn new ways of being in this world?

And the part about the “unconscious patterns” was intriguing enough to leave people wanting more.

The trouble started when I started putting the elevator speech into practice with people I met. Not only it is quite a mouthful, which made it hard for me to remember, it also left so much out.

The Method draws from a rich and nuanced understanding of movement, martial arts, Yoga, neuroscience, behavioral sciences, evolutionary biology and child development along with the brain’s neuroplasticity and ability to learn. It treats the whole person and not its parts, using the unique link movement has with the brain. It impacts not only how we move, but also how we are in society and in life.

My little speech said nothing about the above.

I was also making a big claim without providing any real information about how it works

So, I would start with this well-crafted narrative, then invariably stray from the script after the first line and start talking about an aspect which was on my mind at the moment.

After a few attempts, I gave up altogether on my prepared speech and would mumble something about how it transformed your life and it was related to movement and awareness. Hardly the compelling pitch that Seth Godin had in mind.

And it is not just me.

Most Feldenkrais practitioners struggle to explain in words what it is and how it works. There are primarily two reasons for that

The first and foremost reason is that the Feldenkrais Method® is best experienced.

It is based on movement and just as a picture can convey a thousand words, a movement can convey a plethora of felt experiences, sensations and even emotions with such precision that can never be matched through spoken language.

In fact, no words exist to adequately explain some of the sensations we feel through movement.

So, if you really want to know what the Method is and how it works, go attend an “Awareness Through Movement” (ATM) or a “Functional Integration” (FI) lesson.

The second reason it is difficult to describe the Method is that Dr. Feldenkrais not only drew from a large range of disciplines, he also wished to address a large range of issues through it. From movement, learning and self-direction to reaching one’s fullest potential, human health and even human dignity.  

Such a large body of work is difficult to roll into an elevator pitch.

Unless, it is a series of longish elevator rides.

In writing this series of articles on the Feldenkrais Method® over the next few weeks, I wish to share my understanding of this fascinating work with people who are new to the Method, as well as those who have experienced it and want to know more.

Finally, it is a way of exploring and expanding my own knowledge. The Feldenkrais Method® is, after all, about taking your time to learn how to learn!

The series begins with Chapter 1

I hope you enjoy the ride!