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Moshe Feldenkrais
Moshe Feldenkrais

"This is the most sophisticated and effective method I have seen for the prevention and reversal of deterioration of function."
— Margaret Mead, Ph.D., Anthropologist

 

FELDENKRAIS AND AUTISM:
READ HOW FELDENKRAIS CHANGED JARED'S LIFE

 

Benefits

• Relief from tension and muscular pain
• Improved breathing
• Relaxation
• More flexible minds
• Improved performance in sports
• Greater mobility in everyday activities
• Increased vitality

 

Links

Feldenkrais Guild flyer

Dr. Andrew Weil on The Feldenkrais Method: Moving with Ease.

Dr. Norman Doidge on New hope for aching, creaky yuppie bodies.

The Anat Baniel Method (sm) - based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais Look for special Childrens information!

The ANAT BANIEL METHOD derives from the groundbreaking method developed by Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais. The Method is based on cutting-edge scientific theory and the understanding of how the brain learns. Movement and awareness of self are the main means for communicating with the brain in order to bring about potent learning and change. Anat Baniel expanded the application of the same scientific principles to include not only the body and movement -- but also emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. The Anat Baniel Method embodies an extensive evolution of the Feldenkrais Method in several key directions: Anti-Aging and Vitality; Pain Relief; Children with Special Needs; and High Performers. It also embodies evolution and refinements of practice and teaching.

Evolution is inherent to every scientific discipline and as a scientist, Dr. Feldenkrais understood that his method needed to evolve in order for it to stay vibrant, valid and useful. His intention was for his work to develop as increased scientific knowledge and accumulated teaching experience brought more insight, greater understanding and the formation of new techniques.

Anat, in 15 years of apprenticeship and close cooperation with Dr. Feldenkrais, followed by 20 years of continued practice, teaching, and study, has been steadily evolving and refining the Feldenkrais Method to the present Anat Baniel Method.

Videos about Feldenkreis

Visit the Feldenkrais section of our Links page.

 

Moshe Feldenkrais

Moshe Feldenkrais DSc. was born in 1904 and grew up to become an engineer and physicist. He also practised and taught Judo and was a founder of the Ju Jitsu Club in Paris, France. During the same years, he joined his wife, a medical student, in studying with her all of her courses.

During World War Two, as the Germans were entering Paris, Dr. Feldenkrais escaped to England, where he was recruited by the British Admiralty to serve as a scientific officer. When he suffered a debilitating knee injury, he realized that surgery would not give him a good enough outcome. Instead he began exploring ways to re-educate his brain to move in new ways that work, despite the damage to his knee.

One of his ah-ha moments came when he recognized the need for a whole body focus to improve any one part.

 

 

Anat Baniel Method (sm), Functional Synthesis (FS)

Based on the work of Moshe Feldenkrais
is Ms Baniel’s evolution and development of the individual lessons. As with the group lessons, the outcomes are transformational and immediate. In addition, she has taken the remarkable body of knowledge and practice and developed it so it can be used to meet unique needs. Now practitioners can specialize working in the areas of children with special needs; vitality and anti-aging; pain relief; and high performers.

"Movement is life. Life is a process. Improve the quality of the movement and you improve the quality of life itself." - Moshe Feldenkrais

“The Essentials of Vitality” are qualities healthy children have that, when reintroduced in adulthood, reverse many of the common symptoms of aging and provide people access to easy, fluid, and coordinated movement; flexibility and strength; greater health and comfort in the body; alert, vibrant thinking; richer and greater capacity to feel; emotional and spiritual evolution; and most importantly, access to one’s authentic self. These essentials are also the means by which the brain continues to learn and grow." -Anat Baniel - The Anat Baniel Method

“What I am after is not flexible bodies, but flexible minds. What I am after is restoring people to their human dignity”
~ Moshe Feldenkrais, D.Sc ~

The Feldenkrais Method and Awareness Through Movement

Feldenkrais "Awareness Through Movement Lessons" (R) students temporarily set aside habitual patterns, thereby enjoying freer, easier movement, and gaining more accurate and complete perception of the body and movement in general.

ATM emphasizes improving brain-body communication over stretching and straining immediately so people experience a safer and longer lasting change in their posture, movement and body image than if they worked out using force and will power.

Regardless of your level of physical fitness, the body begins to work better immediately because the intelligence of the whole person–their brain, muscles and nervous system–is engaged. The lessons directly engage this intelligence while creating the conditions for effective learning. ATM's are accessible to everyone and the results can be extraordinary. They offer an impressive variety of movement situations, addressing every area, joint, and muscle group in the body and every human function.

History of Feldenkrais

The focus of the Feldenkrais Method is to relearn correct physical movement, countering the bad habits we develop in life that can lead to crippling disability.

The 3 principles of Feldenkrais are

  • vitality for the entire span of your life
  • overcome pain
  • flexible minds

Feldenkrais (R) and the Anat Baniel Method (sm) have been shown to improve many conditions, giving relief from sports injuries, back problems, shoulder, neck, and limb pain, arthritis and stroke-related problems.

Awareness Through Movement (R) Classes the teacher verbally directs students through movement sequences.

Functional Synthesis lesson, the practitioner uses his or her hands to guide the movement of the student, while the student lies on a padded table or floor.

Pilates


Our Goals: To make a positive difference in the lives of people who choose to live a healthier lifestyle. To provide convenient, quality products and service. To assist with vitality in life, with less pain and strain and to see others develop self awareness. To teach others to achieve their mind, body and spirit connection.

Feldenkrais®, Feldenkrais Method®, Functional Integration®, Awareness Through Movement®, Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner(cm), and Friends of Feldenkrais(sm) are service marks of the FELDENKRAIS GUILD® of North America.

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